Read the Full Digest Here: March 17th Digest
Happy St. Patrick's Day! Today, Monday, March 17 is the Opposite Chamber Crossover Date, meaning that each Chamber must send to the other Chamber those bills it intends to pass favorably. Bills that miss this deadline are subject to being referred to the other chamber’s Rules Committee, rather than going directly to a standing committee for consideration.
Ahead of the deadline, legislative committees have produced a flurry of activity, amending and voting out scores of bills, including many of those selected as priorities by UULM-MD. This led to multiple sessions of the full House and Senate, including a rare House session on Saturday. Things are still moving rapidly. However, here is a snapshot of the bills that moved before the House and Senate adjourned for the weekend.
Status of Priority Bills💚
Climate Change – 4 of 11 measures moving
Data Center Impact Analysis and Report - HB 270 passed the House (125-8) and SB 116 passed the Senate (46-0).
Transportation and Climate Alignment Act – HB 84 - passed the House (102-37); companion bill SB 395 still in committee
Responding to Emergency Needs From Extreme Weather (RENEW) Act – SB 149 - passed 2nd reading in the Senate (awaiting final vote)
Environment - Packaging Materials - Producer Responsibility Plans – SB 901 – Reported out of committee Favorable with Amendments and awaiting a vote on 2nd reading
Seven (7) more measures are awaiting committee votes, including one we oppose.
Criminal Justice – 5 of 10 measures moving
Geriatric and Medical Parole – SB 181 – passed the Senate (36-10); companion bill HB 190 still in committee
Medical Parole - Life Imprisonment – SB 648 – passed the Senate (35-10) ; companion bill HB 311 still in committee
Medical and Elder Parole – HB 1123 - passed the House (102-38); ; companion bill SB 190 still in committee
Comprehensive Rehabilitative Prerelease Services - Female Incarcerated Individuals – HB 1198 – passed the House (104-34); companion bill SB 632 reported out of committee Favorable with Amendments and awaiting a vote in the Senate on 2nd reading
Petition to Reduce Sentence (Maryland Second Look Act) – HB 583 – passed 2nd reading in the House (awaiting final vote)
Five (5) more measures are awaiting committee votes
Gun Violence Prevention – 3 of 6 measures moving
Trafficking Regulated Firearms - Felony Classification – SB 443 – passed the Senate (45-0); no cross-filed bill
Gun Buyback Programs - Destruction of Firearms – SB 444 – passed the Senate (32-12); no cross-filed bill
Exception to Armed Trespass Prohibition - Retired Law Enforcement Officials – SB 585 – passed the Senate (44-2); companion bill HB 308 still in committee
Three (3) more measures are awaiting committee votes
Healthcare – 3 of 4 measures moving
State-Based Young Adult Health Insurance Subsidies Pilot Program - Sunset Repeal – SB 5 passed the Senate (45-0); HB 297 passed the House (98-37)
Prescription Drug Affordability Board - Lowering Prescription Drug Costs for All Marylanders – HB 424 – passed the House (94-38); SB 357 – passed the Senate (35-12)
Public Health Abortion Grant Program – HB 930 – passed the House (98-37); SB 848 – passed 2nd reading in the Senate (awaiting final vote)
One (1) more measure is awaiting committee vote
Immigration – 3 of 6 measures moving
Higher Education - Undocumented Students - Out-of-State Tuition Exemption Eligibility - HB 207 Passed the House (98-39); companion bill SB 268 still in committee
Public Safety - Immigration Enforcement (Maryland Values Act) – HB 1222 – passed 2nd reading in the House (awaiting final vote); no companion bill
Protecting Sensitive Locations Act – SB 828 - passed 2nd reading in the Senate (awaiting final vote); while the companion bill HB 1006 was still in committee, an unrelated immigration bill was amended to include SB 828 provisions and renamed: HB 579 - U Nonimmigrant Status Petitions and Immigration Enforcement at Sensitive Locations
Three (3) more measures are awaiting committee votes
For those priority bills that have not yet come out of committee in the chamber of origin, we must renew our efforts to contact our lawmakers on the relevant committees seeking a (favorable) vote. All alerts requested by our Issue Leads can be found on our Take Action page, along with information on the bills and sample messages to send lawmakers. This is the last opportunity before Crossover to reach out to your representatives and make an impact on their vote.
Going Forward
Beginning this week, bills that crossed over to the other chamber start getting heard in committee. So far, only two of our priority bills have been scheduled.
SB 5 - Maryland Health Benefit Exchange - State-Based Young Adult Health Insurance Subsidies Pilot Program - Sunset Repeal - Hearing 3/20 at 1:00 p.m. in Health and Government Operations Committee
SB 357 - Prescription Drug Affordability Board - Authority and Stakeholder Council Membership (Lowering Prescription Drug Costs for All Marylanders Now Act) - Hearing 3/27 at 1:00 p.m. in Health and Government Operations Committee
The procedures for bills that have crossed over are different. Those that have had a companion bill heard in the committee often do not have hearings, and if they do, only the bill sponsor is allowed to testify verbally unless there is opposition. We can still submit written testimony.
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