Rep. Stuart Schmidt

Maddy summaryHB 1001 designates "The Original Maryland Orange Crush" as Maryland's official state cocktail, recognizing its origin at Ocean City's Harborside Bar and Grill. The bill amends Maryland law by adding Section 7-313 to the Annotated Code, formally naming the cocktail in state statutes. This is a symbolic designation with no regulatory or financial impact on businesses, consumers, or state operations. It affects Maryland's official state symbols but does not change any existing laws governing alcohol or cocktails. The change takes effect June 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 210, the "Porch Piracy Act of 2025," prohibits the theft of mail or packages delivered by the U.S. Postal Service or commercial carriers. It defines "mail or package" as tangible items left for delivery and makes knowingly taking such items without the recipient's permission a felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison. The bill also allows courts to offer diversion programs for third or subsequent violations instead of jail time. This law directly affects individuals who steal mail or packages, aiming to criminalize what is commonly called "porch piracy." The bill takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 468 establishes a 5-day initial limit for emergency mental health evaluation petitions in Maryland, allowing courts to extend them in 5-day increments (up to a 30-day total) for "good cause." It requires courts to include expiration dates on petitions and clarifies when peace officers may use reasonable force to execute them. The bill directly affects individuals seeking emergency evaluations, courts issuing petitions, and law enforcement officers carrying out the process. Key changes standardize timeframes, mandate expiration dates, and specify extension procedures for mental health emergencies.

Maddy summaryHB 385 requires businesses in Maryland using digital point-of-sale systems that automatically prompt customers to leave a tip to: (1) clearly disclose who receives the tip (e.g., employees or the business), and (2) set the default tip amount to $0. This applies to restaurants, bars, and similar service businesses processing card payments. Violating these requirements would be considered an unfair, deceptive, or abusive trade practice under Maryland law, subject to enforcement by the Division of Consumer Protection. The law takes effect October 1, 2025, with the new requirements applying starting January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 1374 expands eligibility for publicly funded prekindergarten to include 3-year-olds in certain private providers. It modifies the definition of "Tier I child" to include 3-year-olds whose families meet income requirements (≤300% federal poverty level) or are homeless, live in counties where private providers have opted to enroll them, and choose full-day programs. Eligible private providers (licensed, charging tuition ≤ "cost of quality," meeting quality standards) must sign a memorandum of understanding with the State Department of Education and county boards to enroll these children. The bill directly affects qualifying 3-year-olds, eligible private prekindergarten providers, and local departments responsible for notifying families about enrollment options.

Maddy summaryHB 1120 requires Maryland's Department of Information Technology to update state licenses, permits, and forms on the Maryland OneStop online portal by December 1, 2025, and every two months thereafter. It also mandates that all counties and municipalities add their local licenses, permits, and forms to the portal by July 1, 2026, with quarterly updates required starting September 1, 2026. The bill directly affects state agencies, counties, and cities by standardizing how local government services are made accessible online. This creates a centralized platform for residents to find and access government services across all levels of local and state government. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Maryland public high school students to earn one math credit toward graduation by completing a college-prep computer science or programming course instead of a traditional math class. Students must take the course after completing Algebra II, and county school boards must certify eligible courses to the state Department of Education. It modifies existing graduation requirements to expand math credit options for students pursuing computer science pathways. The policy takes effect July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 403 requires Maryland correctional facilities to transfer undocumented immigrants serving sentences for certain crimes to U.S. Homeland Security (DHS) under specific circumstances. It directly affects undocumented immigrants incarcerated in Maryland facilities who have been convicted of or suspected of: terrorism/espionage, gang-related offenses under federal law, gang participation as a minor, or aggravated felonies. The bill mandates transfer if the individual meets any of these four criteria, creating a legal mechanism for state-federal coordination. It takes effect October 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 982, the "Gun Theft Felony Act of 2025," reclassifies the theft of any firearm as a felony regardless of the firearm's value. Currently, firearm theft could be charged as a misdemeanor if the value was below $1,500, but this bill makes all firearm thefts automatically felonies. The bill amends Maryland’s Criminal Law to require that anyone convicted of stealing a firearm must restore the firearm to the owner or pay its value, with penalties including up to 20 years in prison or fines up to $25,000 based on the firearm’s value. This change directly affects individuals who steal firearms, increasing penalties for this specific offense.

Maddy summaryHB 760 allows counties and municipalities to approve certain projects previously denied by the Maryland Historical Trust, directly affecting local governments and project applicants (e.g., developers). It applies specifically when projects were denied due to cemetery protections under §14-121.1 of the Real Property Article or for historic preservation/underwater archaeological permits under State Finance law. The bill requires local planning commissions to hold a public hearing within 60 days of an applicant’s request, publish notice in a local newspaper and online, and recommend approval or denial to the governing body. This creates a new pathway for projects blocked by the Historical Trust, streamlining local decision-making.