Sen. Mary Beth Carozza

Maddy summaryThis bill reclassifies theft of firearms as a felony in Maryland, making it punishable under existing felony theft penalties regardless of the firearm's value. It directly affects individuals who steal firearms by subjecting them to felony charges instead of potential misdemeanor charges under current law. The key mechanism is amending Maryland's theft statute (Section 7-104) to explicitly include firearms in the felony classification, removing a prior exemption that allowed firearm theft to be treated as a misdemeanor if the value was below $1,500.

Maddy summarySB 325 modifies Maryland's tax credit program for employers hiring apprentices. It removes a requirement that apprentices earn at least 50% of the prevailing wage (previously in section 10-742(a)(iii)), making it easier for employers to qualify for the credit. The bill also extends the period during which the credit remains available. This affects Maryland employers who hire apprentices in registered programs, allowing them to claim a $1,000 credit per youth apprentice or $3,000 per non-youth apprentice (with a $15,000 annual limit per employer). The changes aim to support apprenticeship hiring without altering the credit amounts or application process.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows certain active State Police Retirement System members to transfer prior service credits from the Local Fire and Police System into their state police retirement account. It applies specifically to individuals who previously worked in local fire/police roles (with a break in employment before joining the state police) but are no longer active in that local system. Members must request the transfer by December 31, 2025, using a designated form, and the provision expires automatically on that date.

Maddy summarySB 112 makes it illegal to intentionally cause physical injury to a sports official (umpire, referee, or judge) while they are officiating a sporting event. This specifically adds sports officials to the list of protected individuals under Maryland’s second-degree assault law, classifying such assaults as misdemeanors (not felonies, unlike assaults against police or first responders). The bill also allows police to make warrantless arrests for this specific assault type if they have probable cause. It amends Maryland’s Criminal Law Article § 3-203(c)(2)(IV) and Criminal Procedure Article § 2-203(b)(12) to implement these changes. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 79 creates a permit system allowing out-of-state dealers of motor homes and recreational vehicles to display their vehicles at shows in Worcester County. To qualify, the dealer’s home state must reciprocally allow Maryland dealers to display vehicles there. The permit only permits display at events - dealers cannot accept deposits or complete sales. After approval, permit holders must file a bond with Maryland’s Motor Vehicle Administration to ensure compliance with the rules. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows dealers from other states to display motor homes and recreational trailers at vehicle shows in Worcester County, Maryland. Under the law, these out-of-state vendors can exhibit their vehicles but are strictly prohibited from taking deposits or finalizing sales within the county. The measure applies only to Worcester County and takes effect on October 1, 2024, though it was ultimately vetoed by the Governor.

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 Maryland law requires public school and college coaches to receive training on identifying signs of mental health issues in student-athletes. The State Department of Education and the Maryland Department of Health will create specific guidelines covering depression, trauma, violence, youth suicide, and substance abuse. All public schools and higher education institutions with athletic programs must provide this training to their coaches starting July 1, 2024.

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 bill establishes a temporary workgroup dedicated to studying how to better recruit and retain 9-1-1 specialists in the state. The group is composed of legislators, state agency representatives, and current employees in the field, and it will meet without receiving a salary but with reimbursement for travel expenses. Its main task is to investigate current challenges such as salary levels, benefits, training requirements, and turnover rates, while also reviewing reports from a previous commission on emergency services. By December 2024, the workgroup must provide an interim report, followed by a final report in December 2025, which will offer recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly on improving support for these workers. The legislation is set to expire automatically on December 31, 2025, unless further action is taken.