Sen. Anthony Muse

Maddy summarySB 864 authorizes certain employees of the Town of Forest Heights to join Maryland's Employees' Pension System on an optional basis. It requires these employees to make a one-time election by a specific deadline to join, with service credit for prior employment counted toward retirement benefits. The bill also specifies that employees joining after a set date will not receive service credit for work completed before joining. This legislation modifies existing pension laws to allow Forest Heights to participate while establishing clear rules for membership and credit.

Maddy summarySB 865 allows certain Forest Heights Police Department employees to join Maryland's Law Enforcement Officers' Pension System on an optional basis, requiring them to make a one-time election by a specified deadline. The bill provides service credit for prior employment with the department but prevents retroactive credit for those joining after a certain date. It modifies existing pension law (specifically sections 26-202, 31-2A-01, 31-2A-03, and 31-2A-04 of the Annotated Code of Maryland) to apply these rules exclusively to Forest Heights Police Department employees. This change directly affects eligible officers who must decide whether to participate in the state pension system.

Maddy summarySB 1029, known as "Granny's Law," allows personal representatives (like executors) to ask courts to interpret wills when a decedent left a bequest to a health provider or charity without specifying it must address health equity, but the decedent showed lifelong interest in health equity. It creates a rebuttable presumption that such bequests should fund health equity efforts, requiring the personal representative to prove the decedent's intent with evidence like their lifetime actions. If a beneficiary doesn’t show how the bequest was used for health equity within 3 years of estate probate, the personal representative can seek court orders to return the funds or recover their value. The law applies retroactively to wills probated since October 1, 2021, directly affecting estates with health-related bequests and beneficiaries receiving those funds.

Maddy summarySB 13 establishes a commission to study the history of African American sailors who served in the Union Navy during the Civil War in Maryland. The commission, appointed by the Governor and legislative leaders, will research their service records, honors, and contributions, then recommend details for a memorial. It must report findings and recommendations to the Governor and legislature by December 1, 2025, after which the bill expires on June 30, 2026. This bill directly affects Maryland's historical preservation efforts and the planning of a potential memorial honoring these sailors.

Maddy summarySB 44 (Sherry and Christian's Law) requires individuals charged with reckless or negligent driving that causes a death to appear in court instead of paying fines upfront. It directly affects drivers convicted of causing fatal accidents through reckless or careless driving. The bill mandates court appearances and prohibits prepayment of fines, though judges may waive the appearance requirement for "good cause" after setting a court date. The law amends Maryland's transportation code to enforce these specific procedural changes for such offenses.

Maddy summarySB 545 amends Maryland's criminal code to prohibit possessing or viewing images depicting minors in sexual conduct, sadomasochistic abuse, or sexual excitement - whether actual or computer-generated images that appear indistinguishable from real children under 16. It specifically targets material that looks like real children (excluding drawings, cartoons, sculptures, or paintings) and adds penalties: up to 5 years for first-time possession/viewing (misdemeanor) and up to 10 years for repeat offenses (felony). The bill includes exceptions for parents possessing non-exploitative images of their own children and allows a defense if someone destroys the material or reports it to police. These changes update sections 11-207, 11-208, and add new section 11-208.2 to the Maryland Annotated Code.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 821 requires county boards of education to grant temporary admission to students whose parents or guardians cannot immediately provide proof of required immunizations. To receive temporary admission, parents or guardians must provide evidence of an upcoming appointment with a health professional or local health department. This appointment must be scheduled within 60 calendar days of the student's temporary admission and is for receiving an immunization, reconstructing a lost record, or acquiring evidence of immunity. Following the appointment, parents or guardians must provide evidence of the student's required immunizations on the next school day.

Maddy summarySB 1010, the Sacred Places Safety Act, prohibits committing any violent crime in medical facilities (including hospitals, clinics, and health care agencies) or places of worship (nonresidential religious gathering spaces). It makes violating this prohibition a felony punishable by up to 10 additional years in prison, served separately from penalties for the underlying violent crime. The law applies directly to individuals who commit violence in these specific locations, as defined in the bill. The act takes effect June 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 1009 amends Maryland's criminal law regarding drug paraphernalia, reducing penalties for most violations. It repeals certain prohibitions on possessing paraphernalia and modifies what constitutes illegal use (removing "intent to administer" from prohibited intents). Key changes include lowering maximum fines for repeat offenses (from $2,000 to $1,000) and reducing maximum imprisonment terms (from 2 years to 1 year). The bill directly affects individuals using or possessing drug paraphernalia for injecting, ingesting, or otherwise introducing controlled substances into the body. It also specifies equipment (like scales, sieves, or glassine envelopes) that indicates intent to use paraphernalia illegally.

Maddy summarySB 855, the Maryland Railway Safety Act of 2025, establishes new safety rules for railroads operating in Maryland. It requires freight trains to have at least two crew members, limits how long trains can block grade crossings (to 5 minutes), and caps train length at 8,500 feet on main or branch lines. The bill also creates a state reporting system for hazardous materials transport by rail and mandates railroads to install wayside detectors that scan for equipment defects like overheating wheels or shifted loads. These provisions directly apply to railroad companies operating in Maryland, focusing on operational safety standards rather than broader policy changes.