Sen. Mary-Dulany James

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 146 modifies Maryland's criminal procedure rules to allow certain out-of-court statements in trials for assault in the second degree. Specifically, it permits statements made by a witness who became unavailable due to the defendant’s wrongdoing (like threatening or intimidating them) to be admitted as evidence, bypassing the usual hearsay exclusion. Before admitting such a statement, courts must hold a separate hearing to verify the defendant caused the unavailability, and the statement must have been given under oath, written and signed, or recorded verbatim. The bill also requires the party offering the statement to notify the opposing side about its details and source promptly. This change applies only to assault in the second degree cases and takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 380 creates a Police Recruitment and Retention Workgroup to investigate why fewer police officers are staying in Maryland law enforcement. The group will include representatives from the state legislature, the Department of State Police, various police associations, community organizations like the NAACP, and experts in human resources and policing. Members will examine specific factors such as salary levels, training requirements, and retirement rates, while also looking at successful strategies used in other states. The workgroup is tasked with designing a new apprenticeship program for high school students and will ultimately provide recommendations to address the decline in officer retention.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Maryland's existing Law Enforcement Cadet Apprenticeship Program into a broader Public Safety Apprenticeship Program that includes correctional facilities and other public safety agencies. It increases the maximum grant amounts available to agencies, raising the startup grant limit to $200,000 and the per-apprentice stabilization grant to $5,000, while also requiring agencies to bargain with unions regarding employment terms before receiving funds. Additionally, the legislation mandates the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission to create mental health wellness policies for law enforcement and correctional facilities and establishes a new workgroup to study ways to increase employment in these sectors.

Maddy summaryThis Maryland law strengthens penalties for individuals who solicit minors or law enforcement officers posing as minors to engage in illegal sexual acts. The bill defines "solicit" broadly to include requests made in person, over the phone, via mail, or through any electronic means like computers and the internet. It makes it a felony to encourage a minor or their parent to participate in activities that would otherwise be unlawful, such as producing or viewing child pornography or engaging in sadomasochistic abuse. Convictions carry prison sentences of up to ten years for a first offense and up to twenty years for repeat offenders, along with substantial fines.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Maryland Entertainment District Security Grant Program to help fund security operations in specific areas of the state. The program targets neighborhoods with high concentrations of bars, hookah lounges, or live entertainment venues that experience heavy foot traffic and frequent police calls for service. Eligible recipients include community organizations, nonprofits, and local governments, which must apply through the Governor's Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services. The program is financed by a special state fund that will receive up to $1 million annually starting in fiscal year 2026, with money used solely for grants and administrative costs.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Maryland Task Force to Study Crime Classification by renaming it the Task Force to Study Crime Reclassification and Penalties and shifting its focus from classifying offenses to reviewing their penalties and potential reclassification. The legislation updates the task force's membership to include representatives from the Attorney General's office, state's attorneys, public defenders, domestic violence advocates, and the sentencing commission, while also adding two members appointed by the Maryland State Bar Association. Its primary duties involve examining penalties across various criminal and civil laws to determine if offenses should be reclassified based on severity, whether penalties are too lenient or severe, and if statutory changes are needed for crimes lacking a specific intent requirement. The task force is required to submit its findings and recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly by December 31, 2025, and the act will remain in effect until June 30, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Maryland's criminal laws to specifically address indecent exposure involving minors. It prohibits individuals from committing indecent exposure when they know or should know that a minor, who is at least two years old and more than four years younger than the offender, is present. The law defines indecent exposure to include public masturbation, even if genitalia are not visible. Violations of the general indecent exposure rule are punishable as a misdemeanor with up to three years in prison or a $1,000 fine, while exposing oneself in the presence of a qualifying minor carries a heavier penalty of up to five years in prison or a $10,000 fine. The changes take effect on October 1, 2024.

Maddy summaryThis Maryland bill requires that naloxone, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses, be placed in the same location as automated external defibrillators within all public buildings. The State Emergency Medical Services Board, working with the Department of Health, will manage this initiative using existing funds from the Opioid Restitution Fund. To encourage participation, the law grants legal protection from lawsuits to building owners and individuals who provide or administer this naloxone in good faith. These changes aim to increase the availability of life-saving equipment and medication in public spaces to address both cardiac arrest and drug overdoses.

Maddy summaryThis Maryland law extends the time limit for prosecuting sexual extortion and stalking cases, allowing authorities to file charges within five and ten years respectively. It also establishes that these crimes can be prosecuted at any time without a deadline, while permitting a special review process for their sentencing. Additionally, the bill clarifies that individuals convicted of these offenses are eligible for a specific type of appellate review and ensures that intimate images used as evidence remain confidential.