Sen. Cory McCray

Maddy summarySB 880 requires Maryland's Governor to include a $5 million annual appropriation in the state budget for the Governor's Office for Children to provide grants covering the operating expenses of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Maryland. Starting in fiscal year 2027, this funding must be included each year in the budget process through a specific amendment to state law. The bill directly affects the Boys and Girls Clubs of Maryland by guaranteeing consistent state funding for their daily operations. This policy change mandates a fixed annual allocation, ensuring predictable financial support without altering the clubs' existing structure or services.

Maddy summarySB 341 authorizes organizations affiliated with Baltimore's professional major league baseball team (which plays home games in the city) to conduct raffles under specific rules. These groups must obtain a permit from Baltimore City, spend most of their funds locally on charitable, civic, or youth sports purposes, and use electronic ticket sales within Baltimore City boundaries. The bill modifies Maryland's raffle laws (adding Section 13-505.1) to create this exception, while maintaining restrictions against personal profit from raffles or transferring permits. It directly affects MLB-affiliated organizations seeking to raise funds through raffles in Baltimore City.

Maddy summarySB 278 expands Maryland's definition of "uniformed services" to include members of the Public Health Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), previously limited to only the armed forces. This change updates how "veteran" status is defined in state law, ensuring these service members qualify for state benefits. The bill requires Maryland's tax and pension programs to apply equally to all uniformed services, eliminating prior exclusions for non-military personnel. It directly affects service members in the Public Health Service and NOAA, granting them parity in state tax relief, pensions, and other benefits.

Maddy summarySB 445 shifts administration of Maryland's Federal Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) from the Secretary of Aging to the Family Investment Administration within the Department of Human Services. This change requires DHS to coordinate all CSFP activities using federal funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture under 7 C.F.R. 247, removing the previous requirement for the aging department to administer the program. The bill directly affects low-income seniors and families receiving CSFP benefits, as the program's management will now be centralized under DHS. The law amends Maryland Code sections 5-205(a)(8) and 10-204(a)(2), taking effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 603 authorizes an annual $350,000 appropriation starting in fiscal year 2027 for the University of Maryland, College Park’s TerpsEXCEED Program. This program provides educational and employment support specifically to students with intellectual disabilities. The funding covers direct services like academic advising, career development courses, internship coordination, and connections to disability support agencies. It aims to create sustainable support for the program’s operations and future expansion. The bill becomes effective July 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 502 expands Maryland's existing property tax credit program to include judicial officers, their surviving spouses, and cohabitants - previously, the credit only covered law enforcement officers and rescue workers. The bill modifies the law to define "public safety officer" to include judicial officers and requires counties or municipalities to establish by law who qualifies as a judicial officer. It allows disabled judicial officers, their surviving spouses (if unmarried), and cohabitants to claim the credit against property taxes on their primary residence, with specific residency and disability criteria. The credit applies retroactively to qualifying individuals who met the requirements before the bill's enactment.

Maddy summarySB 516 exempts personal property used in qualifying large family child care homes from property tax under Maryland law (Section 7-227). It repeals outdated requirements for real property improvements to qualify for tax credits and increases the maximum annual property tax credit for eligible facilities from $3,000 to $10,000 (Section 9-213). Local governments (counties, Baltimore City, or municipalities) can now grant this credit against real property tax for portions of property used by registered large family child care homes, licensed child care centers, or day care centers for elderly/adults. The bill takes effect June 1, 2025, applying to taxable years beginning after June 30, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 550 allows Baltimore City to impose a higher property tax rate on vacant or abandoned properties owned by nonprofit organizations that are no longer used for the charitable purposes for which the nonprofit was established. Specifically, it authorizes the city to create a special tax subclass for properties unused for at least three consecutive taxable years. The special rate can be up to 10 times the standard city property tax rate for these properties. This bill directly affects nonprofit organizations owning such properties, aiming to encourage their reuse or sale. It takes effect for taxable years beginning after June 30, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 401 establishes the Maryland Area Rail Commuter (MARC) Rail Authority to oversee MARC rail operations, replacing the current management structure under the Department of Transportation. The new authority, chaired by the Transportation Secretary and including appointed transit experts and labor representatives, will manage the Brunswick, Camden, and Penn rail lines, handle financing for infrastructure projects, and issue revenue bonds for facility construction and maintenance. It requires funds from MARC operations to be deposited into a dedicated authority fund and mandates adherence to state transit planning. This bill directly affects MARC rail service operations, employees (through labor representation on the board), and taxpayers who fund rail infrastructure through state budgets and bond financing.

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.