Sen. J.B. Jennings

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits Maryland's Department of Juvenile Services from hiring or retaining employees convicted of specific serious crimes, directly affecting job applicants and current staff. It bans hiring for offenses including abduction, kidnapping, murder, rape, child abuse, and sexual offenses against minors (as listed in Section 1(A)). An exception allows hiring if a conviction was reversed or vacated (Section 1(B)). The law takes effect October 1, 2025, aiming to protect youth in state care by restricting employment for individuals with certain criminal histories.

Maddy summarySB 836 reduces Maryland's corporate income tax rate over a five-year period, directly affecting corporations operating in Maryland that pay state income tax. It lowers the rate from 8.25% (for 2025) to 7.75% (2026-2027), then to 7.25% (2027-2028), 6.75% (2028-2029), and finally 6.25% (starting in 2029). The bill phases these changes through specific tax year ranges, with the full reduction effective July 1, 2025. This policy aims to adjust Maryland's corporate tax structure without altering the tax base or other provisions.

Maddy summarySB 822 creates a property tax credit for state, county, and municipal taxes on nonprimary residences in Maryland. It directly affects homeowners who own a secondary home (not used as their main residence for fewer than six months annually) and meet specific occupancy rules, excluding rental or investment properties. Key provisions require local governments (like Baltimore City Council or county councils) to set a credit percentage by law, and homeowners must apply annually by June 30 to qualify. The credit applies to property taxes paid on qualifying secondary homes, including certain agricultural properties owned through specific entities. This bill establishes a new tax credit mechanism without changing tax rates or assessments.

Maddy summarySB 478 requires the Maryland Public Service Commission to obtain written approval from every county or municipal government where a solar energy generating station is proposed before approving its construction. This directly affects solar energy developers, who must now secure local consent from all affected jurisdictions prior to state-level review. The bill amends state law to mandate this local approval step for solar projects, adding it as a prerequisite for the Commission to issue a certificate of public convenience and necessity. The requirement takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 787 modifies Maryland's requirements for reserve studies in cooperative housing corporations and condominiums. It limits these studies to components with repair/replacement costs exceeding $10,000, extends the timeline for updating reserve studies from every 5 to every 10 years, and sets specific deadlines based on when the housing was established and its location (e.g., Prince George’s County established before 2020). The bill applies only to co-ops with 4+ stories or 4+ single-family units, and requires reserve studies to be prepared by qualified professionals with at least 30 prior studies. These changes aim to reduce administrative burdens while ensuring long-term financial planning for major repairs.

Maddy summarySB 838 requires local election boards in Maryland to verify signatures on absentee ballot return envelopes before counting them. It mandates that both the voter and a witness (except for active-duty military members overseas or their dependents living overseas) must sign the envelope, and boards must compare the voter's signature against their registration record. The bill directly affects absentee voters, election officials, and military personnel stationed abroad who vote by mail. It takes effect October 1, 2025, and amends Maryland election law to strengthen signature verification procedures for absentee ballots.

Maddy summarySB 479 amends Maryland's building energy performance standards to exclude public safety, emergency, and public utility buildings from the definition of "covered building." This means fire stations, police facilities, emergency shelters, and utility buildings will not be subject to the energy efficiency requirements that apply to other large commercial or state-owned buildings (35,000+ sq. ft.). The bill achieves this by revising Section 2-1601(e) of the Maryland Annotated Code to explicitly remove these building types from coverage. The change directly affects these specific public infrastructure facilities by exempting them from annual reporting and emissions reduction targets under the law.

Maddy summarySB 735 (Geri's Law) prohibits incarcerated individuals serving sentences for first-degree or second-degree murder from earning time-off credits that reduce their prison terms. It also limits time-off credits for violent crime offenders to no more than 10% of their total sentence for violent offenses, and bars judges from allowing pretrial release for defendants charged with violent crimes if they have pending charges or recent violent convictions. The bill amends Maryland law to restrict credit deductions under correctional services and criminal procedure codes, specifically targeting violent offenses defined in the Criminal Law Article. These changes apply directly to individuals convicted of murder or violent crimes in state or local correctional facilities.

Maddy summarySB 661, the "Protect Maryland Farm Lands Act," changes how farmland is compensated when taken through eminent domain. It requires the fair market value of agricultural property actively used for farming to be set at 350% of the highest appraisal value, instead of standard market value. This directly affects Maryland farmers whose land is acquired for public projects (like roads or transmission lines) and the government entities conducting those takings. The bill also allows property owners to use the assessed tax value if it exceeds the appraisal, and applies retroactively to all past and future condemnation cases involving qualifying farmland.

Maddy summarySB 487 requires Maryland's Secretary of Information Technology to conduct risk assessments for major IT projects costing $5 million or more, supporting critical services (like public health or safety), or deemed high-risk by the Secretary. It authorizes the Secretary to recommend increasing liability limits for these projects, with the Chief Procurement Officer reviewing and potentially approving such changes. The bill also mandates that all contracts for these major IT projects include specific terms and conditions, and directs the Secretary and Chief Procurement Officer to study procurement processes with stakeholders and make recommendations. This primarily affects state agencies developing large-scale IT systems and the officials managing their procurement.