Sen. Justin Ready

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 46 makes it a crime to illegally occupy residential property with the intent to defraud the owner, prohibiting possession or claiming rights to property you don’t legally own. Property owners can submit a sworn affidavit to their sheriff, triggering removal of the occupant unless they present evidence of lawful possession. Violations carry fines up to $2,500 or jail time (up to 1 year for repeat offenses within 2 years). The law explicitly states it does not replace existing wrongful detainer lawsuits, which remain an option for property owners.

Maddy summarySB 62 establishes a 10-member Task Force on Education Funding and Student Population Growth in Maryland. The Task Force, appointed by legislative leaders and the Governor, includes education officials, school administrators, and public representatives to examine how delays in student enrollment counts affect school funding and how growing student populations connect to funding needs. It must analyze these issues and submit recommendations to the Governor and Legislature by December 15, 2025, before the task force dissolves on June 30, 2026. This bill creates a study group to inform future education funding decisions, with no direct policy changes enacted by the bill itself.

Maddy summarySB 884 allows Maryland's Motor Vehicle Administration to issue a Class B commercial driver's license with school bus or passenger vehicle endorsements to nonresidents who hold equivalent licenses from neighboring states. It specifically targets drivers operating school buses or vehicles carrying 16+ passengers (including the driver) who live outside Maryland but hold valid licenses from nearby states. The bill amends existing law to permit this exception while maintaining other residency and age requirements for commercial licenses. This change directly affects commercial drivers from bordering states seeking to operate such vehicles in Maryland. The policy takes effect October 1, 2025.

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.

Maddy summarySB 948 requires Maryland county school boards to create and implement policies promoting parental involvement in students' education. The bill mandates that these policies include specific provisions: parents must be able to review classroom materials (via website or written copy), receive advance notice about sensitive topics like family life education, withdraw students from certain activities or lessons, and provide consent before schools use gender pronouns that differ from a student’s biological sex. Parents also gain the right to file complaints if policies are violated, with a 14-day investigation timeline by school superintendents and a subsequent appeal process to the county board. The law directly affects parents, school boards, and students in Maryland public schools, focusing on access to information and decision-making authority.

Maddy summarySB 524 exempts certain religious educational institutions from needing a certificate of approval from Maryland's Higher Education Commission to operate in the state. It applies to schools established for religious purposes that offer only religious instruction, provide programs for religious vocations, and state the religious nature of their credentials. The exemption does not apply to institutions established before January 1, 2013, or to religious schools accredited by U.S. Department of Education-recognized bodies (which still require approval). The bill revises state education law to implement these changes, effective July 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 700 amends Maryland's notary law to require notaries to provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with physical disabilities who cannot sign documents alone. It specifically mandates that notaries read entire documents aloud to blind individuals before notarizing and clarifies procedures for when someone directs another person to sign for them (requiring specific wording on the document). The law directly affects people with disabilities needing signing assistance and all Maryland notaries. It takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 1034 proposes constitutional amendments to change how the Governor and legislature handle budget vetoes. It removes the Governor's authority to veto most budget items, allowing vetoes only for executive department appropriations that the legislature increased. If the legislature overrides such a veto with a 3/5 vote, the item reverts to the original legislative version and becomes law immediately. This directly affects budget negotiations between the Governor and General Assembly, specifically altering the process for approving or rejecting state spending.

Maddy summarySB 783 requires Maryland public school principals to investigate every student fight or physical struggle. It prohibits school staff from disciplining students who, after such an investigation, more likely than not used reasonable force necessary to protect themselves or escape an attack. If a student was wrongly disciplined during the investigation but later determined to have used justified force, the school must expunge all disciplinary documentation from their record. The law directly affects students involved in school conflicts, school administrators, and staff responsible for discipline, taking effect July 1, 2025.