On the docket for this week in the Maryland General Assembly: bills about increasing the number of early voting centers, expanding food stamp eligibility, penalties for online harassment of minors, raising the minimum wage, and more. Here's a partial listing of committee hearings and other items of interest for Feb. 4--8, 2019.
Monday
SENATE
Budget and Taxation subcommittees have scheduled hearings on funding for educational organizations, the University System of Maryland and various boards and commissions.
HOUSE
An Appropriations Committee subcommittee has scheduled budget hearings on the state Aviation Administration, Public Service Commission and Office of the People’s Counsel, among others.
Tuesday
SENATE
The Budget and Tax Committee has scheduled hearings on a bill to require the state to reimburse the city of Annapolis $750,000 a year for services it provides.
The Environment Health and Education Committee has scheduled a hearing on a bill to prohibit the Department of Natural resources from dredging oyster shells from Man o’ War Shoal near the mouth of the Patapsco River.
The Judicial Proceedings Committee has scheduled hearings on a package of bills related to convicts serving life sentences. One would allow a convict serving life to be paroled after 30 years without the governor’s approval. Another would increase from 15 to 25 years the minimum time someone sentenced to life must serve before being eligible for parole. A third bill would repeal the statute of limitations on the crime solicitation to commit murder and establish a life sentence for anyone convicted of that crime.
HOUSE
The Appropriations Committee has scheduled hearings on bills to require the state to reimburse the city of Annapolis $750,000 a year for services it provides; to expand food stamp eligibility and to rename University of Maryland University College to the University of Maryland Global Campus.
The Environment and Transportation Committee gets an update on the state of the Port of Baltimore
The Health and Government Operations Committee has scheduled hearings on bills that would require the Maryland Transportation Authority and the state Board of Elections to live stream their meetings.
The Ways and Means Committee has scheduled hearings on bills to increase the number of early voting centers and to require them to open at 8 a.m. and to repeal the authority of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore to sell properties to enforce liens for unpaid water and sewer bills.
Wednesday
SENATE
The Budget and Tax Committee has scheduled hearings on bills that would prohibit the state from spending any money on magnetic levitation trains and that would require the governor to include $3 million a year for the summer youth program in Baltimore in his fiscal 2021, 2022 and 2023 budgets.
The Finance Committee has scheduled a hearing on a bill that would require health insurers to provide a special enrollment period to allow women who become pregnant to enroll.
The Education, Health and Environment Committee will hold hearing on a bill that would allow the state school superintendent to disapprove the appointment of a county superintendent only if that person does not meet the specified qualifications for the job.
The Judicial Proceedings committee has scheduled a hearing on a bill to toughen penalties for repeat drunken and drugged driving offenders.
HOUSE
Subcommittees of the Appropriations Committee have scheduled hearings on budgets for the Maryland Stadium Authority, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Towson University, and the department of Disabilities among others.
The Environment and Transportation Committee has scheduled a briefing on the state Department of the Environment and a hearing on a bill to ban Styrofoam containers.
Thursday
SENATE
Subcommittees of the Budget and Taxation Committee have scheduled hearings on budgets for the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, the Maryland Stadium authority, the Historic St. Mary’s Commission, the Maryland African American Museum Corporation, the Secretary of Transportation and the Department of Planning.
The Finance Committee has scheduled a hearing on a bill that would exempt supervisors in sales and services of autos, trucks, trailers and farm equipment from overtime requirements.
The Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee has scheduled hearings on a bill that would require polling places to open an hour earlier on election day—6 a.m. rather than 7 a.m.—and bills that would require the General Assembly and the State Board of Elections to live stream meetings.
The Judicial Proceedings Committee has scheduled a hearing on a bill to increase penalties for repeat offenders who use firearms in the commission of a crime.
HOUSE
Subcommittees of the Appropriations Committee have scheduled hearings on budgets for the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, the Interagency Commission on School Construction, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Baltimore City Community College and the Maryland Parole commission, among others.
The Health and Government Operations Committee has scheduled hearings on bills to double the amount of time some group health insurance programs must keep people who lose their jobs, other than for cause, on their rolls and to extend health insurance benefits for pregnant women.
The Ways and Means Committee has scheduled hearings on bills that would require public schools with students in grades 6 through 12 to make feminine hygiene products available free in restrooms and that would allow students to opt out of classwork that involves animals, dead or alive.
The Environment and Transportation Committee has scheduled hearings on bills to repeal exemptions for the vehicle emissions inspection program, to increase the maximum fine for using a cell phone while driving to $500 and to prohibit toll roads or bridges in the nine Eastern Shore counties without the consent of a majority of the affected counties.
The Judiciary Committee will hold hearings on a bill to toughen penalties for online harassment of a minor and one to repeal the state law forbidding adultery.
Friday
SENATE
Subcommittees of the Budget and Taxation Committee have scheduled hearings on the budgets for several state agencies, including the board of Public Works, the Department of General Services, the Interagency Commission on School Construction, the state archives, the Secretary of State and the Maryland Port Administration.
HOUSE
The Economic Matters Committee holds a hearing on a bill to raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour.
For more detailed information on bills and hearings, visit the General Assembly of Maryland's website.
