Sen. Kevin Harris

Maddy summaryHB 1473 requires Maryland state departments, agencies, and programs to provide equal access to public services for individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP) and disabilities. It mandates these entities to develop language access plans by July 2027, including accommodations like interpreters, sign language, and plain language materials. The Governor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs will oversee compliance, investigate complaints, and receive $400,000 annually starting in fiscal year 2027 to support implementation. The bill expands existing LEP protections to explicitly include disability accommodations under defined "equal access" standards.

Maddy summaryHB 458 authorizes an annual $350,000 appropriation starting fiscal year 2027 for the University of Maryland, College Park's TerpsEXCEED Program, which serves students with intellectual disabilities. The funding provides dedicated resources to support academic success through course accommodations, peer mentoring, and career development services like internships and job placement. It also covers management of financial aid, self-directed waiver budgets, and cross-agency coordination for each student. This bill establishes a sustainable funding source for the program’s operations and future expansion, directly benefiting enrolled students with intellectual disabilities. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 600, the "Educational Equality for Service Members Act," updates Maryland's education laws to ensure eligibility for educator certification applies equally to all uniformed services (including National Guard, reserves, and other service branches), not just the traditional armed forces. It revises definitions throughout education statutes to replace "military" with "uniformed services" and clarifies that "veteran" includes those discharged within one year for certification purposes. The bill maintains the existing requirement for active service members, eligible veterans, and their spouses to hold a valid out-of-state license and meet basic qualifications to qualify for expedited certification. This change directly affects service members and veterans seeking teaching careers in Maryland by aligning certification pathways with current service definitions.

Maddy summaryHB 538 transfers administration of Maryland's Federal Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) from the Secretary of Aging to the Family Investment Administration within the Department of Human Services. The bill updates state law to designate the Family Investment Administration as the central agency managing CSFP using federal funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (under 7 C.F.R. 247). It repeals the existing requirement that the Secretary of Aging administer the program, streamlining oversight under the Department of Human Services. This change directly affects how CSFP services - providing food packages to low-income pregnant women, infants, and children - are coordinated within the state government. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 509 establishes a Maryland Inventory of Cemeteries and Burial Sites Workgroup to study how to create a state-wide cemetery inventory system. The workgroup, composed of state officials, historical organizations, cemetery representatives, and local community members, will standardize definitions, review current county and nonprofit cemetery documentation practices, and study systems in other states. It will recommend a single data system design, identify the best managing entity, estimate costs, and propose funding sources for a state inventory system to begin in fiscal year 2027. The workgroup must report its findings to the Governor and General Assembly by December 1, 2025, and the bill expires June 30, 2026, without requiring immediate action. This bill directly affects county governments, historical preservation groups, and cemetery operators through its study of their existing practices.

Maddy summaryHB 473 extends the duration of Maryland Community College Promise Scholarships for part-time associate degree students from 3 years to 6 years after their first enrollment. It revises eligibility requirements under Section 18-3604(c) to clarify that recipients pursuing associate degrees part-time may hold the award for up to six years, rather than the previous three-year limit. The bill maintains existing requirements, including enrolling in at least 6 credits per semester, maintaining a 2.5 GPA, and meeting income and application deadlines. This change directly affects part-time community college students seeking associate degrees across Maryland, providing greater flexibility to complete their programs.

Maddy summaryHB 853 (Maryland Second Look Act) allows individuals serving prison sentences of 20+ years to petition courts for sentence reduction under specific conditions. To qualify, petitioners must have served at least 20 years and wait 5 years after any prior petition, with a maximum of three petitions total. Courts must hold hearings considering factors like rehabilitation, victim input, the individual’s age at the offense, and safety risks, and must publicly state their reasons for granting or denying relief. The law applies retroactively to eligible individuals already serving long sentences.

Maddy summaryHB 1424, the "Protect Our Federal Workers Act," expands state financial assistance to Maryland residents affected by federal government disruptions beyond just shutdowns. It renames the "Federal Government Shutdown Employee Assistance Loan Fund" to the "Federal Government Employee Assistance Loan Fund" and broadens eligibility to include current federal employees not paid during shutdowns *and* Maryland residents recently terminated due to federal office closures, relocations, or mass layoffs. The bill allows funds from the state’s Catastrophic Event Account to cover costs for these individuals, administered by the Maryland Department of Labor. This changes existing law to provide loans for both ongoing shutdowns and post-layoff financial hardship from federal facility changes.

Maddy summaryThis Maryland bill establishes a minimum annual fee of $2.30 per ton for generators of coal combustion by-products, while exempting those that beneficially reuse the material or use it for coal mine reclamation. It creates a new Statewide Coal Combustion By-Products Coordinating Committee composed of state officials, technical experts, community representatives, and local government members to monitor sites and share information. The Department of the Environment must adopt regulations by a specified date to align with federal guidelines and must reduce fees in future years if collected revenue exceeds program operating costs.

Maddy summaryHB 1127 requires all Maryland county school districts to develop age-appropriate water safety and swimming instructional content for public school students, integrating it into health and physical education by July 2026. It also mandates each county board to create a plan by December 2025 outlining strategies to increase student access to swimming pools and facilities through community partnerships, cost-effective transportation, and resource coordination. The plan must identify public/private partners and recommend policy changes if needed. Implementation of the curriculum begins in the 2026-2027 school year, while the access plan requirement expires June 30, 2026. This bill directly affects all public school students in Maryland counties and their local school districts.