Rep. Jared Solomon

Maddy summaryHB 862 requires railroad companies operating freight trains on tracks shared with passenger or commuter trains in Maryland to maintain a minimum crew of two people. This applies to most freight movement but excludes hostler service and yard operations for utility employees. Violations carry civil penalties up to $25,000 per incident, with railroad companies held solely responsible for employee violations. The law takes effect October 1, 2026, contingent on similar legislation passing in New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

Maddy summaryHB 711, the Data Privacy Act, prohibits businesses from selling consumer data they know or should know will be used for immigration enforcement. It requires public record custodians to prevent unauthorized access to records, especially for immigration purposes, and mandates reasonable rules to block such access. The bill also defines "sensitive data" to include immigration status, health information, racial background, and biometric data, requiring entities to handle this data carefully. Additionally, it sets new rules for message switching systems (like messaging apps) to prevent misuse of user data. These changes directly affect businesses handling consumer data, government record keepers, and digital service providers in Maryland.

Maddy summaryHB 753 would require Maryland's State Tax Sale Ombudsman to create a process allowing homeowners to designate family members or representatives to handle tax sale matters on their behalf. It mandates that dwellings be withheld from tax sale if the homeowner has a physician-documented terminal illness or medical hardship. The bill also increases the maximum home value eligible for the Homeowner Protection Program and grants priority enrollment in the program to homeowners with terminal illness or medical hardship. These changes directly affect Maryland homeowners facing tax sale proceedings, particularly those with serious health conditions or limited capacity to navigate the process.

Maddy summaryHB 805, the Building Homes Act, creates a property tax credit for affordable homes in Maryland. It allows Baltimore City or county/municipal governments to offer tax credits against property taxes for dwellings with mortgages from nonprofit lenders and a 20-year agreement ensuring affordable pricing (including resale restrictions). The credit equals the difference between taxes on the home's full value and the portion covered by the homeowner's first mortgage. This directly affects homeowners in nonprofit-managed affordable housing units, reducing their annual property tax burden starting June 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 742 requires the Governor to include $450,000 annually in Maryland's budget for the Growing Family Child Care Opportunities Program during fiscal years 2023, 2024, 2026, and 2028-2030. This funding supports grants to help local counties and child care resource centers establish and operate family child care programs. The program directly benefits family child care providers by providing start-up assistance for materials, curriculum, and renovations. Administered through partnerships between counties and child care resource centers, the bill mandates specific annual appropriations to expand access to licensed family child care services.

Maddy summaryHB 1490 modifies Maryland's Family Investment Program to protect individuals receiving Temporary Cash Assistance from losing benefits due to noncooperation with child support. It establishes specific "good cause" exceptions - such as domestic violence, homelessness, housing crises, child care barriers, or situations where cooperation would harm a child (e.g., incest, rape, or pending adoption) - that prevent the Department of Human Services from denying, reducing, or terminating assistance. The bill requires the Secretary to define these criteria and allows individuals to prove good cause through a simple oral or written statement, without needing written evidence, third-party verification, or paying for notarization. This directly affects low-income families navigating child support requirements while maintaining access to critical cash aid.

Maddy summaryHB 894, the Maryland Transit and Housing Opportunity Act, automatically designates qualifying transit-oriented developments (near rail stations with at least hourly service Monday-Friday 8am-6pm) as enterprise zones, granting tax incentives without separate approval. The bill requires the Maryland Development Corporation to prioritize redevelopment projects near transit in its loan programs and delays certain development fees for residential housing projects. It also changes local land use regulations near transit stations by altering municipal authority to restrict development in these areas.

Maddy summaryHB 161 creates a property tax credit for property owners who convert former gas stations (retail service stations) to new uses like retail stores, homes, or mixed residential-retail spaces. Local governments (counties or cities) can grant this credit to offset property taxes, and the state will reimburse them 50% of the lost tax revenue. The credit is specifically intended to help cover costs for removing old underground gas tanks and cleaning up contamination. This applies to properties converted after June 30, 2026, and affects property owners making such conversions in Maryland jurisdictions.

Maddy summaryHB 552 establishes an independent investigation into the historical House of Reformation and Instruction for Colored Children, a former state detention facility in Prince George’s County that housed Black youth for over a century. The investigation will use ground-penetrating radar to locate unmarked graves, review historical records to identify deceased children, and determine causes of death and institutional conditions. It requires the appointed investigators - selected for expertise in civil rights, historical inquiry, and juvenile justice - to produce a public report with recommendations for a memorial, dignified reburial of remains, and policy changes for future deaths in state custody. This bill directly affects descendants of the children buried there and the public seeking accountability for this neglected chapter of Maryland’s history.

Maddy summaryHB 525 requires Maryland county school boards to create and implement policies limiting student use of phones and other electronic communication devices (like tablets or smartwatches) during the academic school day, effective by the 2027-2028 school year. The policy must prohibit personal device use except for specific, documented needs (such as IEP accommodations, health monitoring, emergencies, or educational purposes when school devices aren't available), and require students to store devices securely. School boards must engage parents and staff in developing the policy, publish it in multiple languages, and report annually on its implementation, including enforcement data and impacts on student focus and well-being. The bill directly affects all public school students and county school boards across Maryland.