Sen. Shaneka Henson

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 summarySB 783 requires Maryland public school principals to investigate every student fight or physical struggle. It prohibits school staff from disciplining students who, after such an investigation, more likely than not used reasonable force necessary to protect themselves or escape an attack. If a student was wrongly disciplined during the investigation but later determined to have used justified force, the school must expunge all disciplinary documentation from their record. The law directly affects students involved in school conflicts, school administrators, and staff responsible for discipline, taking effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 510 imposes a special tax on large investment firms (like hedge funds) that acquire or own excessive numbers of single-family homes in Maryland. The tax applies to entities owning more than a specified number of properties, targeting investment firms rather than individual homeowners. Revenue from this tax will fund the Down Payment and Settlement Expense Loan Program, which provides financial assistance to help eligible homebuyers cover down payments and closing costs. The bill creates a dedicated, non-lapsing fund to administer these down payment programs, with tax revenue flowing directly to this program rather than general state funds.

Maddy summarySB 582 imposes an excise tax on certain entities (like hedge funds or large investors) that acquire or own more than 3% of single-family homes in a Maryland county. It requires sellers to accept offers from individuals, community development organizations, nonprofits, or smaller real estate businesses during the first 30 days of listing. The tax revenue funds a new Down Payment and Settlement Expense Loan Program to help eligible homebuyers cover purchase costs. The bill also modifies state transfer tax rates for specific residential sales and creates a nonlapsing fund managed by the state treasurer. It directly affects large-scale residential property investors, sellers, and homebuyers seeking financing assistance.

Maddy summarySB 509 prohibits individuals subject to a court order for assisted outpatient treatment (AOT) from possessing firearms, rifles, or shotguns. This directly affects people under court-ordered AOT programs under Maryland’s Health-General Article §10-6A-08. The bill adds this status as a new category under existing firearm prohibition rules (Maryland Public Safety Article §5-133(b)(16)) and requires courts to promptly report AOT orders to a secure data portal for background checks. The law aims to prevent firearm access for individuals under such court-mandated treatment.

Maddy summarySB 512 creates a rule that statements made by minors (under 18) during police questioning may be excluded from juvenile or criminal court if officers intentionally used false information to obtain the statement. It directly affects minors facing legal charges and shifts the burden to prosecutors to prove such statements were voluntary. The law establishes a rebuttable presumption against admissibility, meaning prosecutors must provide clear evidence the statement was voluntary despite the officer’s deception. This applies to all custodial interrogations where police knowingly misled minors.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows evidence of autism, developmental disability, or intellectual disability diagnoses to be used in criminal cases when relevant to proving the defendant's mental state at the time of the alleged offense. It requires judges to consider such diagnoses during pretrial release decisions for defendants with these conditions. The bill amends Maryland law to make this evidence admissible under specific conditions and mandates its consideration in pretrial proceedings. It directly affects criminal defendants diagnosed with these conditions, ensuring their medical diagnoses are formally evaluated in court.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires assisted living facilities with 15 or more beds to establish family councils to represent residents' interests. It mandates that facilities provide new residents with written information about the council's purpose, contact details, and how to access public files. Facilities must respond in writing to council communications within 14 days and maintain two separate files: a public file (with resident identities removed) for residents to review, and a regulatory file for licensing authorities. The bill also allows facility staff to temporarily lead councils for up to six months while councils form, but councils must eventually be led by family members.

Maddy summarySB 430 requires Maryland's Department of Housing and Community Development and Department of Planning to annually calculate regional housing infrastructure gaps - measuring the shortage of housing units needed to achieve a 1.5 jobs-to-housing ratio in each designated region. It apportions these gaps to specific counties and cities, creating an "affirmative obligation" for jurisdictions with gaps to expedite approvals of housing projects and prohibiting denials without specific justifications. The law directly affects all Maryland counties and cities, particularly those in six defined regions (like Baltimore and Washington suburbs), by mandating state-level gap calculations and altering local housing approval processes to address housing shortages near job centers.

Maddy summarySB 506 requires Maryland elementary and secondary schools, as well as county school systems, to use funds received from Medicaid (Maryland Medical Assistance Program) and children's health insurance (Maryland Children’s Health Insurance Program) reimbursements for specific purposes. The bill mandates that these funds must cover additional healthcare staff positions (like school psychologists), paid internships for students training to become healthcare providers, and stipends to recruit and retain staff - especially in low-performing schools. It does not change eligibility for Medicaid or CHIP but directs how schools must spend the reimbursement funds they already receive. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.