Sen. Jack Bailey

Maddy summarySB 479 amends Maryland's building energy performance standards to exclude public safety, emergency, and public utility buildings from the definition of "covered building." This means fire stations, police facilities, emergency shelters, and utility buildings will not be subject to the energy efficiency requirements that apply to other large commercial or state-owned buildings (35,000+ sq. ft.). The bill achieves this by revising Section 2-1601(e) of the Maryland Annotated Code to explicitly remove these building types from coverage. The change directly affects these specific public infrastructure facilities by exempting them from annual reporting and emissions reduction targets under the law.

Maddy summarySB 837 prohibits Maryland's Department of Natural Resources from using federal funds for oyster restoration projects in state waters between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2030. This restriction does not apply to projects within five established oyster sanctuaries (Harris Creek, Little Choptank River, Tred Avon River, St. Mary’s River, and Manokin River) defined in existing law. The bill directly affects the Department of Natural Resources' use of federal funding for new restoration efforts during this 5-year period. It automatically expires on June 30, 2030, without requiring further legislative action.

Maddy summarySB 779 amends Maryland’s Climate Solutions Now Act to require certain climate-related requirements to be implemented "to the extent economically practicable." It updates building energy standards to mandate a 20% greenhouse gas reduction by 2030 (compared to 2025) and net-zero emissions by 2040 for covered buildings, while requiring annual emissions reporting to the Department of the Environment. The bill also modifies statewide emissions planning deadlines and includes provisions requiring prevailing wages for contractors working on projects by investor-owned utility companies. These changes directly affect building owners, state agencies, and utility contractors. The legislation does not create new emissions targets but adjusts implementation flexibility for existing requirements under the Climate Solutions Now Act.

Maddy summarySB 735 (Geri's Law) prohibits incarcerated individuals serving sentences for first-degree or second-degree murder from earning time-off credits that reduce their prison terms. It also limits time-off credits for violent crime offenders to no more than 10% of their total sentence for violent offenses, and bars judges from allowing pretrial release for defendants charged with violent crimes if they have pending charges or recent violent convictions. The bill amends Maryland law to restrict credit deductions under correctional services and criminal procedure codes, specifically targeting violent offenses defined in the Criminal Law Article. These changes apply directly to individuals convicted of murder or violent crimes in state or local correctional facilities.

Maddy summarySB 661, the "Protect Maryland Farm Lands Act," changes how farmland is compensated when taken through eminent domain. It requires the fair market value of agricultural property actively used for farming to be set at 350% of the highest appraisal value, instead of standard market value. This directly affects Maryland farmers whose land is acquired for public projects (like roads or transmission lines) and the government entities conducting those takings. The bill also allows property owners to use the assessed tax value if it exceeds the appraisal, and applies retroactively to all past and future condemnation cases involving qualifying farmland.

Maddy summarySB 642 modifies Maryland law to specifically prohibit liability waivers for indoor trampoline parks. It makes any contract clause limiting a trampoline park's liability for injuries caused by its negligence or wrongful acts void and unenforceable. This directly affects trampoline park operators, who can no longer require customers to sign such waivers. The bill narrows a previous broader rule (which applied to all "recreational facilities") to apply only to indoor trampoline parks, leaving liability rules unchanged for gyms, pools, or other facilities. The change takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 637 clarifies that registered vessels (under Maryland’s Natural Resources Article) are explicitly excluded from the definition of a "nonwater-dependent project" on wetlands. This change directly affects vessel owners and operators, as it removes vessels from a category that previously allowed certain construction permits on wetlands. The bill amends Maryland law to specify that vessels - regardless of use - do not qualify as projects that can be built on State or private wetlands without additional permits. Key provisions now prevent vessels from being treated as "nonwater-dependent" structures, streamlining regulatory clarity for wetland development. This focuses on defining scope, not altering permit requirements for other project types.

Maddy summarySB 364, known as "Jamari's Law," increases penalties for manslaughter caused by grossly negligent driving or vessel operation in Maryland. It raises the maximum prison sentence for a first-time offense from 10 to 20 years and for repeat offenders (those with prior convictions for similar offenses) from 15 to 30 years. The bill also expands prior conviction eligibility to include comparable crimes committed in other states or federal courts. This law directly affects individuals convicted of manslaughter by vehicle or vessel under Maryland law, with no changes to the offense definition or charging requirements.

Maddy summarySB 300 creates a specific felony offense for the theft of a handgun in Maryland, separate from general theft statutes. It directly affects anyone who steals a handgun or knowingly possesses one they believe was stolen. The bill amends the criminal law to establish that stealing a handgun automatically qualifies as a felony, regardless of the handgun's value, with penalties ranging from 5 years to 20 years in prison and restitution requirements based on the handgun's value. This replaces the standard theft thresholds (like the $1,500 minimum for other property) and applies strict penalties for handgun theft.

Maddy summarySB 551 prohibits Maryland insurers from raising premiums, adding surcharges, or removing discounts for private passenger auto insurance policies after collisions with free-roaming wild animals when the driver was not at fault. It directly affects car insurance policyholders in Maryland who experience such non-fault accidents. The key provision amends insurance law to block insurers from treating these incidents differently than other non-fault claims. This ensures drivers cannot be penalized financially for unavoidable encounters with wildlife like deer or coyotes. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.