It’s crossover season at the Maryland General Assembly! This session, 11 of my bills successfully crossed over from the Senate to the House. Here's a summary of those bills:
SB846 Business Regulation - Cellular Phone Carriers - Authorized Users
Like many of you, visiting a cell phone store is one of my least favorite activities. So, I was infuriated when told that I could not purchase a new phone without my husband physically being in the store with me – even though my name was on the account. They justified the policy by claiming it was intended to protect them from fraud, but I’m also aware that not all companies have this policy. When I shared my frustrations on social media, many people shared similar stories, so I had a bill drafted. The bill will require all cell phone contracts to enable multiple users of the account to make changes, if agreed to when executing the service contract.
SB915/HB528 Baltimore County - Vehicle Laws - Private Roadways in Residential Communities addresses an issue in a local District 11 neighborhood where Baltimore County police could not enforce traffic rules because the thoroughfare is a private roadway. The bill creates a pilot program that will enable the police to respond when called by members of the neighborhood concerned about reckless driving and speeding.
SB845/HB1025 School Personnel Vetting and Hiring Transparency Act provides an additional tool for each local education agency in their teacher hiring process by requiring them to use a national screening clearinghouse that collects information about administrative infractions that may be difficult for systems to find. Prompted by what happened to Pikesville High School’s principal and a staff person’s use of artificial intelligence to imitate his voice making racist and antisemitic comments, this bill is another tool that school systems will use to vet prospective personnel and will help to ensure safe and secure learning environments.
SB305 FinanciaI lnstitutions and Activities - Virtual, Currency Kiosks - Registration and Regulation I worked on and co-sponsored this bill, along with my colleague, Finance Committee Chair Pam Beidle, when a constituent contacted me after being scammed. According to the AARP, in 2023, over 5,500 complaints involving cryptocurrency kiosks were reported to the FBI, with total losses exceeding $189 million. Alarmingly, more than 65% of these losses were reported by adults aged sixty and older. This consumer protection bill will safeguard residents from fraud and abuse and create awareness about cryptocurrency kiosks.
SB669/HB675 Public Safety - Rape Kit Testing - Tracking Program and Grant Fund This bill will alter our Rape Kit Testing Grant Fund to ensure that we are able to provide support services to survivors whose kits are being tested as well as funding for investigations of sexual assaults. The bill will also support telehealth services and continue to make funds available for state and local police labs for rape kit testing.
SB181/HB1090 Correctional Services - Geriatric and Medical Parole this bill would change how the Maryland Parole Commission considers the health and age of incarcerated people when making parole decisions. It would guarantee that incarcerated people with documented chronic or terminal conditions have the opportunity to request medical parole, require biannual parole reviews for incarcerated people who are at least 65 years old, and would remove the governor from the parole decision-making process, which has delayed the release of thousands of parole-eligible Marylanders. These changes can be made while also keeping the community safe.
SB154/HB0103 Access to Counsel in Evictions - Task Force and Special Fund
This bill extends funding through FY 28 for this important program that was created from a bill I introduced in 2021 providing lawyers to renters facing eviction. The program helps vulnerable populations avoid eviction and homelessness and saves Marylanders funds by making the legal system more efficient and reduces the subsequent social service costs that would result from evictions.
SB674/HB939 Maryland Commission for Women - Maryland Collaborative to Advance Implementation of Coverage of Over-the-Counter Birth Control It has been nearly 10 years since the Maryland General Assembly enacted over-the-counter (OTC) birth control coverage requirements. The bill creates a Collaborative with state agencies, consumer representatives, pharmacies and pharmacists, and insurers to support implementation of Maryland’s existing requirements for coverage of OTC birth control.
SB599/HB1049 Behavioral Health Crisis Response Grant Program - Funding -This bill funds critical behavioral healthcare programs through FY29. The programs that this fund supports - like mobile crisis vans, crisis call centers, and walk-in crisis centers for adults and youth, are vital to addressing mental health crises before they escalate into emergency room visits or law enforcement encounters. These programs save lives.
SB1000/HB1543 Gaming - Sports Wagering Facilities - Request for Relocation - This bill will enable the transfer of a sports wagering facility license a few miles away from their current location within Baltimore County.
SB944/HB1193 Maryland Housing Data Transparency Act - Maryland currently faces a shortage of over 100,000 housing units. Comprehensive and reliable sources of data on our state’s housing production will be required to close that gap. This bill would establish a statewide building permit data system to inform state agencies and local governments where residential development is occurring, what is being built, the time required to construct projects to enhance the effectiveness of state policies and programs. (House bill has crossed over).
SB327/HB390 Affordable Housing Payment In Lieu of Taxes Expansion Act-Allows all Maryland counties to offer a local property tax break to existing housing that commits to keeping it affordable under certain conditions for at least 15 years. It will encourage the development of new housing options that are within reach for low- and moderate-income families, while making sure that existing units remain available and accessible.
SB395/HB84 Transportation and Climate Alignment Act of 2025
Requires the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) to study the environmental impacts of the state’s highway expansion projects and fund activities that offset the projects’ greenhouse gas emissions, leading to more options for eco-friendly transportation. (House bill has crossed over).
SB598/HB585 Property Tax – Low–Income Housing Tax Credit – Valuation of Property - Requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to notify the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) that a commercial property has been awarded a Low Income Housing Tax Credit. This is intended to advance more accurate property valuations.
SB1030/HB1520 Baltimore County and Baltimore City - Vehicle Laws - Lighting on Privately Owned Vehicles - will improve the safety and effectiveness of volunteer emergency medical services (EMS) officers in Baltimore City and Baltimore County. This legislation clarifies existing law to ensure that nonprofit volunteer EMS organizations can continue to safely and efficiently use emergency lighting on their personal vehicles while responding to emergencies.
For more information and to track the status of all of my bills, please visit my MGA page here.
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