Sen. Steve Hershey

Maddy summarySB 438 allows self-service storage facilities in Maryland to use electronic rental agreements instead of only paper ones. It requires operators to give tenants at least 30 days after a nonrenewal notice to remove their belongings and mandates a 10-day written notice before disposing of any remaining property. The bill directly affects storage facility operators (who must follow these rules) and tenants (who gain clearer timelines for removing possessions). Key changes include standardizing electronic agreements, extending removal time after nonrenewal, and adding notice requirements before property disposal. These provisions aim to clarify procedures for both parties while reducing disputes over abandoned items.

Maddy summarySB 443 changes the qualifications for legal counsel serving on Maryland's local election boards. It replaces a requirement that counsel must be a registered voter in their specific county with a statewide requirement that counsel must be a registered voter in Maryland. The bill also maintains the existing requirement that counsel must be licensed to practice law in Maryland. These changes apply directly to county election boards statewide, affecting who can serve as their legal counsel.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Maryland's child abuse reporting requirements by explicitly including female genital mutilation in the legal definition of abuse, which directly affects healthcare providers, educators, and other mandated reporters. It mandates that these professionals report suspected cases of female genital mutilation to authorities and increases penalties for violations while allowing individuals subjected to the procedure to file civil lawsuits for relief. The legislation also requires the Maryland Department of Health to create and distribute educational materials about female genital mutilation in partnership with various public and private organizations. Additionally, the bill authorizes health licensing boards to revoke licenses of individuals who commit violations related to female genital mutilation under specific circumstances.

Maddy summarySB 7 repeals the expiration date for the Douglas J. J. Peters Veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq Conflicts Scholarship, removing the June 30, 2030 cutoff that previously prevented new awards after that date. This change allows the scholarship to be awarded indefinitely to eligible veterans, active service members, or their dependents who meet Maryland residency and educational requirements. The bill also removes restrictions on renewing scholarships for recipients who received their initial award before 2030. The scholarship covers up to 50% of tuition, fees, and room/board at Maryland public universities, requiring a 2.5 GPA and 5 years of full-time study. It takes effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 90 adds hypertension to Maryland's list of occupational diseases presumed to be work-related for specific emergency responders. It makes firefighters, fire fighting instructors, rescue squad members, advanced life support unit members, and State Fire Marshal personnel eligible for workers' compensation benefits if they have hypertension diagnosed by a provider, experience it for at least 90 consecutive days, have at least 2 years of cumulative service in those roles, and are currently employed in those positions. This creates a legal presumption that the hypertension is work-related, eliminating the need to prove direct causation, while clarifying that individuals cannot receive both workers' compensation and disability retirement benefits for the same hypertension condition. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 300 establishes the Rural Readiness Program, administered by the Rural Maryland Council, to help eligible rural communities (including nonprofits, local governments, tribes, and economic development organizations) build capacity for economic growth through grant application support and project development. It creates a priority for these communities to receive certain state grants, such as those from the Maryland Agricultural Education Fund and the Rural Maryland Prosperity Investment Fund, after completing the program. The bill also creates the Rural Maryland Capacity Building Fund - a permanent fund for grants supporting planning and capacity-building initiatives in rural areas. These provisions directly aim to address rural communities' challenges in accessing resources, infrastructure, and skilled staff.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new permit system allowing licensed alcohol retailers to sell cannabinoid beverages for off-premises consumption, such as take-home delivery. It authorizes Class 1 cannabinoid beverage wholesalers to deliver these products to alcohol retailers holding the new permit, which local licensing boards will issue under specific conditions. The legislation also adjusts tax rules by exempting certain cannabinoid beverage sales involving Class 1 wholesalers from sales and use taxes. Additionally, the bill defines cannabinoid beverages as single-serving products containing 5 milligrams or less of THC per serving and sets distribution restrictions similar to those for alcoholic beverages.

Maddy summarySB 270 requires Maryland's Public Service Commission to analyze the full costs to ratepayers of different electricity generation options, including natural gas, nuclear, and offshore wind (specifically 8,500 MW capacity). The analysis must compare costs under three scenarios: natural gas alone, nuclear alone, and offshore wind with energy storage, while accounting for wind's intermittency and reliability costs. It mandates using a standardized cost model to identify the most cost-effective energy sources for ratepayers. The Commission must submit findings and policy recommendations to relevant legislative committees by December 1, 2027. This bill directly affects Maryland electricity consumers by informing future energy policy decisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment to permanently define Maryland's state flag as the version adopted in 1904, which features the Calvert and Crossland family coats of arms. The legislation would update state laws to align with this constitutional definition and remove previous statutory language about the flag. If approved by voters in the November 2026 election, the change would make the 1904 flag design the official state symbol under the Maryland Constitution. The bill does not alter the flag's appearance but clarifies its legal status and ensures future consistency in how the flag is recognized.

Maddy summarySB 991 requires Maryland government agencies to allow inspectors general (IGs) created under state or local law to inspect public records when state law authorizes their access and they need the records for their duties. The bill specifies that agencies must permit this access unless the records are legally privileged or confidential. It also restricts how IGs can share any public records they receive under this provision. This bill directly affects state and local IG offices and the agencies that must comply with their record requests, effective October 1, 2026.