With the election of Democrat Wes Moore as Maryland Governor, there will be a whole new look to the legislative agenda of the General Assembly. Most initiatives will be coming from the in-coming Administration and people are waiting to see what will be the agenda of the new Administration.
While we’ve seen a few changes in the General Assembly membership and committee assignments, Democrats still have super majorities in both the Senate and House.
This year I am working with the Maryland Legislative Coalition in reviewing legislation and letting people know about good bills that are being introduced in the General Assembly. As we wait for the proposals from the Moore Administration, we want to point out a few noteworthy bills follow below, and you might want to email your legislators and tell them that this is legislation they should focus on. You can copy the entire list from this email or create your own from the legislative agenda. Lookup your legislators and their contact information by using the Lookup button on this page -Members - Find My Representatives (maryland.gov)
Tell your representatives that you are hoping that they will vote for the following important pieces of legislation this session. We’ve included the bill # of the similar bill that was introduced in the last session
Criminal Justice | Independent Investigative Powers for Police Accountability Boards - (2022: HB1012 Police Immunity and Accountability Act). This bill will clarify that local governing bodies have the power to empower their PABs to issue subpoenas, interview witnesses, and employ all other investigative techniques necessary to draw accurate conclusions about incidents, and to investigate claims |
Victims of Child Sex trafficking - Safe Harbor and Service Response provides for a Regional Navigator Program that will provide a pathway to prevent any criminal or delinquent charges brought against child trafficking victims (2022: HB0833/SB0768) | |
Economic Justice | End Debtor Prisons will eliminate jail time for debt. Instead, an individual would be picked up by an officer when court is in session, would complete a form describing their assets and income, and are then released on their own recognizance |
End the State Tax Deduction for Corporations who have Engaged in Wrongdoing - those who polluted or harmed society | |
Elections | Public Funding for Elections (2022: SB0358 Public Financing Act) will allow for public funding of state Senate and House of Delegate elections |
Environment | The Climate Crisis and Environmental Justice Act, (CCEJ) puts an incrementally rising fee on fossil fuels and creates revenue to mitigate pollution and support the most vulnerable people, harmed by the climate crisis (2022: HB0171/SB0135) |
Community Solar – making the community solar program permanent (2022: HB1261 Community Solar Energy Generating Systems Pilot Program - Alterations) | |
Health Care | Commission on Universal Health Care will create a study to develop a plan for the State to establish a program to provide health benefits to all residents of the State through a single-payer system (2022: HB0610/SB0493 |
End of Life Option Act will allow for medical aid in dying where a terminally ill patient will be able to self-administer medication that will end their life | |
Housing | Affordable Housing Investment Act - creates a dedicated source of funding for the construction of affordable housing |
Creation of a State Level Section 8 Housing – provides vouchers for low-income residents who wait years for Federal housing vouchers | |
Immigrant Rights | Affordable Care Act Inclusion for Immigrants will allow state residents who do not have citizenship to be eligible to purchase health insurance |
Labor | Collective Bargaining Rights for Local Government Employees will allow local government employees to bargain collectively for better benefits/pay |
Transportation | Equity in Transportation Sector requires that equity be considered when State transportation plans, reports, and goals are developed by consulting certain communities (2022: HB0141/SB0023) |
Women’s Issues | Repeal of the Spousal Defense (2022: HB0153). This bill would make it a criminal offense to rape a spouse or to force sexual aggression upon a spouse when the spouses are living separately
If you have any specific bills or topics you want me to look at please let me know. To describe directly to the Maryland Legislative Coalition, use this link: https://facebook.us17.list- |
