Sen. Carl Jackson

Maddy summarySB 438 allows self-service storage facilities in Maryland to use electronic rental agreements instead of only paper ones. It requires operators to give tenants at least 30 days after a nonrenewal notice to remove their belongings and mandates a 10-day written notice before disposing of any remaining property. The bill directly affects storage facility operators (who must follow these rules) and tenants (who gain clearer timelines for removing possessions). Key changes include standardizing electronic agreements, extending removal time after nonrenewal, and adding notice requirements before property disposal. These provisions aim to clarify procedures for both parties while reducing disputes over abandoned items.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Maryland's child abuse reporting requirements by explicitly including female genital mutilation in the legal definition of abuse, which directly affects healthcare providers, educators, and other mandated reporters. It mandates that these professionals report suspected cases of female genital mutilation to authorities and increases penalties for violations while allowing individuals subjected to the procedure to file civil lawsuits for relief. The legislation also requires the Maryland Department of Health to create and distribute educational materials about female genital mutilation in partnership with various public and private organizations. Additionally, the bill authorizes health licensing boards to revoke licenses of individuals who commit violations related to female genital mutilation under specific circumstances.

Maddy summarySB 784 repeals an exemption that previously allowed entities acquiring mortgages, mortgage loans, or installment loans to avoid state licensing requirements, provided they didn’t actively make such loans themselves. The bill directly affects financial institutions and businesses that purchase or take over these loans from others but do not normally originate them. This change ensures all entities handling these consumer credit products must now comply with standard state licensing rules for financial services providers, effective July 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 260 changes the composition of Maryland's Health Care Commission by reducing the number of non-healthcare-connected members from 9 to 8 and adding a dedicated hospital representative position. The bill requires at least four members to reside in high-population counties (down from five) and specifies regional representation for the Eastern Shore, western counties, and Southern Maryland. It also clarifies that two members must be physicians, two payors (insurance companies), one hospital representative, one nursing home administrator, and one non-physician health care practitioner. The changes take effect October 1, 2026, and directly affect how the Commission is staffed and its geographic representation.

Maddy summarySB 293 requires nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and nurse midwives to notify residents and prospective residents in writing if they lack professional liability insurance or if coverage has lapsed without renewal. For prospective residents, notification must occur at the first visit during a coverage gap or at the time of application; current residents must be notified within 30 days of a lapse. Facilities without coverage must also post a conspicuous notice visible to residents and guests. This law aims to increase transparency about insurance coverage for individuals receiving care in these settings.

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 782 requires junk dealers, scrap metal processors, and antique dealers in Maryland to register with local law enforcement when purchasing telecommunications equipment, providing details like the seller’s name, address, and purchase date. It prohibits these businesses from buying such equipment except by mailing checks to the seller’s address and bans selling or disposing of the equipment for 30 days after purchase. The bill also defines telecommunications infrastructure broadly (including cell towers, fiber cables, and antennas) and prohibits reckless or malicious damage to it, with violations punishable as felonies. Penalties for noncompliance include license revocation, fines up to $2,000, or felony charges with up to 6 months in jail and $5,000 fines.

Maddy summarySB 45 updates Maryland's vehicle laws to expand where speed monitoring systems (cameras) can be used in residential areas. It clarifies that "residential district" means areas with mostly homes adjacent to highways (excluding business zones), and specifies locations for camera deployment, including residential streets with 35mph limits (set via traffic engineering), school zones, and certain highways in Anne Arundel, Prince George’s, and other counties. Local governments must first adopt local laws and hold public hearings before using cameras. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 348 requires hospitals and freestanding birthing centers in Maryland to provide specific postpartum support to individuals who have experienced high-risk pregnancies. It mandates that facilities complete referral forms for local health departments, provide resources about postpartum complications (including cardiovascular conditions, chronic disease, substance misuse, and mental health), and call birthing parents 24 to 72 hours after discharge to assess their status. The bill also requires annual reports from health departments detailing referrals made through this process. These provisions apply to all facilities delivering newborns following high-risk pregnancies and take effect October 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySB 90 adds hypertension to Maryland's list of occupational diseases presumed to be work-related for specific emergency responders. It makes firefighters, fire fighting instructors, rescue squad members, advanced life support unit members, and State Fire Marshal personnel eligible for workers' compensation benefits if they have hypertension diagnosed by a provider, experience it for at least 90 consecutive days, have at least 2 years of cumulative service in those roles, and are currently employed in those positions. This creates a legal presumption that the hypertension is work-related, eliminating the need to prove direct causation, while clarifying that individuals cannot receive both workers' compensation and disability retirement benefits for the same hypertension condition. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.