Maddy summarySB 396 expands death benefit eligibility to include 9-1-1 specialists as public safety officers, adding them to the existing categories of law enforcement officers, firefighters, and hazardous material response team employees. It maintains a $125,000 death benefit for qualifying survivors, adjusting this amount annually based on the Consumer Price Index. The bill also modifies disability benefit eligibility criteria and clarifies the definition of "performance of duties" for public safety roles. These changes directly affect current and future public safety officers, including newly covered 9-1-1 specialists, by expanding their access to death and disability benefits. The provisions amend specific sections of Maryland’s Public Safety and State Personnel laws.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySB 425 establishes a minimum $2.30 per ton fee for power plants generating coal combustion by-products (like ash), with fees based on factors including tonnage, disposal methods, and beneficial reuse (e.g., in cement or mine reclamation). It creates a Statewide Coal Combustion By-Products Coordinating Committee to share monitoring data and discuss site remediation, requiring annual reports to legislative committees starting in 2027. The bill also mandates the Department of the Environment to adopt regulations aligning with federal guidelines by 2026. Power plants and the state agency directly affected by these fee structures and reporting requirements.
Maddy summarySB 273 requires Maryland judges to consider military protection orders (issued by military commanders under federal law) when deciding whether to grant temporary civilian peace or protective orders. It also mandates that law enforcement officers notify the agency that issued a military protection order if they believe a service member violated it. The bill amends Maryland law to integrate military protection orders into the state's civil court process for domestic violence cases. This directly affects service members, their families, and civilian petitioners seeking protection in Maryland courts. The policy change ensures military orders carry weight in state court decisions without altering military procedures.
Maddy summaryThis bill renames Maryland's Chesapeake Conservation Corps Program to honor former Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. It updates the program's official name throughout state law to "Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps Program" without changing the program's structure, funding, or operations. The renaming applies to all references in Maryland's Natural Resources and State Government codes, including funding provisions and program administration details. The program - administered by the Chesapeake Bay Trust and focused on environmental conservation projects - remains unchanged in its purpose and implementation.
Maddy summarySB 618 (Eric's ID Law) requires Maryland's Motor Vehicle Administration to allow applicants for driver's licenses, ID cards, or moped permits to voluntarily indicate a nonapparent disability (like developmental or intellectual disabilities) on their documents. If selected, the MVA must add a visible notation to the document, with no fee, and cannot require proof of the disability or deny an application based on it. The law also prohibits disclosing this information to insurance companies and mandates public outreach about the notation, plus police training on interacting with individuals who have it. This directly affects Maryland residents with nonapparent disabilities who choose to use this option on their identification.
Maddy summarySB 911 increases Maryland's property tax exemption for blind individuals and their surviving spouses from $15,000 to $40,000 on their primary residence. The bill defines a "blind individual" as someone with a permanent visual impairment meeting specific medical criteria and clarifies that the exemption applies to the assessed value of a dwelling house (including the lot and necessary structures). Surviving spouses who haven't remarried become eligible for the exemption after the blind individual's death. The bill also specifies that individuals cannot claim both this exemption and another specific property tax exemption, though they may use it alongside other available exemptions.
Maddy summaryMaryland's SB 114 requires state licensing units (like those for professions or trades) to allow veterans to request a "veteran status" notation on their occupational licenses. Veterans applying for or renewing a license can voluntarily provide documentation (such as a DD-214 or state certification) to have this notation added. Licensees who consent can also be contacted by state agencies about eligibility for veterans' benefits. The bill aims to streamline access to benefits by connecting license applications directly to veterans' eligibility determination. It takes effect October 1, 2025.
Maddy summarySB 85, the Braille Flag Memorial Act of 2025, requires Maryland's Department of Veterans and Military Families to place American braille tactile flags in one or more state veterans' cemeteries by October 1, 2025. These tactile flags, designed for blind or visually impaired individuals to experience the American flag through touch, directly benefit blind veterans and visually impaired visitors to the cemeteries. The bill amends existing law to mandate this placement at no additional cost, building on Maryland's existing five state veterans' cemeteries. It is a commemorative measure focused on accessibility and honoring veterans, with no new benefits or funding requirements.
Maddy summaryThis bill (SB 67) allows Maryland health occupations boards (like those licensing nurses or therapists) to add a voluntary "veteran status" notation to professional licenses, certificates, or registrations. Applicants can provide documentation (such as a DD-214 or state certification) and consent to have this notation included, which helps state and federal agencies determine eligibility for veterans' benefits. Boards must share relevant applicant information with benefits agencies upon request but cannot disclose it without consent. The change affects veterans applying for or renewing health profession licenses in Maryland.
Maddy summarySB 278 expands Maryland's definition of "uniformed services" to include members of the Public Health Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), previously limited to only the armed forces. This change updates how "veteran" status is defined in state law, ensuring these service members qualify for state benefits. The bill requires Maryland's tax and pension programs to apply equally to all uniformed services, eliminating prior exclusions for non-military personnel. It directly affects service members in the Public Health Service and NOAA, granting them parity in state tax relief, pensions, and other benefits.