Sen. J.B. Jennings

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment to permanently define Maryland's state flag as the version adopted in 1904, which features the Calvert and Crossland family coats of arms. The legislation would update state laws to align with this constitutional definition and remove previous statutory language about the flag. If approved by voters in the November 2026 election, the change would make the 1904 flag design the official state symbol under the Maryland Constitution. The bill does not alter the flag's appearance but clarifies its legal status and ensures future consistency in how the flag is recognized.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires county school boards in Maryland to conduct a financial audit before reappointing a county superintendent of schools, ensuring the district's financial management is evaluated for effectiveness and efficiency. The audit must be completed by the Office of Legislative Audits or an independent certified public accountant during the final year of the superintendent's term, with results submitted to the State Superintendent of Schools and made public. This provision applies to all county school systems except Baltimore City and Prince George's County, which already have different appointment procedures. The bill also maintains existing requirements that superintendents must have a college degree and two years of graduate work in public school administration to be eligible for appointment or reappointment.

Maddy summaryThis bill limits how much mobile home park owners in Maryland can increase annual rent for existing residents, generally capping increases at the lower of the national consumer price index or 4% of the previous year's rent. It establishes a formal review process where owners seeking larger increases must petition the Department of Housing and Community Development, provide documentation of extraordinary expenses like major repairs or government-mandated improvements, and allow residents to submit comments within a 45-day period. The bill also prohibits park owners from retaliating against residents who participate in homeowners associations, file complaints, or exercise their legal rights. Additionally, it defines key terms such as "mobile home," "park," "resident," and "extraordinary expense" to clarify the scope of protections.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Maryland's retail electricity and gas supply regulations by changing how utility companies can charge fees, what marketing materials they can bill customers for, and how long residential energy contracts can last. It reduces the annual assessment fee that electric and gas companies pay to the state Public Service Commission from 0.50% to 0.25% of their gross operating revenues, while keeping separate fees for the Strategic Energy Planning Office and Office of People's Counsel. The legislation also limits residential electricity contracts to a maximum of 36 months and removes the ability for suppliers to automatically renew green power contracts without customer consent. Additionally, the bill clarifies that marketing materials must be neutral when informing customers about standard energy options and repeals previous regulations on green power pricing.

Maddy summarySB 991 requires Maryland government agencies to allow inspectors general (IGs) created under state or local law to inspect public records when state law authorizes their access and they need the records for their duties. The bill specifies that agencies must permit this access unless the records are legally privileged or confidential. It also restricts how IGs can share any public records they receive under this provision. This bill directly affects state and local IG offices and the agencies that must comply with their record requests, effective October 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 896 updates Maryland's vehicle registration fee structure for multiple vehicle classes, directly affecting all vehicle owners in the state. It increases annual fees for passenger cars (e.g., from $50.50 to $80.50 for lighter vehicles after July 2025), for-hire vehicles (e.g., rideshares from $150 to $180), ambulances/funeral vehicles (from $100 to $130), and motorcycles (from $35 to $65). Truck fees are revised based on gross weight, with a new $63.75 base fee for smaller trucks under 7,000 lbs and updated rates for construction vehicles. The changes take effect on July 1, 2024, and July 1, 2025, as specified in the bill.

Maddy summarySB 788 changes Maryland's deed recordation rules by allowing property owners to certify their own deeds (without an attorney) as an alternative to attorney certification. It prohibits anyone from claiming that attorney certification is the *only* valid method for recording most deeds, and requires circuit court clerks to accept deeds with either type of certification. This directly affects property owners, attorneys, and county clerks handling real estate transactions. The bill specifically applies to deeds (excluding mortgages and deeds of trust), ensuring clerks cannot refuse to record a deed solely because it lacks attorney certification.

Maddy summarySB 723 requires that deeds for residential property transactions involving title insurance must include the title insurer's name and policy number when recorded. This affects homebuyers, sellers, title insurers, and county recorders in Maryland. The bill amends Maryland's real property law to add this specific requirement to Section 3-104(f)(7) of the Annotated Code. It takes effect October 1, 2026, applying only to transactions where title insurance was obtained.

Maddy summaryThis Maryland bill updates election laws to require voters to present specific proof of identity at polling places before receiving a regular ballot. To qualify, a voter must show a valid government-issued photo ID or, if that is unavailable, a non-government photo ID along with a current document like a utility bill or bank statement that lists their name and address. If a voter cannot provide the required identification, the election judge will instead issue a provisional ballot for later verification. The legislation also reinforces existing rules that prohibit anyone from suggesting how a voter should mark their ballot and restricts who can assist voters with disabilities or language barriers.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Maryland county school boards to create parent and family engagement policies by the 2027-2028 school year, and mandates that individual public schools develop Parent-School Compacts starting in the 2028-2029 school year. The policies must be created in consultation with parents and include frameworks for collaboration, technical assistance like translation services, staff training, and annual evaluations to ensure effectiveness. School compacts will define the specific roles and responsibilities of school staff, parents, and students, including curriculum standards, parental support duties, teacher qualifications, and communication requirements. The State Department of Education will provide guidance and technical assistance to help schools implement these policies. Existing policies may be amended to meet the new requirements rather than requiring entirely new documents.