Sen. Jason Gallion

Maddy summarySB 990 requires farmers and other consumers who purchase agricultural equipment to provide written notice (via certified mail) to manufacturers about equipment defects during the warranty period. It mandates manufacturers to repair issues within 30 days at no cost to the consumer, even after the warranty expires. If repairs fail, the bill gives consumers the option to get a replacement or a refund (minus a reasonable deduction for use and damage). This applies to new farming equipment like tractors and harvesters, and violations would be enforced under Maryland’s Consumer Protection Act.

Maddy summarySB 879 expands eligibility for two Maryland higher education grant programs by redefining "dually enrolled student" to include students from nonpublic secondary schools and home schools. This change directly affects those students, who were previously excluded from applying for the Part-Time Grant Program and Early College Access Grant. The bill amends specific sections of Maryland's education code (15-127, 18-1401, and 18-14A-01) to update the definition, ensuring these students qualify for financial aid when taking college courses while still in secondary education. The policy change takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 780 modifies Maryland's prekindergarten program to allow eligible private providers to enroll 3-year-olds who meet income or homelessness criteria (family income ≤300% of federal poverty level or homeless status). It changes the definition of "Tier I child" to include these 3-year-olds, but only in counties where private providers choose to participate and sign a memorandum of understanding with the State Department of Education and county boards. Private providers must be licensed, charge no more than the "cost of quality" tuition, and enroll only families meeting the eligibility requirements. This expands access to publicly funded prekindergarten for low-income 3-year-olds through private providers, without changing the existing income thresholds for 4-year-olds.

Maddy summarySB 481 removes a $40,000 annual sales limit on food processed under on-farm home processing licenses in Maryland. It prohibits the Maryland Department of Health from restricting revenue derived from such food, directly affecting farmers who process food in home kitchens on their own farms. The bill repeals the existing revenue cap and requires the Department to update regulations by October 1, 2025. This policy change takes effect July 1, 2025, allowing eligible farmers to sell more of their home-processed food without revenue restrictions.

Maddy summarySB 778 prohibits Maryland's Department of the Environment from requiring owners, lessors, lessees, or operators of agricultural buildings to apply for exemptions from building energy performance standards. It directly affects agricultural building owners (defined as structures primarily used for cultivating, manufacturing, processing, or producing agricultural crops or products, including greenhouses). The bill amends energy standards to explicitly prevent the state agency from demanding exemption applications or documentation for these buildings. This change ensures agricultural buildings are automatically exempt without additional administrative steps, streamlining compliance for farmers and farm-related facilities.

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 482, the "Right to Teach Act of 2025," allows teachers in Maryland public middle and high schools to remove disruptive students from classrooms under specific conditions. Teachers may remove students who repeatedly interfere with learning (and have documented prior incidents) or exhibit unruly, disruptive, or abusive behavior that significantly hinders classroom instruction. After removal, teachers must document the behavior, notify the principal, and send the student to the principal or guidance counselor. The bill prohibits county boards from disciplining teachers for following these procedures and prevents students removed under this law from being counted toward certain school reporting requirements. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 791 increases the minimum classroom teaching time requirement for Maryland public school teachers on career ladder levels 1-3 from 60% to 80% of their working time. This change directly affects teachers pursuing or holding these career ladder levels, requiring them to spend more time in classrooms and less on non-instructional duties. The bill specifies that the remaining 20% of time must be used for activities like improving instruction, tutoring struggling students, working with high-need populations, or participating in professional development. The policy takes effect July 1, 2025, without altering the career ladder's structure or progression requirements.

Maddy summarySB 644 requires Baltimore City school resource officers to carry firearms at all times while on school premises, including before/after school hours and on non-school days. This applies specifically to Baltimore City school police officers and school resource officers assigned to schools under Maryland law. The bill amends sections of the Maryland Annotated Code to mandate this firearm requirement, replacing prior language that allowed discretion. It does not change existing training requirements for officers, which include de-escalation and bias awareness. The law directly affects Baltimore City school resource officers and their on-site safety protocols.

Maddy summarySB 557 prohibits Maryland state and local governments from imposing a vehicle-miles-traveled (VMT) tax, mileage-based user fee, GPS toll, or similar tax. It also bans requiring the installation of tracking devices in privately owned vehicles to report mileage. The bill amends Maryland law to explicitly block these measures under the "Transportation Freedom Act of 2025," with one exception allowing existing fuel tax agreements under Section 9-205. This directly affects state/local authorities and vehicle owners by preventing new mileage-based taxation or tracking requirements.