Sen. Justin Ready

Maddy summarySB 454 requires school resource officers (SROs) to carry firearms while present on the premises of the school to which they are assigned. This bill amends Maryland law (specifically Section 7-1508 of the Education Article) to mandate this requirement, directly affecting all SROs working in public schools. The key provision replaces prior language with a clear directive that SROs must carry firearms on school grounds, while also maintaining existing training requirements focused on de-escalation, disability awareness, and implicit bias. The bill does not change who qualifies as an SRO but specifies the firearm-carrying obligation during school operations.

Maddy summarySB 633 clarifies that unit owners in Maryland must pay the full cost of repairing or replacing damage that originates within their own condominium unit, such as a leak from inside the unit. Condominium associations must annually inform owners in writing about this responsibility, including how it applies to damage from their unit versus common areas. The bill applies only to residential condominiums and takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 566 updates Maryland's historic vehicle registration rules by raising the minimum age requirement from 1999 model year (25 years old as of 2024) to 2001 model year (25 years old as of 2026). It requires owners to certify vehicles won't be used for daily commuting, commercial purposes, or employment, while maintaining exemptions from vehicle inspections and emissions testing. Registration fees increase to $55.50 annually after July 2025, with a $50 one-time fee for vehicles 60+ years old (non-transferable). The bill automatically reinstates historic registrations suspended due to this age change, effective July 1, 2026, and applies only prospectively.

Maddy summarySB 451 amends Maryland's eminent domain law to require that property owners awarded compensation in condemnation cases receive reimbursement for legal, expert, and other fees or costs they incurred during the proceeding. This directly affects private landowners facing government takings, ensuring they are fully compensated beyond just the fair market value of their land. The key change adds a specific provision (Section 12-104(a)(2)) mandating these fees be included in the damages awarded. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026, and does not alter the core compensation standard of fair market value.

Maddy summarySB 485 requires the Maryland Department of Health to create a system for collecting annual data on the costs of specific women's health services, including prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, abortion, and menopausal care. Hospitals, healthcare providers, and other entities offering these services must report aggregated cost data (without identifying individual patients) to comply with privacy laws. The collected data will be used to assess financial impacts on patients and providers, inform health policy decisions, and evaluate how effectively public and private funds are spent. The bill specifically mandates that abortion cost data be reported in aggregated form only, excluding procedure-level details.

Maddy summarySB 355 changes Maryland's marriage license application process by requiring both individuals planning to marry to appear in person at a circuit court clerk's office, rather than allowing just one party to apply. This affects all couples applying for a marriage license in Maryland, as both must now provide personal details like names, addresses, birth dates, and marital history during the application. The bill preserves existing options for non-resident couples (who can use an affidavit from one party in their home county) but updates the standard process to mandate both parties' physical presence. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 302 prohibits knowingly causing another person to ingest an abortion-inducing drug when the person knows or believes the other is pregnant and does so without consent, through fraud/coercion, or force/threat of force. The bill directly affects individuals who would cause others to take such drugs under these specific conditions. Key provisions define "abortion-inducing drug" and establish that violations constitute a felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison. The law takes effect October 1, 2026, and applies to conduct occurring after that date.

Maddy summarySB 304 prevents Maryland auto insurers from raising premiums, adding fees, or removing discounts for private vehicle insurance when a driver has an accident with a free-roaming wild animal (like a deer) and wasn't at fault. It directly affects car insurance policyholders who experience such unavoidable collisions. The law specifically prohibits insurers from using these accident types as a reason to penalize customers through price increases or loss of discounts. The rule takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 106 would repeal Maryland's Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program, ending the requirement for biennial emissions tests and equipment inspections for most vehicles. This directly affects Maryland vehicle owners (primarily those with vehicles from 1977 model year onward) who currently must comply with the program. The bill removes all legal provisions related to the program, including testing requirements, waiver processes for repair costs, and certification rules for repair facilities. It does not create new requirements but eliminates the existing mandate under Maryland law. This repeal would end the state-level enforcement of emissions inspections, though federal requirements may still apply.

Maddy summarySB 147 requires Maryland public elementary and secondary school systems to report and publish certain agreements, including procurement contracts and memoranda of understanding. It affects county boards, school superintendents, and individual schools by mandating annual reporting to the state superintendent by September 1 each year and requiring all agreements entered into from July 2025 onward to be posted on school websites by September 1, 2026 (or within 30 days for new agreements after that date). The bill specifies that published information must include the type of agreement and total contract amounts paid. This transparency measure applies to all covered education entities across the state and takes effect July 1, 2026.