Maddy summaryThis bill ensures that blind and visually impaired students in Maryland receive textbooks and learning materials in accessible formats like braille, large print, or audio. It requires school districts to coordinate with the state's Instructional Resources Center to provide these specialized materials by a specific date each school year. Publishers must supply electronic files for new textbooks so they can be converted into accessible formats, while the state will cover costs for materials that cannot be produced otherwise. The law also mandates that students with some remaining vision still have the right to learn braille if it is deemed appropriate for their education. Additionally, the bill establishes new certification standards for teachers specializing in working with blind and visually impaired students.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis Maryland law strengthens penalties for individuals who solicit minors or law enforcement officers posing as minors to engage in illegal sexual acts. The bill defines "solicit" broadly to include requests made in person, over the phone, via mail, or through any electronic means like computers and the internet. It makes it a felony to encourage a minor or their parent to participate in activities that would otherwise be unlawful, such as producing or viewing child pornography or engaging in sadomasochistic abuse. Convictions carry prison sentences of up to ten years for a first offense and up to twenty years for repeat offenders, along with substantial fines.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Maryland Task Force to Study Crime Classification by renaming it the Task Force to Study Crime Reclassification and Penalties and shifting its focus from classifying offenses to reviewing their penalties and potential reclassification. The legislation updates the task force's membership to include representatives from the Attorney General's office, state's attorneys, public defenders, domestic violence advocates, and the sentencing commission, while also adding two members appointed by the Maryland State Bar Association. Its primary duties involve examining penalties across various criminal and civil laws to determine if offenses should be reclassified based on severity, whether penalties are too lenient or severe, and if statutory changes are needed for crimes lacking a specific intent requirement. The task force is required to submit its findings and recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly by December 31, 2025, and the act will remain in effect until June 30, 2026.
Maddy summaryThis bill updates Maryland's criminal laws to specifically address indecent exposure involving minors. It prohibits individuals from committing indecent exposure when they know or should know that a minor, who is at least two years old and more than four years younger than the offender, is present. The law defines indecent exposure to include public masturbation, even if genitalia are not visible. Violations of the general indecent exposure rule are punishable as a misdemeanor with up to three years in prison or a $1,000 fine, while exposing oneself in the presence of a qualifying minor carries a heavier penalty of up to five years in prison or a $10,000 fine. The changes take effect on October 1, 2024.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a Task Force in Maryland to study the creation of a new Division of Returning Citizens within the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. The Task Force will be composed of state officials, legal representatives, and community members, including individuals with lived experience of incarceration and their family members. Its primary duties are to assess current reentry services, identify gaps in support, and develop a plan to expand housing, employment, socialization, and health assistance for people leaving prison. The group must also ensure its recommendations address the needs of both men and women returning to society. Finally, the Task Force is required to submit a report to the General Assembly outlining its findings and proposed plan for the new division.
Maddy summaryThis Maryland bill requires that naloxone, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses, be placed in the same location as automated external defibrillators within all public buildings. The State Emergency Medical Services Board, working with the Department of Health, will manage this initiative using existing funds from the Opioid Restitution Fund. To encourage participation, the law grants legal protection from lawsuits to building owners and individuals who provide or administer this naloxone in good faith. These changes aim to increase the availability of life-saving equipment and medication in public spaces to address both cardiac arrest and drug overdoses.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes two new programs within the Maryland Technology Development Corporation to support technology-based start-up companies in the Baltimore area. The first program provides grants of up to $50,000 to startups founded by students or faculty at local universities, requiring that at least 20% of the funds be used to hire third-party consultants for planning and technical assistance. The second program, a pilot initiative, offers incentives to eligible universities to foster entrepreneurship, industry partnerships, and commercialization projects, particularly those involving artificial intelligence or machine learning in healthcare and biotechnology. Additionally, the legislation repeals a previous mandated appropriation for a telework assistance grant program and requires annual budget allocations for these new innovation initiatives.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Office of the Correctional Ombudsman within the Office of the Attorney General to investigate complaints and administrative actions involving the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services and the Department of Juvenile Services. The new unit will have the authority to conduct reviews, refer matters for criminal or disciplinary action, and subpoena testimony or evidence, while also protecting employees who provide information from reprisals. Funding for the office will come from a portion of savings generated by prison population reductions, as determined by the Justice Reinvestment Oversight Board. Additionally, the bill transfers the existing Juvenile Justice Monitoring Unit into this new ombudsman office and creates an advisory board to oversee its operations.
Maddy summaryThis Maryland law extends the time limit for prosecuting sexual extortion and stalking cases, allowing authorities to file charges within five and ten years respectively. It also establishes that these crimes can be prosecuted at any time without a deadline, while permitting a special review process for their sentencing. Additionally, the bill clarifies that individuals convicted of these offenses are eligible for a specific type of appellate review and ensures that intimate images used as evidence remain confidential.