Sen. William Folden

Maddy summarySB 7 repeals the expiration date for the Douglas J. J. Peters Veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq Conflicts Scholarship, removing the June 30, 2030 cutoff that previously prevented new awards after that date. This change allows the scholarship to be awarded indefinitely to eligible veterans, active service members, or their dependents who meet Maryland residency and educational requirements. The bill also removes restrictions on renewing scholarships for recipients who received their initial award before 2030. The scholarship covers up to 50% of tuition, fees, and room/board at Maryland public universities, requiring a 2.5 GPA and 5 years of full-time study. It takes effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 328 amends Maryland’s property tax credit for disabled or fallen public safety officers by expanding eligibility. It adds disabled officers who die regardless of cause (not just duty-related deaths) to the definition of "fallen public safety officer," and removes the requirement that a dwelling must have been acquired within 10 years of the disability or death. The bill also allows the tax credit amount for new dwellings to match the original credit for a previous dwelling, and authorizes local governments to set their own acquisition timelines or eligibility limits. This directly affects disabled officers, their surviving spouses, and cohabitants who own qualifying homes, as well as county/municipal tax administrators.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires retailers selling medetomidine or xylazine products (veterinary sedatives sometimes misused in illicit drugs) to verify buyers' intended veterinary, scientific, or institutional use and confirm they are 21+ years old. Retailers must maintain records of sales, including proof of age and purpose, and face civil penalties of up to $6,500 per violation. All fines collected under this law must be deposited into Maryland's Substance Abuse Fund. The law applies to all businesses selling these products, including online platforms, and takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 407 strengthens protections for minors by prohibiting individuals in positions of authority (such as teachers, coaches, or school staff) from engaging in sexual contact with minors they supervise who are at least 6 years younger. It specifically amends Maryland's criminal code to increase penalties for violations, including up to 3 years in prison for repeat offenders, and adds this offense as a basis for sex offender registry classification. The bill also refines definitions of "person in a position of authority" to include school staff and program leaders, and clarifies that these offenses cannot be treated as lesser included crimes. This directly affects school employees, youth program leaders, and minors under 18 in their care.

Maddy summarySB 661 modifies Maryland law to clarify when intercepted communications (like phone calls or texts) can be used as evidence in criminal court. It allows such evidence if: (1) at least one party was outside Maryland during the communication, (2) the interception wasn’t done by Maryland law enforcement, and (3) all parties were co-conspirators in a violent crime. For other cases, it sets strict conditions for admissibility, including requiring prosecutors to notify defendants 14 days in advance and proving the evidence is more relevant than alternatives. The bill directly affects criminal defendants, prosecutors, and law enforcement handling wiretap evidence in Maryland courts. It takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 202 creates a new legal process for Maryland police officers who believe they were denied a right during disciplinary proceedings. It allows officers to request a court order requiring their law enforcement agency to explain why the right (such as the right to present evidence or appeal) should not be granted, before a disciplinary hearing occurs. Officers must apply to the circuit court in their county (for local agencies) or Anne Arundel County (for statewide agencies), and the bill takes effect October 1, 2026. This is a procedural change affecting how officers challenge disciplinary actions, not the substance of discipline itself.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment to permanently define Maryland's state flag as the version adopted in 1904, which features the Calvert and Crossland family coats of arms. The legislation would update state laws to align with this constitutional definition and remove previous statutory language about the flag. If approved by voters in the November 2026 election, the change would make the 1904 flag design the official state symbol under the Maryland Constitution. The bill does not alter the flag's appearance but clarifies its legal status and ensures future consistency in how the flag is recognized.

Maddy summarySB 678 modifies the affidavit requirements law enforcement must submit to obtain court authorization for forensic genetic genealogy searches (FGGS) in criminal investigations. It requires a sworn affidavit stating: the perpetrator's identity is unknown; the crime involves murder, rape, sexual offenses, or a serious public safety threat; standard DNA testing from the forensic sample (collected at a crime scene, from a person/item related to the crime, or unidentified remains) already failed to identify a suspect; and reasonable investigative leads were pursued (unless an ongoing threat exists). The bill defines FGGS as analyzing crime scene DNA to create a profile, searching public genealogy databases, and using public records to identify suspects. This affects law enforcement agencies and courts in Maryland, streamlining the authorization process for FGGS in specific serious unsolved cases.

Maddy summarySB 717 requires law enforcement agencies to submit sexual assault evidence collection kits to forensic labs within 30 days of receipt, including all requested reference standards. This directly affects law enforcement agencies handling sexual assault cases in Maryland. The bill modifies existing law to clarify the 30-day deadline and specifies that kits must include all required reference standards for analysis. It does not change exceptions for non-submission (e.g., when evidence disproves assault or the victim declines consent), which remain unchanged under section (e). The law takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 992 requires large commercial and industrial electricity customers (defined as those with at least 25 megawatts of monthly demand) to register with Maryland's Public Service Commission before connecting to the power grid. The registration process mandates disclosure of interconnection plans, backup power details, water usage, and financial commitments for infrastructure development. The bill also directs the Commission to establish a Demand Response Program, allowing large customers to reduce usage during peak times to support grid stability. Additionally, it updates tax exemption rules for qualifying data centers under specific circumstances.