Last Monday at midnight, the confetti fell and applause rang out as the 2022 Maryland legislative session came to a close.
Gov. Larry Hogan (R) called the 90 days of lawmaking “our best session yet,” and it came with a host of new laws covering issues from marijuana legalization to congressional redistricting and other issues.
“I think by any measure, Maryland is far better off than it was eight years ago,” Hogan said during a press conference on Tuesday.
Legislators passed a $61 billion budget that included $350 million in general funds to provide tax breaks for seniors.
The budget also included $7.9 billion in state support for schools, with direct aid to local school systems increased by an estimated $459.2 million. That figure includes full funding of mandates under the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future in fiscal 2023, according to state lawmakers.
Hours before the session concluded, Hogan touted the enactment of what he called the largest tax cut package in state history.
On Tuesday, Hogan signed into law $1.86 billion in relief for retirees, working families and small businesses.
“Combined with the recent $100 million gas tax suspension, this legislative session will deliver nearly $2 billion in tax relief,” the governor’s office stated in a press release.
“Everyone should be upbeat,” Sen. Michael A. Jackson (D-Calvert, Charles, Prince George’s) told Southern Maryland News. “We showed we could work together. We were smart about the resources.”
Jackson indicated that the retirement tax measure passed this year is a start in the process of “chipping away” at the burden on Maryland’s older residents.
Recreational marijuana makes it to the ballot
The General Assembly did pass House Bill 1, which allows voters the opportunity to weigh in on the legalization of recreational marijuana usage for those ages 21 and older. If the constitutional amendment passes in this November’s general election, residents would be able to use and possess certain amounts of marijuana starting July 1, 2023.
Sen. Arthur Ellis (D-Charles) said that if the amendment should past, the legislature will look to pass more laws on the business side of cannabis legalization to ensure equitable access to business opportunities.
“We will have to come back next year if this constitutional amendment passes. We’ll have to come back and pass more laws as far as the business side of this to make sure that we’re not having corporate America, mainly run by white men, to be selling tons of marijuana while we have millions of Black and Latino boys in jail for selling marijuana in the past,” Ellis said.
PFAS ban in place
A ban of the production of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — known collectively as PFAS — in rugs, carpets, certain food packaging and firefighting foam was named after the late George “Walter” Taylor, who was a firefighter at Naval Air Station Patuxent River for 19 years and died in 2020 at age 46 from metastatic neuroendocrine cancer related to “occupational exposures.” The ban on the chemicals would go into effect on Jan. 1, 2024.
PFAS can cause kidney cancer, thyroid disruption, reduced responses to vaccination and other health problems, according to Maryland Public Interest Research Group. It also results in increased risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, low birth weight and childhood obesity, according to a National Institutes of Health report.
Paid leave family, medical leave for workers approved
Other legislative gains, according to Jackson, included help for frontline workers in health care, renter and landlord assistance, making strides toward helping veterans, investments in cybersecurity and funds for children’s cancer research.
Regarding the new state-paid family and medical leave entitlement, Del. Gerald W. “Jerry” Clark (R-St.Mary’s, Calvert) voted against it while Jackson voted in favor of the plan.
Clark was not pleased with the funding setup.
“They were building that on the fly,” the Republican lawmaker said.
Some of the funding — split between employers and employees — will be used to “set up a bureaucracy,” Clark said. He sees the plan taking a lot of money out of Maryland’s economy by burdening employers.
“Healthy family, healthy worker,” said Jackson in explaining his reason for supporting the initiative. Regarding the measure’s funding piece, the senator declared, “There is always going to be contention. We’re going to have to keep an eye on that formula. We will have to reassess.”
According to a synopsis of the family and medical leave entitlement, employer contributions will be mandated next year but employees won’t be able to apply for benefits until 2025.
Another county lawmaker, Del. Rachel Jones (D-Calvert, Prince George’s), conceded the measure was controversial and appears onerous to small businesses. However, Jones stated that among small business employees, “It will improve morale. I do think we will be able to work out the differences for small businesses. Employees will also be paying into that.”
Jones called the 2022 session “rigorous” and noted that for her and other freshman legislators it was the first “normal” year after two years of pandemic-related restrictions.
Jones expressed disappointment that her bill affecting driver’s licenses of motorists on the autism spectrum died in the Senate after passing in the House.
The bill would have required the Motor Vehicle Administration to make a voluntary developmental disability self-disclosure envelope available to any individual of driving age who requested it.
If an individual who makes the request is a minor, MVA would have provided the envelope to the individual’s parent or guardian.
“Seventeen states already do it,” said Jones, who admitted the measure “got a lot of pushback” from a few advocacy organizations.
New map (finally) OK’d
Hogan also signed a new set of congressional district maps into law on April 4 after a previous set of maps drawn by the Maryland General Assembly were struck down by the court of appeals.
Changes include moving more of Prince George’s County into congressional District 4.
Eastern Prince George’s remains in District 5, currently overseen by Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md, 5th), and parts of Anne Arundel County were added to the district. All three Southern Maryland counties remain fully in District 5.
A challenge to Maryland’s state redistricting for House and state Senate seats is now over. Retired judge Alan M. Wilner issued a 245-page opinion recommending all challenges to those maps be struck down. The state’s primary election will be July 19.
Highway dedicated to Piscataway people
Maryland Route 210, also known as Indian Head Highway, will receive a dedication to a Native American tribe following passage of House Bill 1433 authorizing the road name change to Piscataway Highway.
The road, which flows from southern Prince George’s County into Charles County and the town of Indian Head, will have two signs placed along the roadway dedicating the highway to the Piscataway Conoy Tribe.
The fiscal and policy note outlined the dedication, but also stated that if the bill is intended to change the name of the highway, which advocates have promoted, costs related to the project would increase significantly. The amount of the increase was not determined in the fiscal note.
Jesse Swann, who identified himself as chief of the Piscataway Conoy Tribe, said in March that the name Indian Head was discriminatory.
Francis Gray, who identified himself as the chairman of the Piscataway Conoy Tribe, told Southern Maryland News the name had more mixed opinions among his people.
“I’m very happy for the persons who advocated for the name change,” Del. Edith Patterson (D-Charles) said, though she reiterated her wish that more public input had been sought on the name. No Charles lawmakers sponsored the bill.
The law is scheduled to go into effect on Oct. 1, pending the governor’s signature.
Special needs institute funded for region
Sen. Jack Bailey (R-St. Mary’s, Calvert) secured $5 million for a new Southern Maryland facility connected with the Kennedy Krieger Institute as part of the state’s capital budget, he said in a press release.
The funding is in addition to the philanthropic efforts of Kennedy Krieger, which will fund the remainder of what is needed to build the school which will be for students with certain disabilities, according to the release.
“Since I was first elected to the Senate, I have heard from many parents of students with special needs in District 29 and throughout Southern Maryland about the needs of their children,” Bailey said. “Currently, these families’ only option to give their children the quality education that they deserve requires them to travel long distances each day. This campus will allow families to have their children receive the services that they require closer to home.”
Bailey thanked Del. Rachel Jones (D-Calvert, Prince George’s), St. Mary’s Superintendent Scott Smith and other school superintendents and legislators for their help.
St. Mary’s school board Vice Chair Cathy Allen said that a site for the institute had not been identified to date. It’s her understanding the Krieger will fundraise the remaining funds for a land purchase and to construct the building. The main Kennedy Krieger Institute is in Baltimore.
Twitter: @DarrylSoMdNews, @MartySoMdNews and @CalebSoMdNews
Recent Comments