Sen. Mary Beth Carozza

Maddy summarySB 838 requires local election boards in Maryland to verify signatures on absentee ballot return envelopes before counting them. It mandates that both the voter and a witness (except for active-duty military members overseas or their dependents living overseas) must sign the envelope, and boards must compare the voter's signature against their registration record. The bill directly affects absentee voters, election officials, and military personnel stationed abroad who vote by mail. It takes effect October 1, 2025, and amends Maryland election law to strengthen signature verification procedures for absentee ballots.

Maddy summarySB 933 prohibits knowingly causing another person to ingest an abortion-inducing drug when the person knows or believes the other is pregnant and does so without consent, through fraud/coercion, or through force/threat of force. It directly affects individuals who coerce others into taking such medication, defining "abortion-inducing drug" as any substance designed to induce abortion. The bill amends Maryland’s criminal code to classify violations as a felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 479 amends Maryland's building energy performance standards to exclude public safety, emergency, and public utility buildings from the definition of "covered building." This means fire stations, police facilities, emergency shelters, and utility buildings will not be subject to the energy efficiency requirements that apply to other large commercial or state-owned buildings (35,000+ sq. ft.). The bill achieves this by revising Section 2-1601(e) of the Maryland Annotated Code to explicitly remove these building types from coverage. The change directly affects these specific public infrastructure facilities by exempting them from annual reporting and emissions reduction targets under the law.

Maddy summarySB 779 amends Maryland’s Climate Solutions Now Act to require certain climate-related requirements to be implemented "to the extent economically practicable." It updates building energy standards to mandate a 20% greenhouse gas reduction by 2030 (compared to 2025) and net-zero emissions by 2040 for covered buildings, while requiring annual emissions reporting to the Department of the Environment. The bill also modifies statewide emissions planning deadlines and includes provisions requiring prevailing wages for contractors working on projects by investor-owned utility companies. These changes directly affect building owners, state agencies, and utility contractors. The legislation does not create new emissions targets but adjusts implementation flexibility for existing requirements under the Climate Solutions Now Act.

Maddy summarySB 735 (Geri's Law) prohibits incarcerated individuals serving sentences for first-degree or second-degree murder from earning time-off credits that reduce their prison terms. It also limits time-off credits for violent crime offenders to no more than 10% of their total sentence for violent offenses, and bars judges from allowing pretrial release for defendants charged with violent crimes if they have pending charges or recent violent convictions. The bill amends Maryland law to restrict credit deductions under correctional services and criminal procedure codes, specifically targeting violent offenses defined in the Criminal Law Article. These changes apply directly to individuals convicted of murder or violent crimes in state or local correctional facilities.

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 659 requires Maryland's Commissioner of Financial Regulation to create consumer protection rules for electronic money transfers initiated by banks and credit unions operating in the state. These regulations must align with federal standards for electronic funds transfers under 15 U.S.C. § 1693(a)(7). The law applies to all financial institutions conducting domestic electronic transfers in Maryland and takes effect October 1, 2025. It focuses on standardizing protections without specifying additional elder-focused measures beyond the federal baseline.

Maddy summarySB 180 modifies Maryland's handgun permit rules for retired law enforcement officers who retired in good standing. It changes the expiration period from 2 years to 5 years after issuance and sets renewal periods at 5 years (instead of 3 years). Retired officers are also exempt from renewal fees under this provision. The bill specifically targets this group, altering their existing permit terms without affecting other permit holders.

Maddy summarySB 300 creates a specific felony offense for the theft of a handgun in Maryland, separate from general theft statutes. It directly affects anyone who steals a handgun or knowingly possesses one they believe was stolen. The bill amends the criminal law to establish that stealing a handgun automatically qualifies as a felony, regardless of the handgun's value, with penalties ranging from 5 years to 20 years in prison and restitution requirements based on the handgun's value. This replaces the standard theft thresholds (like the $1,500 minimum for other property) and applies strict penalties for handgun theft.

Maddy summarySB 551 prohibits Maryland insurers from raising premiums, adding surcharges, or removing discounts for private passenger auto insurance policies after collisions with free-roaming wild animals when the driver was not at fault. It directly affects car insurance policyholders in Maryland who experience such non-fault accidents. The key provision amends insurance law to block insurers from treating these incidents differently than other non-fault claims. This ensures drivers cannot be penalized financially for unavoidable encounters with wildlife like deer or coyotes. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.