Sen. William Folden

Maddy summarySB 386 revises the definition of "reportable offense" to include incidents occurring on school premises or at school events, removing a prior requirement that such offenses must happen off-campus. It requires the Department of Juvenile Services to notify school superintendents and principals when making specific decisions about juvenile cases involving these offenses, such as proposing informal adjustments or denying petitions. The bill applies to all public and nonpublic schools in Maryland, affecting school administrators' reporting duties for student arrests related to defined criminal offenses. Confidentiality rules for reported information remain unchanged under the bill.

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.

Maddy summarySB 993 establishes a pilot program requiring certain drivers with accumulated license points (from specific traffic violations like speeding or reckless driving) to use an intelligent speed assistance system - a technology that helps maintain speed limits - to regain driving privileges. Participants must complete the program, which involves installing and using this system, or face continued license suspension. The Motor Vehicle Administration will issue restricted licenses mandating this technology for participants, and failure to comply will result in license suspension. This bill directly affects drivers suspended for violations listed under Maryland’s traffic code sections 16-402(a)(3), (17), (24), (27), (33), or (45).

Maddy summarySB 532 allows Maryland police officers who are denied rights under disciplinary procedures to seek a court order requiring their law enforcement agency to explain why the right shouldn't be granted. It directly affects officers employed by countywide, local, statewide, or bicounty agencies facing disciplinary actions. The bill creates a new step: officers can apply to a specific circuit court (county-based for local agencies, Anne Arundel County for statewide agencies) *before* a disciplinary hearing. This provides officers a legal avenue to challenge denials of their rights earlier in the process. The bill takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 531 (Juvenile Justice Restoration Act of 2025) requires law enforcement officers to consult with an attorney before questioning a child in custody. The law mandates that officers must contact either a parent/guardian-appointed attorney or the Office of the Public Defender and attempt to notify parents/guardians before interrogation, with exceptions only for immediate public safety threats or parental consent. It creates a rebuttable presumption that statements made without compliance are inadmissible in court, and requires detailed record-keeping of attorney consultations and notifications. This directly affects minors facing police questioning, law enforcement officers (including school resource officers), and the Office of the Public Defender, which must develop policies and provide attorney resources.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits Maryland's Department of Juvenile Services from hiring or retaining employees convicted of specific serious crimes, directly affecting job applicants and current staff. It bans hiring for offenses including abduction, kidnapping, murder, rape, child abuse, and sexual offenses against minors (as listed in Section 1(A)). An exception allows hiring if a conviction was reversed or vacated (Section 1(B)). The law takes effect October 1, 2025, aiming to protect youth in state care by restricting employment for individuals with certain criminal histories.

Maddy summarySB 874 makes it a crime to intentionally take, keep, or sell gift cards without authorization. It prohibits taking gift cards from others, receiving lost/mislaid cards with intent to use or sell, selling gift cards except through authorized sellers (issuers or their agents), and creating or distributing fake gift cards. The law applies to anyone engaging in these actions with criminal intent, with penalties including up to 90 days in jail or $500 fines for cards under $100. This bill specifically creates new criminal offenses for gift card misuse, separate from general credit card fraud laws in Maryland.

Maddy summarySB 739 expands warrantless arrest authority for police in domestic violence cases by allowing arrests without a warrant if an officer has strong evidence that someone battered a current or former sexual partner within the past year. It also updates the legal definition of "victim of domestic violence" to include individuals injured by someone with whom they had a sexual relationship in the last year, previously excluding this group. This change directly affects victims in recent sexual relationships who were not covered under the prior definition for certain protections and programs. The bill amends Maryland's Criminal Procedure Code (Section 2-204) and Family Law (Section 4-513), effective 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.