Rep. Terry Baker

Maddy summaryHB 1325 authorizes licensed clinical social workers to evaluate permanent impairments involving behavioral or mental disorders in Maryland workers' compensation claims. It requires these social workers to meet specific qualifications, including training in mental/behavioral conditions, rehabilitation counseling registration, two years of post-licensure experience, and COMAR authorization. The bill directly affects workers seeking compensation for mental/behavioral impairments and licensed clinical social workers who wish to provide these evaluations. It amends Maryland’s workers’ compensation law (Article 9, Section 9-721) to expand evaluation eligibility beyond psychologists and physicians. The changes take effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 1204 establishes Maryland's Education Savings Account Program, providing state-funded accounts for parents of eligible K-12 students to cover approved education expenses. Eligible students include those who attended public school for at least 100 days last year (or military-connected students), with funding set at 75% of per-pupil state/local funding for families below 500% of the federal poverty level, and 50% for others. Parents must sign agreements committing to use funds only for approved costs (like private school tuition or licensed tutoring), not double-bill insurance, and return unused funds upon graduation or withdrawal. The bill also adds a state income tax deduction for deposits into these accounts.

Maddy summaryHB 1375 requires Maryland health insurers, nonprofit health plans, and health maintenance organizations to cover the full duration of long-term antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease and related tick-borne illnesses (like babesiosis or ehrlichiosis) when ordered by a licensed physician for therapeutic purposes. It prohibits these entities from imposing caps or time limits on such treatment or denying coverage solely because the treatment is labeled "unproven," "experimental," or "investigational." The law applies to all health insurance policies issued, delivered, or renewed in Maryland after January 1, 2027. This directly affects patients with chronic Lyme disease or related conditions who rely on extended antibiotic therapy and their insurers.

Maddy summaryHB 1231 expands eligibility for two Maryland higher education grant programs to include Washington County homeschool students and students at nonpublic secondary schools. The bill amends definitions in Maryland law to explicitly include these students in the terms "dually enrolled student" and "full-time equivalent enrollment." This change allows them to qualify for the Part-Time Grant Program and the Early College Access Grant, which previously only covered students from public schools. The legislation updates specific sections of the Education Article (5-201(g), 15-127, 18-1401, and 18-14A-01) to reflect these eligibility changes.

Maddy summaryHB 1417, the Maryland Constitutional Carry Act, repeals Maryland’s requirement for a permit to carry a handgun in public. It removes the need for a permit (previously required under Title 5, Subtitle 3 of the Public Safety Article) and eliminates age restrictions for carrying (previously prohibiting those under 21 from carrying handguns). The bill allows most adults to carry handguns openly or concealed without a permit, though it maintains existing restrictions on carrying on school property, with intent to harm, or with a loaded firearm. Key provisions are updated in the Criminal Law Article (Sections 4-101(b) and 4-203), adding a new allowance for carrying "as a reasonable precaution against apprehended danger" while preserving other prohibitions. This directly affects all Maryland residents who are not prohibited from owning firearms.

Maddy summaryHB 1079 creates Maryland's Office of Regulatory Management to streamline state government processes. It requires all executive branch agencies to report on their regulatory permits, licenses, and certifications by December 2026, including processing times, fees, and online capabilities. Agencies must also develop strategies by December 2026 to reduce regulatory requirements by 25% and simplify application processes, aiming to cut approval times for permits and licenses. The bill directly affects state government agencies, not the public, and mandates annual reports starting July 2027 on upcoming regulatory changes.

Maddy summaryHB 976 changes how Maryland calculates state education funding for public schools by altering the definition of "full-time equivalent enrollment." It replaces the previous method with an average of enrollment on September 30 and May 31 of the prior school year, directly affecting all public schools receiving state aid based on this metric. The bill also requires the State Department of Education to publish annual reports online and submit detailed data to legislative committees, showing enrollment counts, student categories (including "whereabouts unknown"), and funding allocations by county. These changes aim to standardize enrollment data used for funding calculations starting in fiscal year 2028.

Maddy summaryHB 1586 adds "coercive control" to Maryland's definition of abuse for protective order petitions, specifically for adults experiencing psychological manipulation. It defines coercive control as patterns of behavior including isolating victims from support networks, depriving them of basic needs, controlling finances or movements, or using threats (including about immigration status) to force compliance. This allows individuals in abusive relationships - where physical violence may not occur - to seek protective orders based on these non-physical tactics. The bill updates existing Family Law sections (4-501 and 4-504) to include these specific examples of coercive control as grounds for relief.

Maddy summaryHB 1495 changes Maryland's vehicle registration plate requirements by requiring the Motor Vehicle Administration to issue only one registration plate for all vehicle classes, replacing the previous rule that required two plates for most vehicles. It specifically prohibits owners of historic vehicle plates (Class L) from violating their plate's issuance terms. The bill also adds a new option allowing vehicle owners to display a county sticker on their plate (showing their residence county), with specific rules about placement, fees, and restrictions on special plates. This affects all Maryland vehicle owners who register their vehicles, directly changing plate issuance and optional county display rules.

Maddy summaryHB 1515 prohibits noncompete and conflict of interest clauses in employment contracts for certain healthcare workers if their employer relocates most operations outside Maryland after the employee leaves. It specifically applies to: - Employees earning ≤ $350,000 annually in licensed, direct patient care roles (or veterinary professionals), - *or* employees of employers who previously had >30 in-state employees but later move most operations out of state. For higher-earning healthcare workers ($350,000+), the bill limits noncompete terms to 1 year and a 10-mile geographic radius. The law takes effect October 1, 2026, and does not apply to client/patient list restrictions.