Sen. Arthur Ellis

Maddy summarySB 139 establishes November 1 as a permanent legal holiday and state employee holiday in Maryland, known as Maryland Emancipation Day. This bill removes the current requirement that the Governor annually proclaim November 1 as Emancipation Day by adding it directly to Maryland’s official holiday list. It affects all state government operations and employees, who will observe November 1 as a fixed holiday without needing yearly gubernatorial action. The change takes effect October 1, 2025, and updates existing statutes in Maryland’s Code.

Maddy summarySB 542 requires Maryland's Governor's Office of Small, Minority, and Women Business Affairs to hire an independent consultant to study the state's alcoholic beverages industry, focusing on minority participation and barriers to entry. The study will collect confidential data from license holders (distributors and retailers) on business ownership demographics, brands carried, and industry structure, which must be shared only in anonymized or aggregated form. It will analyze participation rates by race and ethnicity, compare Maryland's system to other states, and identify potential discrimination in the industry. The consultant must submit a final report with recommendations by December 1, 2026, to help inform policies supporting minority-owned businesses in the sector.

Maddy summarySB 66 requires Maryland’s State Board of Elections to create guidelines ensuring elderly voters (65+) and voters with disabilities have expedited, accessible voting at all early voting centers and polling places. Key provisions include dedicated voting lines, clear signage for expedited services, priority seating, and specific adjustments for high-traffic locations. Local election boards must implement these guidelines, collect real-time feedback from affected voters during elections, and make immediate process adjustments. The bill mandates annual reports to the legislature on effectiveness, challenges, and feedback, with implementation starting for the 2026 primary election.

Maddy summarySB 725 authorizes an additional video lottery operation license and up to 1,500 video lottery terminals for a facility in Charles County, specifically on a vessel accessible from Colonial Beach, Virginia. It amends Maryland law to increase the statewide license cap from six to seven and requires the change to be approved by a statewide referendum of qualified voters. The bill does not change existing terminal limits for other counties but sets Charles County’s allocation at 1,500 terminals, consistent with current caps for other locations. This procedural bill directly affects Charles County residents and potential operators seeking to establish a new video lottery facility.

Maddy summaryMaryland's SB 346 establishes a refund program for beverage containers to boost recycling and reduce litter. It requires all redeemable containers sold in the state to display refund information, includes the refund value in both wholesale and retail prices, and mandates retailers to show this on customer receipts. Producers must register with the state, pay fees, and join a stewardship organization to manage the program, while counties can create redemption facilities to help meet recycling targets. The law aims to increase container reuse and recycling rates, reduce pollution from discarded containers, and fund public water refill stations through a new grant program. This directly affects beverage producers, retailers, consumers, and local governments managing redemption sites.

Maddy summarySB 426, the Procurement Reform Act of 2025, reorganizes Maryland's state procurement system by giving the Chief Procurement Officer more authority to delegate tasks and manage contracts. It modifies thresholds for public notices, reports, and small business preferences, and requires contractors over a certain value to submit workforce diversity plans. The bill establishes a new preference for businesses with "good labor practices," transfers the Employment Works Program to a new office, and clarifies rules for expedited contracts and apprenticeship requirements. These changes directly affect state agencies, contractors, and small businesses participating in Maryland procurement.

Maddy summarySB 496 requires Maryland's Department of Commerce to create a public online portal where businesses and nonprofits can report if a government unit (like a county, city, or state agency) takes longer than 60 days to process their license, permit, or registration application. The department must submit an annual report to the legislative budget committees by September 15 each year, detailing anonymized complaint data and identifying the responsible government unit for each delay. This law applies directly to businesses seeking permits and the government units that process them, with the portal launching in 2025 and reports beginning in 2026. The bill does not change processing time limits but establishes a mechanism to track and report delays.

Maddy summarySB 490 eliminates citizenship requirements for members of certain Maryland state boards, committees, commissions, task forces, and workgroups. It replaces these requirements with a new mandate that members must "reflect the full diversity of the State to the extent practicable," affecting bodies across health, environment, labor, and public safety sectors. The bill achieves this by repealing and revising specific sections in Maryland’s code (including Business Occupations, Health, Environmental, and Public Safety laws) that previously required citizenship. Key provisions remove barriers for non-citizens to serve on these groups while requiring diversity considerations in appointments. This change applies to over 30 existing state entities as detailed in the bill’s code revisions.

Maddy summarySB 366 modifies Maryland's campaign finance rules to clarify civil penalty procedures for violations. It requires the State Board of Elections to issue a specific "Notice of Pending Civil Penalty" detailing alleged violations, penalty amounts, and appeal rights to campaign committees or political committees suspected of breaches like improper disbursements, missing records, or accepting non-U.S. currency. The bill mandates the State Board to create comprehensive appeal regulations with clear grounds, step-by-step procedures, timelines, and hearing options. Penalties max out at $1,000 per violation, with higher penalties for specific offenses like unreported contributions requiring refunds. This bill directly affects campaign committees managing funds, ensuring standardized processes for penalty notices and appeals.

Maddy summarySB 498 requires Maryland public schools to include school bus safety and seat belt use in their safety education programs. It mandates that all new school buses purchased on or after July 1, 2027, and registered in Maryland must have 3-point seat belts for every seat. The bill also prohibits civil lawsuits against school bus operators for passengers not wearing seat belts. These changes directly affect schools, bus operators, and students by updating safety requirements and legal protections.