Sen. Dalya Attar

Maddy summaryThis bill renames Maryland's Chesapeake Conservation Corps Program to honor former Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. It updates the program's official name throughout state law to "Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps Program" without changing the program's structure, funding, or operations. The renaming applies to all references in Maryland's Natural Resources and State Government codes, including funding provisions and program administration details. The program - administered by the Chesapeake Bay Trust and focused on environmental conservation projects - remains unchanged in its purpose and implementation.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows up to five top-ranking officers in Baltimore County and Baltimore City nonprofit volunteer emergency medical services organizations (with commercial ambulance licenses) to equip their personally owned vehicles with red or red-and-white lights. These lights may only be used while traveling to or at the scene of an emergency. The law modifies Maryland vehicle code to permit this specific use, replacing existing restrictions on non-emergency vehicle lighting. The change takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 293 requires every member of a Maryland county board of education to complete antibias training at least once during their term. The training must address reducing implicit bias, cultural awareness, and discrimination against historically marginalized groups including racial minorities, religious minorities, and others based on identity factors like sexual orientation or disability. It must be evidence-based, incorporate real incidents of bullying or harassment reported under existing law, and be separate from training required for school employees. The bill amends Maryland law to establish this requirement, effective July 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 911 increases Maryland's property tax exemption for blind individuals and their surviving spouses from $15,000 to $40,000 on their primary residence. The bill defines a "blind individual" as someone with a permanent visual impairment meeting specific medical criteria and clarifies that the exemption applies to the assessed value of a dwelling house (including the lot and necessary structures). Surviving spouses who haven't remarried become eligible for the exemption after the blind individual's death. The bill also specifies that individuals cannot claim both this exemption and another specific property tax exemption, though they may use it alongside other available exemptions.

Maddy summarySB 789 modifies Maryland's Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program by requiring the Higher Education Commission to designate certain private colleges as "hunger-free campuses" while explicitly prohibiting those same private institutions from receiving grant funding. The bill adds specific requirements for designation, including establishing a hunger task force, designating staff to assist students with SNAP enrollment, providing campus food pantries, and conducting annual hunger surveys. It also adjusts funding levels, mandating $150,000 annually for fiscal years 2023-2026 and $250,000 for fiscal years 2027 onward in the state budget. This bill directly affects private higher education institutions by creating eligibility for designation but blocking their access to program grants.

Maddy summarySB 378 establishes a Family Literacy Pilot Program through the Maryland State Library Agency, allowing incarcerated individuals to record themselves reading children's books to their children. The program directly affects incarcerated parents, their children, and correctional facilities participating in the pilot. Key provisions include selecting four facilities (representing Maryland's regions and including both male and female facilities), providing free children's books in multiple languages, securing parental permission, and enabling incarcerated individuals to prepare and share recordings. The State Library Agency must report on the program's results to the General Assembly by December 1, 2028, and the program expires automatically on December 31, 2028.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Maryland public school systems to issue simultaneous bids for boys' and girls' high school sports officiating services for "similar" sports (defined as those with comparable rules, season, official count, and competition time). It prohibits schools from awarding contracts where officials for girls' sports receive different pay rates or fees than those for boys' sports in comparable events. The law applies to new procurement contracts starting July 1, 2025, with existing contracts allowed to be extended until 2029. It directly affects all local school systems purchasing officiating services for high school athletic events.

Maddy summarySB 491 defines "honorable discharge" for Maryland state benefits to include discharges solely based on sexual orientation or gender identity, discharges related to statements/acts about orientation/identity (if prohibited at the time), or discharges tied to PTSD/TBI diagnoses or disclosed sexual trauma at VA facilities. This change directly affects veterans applying for Maryland state programs like housing, education, or employment benefits. Veterans must now submit documentation explaining their discharge basis to qualify under this expanded definition. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 46 makes it a crime to illegally occupy residential property with the intent to defraud the owner, prohibiting possession or claiming rights to property you don’t legally own. Property owners can submit a sworn affidavit to their sheriff, triggering removal of the occupant unless they present evidence of lawful possession. Violations carry fines up to $2,500 or jail time (up to 1 year for repeat offenses within 2 years). The law explicitly states it does not replace existing wrongful detainer lawsuits, which remain an option for property owners.

Maddy summarySB 673 establishes the Maryland STEM Program within the State Department of Education. It provides additional pay to public school teachers who teach STEM subjects (science, math, technology, or computer science) at nonpublic schools, while requiring nonpublic schools to apply for participation and report annual data. The program aims to address STEM workforce needs by incentivizing current teachers to gain qualifications, attracting new educators, and improving statewide STEM access. Local school systems can object to a teacher’s participation if conflicts arise with their public school duties or impact instruction quality, with objections requiring specific evidence and review. The bill directly affects public school teachers seeking supplemental income, nonpublic schools seeking to partner with them, and local school systems managing teacher assignments.