Rep. Seth Howard

Maddy summaryHB 1286 allows barbershops and beauty salons in Anne Arundel County with existing licenses to serve liquor (in addition to beer and wine) for on-premises consumption under specific conditions. It permits up to 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.7 ounces of liquor per customer while they receive services like haircuts or cosmetology treatments, or during business fundraising events. The bill eliminates the need for a separate Sunday liquor license and requires service to end by 9 p.m. annually, with a $100 license fee. This change applies only to Anne Arundel County businesses holding valid barbershop or beauty salon permits and takes effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 842 repeals a requirement that a surviving spouse of a service member who died in the line of duty must acquire a dwelling house within two years of the service member's death to qualify for a property tax exemption. The bill directly affects surviving spouses of service members who died in the line of duty, allowing them to qualify for the exemption regardless of when they purchase or acquire the home. Key provisions remove the 2-year acquisition deadline from existing law (Maryland Code, Tax-Property § 7-208(b)), making the exemption available as long as the surviving spouse meets other eligibility criteria. This change takes effect June 1, 2026, applying to all taxable years beginning after June 30, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 320 creates a property tax credit for Anne Arundel County landowners who sell development rights under the Rural Legacy Program. It allows the county to grant a credit against the county property tax for real property located in a designated Rural Legacy Area (as defined in Maryland’s Natural Resources Article) where the owner has sold development rights. This directly affects rural landowners participating in the Rural Legacy Program who choose to restrict future development on their land. The credit replaces an existing provision and becomes effective for tax years beginning after June 30, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 623 creates Maryland's Purple Star Colleges Program to recognize colleges providing strong support for military-connected students, while updating the existing Purple Star Schools Program. The bill directly affects military-connected students (including service members, veterans, and their spouses/dependents) and colleges, including both public/private higher education institutions and private career schools. Key provisions require colleges to appoint a military liaison to assist new military-connected students with transitions, and maintain an easily accessible website with resources on relocation, enrollment, academic planning, and support services. The Maryland Higher Education Commission will administer the program and establish minimum criteria for colleges to earn Purple Star designation.

Maddy summaryHB 727 modifies Anne Arundel County's Class C (veterans' organization) alcohol license requirements. It removes the current rule that members must have served in a war and instead expands eligibility to include members of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Public Health Service. This change directly affects veterans' organizations seeking these licenses in Anne Arundel County by broadening who qualifies as a member. The bill amends Maryland's Annotated Code (Sections 11-1009(b)(1) and 11-1009(a)) to update the membership criteria to align with "uniformed services" rather than war service. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 1120 allows members of the U.S. Foreign Service and their spouses to practice licensed professions in Maryland using a valid license from another state, without needing to obtain a new Maryland license. The bill creates new provisions (Sections 10-14A-01 to 10-14A-03) in Maryland law to establish this portability for specific occupations covered under the state's licensing codes. It directly affects Foreign Service employees and their spouses who are already licensed in another jurisdiction and relocate to Maryland for duty. The bill amends multiple sections across Maryland’s licensing codes in State Government, Business Occupations, Education, and Health to implement this change. This policy removes a barrier for these individuals to continue their professional work without repeating licensing requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 721, the Uniformed Services Spouses Act, extends existing Maryland benefits for military service members and veterans to include their spouses. It adds "eligible spouse" as a defined term to priority registration at public colleges (within 15 years of service member’s last active duty, max four academic years), community college resource centers with tailored support, and senatorial/Delegate scholarships for spouses of active service members. The bill also modifies hiring preferences for state public service roles to include spouses of veterans. These changes directly affect spouses of active-duty service members and veterans living in Maryland who seek education, career support, or scholarships. The law updates multiple sections of Maryland’s education and employment codes to include spouses in eligibility criteria previously limited to service members themselves.

Maddy summaryHB 1196 requires Maryland's Department of the Environment to establish a mobile home park water quality testing program by January 1, 2027. The program mandates testing 25% of parks by 2028, 50% by 2029, 75% by 2030, and 100% by 2031, prioritizing parks with ≥40% minority residents, known contamination areas, or resident complaints. Park owners must take corrective actions if water quality issues are found, and the Department must notify residents and develop a statewide action plan. This directly affects mobile home park owners, residents, and the Department of the Environment through mandated testing, reporting, and remediation requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 1400 creates penalties for shellfish aquaculture permit and registration card holders who violate specific regulations. It directly affects commercial shellfish harvesters in Maryland who hold these permits. Key violations include harvesting oysters too close to closed areas, using prohibited gear, exceeding time restrictions, harvesting from leased areas without authorization, or taking oysters commercially without proper permits. For a first violation, permits may be suspended for up to 5 years; repeat violations result in permanent revocation. During suspension or revocation, individuals cannot work in any aquaculture activity, even if unrelated to shellfish.

Maddy summaryHB 1395 requires farmers who purchase new agricultural equipment to provide written notice (via certified mail) to manufacturers or dealers about defects during the warranty period. It mandates that manufacturers or dealers correct defects within 30 days at no cost to the farmer, even if repairs occur after the warranty expires. If repeated repair attempts fail to fix issues that substantially impair the equipment’s use or value, farmers can choose a replacement or refund. The bill applies to self-propelled farm vehicles (excluding lawn mowers, ATVs, or off-road vehicles) sold on or after January 1, 2026, and makes warranty violations subject to enforcement under Maryland’s Consumer Protection Act.