Sen. Mary Washington

Maddy summarySB 672 establishes the Baltimore Convention and Tourism Redevelopment and Operating Authority to govern the renovation, revitalization, maintenance, and marketing of Baltimore's convention site and tourism operations. The Authority, composed of 12 members including legislative appointees, industry representatives (hotels, restaurants), city officials, and labor/county business advocates, will manage the convention center and promote Baltimore as a tourist destination. It operates as a state instrumental entity with a 9-member quorum requirement and specific appointment rules for its members. The bill directly affects Baltimore City's convention center management and tourism marketing strategy, replacing the previous task force recommendations with a permanent governing body.

Maddy summarySB 683 (Protect Our Federal Workers Act) renames the "Federal Government Shutdown Employee Assistance Loan Fund" to the "Federal Government Employee Assistance Loan Fund" and expands its eligibility. The bill allows Maryland to use funds from the Catastrophic Event Account to assist federal workers affected by closures, relocations, or mass layoffs of federal offices (beyond just government shutdowns). It specifically adds these new circumstances to the Fund’s purpose, enabling loans to Maryland-resident federal employees who lost pay during shutdowns *or* were terminated due to federal facility changes beyond their control. The bill modifies existing Maryland law (Sections 7-324 and 7-327) to formalize these changes, ensuring the Fund remains continuously available for these purposes.

Maddy summarySB 671 requires Maryland's Office of Cemetery Oversight to study the environmental and public health impacts of deathcare practices, in collaboration with health, labor, and environmental agencies. The study will examine nine specific practices - including traditional burials, cremation, water cremation, and green burial - to assess their effects on land use, soil/water quality, air pollution, worker safety, costs, and equity. It will also review permitting processes and collect data through site visits, stakeholder input, and comparisons with other states. The study will produce an interim report by December 2025 and a final report by July 2026, which may inform future policy recommendations but does not enact new regulations.

Maddy summarySB 428 establishes Maryland’s Leaders in Environmentally Engaged Farming (LEEF) Program to incentivize farmers adopting conservation practices that protect the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The bill creates a special fund to support tiered recognition for farmers who implement specific practices like cover crops, riparian buffers, soil health management, and community-focused initiatives (e.g., supporting local food systems or mentoring new farmers). It directly affects Maryland farmers participating in the program, requiring the Department of Agriculture to develop evaluation criteria and promote eligible practices that reduce nutrients/sediment while enhancing farm profitability. Key provisions include defining "community best practices," mandating the Department to coordinate with conservation and agricultural groups, and authorizing state funds to accelerate adoption of these environmentally beneficial farming methods.

Maddy summarySB 382 requires manufacturers of powered wheelchairs to provide independent repair providers and wheelchair owners with necessary documentation, parts, embedded software, firmware, and tools on fair and reasonable terms. It directly affects wheelchair users and independent repair shops by mandating that manufacturers share repair resources without excessive cost or barriers, such as charging more than the suggested retail price for parts. The bill establishes clear definitions for "independent repair providers" and "fair terms," ensuring access to diagnostics and repair tools at no more than the manufacturer's actual cost for printed materials. This law amends Maryland's Commercial Law to create a new "Subtitle 50" specifically governing powered wheelchair repairs.

Maddy summarySB 342, the "Voting Rights Act of 2025," prohibits counties and municipalities from using election methods that dilute or abridge voting rights for protected classes (defined as racial, color, or language minority groups under federal law). It directly affects voters in these local jurisdictions by requiring election systems to allow members of protected classes to elect candidates of their choice. The key mechanism establishes that a violation occurs if elections show "polarized voting" (where voting patterns differ between protected classes and the broader electorate) and the election method dilutes their voting strength. Courts must evaluate this using federal methodologies for enforcing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, applying only to local county and municipal elections - not statewide contests.

Maddy summarySB 656 changes how seven members of the Baltimore County Board of Education are elected, shifting from current council districts to new school board districts starting in the 2034 general election. It establishes a redistricting process requiring the County Board to propose updated school board district boundaries after each U.S. decennial census (beginning after 2030), ensuring districts are substantially equal in population, with the Baltimore County Delegation to the Maryland General Assembly introducing legislation to implement these changes within a year. The bill also sets residency requirements for elected members (living in their district for at least two years) and limits consecutive terms to three, with a four-year cooling-off period after serving three terms. This directly affects Baltimore County voters who will elect school board members from their new districts and reshapes how the school board's geographic representation is determined.

Maddy summarySB 42 requires Maryland's Department of the Environment to designate four specific watersheds - Carroll Creek (Frederick City/County), Gwynns Falls (Baltimore City/County), Jones Falls (Baltimore City/County), and Herring Run (Baltimore City/County) - along with all their source areas and tributaries, as "interjurisdictional flood hazard watersheds." This mandates local governments (counties and municipalities) to develop coordinated flood management plans for these watersheds, which must be reviewed and approved by the Department. The bill specifies that plans must include flood control methods like dams, levees, zoning changes, and stormwater systems, and it replaces existing requirements for managing flood plans across jurisdictional boundaries. The policy directly affects local governments responsible for flood planning in these areas, effective October 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 379 repeals the examination requirement for obtaining bachelor and master social worker licenses in Maryland, directly affecting new social workers seeking these initial credentials. The bill also increases the State Board of Social Work Examiners from 12 to 14 members and expands consumer representation from 2 to 4 seats. It modifies educational requirements for certified social worker licenses by removing the exam mandate while retaining supervised experience and degree accreditation standards. These changes streamline initial licensure for bachelor/master-level social workers but maintain clinical certification requirements. The bill focuses on regulatory adjustments to social work licensing without altering practice standards or fees.

Maddy summarySB 8 establishes the Maryland Civic Excellence Program, a voluntary initiative for public school systems in Maryland to recognize student civic engagement. Starting in the 2026-2027 school year, participating schools must award a "Seal of Civic Excellence" to students who pass a government assessment, earn A or B grades in U.S. history, modern world history, and American government, and complete 75 hours of community service (including at least 30 hours on a civic project). Schools may also earn a "Center of Civic Excellence" designation if 50% or more of their graduating students receive the seal. Participating school systems must submit annual reports on the program starting in 2027.