Sen. Anthony Muse

Maddy summarySB 929 creates a Workgroup on Mail-In Ballot Accessibility to study and improve mail-in voting processes, specifically focusing on accessibility for voters with disabilities. The Workgroup includes state officials, disability advocacy representatives, and experts in accessibility, election security, and cybersecurity, and will examine current ballot return procedures, assess the impact of paper-only requirements, and evaluate accessible alternatives from other states. It must submit findings and recommendations - including potential policy changes - to the Governor and legislature by December 31, 2025. The bill takes effect June 1, 2025, and expires June 30, 2026, without requiring further legislative action.

Maddy summarySB 466 prohibits caregivers, family members, or household members from knowingly taking property from vulnerable or senior adults with the intent to deprive them of it. The bill makes such exploitation a violation of Maryland’s Consumer Protection Act, allowing the Attorney General’s Senior and Vulnerable Adult Asset Recovery Unit to pursue civil cases for asset recovery. It also disqualifies convicted individuals from inheriting or benefiting from the victim’s estate, insurance, or property. This law directly protects vulnerable seniors and their families while strengthening enforcement through existing consumer protection and criminal justice mechanisms.

Maddy summarySB 586 repeals Maryland law requiring all Methodist churches (including former Methodist Episcopal, Methodist Protestant, and Evangelical United Brethren churches) to hold their assets in trust for the United Methodist Church and be subject to its control. This directly affects local Methodist congregations in Maryland that previously had to manage assets under these trust requirements. The bill removes Sections 5-326 and 5-327 of Maryland's Corporations and Associations code, which mandated this trust structure. It becomes effective October 1, 2025, ending the legal obligation for these churches to hold assets under the United Methodist Church's control.

Maddy summarySB 179 exempts one vehicle owned or leased by an unemployable disabled veteran with a service-connected disability from Maryland's motor vehicle registration fees. It adds this group to existing fee exemptions by amending Maryland's transportation code (Section 13-903(a)(11)). The exemption applies only to vehicles personally used by the veteran and requires the veteran to be declared unemployable due to a disability connected to military service. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025, and directly affects eligible disabled veterans who qualify under this specific criterion.

Maddy summarySB 815 prohibits the Maryland Department of Labor from requiring applicants for occupational licenses to disclose certain criminal history details, including arrests without conviction, deferred adjudications, diversion program participation, and some sealed or expunged convictions. It specifically bans asking about misdemeanor convictions without physical harm, convictions over 3 years old without imprisonment, and most other offenses after 7 years if no new charges occurred. The law requires the department to consider rehabilitation, job history, and public safety risks before denying a license, rather than automatically denying based on past criminal records. This directly affects individuals seeking state-licensed jobs (like cosmetologists, contractors, or healthcare workers) who have specific non-violent criminal histories.

Maddy summarySB 1021 requires cemetery owners (including those previously exempt from registration) to obtain approval from the Cemetery Oversight Director before selling or transferring a cemetery. Owners must submit an application with details about the cemetery, potential buyers, and a preservation plan identifying descendants, plot buyers, and maintenance groups. They must also provide public notice through newspaper ads, physical signage, and a public meeting. The bill also allows governments to acquire abandoned cemeteries under specific conditions.

Maddy summarySB 648 repeals the requirement for the Governor to approve medical parole decisions for incarcerated individuals serving life sentences. It removes a provision that previously allowed the Governor to disapprove such decisions within 180 days of receiving the Parole Commission's recommendation. The bill maintains existing medical parole criteria (e.g., chronic debilitation, no public safety risk) and all other procedural requirements, including medical evaluations, community support planning, and victim notification. This change directly affects life-sentence inmates who qualify for medical parole by streamlining the process to eliminate gubernatorial review. The bill focuses on policy implementation rather than outcome speculation.

Maddy summarySB 649 expands Maryland's expungement eligibility to include charges dismissed without a conviction. It specifically allows expungement for cases where the court issued a "no finding" (meaning no guilt was determined) or designated a case as "terminated without finding" (similar to a dismissal). This applies to both misdemeanor and felony charges that otherwise qualify under existing law but were resolved without an unequivocal conviction. The bill amends Maryland's Criminal Procedure law to explicitly include these dispositions, making it easier for affected individuals to clear their records.

Maddy summarySB 524 exempts certain religious educational institutions from needing a certificate of approval from Maryland's Higher Education Commission to operate in the state. It applies to schools established for religious purposes that offer only religious instruction, provide programs for religious vocations, and state the religious nature of their credentials. The exemption does not apply to institutions established before January 1, 2013, or to religious schools accredited by U.S. Department of Education-recognized bodies (which still require approval). The bill revises state education law to implement these changes, effective July 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 193 requires the Maryland State Highway Administration to erect a memorial sign on Maryland Route 210 in Prince George's County, specifically between mile markers 11.359 and 11.672 (near Kerby Hill Road ramps). The sign must include the wording "IN MEMORY OF THE LIVES LOST ON MARYLAND ROUTE 210. WE ARE MAKING OUR HIGHWAY SAFER." This bill is procedural and commemorative, directly affecting travelers on that Route 210 segment by honoring individuals who died in past accidents on that stretch. It does not alter traffic laws or safety infrastructure.