Read Full Digest Here: March 24 Digest
The State Operating Budget is finally emerging from the House Appropriations Committee after the Senate and House Leadership have agreed with the Governor on a framework to eliminate the large deficit. The package which includes spending cuts as well as new taxes, will be debated this week.
Meanwhile, 24 bills related to 17 of our priority measures passed from one house to the other, and some are getting hearings. One of these 24 priority bills has had a committee hearing in the opposite chamber, and eleven (11) more are scheduled (see the current list on our Look Ahead page).
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.
While these bills have passed one chamber ahead of the Opposite Chamber Bill Crossover Date on March 17, they must now be passed by the opposite chamber before they are sent to the Governor for signature. In other words, every House bill will need to be passed by the Senate, even if the Senate has already passed its companion Senate bill (and vice versa). However, it is NOT necessary for both companion bills to pass in order for the measure to become law, as long as one bill passes both houses with the exact same language.
A bill that gets amended in the opposite chamber will need to return to its original chamber for acceptance of the amendments. Should the two chambers not agree on a final version, a conference committee of members from both houses will need to be appointed to work out the differences.
Climate Change – 4 of 11 measures crossed over
Data Center Impact Analysis and Report - HB 270 passed the House and SB 116 passed the Senate. However, Senate amendments removed provisions to include an analysis of potential energy impacts of the data center industry, limiting it to only an analysis of environmental impacts. These amendments will need to be accepted by the House Economic Matters Committee, or a conference committee will need to resolve the differences.
Transportation and Climate Alignment Act – HB 84 – amended and passed the House; companion bill SB 395 was heard in the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, so a hearing may not be held before a vote is taken.
Responding to Emergency Needs From Extreme Weather (RENEW) Act – SB 149 - passed Senate and HB 128 passed the House. Both houses struck the original provisions of the bill and replaced it with language requiring the Comptroller, in coordination with the Department of the Environment and the Department of Commerce, to conduct a study to assess the total cost of greenhouse gas emissions in the State. Since the two bills have identical language, passage of either one through the opposite house will complete the process.
Environment - Packaging Materials - Producer Responsibility Plans – SB 901 – passed the Senate. Since there is no cross-filed bill heard in the House, a hearing will be needed before a vote by both the Environment & Transportation and the Economic Matters Committees.
Criminal Justice – 4 of 10 measures crossed over
Geriatric and Medical Parole – SB 181 – passed the Senate; while Medical and Elder Parole – HB 1123 - passed the House. Although on the same subject, these are not companion bills, and their considerable differences will need to be reconciled. Hearings have been scheduled for each bill in its opposite chamber.
Medical Parole - Life Imprisonment – SB 648 – amended and passed the Senate; companion bill HB 311 was heard in the House Judiciarty Committee, so a hearing may not be held before a vote is taken.
Comprehensive Rehabilitative Prerelease Services - Female Incarcerated Individuals – HB 1198 – passed the House without amendment; companion bill SB 632 was amended in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, but it was never brought to a vote in Budget and Taxation (where it had also been referred). There may be differences between the chambers that will need to be reconciled.
Petition to Reduce Sentence (Maryland Second Look Act) – HB 583 – passed the House; no companion bill in the Senate, so it will require a hearing (scheduled).
Gun Violence Prevention – 3 of 6 measures crossed over
Trafficking Regulated Firearms - Felony Classification – SB 443 – passed the Senate; no cross-filed bill, so a hearing will be needed (scheduled).
Gun Buyback Programs - Destruction of Firearms – SB 444 – passed the Senate; no cross-filed bill, so a hearing will be needed (scheduled).
Exception to Armed Trespass Prohibition - Retired Law Enforcement Officials – SB 585 – passed the Senate; companion bill HB 308 was heard in the House Judiciary Committee, so a hearing may not be held before a vote is taken.
Healthcare – 3 of 4 measures crossed over
State-Based Young Adult Health Insurance Subsidies Pilot Program - Sunset Repeal – SB 5 passed the Senate and HB 297 passed the House with identical language, so passage of either one through the opposite house will complete the process.
Prescription Drug Affordability Board - Lowering Prescription Drug Costs for All Marylanders – HB 424 – passed the House and SB 357 – passed the Senate. However, the Senate amendments expanded the Stakeholder Council, added reporting requirements, and added criteria for drugs designated for rare diseases or conditions. These amendments will need to be accepted by the House Health & Government Operations Committee, or a conference committee will need to resolve the differences.
Public Health Abortion Grant Program – HB 930 – passed the House and SB 848 – passed the Senate. Since the two bills have identical language, passage of either one through the opposite house will complete the process.
Immigration – 3 of 6 measures crossed over
Higher Education - Undocumented Students - Out-of-State Tuition Exemption Eligibility - HB 207 Passed the House; companion bill SB 268 was heard in the Senate Education, Energy and the Environment Committee, which has scheduled a hearing on HB 207 before a vote is taken.
Public Safety - Immigration Enforcement (Maryland Values Act) – HB 1222, – passed the House. There was no companion bill in the Senate, so a hearing will be needed, and one has been scheduled in Judicial Proceedings.
Protecting Sensitive Locations Act – SB 828 - passed the Senate. While the companion bill HB 1006 is 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. The companion to HB 579, SB 608, also passed the House with non-identical amendments related to its original purpose, and without the provisions related to sensitive locations. The sensitive locations language in SB 828 and HB 579 are significantly different and will need to be reconciled.
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