Sen. Steve Hershey

Maddy summarySB 374 exempts rental vehicles from Maryland's vehicle excise tax, directly affecting rental car companies operating in the state. The bill adds a new exemption category (Section 13-810(a)(26)) to the existing list, removing rental vehicles from the tax base that previously applied a 3.5% rate under Section 13-809(c)(1)(ii). This change eliminates the excise tax obligation for rental car companies on vehicles they lease to customers. The exemption takes effect July 1, 2026, and does not alter other tax rates or provisions.

Maddy summarySB 358 increases the number of resident judges for Queen Anne's County Circuit Court from one to two. The bill amends Section 1-503 of Maryland's Annotated Code, which specifies the required number of judges per county. This change directly affects Queen Anne's County by adding one additional judicial position to its circuit court. The law will take effect on July 1, 2026, without altering other court procedures or jurisdiction.

Maddy summarySB 106 would repeal Maryland's Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program, ending the requirement for biennial emissions tests and equipment inspections for most vehicles. This directly affects Maryland vehicle owners (primarily those with vehicles from 1977 model year onward) who currently must comply with the program. The bill removes all legal provisions related to the program, including testing requirements, waiver processes for repair costs, and certification rules for repair facilities. It does not create new requirements but eliminates the existing mandate under Maryland law. This repeal would end the state-level enforcement of emissions inspections, though federal requirements may still apply.

Maddy summarySB 104, the "Fair Districts for Maryland Act," reforms how Maryland draws legislative and congressional district lines. It requires all legislative districts to be divided into three single-member delegate districts and establishes an independent Redistricting Commission to create these maps, replacing the previous process involving the Governor and General Assembly. The bill bans consideration of political party affiliation, past voting patterns, or individual residences when drawing districts, and gives the Maryland Supreme Court original authority to review plans if the Commission fails to act. This directly affects all Maryland voters by changing how district boundaries are determined, aiming to create more equitable maps based on population and community boundaries rather than political strategy.

Maddy summarySB 705 requires Maryland's Department of Information Technology to establish specific oversight procedures for major information technology development projects. This law directly affects the Department of Information Technology and state agencies implementing large-scale IT systems. The key provision mandates the department to create and follow defined processes for monitoring project scope, budget, and timelines. The bill became law on May 25, 2025, under Maryland's Constitution.

Maddy summarySB 981 requires Maryland hospitals to provide free medically necessary care to patients with family income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level and reduced-cost care to those between 200-500% FPL who face financial hardship (defined as medical debt exceeding 25% of family income over 12 months). It mandates a 75% reduction in patient costs for individuals earning 201-250% of the poverty level and prohibits hospitals from filing lawsuits to collect debts under a specified low threshold. The bill also extends the time before interest accrues on medical debt and adds requirements for hospitals to clearly explain financial assistance policies to patients. These changes directly affect low- and middle-income patients with hospital bills and hospitals operating in Maryland.

Maddy summarySB 773 requires Maryland health insurers, pharmacy benefit managers, and plan administrators to count all cost-sharing payments made by patients (or others on their behalf) toward their annual out-of-pocket limits and deductibles. It specifically prohibits "accumulator adjustment programs" that exclude patient assistance payments from counting toward these limits, which currently force patients to pay twice for medications after meeting their deductible. This affects patients enrolled in high-deductible health plans who rely on prescription drug cost assistance programs. The bill directly changes how insurers calculate cost-sharing by mandating that all patient payments count toward annual limits, not just those paid directly to the insurer.

Maddy summarySB 376 allows counties to conduct nursing home inspections upon request, shifting this responsibility from the state health department. The bill requires the Maryland Department of Health and the requesting county to share the costs of these inspections equally. It does not change existing requirements for annual inspections, unannounced visits, or complaint investigations (which remain under state oversight), but instead modifies how inspections are administered by adding county delegation as an option. This directly affects nursing homes (through potential county inspections) and counties (which gain new inspection authority).

Maddy summarySB 547 establishes a 18-member Commission to study whether pooling public employee health insurance purchasing across Maryland's State, counties, municipalities, and school boards would save costs while maintaining benefits. The Commission includes representatives from state agencies (like Budget and Management, Insurance Commissioner), local governments (counties, cities, school boards), labor unions (AFSCME, SEIU), and healthcare experts. It will analyze existing health insurance data to assess fiscal impacts and barriers to implementing a shared purchasing system. This bill creates a study group but does not change current insurance policies or require immediate action.

Maddy summarySB 372, the Preserve Telehealth Access Act of 2025, permanently extends current rules allowing audio-only telephone calls to count as "telehealth" for reimbursement purposes under Maryland's Medicaid program and private insurers. The bill repeals the June 30, 2025, expiration date for this provision in Maryland law, making it permanent. It directly affects the Maryland Medical Assistance Program, private health insurers, nonprofit health service plans, and health maintenance organizations (HMOs) that cover telehealth services. The key change is ensuring these entities must continue reimbursing for audio-only telehealth visits at the same rate as in-person care, without requiring video technology, for covered health services.