Rep. Brian Crosby

Maddy summaryHB 1049 amends Maryland law to change the voting requirements for credit union mergers. It removes the need for a majority vote of members in the surviving credit union to approve a merger, allowing instead a majority of the board to proceed with approval (subject to Commissioner oversight). This directly affects credit unions planning to merge, particularly smaller institutions where gathering member votes can be difficult. The bill modifies Sections 6-803(d) and (f) of Maryland’s Financial Institutions Article to streamline the merger process by shifting approval authority from members to the board. The change takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 613 requires property owners in Calvert and St. Mary's Counties to use natural erosion control methods (like marsh creation, native plants, and oyster reefs) instead of hard structures (such as seawalls) for shoreline stabilization. It exempts these counties from general state requirements for nonstructural measures and creates a new waiver process where owners must demonstrate to the Department of Natural Resources that natural methods are not feasible due to factors like extreme erosion or narrow shorelines. The bill defines "living shorelines" as projects using natural materials and ecological principles to absorb wave energy and restore habitats, while still allowing structural measures in specific high-energy areas. This directly affects property owners along navigable waters in those two counties, changing how they must address shoreline erosion.

Maddy summaryHB 653 increases Maryland's tax deduction for retirement income earned by retired public safety employees, including correctional officers, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel. It phases in a gradual increase in the deductible amount from $15,000 to $20,000 over five years, starting with $15,000 for 2025-2026 tax years and rising by $1,000 annually until reaching $20,000 by 2029-2030. This deduction reduces taxable income for eligible retirees aged 55+ who receive retirement income tied to their public safety service. The changes take effect July 1, 2026, as part of Maryland's income tax code.

Maddy summaryHB 1124 establishes new rules for healthcare financing in Maryland, directly affecting healthcare providers (like clinics and doctors' offices) and patients. It requires providers to give clear written disclosures about payment plans before discussing them and prohibits providers from applying for financing on a patient's behalf or promoting payment options during certain treatments (like under anesthesia). The bill also mandates full refunds within 15 days if services aren't provided and bans billing third-party financiers more than 30 days before a procedure. Providers may only offer payment plans for out-of-pocket costs like copays when insurance covers the main service.

Maddy summaryHB 981 requires Maryland's Public Service Commission to use the 10-year average U.S. equity market return when setting base rates for investor-owned gas and electric utilities. The Commission must determine this rate using multiple objective sources and may adjust utility rates based on how risky a company's operations are compared to the market return. This directly affects gas and electric utility companies and their customers by changing how rates are calculated for service. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 199 updates Maryland's law to align with the Uniform Simultaneous Death Act, clarifying how property is distributed when two people die close together with no clear evidence of who died first. It establishes a 120-hour (5-day) rule: if someone cannot prove they survived another by at least 120 hours, they are deemed to have predeceased that person for inheritance purposes. The bill directly affects individuals inheriting property, joint owners (like spouses), and beneficiaries of life insurance policies where survivorship is key. It does not override existing wills, trusts, or insurance contracts that specify different distribution rules.

Maddy summaryHB 112 extends the deadline for community solar energy systems to receive Public Service Commission approval from December 31, 2025, to December 31, 2030, to qualify for agricultural property tax assessment. It specifically clarifies that land used for "agrivoltaics" (solar systems combined with farming) must be assessed as actively farmland under Maryland’s agricultural tax program. This change directly affects community solar developers and landowners with qualifying solar installations seeking lower agricultural tax rates. The bill takes effect June 1, 2026, applying to taxable years beginning after June 30, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 93 requires home builders to provide clear, standardized information about model homes and purchase contracts to prospective buyers. Specifically, builders must give a written document listing all upgrades in a model home and their costs, plus the base price and square footage, and display a visible sign at the model home with the same details. At contract signing, builders must provide a full list of available upgrades and their costs, and buyers gain a 3-day right to rescind the contract for any reason. The law directly affects home builders constructing model homes and prospective home buyers purchasing new homes in Maryland.

Maddy summaryHB 1 limits how investor-owned electric, gas, and combined gas/electric utility companies in Maryland can pass certain costs to customers through their rates. It prohibits rate recovery for most employee bonuses (except for pre-2025 contracts or union-covered employees) and caps supervisor compensation above 110% of the Public Service Commission Chair’s annual salary. The bill also requires utility boards to adopt written policies limiting spending on entertainment, office renovations, transportation (including private jets), and performance incentives, with policies submitted to the Public Service Commission for review. These rules apply specifically to investor-owned utility companies and aim to prevent ratepayers from funding certain executive or operational costs.

Maddy summaryHB 100 would expand eligibility for Maryland's Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy Memorial Scholarship Program to include individuals who were eligible for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' Chapter 35 Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance Benefit. This change would directly affect current or former Chapter 35 beneficiaries applying for the scholarship, who previously lacked automatic eligibility under the program. The bill adds a new qualifying category to the existing criteria (such as military dependents, 9/11 victims' families, and school employee dependents) and establishes two verification methods: submitting a Chapter 35 certificate or having a school official verify eligibility. The proposed changes would take effect July 1, 2026, if enacted.