Sen. Karen Young

Maddy summarySB 330 expands Maryland's property tax credit for dwellings owned by disabled or fallen law enforcement officers/rescue workers. It directly affects disabled officers who die (regardless of cause), their surviving spouses, and cohabitants by broadening the definition of "fallen officer" to include disabled officers who pass away. Key changes include removing the previous 10-year deadline for purchasing a home after disability or death, allowing the tax credit amount for new homes to align proportionally with credits for prior dwellings, and giving counties flexibility to set their own acquisition timelines or eligibility limits. The bill amends Maryland's Property Tax Code (Section 9-210) to implement these policy adjustments.

Maddy summarySB 526 requires Maryland counties to annually identify areas where public school students live too far from school to qualify for bus transportation and map safe walking/biking routes (with sidewalks and crosswalks) for those students. County governments must post these route reports online and construct necessary sidewalks and crosswalks to make the identified paths safe. The bill directly affects students living beyond bus service distance and county governments responsible for infrastructure. It amends Maryland law to mandate this annual reporting and infrastructure planning process, effective July 2025.

Maddy summarySB 953 establishes a 19-member Task Force to study Maryland's electricity needs through 2040, focusing on limiting out-of-state electricity imports to 25% by 2030 and analyzing costs for ratepayers. The bill temporarily halts the Public Service Commission from approving new or expanded transmission lines from July 1, 2025, through May 1, 2026. The Task Force, including utility representatives, environmental groups, and ratepayer advocates, must report findings by December 2025, examining scenarios for energy reliability and cost. This directly affects utilities planning infrastructure, ratepayers facing potential bill changes, and state energy planners developing long-term strategies. The moratorium expires automatically on June 30, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 859, the "Fair Share for Maryland Act of 2025," is a comprehensive tax code revision affecting Maryland taxpayers and businesses. It modifies estate tax rules (capping the exemption at $2 million for decedents dying in 2016-2017), adjusts child tax credits by changing income thresholds and phase-out amounts, and imposes new business transportation fees on corporations and pass-through entities. The bill also limits net operating loss deductions, requires certain corporations to file combined tax returns, and adjusts income tax brackets for high earners. These changes directly impact estates, families claiming child credits, and businesses operating in Maryland, with automatic annual inflation adjustments for credit thresholds.

Maddy summarySB 851 requires Maryland public school districts to annually report on main entrance accessibility for people with disabilities and update emergency plans. Specifically, county boards must publish on their websites and report to the legislature by September 1 each year the number of school building entrances not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). School systems must submit their updated emergency plans - including evacuation accommodations for students with individualized education plans (IEPs) or 504 plans - to the state education department by September 1, with the department analyzing compliance and reporting to the legislature by December 1. The bill directly affects all Maryland public school districts and ensures students with disabilities have accessible facilities and tailored emergency support.

Maddy summarySB 952 requires Maryland's Public Service Commission to consider "grid enhancing technologies" when reviewing applications for certificates of public convenience and necessity for overhead transmission lines. These technologies include high-performance conductors and storage systems designed to improve grid capacity, efficiency, reliability, and resilience. The bill amends existing law (Section 7-207(f)) to add these considerations to the Commission's decision-making process, directly affecting utility companies seeking approval for new transmission projects. This policy change expands the Commission's evaluation criteria without altering other existing requirements for transmission line reviews.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Joint Resolution (SJ 4) is a symbolic statement urging federal action on nuclear weapons, not a binding law. It asks Maryland's congressional delegation to cosponsor a federal resolution supporting the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and the "Back from the Brink" policy goals. The resolution specifically requests the U.S. President and Senate endorse the treaty, which bans nuclear weapons development and use. It does not change Maryland law or impose requirements, but formally joins over 75 localities and 7 states in calling for reduced nuclear risks.

Maddy summarySB 853 prohibits the Public Service Commission from authorizing new overhead transmission line construction unless an applicant proves existing power line paths are insufficient. It requires developers to demonstrate that current transmission corridors cannot accommodate new lines before approval. The bill also limits local governments from conditioning permits on approvals like "conditional use" or "special exception" for new power lines. This directly affects utility companies seeking to build new transmission infrastructure and local governments issuing construction permits. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 982 updates Maryland's sports wagering law to authorize licensed sports wagering facilities to accept bets on historical horse races. It amends the definition of "sporting event" to explicitly include "historical horse races" within existing wagering rules. This change directly affects current sports wagering facility licensees (such as casinos or racetracks with existing sports betting licenses), allowing them to offer this specific type of wager under defined conditions. The bill does not create new licenses but expands the scope of betting permitted for existing license holders, subject to regulatory limitations.

Maddy summarySB 951 authorizes investor-owned electric companies in Maryland to directly build, lease, or operate their own power generation and transmission facilities without needing prior approval from the Public Service Commission. It removes the Commission's existing authority to require such construction under specific circumstances, shifting that decision-making power directly to the utility companies. The bill changes the legal framework governing utility infrastructure projects, allowing companies to proceed with these facilities under their own authorization rather than through Commission mandates. This change takes effect on October 1, 2025.