Sen. Charles Sydnor

Maddy summarySB 365 creates a "Nonprofit Organizations Navigator" position within Maryland's Department of Commerce to help nonprofits access state grant programs. The navigator provides direct technical assistance to nonprofits, resolves bureaucratic hurdles in grant applications, and shares information about federal, state, and local grant opportunities. This position also serves as a nonvoting member on the Maryland Efficient Grant Application Council, representing nonprofit interests in council discussions. The bill directly affects nonprofits seeking state funding by streamlining their access to grant resources and improving coordination with state agencies.

Maddy summarySB 274 modifies Maryland court procedures for child abuse cases by allowing a child victim to testify remotely via closed-circuit television outside the courtroom if a judge determines their presence with the defendant would cause serious emotional distress. It specifies that only certain attorneys (prosecution, defense, child's advocate), court staff, and therapeutic support personnel may be present with the child during remote testimony, while the defendant and judge remain in the courtroom. The bill explicitly prohibits two-way video that would let the child see or hear the defendant during testimony. This directly affects child victims, defendants, and their legal representatives in abuse cases covered under Maryland’s Family Law and Criminal Law Articles.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 432, known as the "Expungement Reform Act of 2025," updates Maryland's laws concerning the expungement of criminal records, directly affecting individuals seeking to clear certain past convictions. The bill modifies the waiting periods for filing expungement petitions after a sentence is completed and expands the list of misdemeanor convictions eligible for expungement. It also requires courts to consider if restitution has been paid or if the person lacks the ability to pay before granting expungement. Finally, the bill prohibits the Maryland Judiciary Case Search from displaying any reference to certain expunged records.

Maddy summarySB 1039 increases the allowable percentage of beer a Class 5 brewery can sell for on-premises consumption from 25% to 35% of annual sales, provided the beer is brewed under contract or by an affiliate. It directly affects small craft breweries holding Class 5 licenses, allowing them to sell more beer they did not brew themselves at their own locations. The bill revises licensing rules to set the 35% limit based on either annual on-premises sales volume or 1.2% of the brewery’s total production. The change takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 348 amends Maryland's criminal law to clarify and expand protections against surreptitious filming of people's private areas. It directly affects anyone who secretly films another person's genitals, pubic area, buttocks, or female breast (below the areola) without consent in places where privacy is expected, such as residences, dressing rooms, or hotel rooms. Key changes include explicitly defining "private place" to include homes and adding specific examples like tanning rooms, while clarifying that "visual surveillance" covers camera use, mirrors, or direct observation. Violations are punishable by up to one year in jail, a $2,500 fine, or both, and victims gain a civil right to sue for damages and attorney fees.

Maddy summarySB 142 amends Maryland law to clarify that "spouse" includes a former spouse regarding confidential communications during marriage. It specifically allows a spouse alleged to be the victim to disclose private talks they shared during marriage if their spouse is charged with a crime against them in a criminal case. The bill also ensures a spouse cannot be forced to testify about such confidential communications under this exception. This change directly affects married or formerly married individuals involved in criminal cases where one spouse is accused of harming the other.

Maddy summarySB 181 (Correctional Services - Geriatric and Medical Parole) requires Maryland’s Parole Commission to consider an incarcerated person’s age when deciding parole eligibility, specifically including age in the assessment of "reasonable probability" of not reoffending. It also clarifies medical parole standards, defining "chronically debilitated" (e.g., severe dementia or permanent disability) and "terminal illness," and mandates that medical parole requests include a licensed medical professional’s evaluation. The bill requires the Commission to develop procedures for reviewing such requests and allows for a direct meeting between the incarcerated person and the Commission under certain medical circumstances. This directly affects older inmates (60+) or those with serious, non-improving medical conditions who are eligible for parole.

Maddy summarySB 1040 (FEDERAL Jobs Act of 2025) creates an Expedited Hiring Program within Maryland's Department of Budget and Management to recruit former federal employees for state government positions. It directly affects eligible applicants who previously worked for the federal government for at least one year and left after January 15, 2025, as well as state appointing authorities responsible for filling vacancies. Key provisions require appointing authorities to fill eligible vacancies within 40 days, modify job descriptions to appeal to former federal workers, and implement marketing, applicant rating, and referral processes. The program aims to leverage federal expertise for state roles while operating under the State Personnel Management System.

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 442 (Tenant Possessions Recovery Act) requires landlords in Maryland to provide tenants with written notice before evicting them for unpaid rent, lease breaches, or holding over. It mandates that landlords give tenants 14 days to reclaim personal belongings after an eviction, prohibits immediately removing items into public view, and requires safe storage of belongings. The bill also delays evictions during extreme weather (e.g., temperatures below 32°F or severe storms) and sets a 5-day deadline to complete evictions once weather conditions end. These changes apply directly to landlords and tenants involved in eviction proceedings under Maryland law.