Sen. Katie Hester

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Maryland's existing Law Enforcement Cadet Apprenticeship Program into a broader Public Safety Apprenticeship Program that includes correctional facilities and other public safety agencies. It increases the maximum grant amounts available to agencies, raising the startup grant limit to $200,000 and the per-apprentice stabilization grant to $5,000, while also requiring agencies to bargain with unions regarding employment terms before receiving funds. Additionally, the legislation mandates the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission to create mental health wellness policies for law enforcement and correctional facilities and establishes a new workgroup to study ways to increase employment in these sectors.

Maddy summaryThis Maryland bill establishes a temporary workgroup dedicated to studying how to better recruit and retain 9-1-1 specialists in the state. The group is composed of legislators, state agency representatives, and current employees in the field, and it will meet without receiving a salary but with reimbursement for travel expenses. Its main task is to investigate current challenges such as salary levels, benefits, training requirements, and turnover rates, while also reviewing reports from a previous commission on emergency services. By December 2024, the workgroup must provide an interim report, followed by a final report in December 2025, which will offer recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly on improving support for these workers. The legislation is set to expire automatically on December 31, 2025, unless further action is taken.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Center for Firearm Violence Prevention and Intervention within the Maryland Department of Health to reduce gun violence and misuse through a public health approach. The center will be led by an executive director who will partner with federal, state, and local agencies, as well as communities disproportionately affected by firearm violence, to develop and implement prevention strategies. Key actions include creating a state plan by May 2025, offering training and technical assistance to agencies and organizations, sharing data across jurisdictions, and promoting evidence-based initiatives. Funding for the center will be included in the state's annual budget starting in fiscal year 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands a Maryland property tax credit for disabled veterans to include those with a 100% nonpermanent service-connected disability, in addition to existing eligibility for those with at least 50% permanent disabilities. To qualify, veterans must own a dwelling house occupied by no more than two families, have an income under $100,000, and provide specific documentation from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The credit amount varies based on the disability rating, offering 50% of the property tax for ratings of 75% or higher and 25% for ratings between 50% and 74%. Local governments retain the authority to set their own application rules and may choose to limit the credit to only the most severely disabled veterans if they wish.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes Maryland Veterans Suicide Awareness Prevention Day, which the Governor must annually proclaim to occur between July 11 and September 30. The legislation directs the state to use this observance to honor veterans and service members while promoting mental health support and reducing stigma within the community. By adding this requirement to state law, the bill ensures that efforts to encourage veterans to seek help are formally recognized each year.

Maddy summaryThis Maryland bill requires that naloxone, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses, be placed in the same location as automated external defibrillators within all public buildings. The State Emergency Medical Services Board, working with the Department of Health, will manage this initiative using existing funds from the Opioid Restitution Fund. To encourage participation, the law grants legal protection from lawsuits to building owners and individuals who provide or administer this naloxone in good faith. These changes aim to increase the availability of life-saving equipment and medication in public spaces to address both cardiac arrest and drug overdoses.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes two new programs within the Maryland Technology Development Corporation to support technology-based start-up companies in the Baltimore area. The first program provides grants of up to $50,000 to startups founded by students or faculty at local universities, requiring that at least 20% of the funds be used to hire third-party consultants for planning and technical assistance. The second program, a pilot initiative, offers incentives to eligible universities to foster entrepreneurship, industry partnerships, and commercialization projects, particularly those involving artificial intelligence or machine learning in healthcare and biotechnology. Additionally, the legislation repeals a previous mandated appropriation for a telework assistance grant program and requires annual budget allocations for these new innovation initiatives.