APRIL 12, 2024

The 2024 Bipartisan Seersucker Caucus 

Dear Friends,

 

"May you live in interesting times" is an expression, thought to be of Chinese origin, in which "interesting" usually means a time of uncertainty.

 

"Interesting times" is a good way to describe this year's session.  We started out knowing that budget deficits would be a big issue, and in fact deficits in the operating and transportation budgets were a dominant issue.  Then we witnessed the calamity of the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge at the end of March.  And throughout much of the session, the Israel-Hamas war spilled over into activities in Annapolis, even though we hardly ever deal with foreign policy issues.

 

Despite these challenges, the legislature had several notable successes, which I'll explain throughout the newsletter.  

On March 25, the region experienced a stunning tragedy when the container ship Dali hit the Key Bridge and caused its collapse.  The impacts have been huge and immediate: six bridge workers lost their lives and the Port—one of the biggest economic engines in the region—closed pending removal of bridge debris and the ship from the harbor. The Port closure will result in thousands of dock and port workers being out of work. Countless large and small businesses that rely on imports and/or exports now face major operational challenges.  Tens of thousands of drivers have had their commutes lengthened.  

 

Governor Wes Moore and Mayor Brandon Scott are leading the rebuilding efforts.  Hopefully the port will reopen in a few months, but rebuilding the bridge will take years.  The legislature also took action, fast-tracking the Maryland Protecting Opportunities and Regional Trade  (PORT) Act (SB 1188).  This bill requires the Maryland Department of Labor and Department of Commerce to create temporary relief funds that will provide financial assistance to workers and business owners directly impacted by the closing of the port.  The Department of Commerce is also tasked with creating a relief fund for small businesses and trade associations that rely on the port.  The funds will be used to maintain employees’ regular shifts, pay and benefits. 

 

The reverberations of the bridge collapse will be felt for a long time.  But an important theme has emerged from the nascent rebuilding efforts:  We are Maryland Tough, Baltimore Strong!

Many people have been affected, directly or indirectly, by the horrible Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 and the ensuing war in Gaza.  Legislators had the opportunity to meet with families of several hostages in January and hear their heartrending stories.  Legislation was introduced in response to the conflict and statements of intolerance: we passed House Bill 1386, which requires the Maryland State Department of Education to develop guidelines for an anti-bias training program for school employees, and House Bill 763, which modifies the composition of the Commission on Hate Crime Response and Prevention.

 

The conflict also helped catalyze the formation of the Maryland Legislative Jewish Caucus. Senator Shelly Hettleman and Delegate Jared Solomon (Montgomery County) were elected co-chairs. The caucus creates a structure for members to advocate for the incorporation of the perspectives and needs of Jewish communities in Maryland, including combating the rising frequency of hate crimes against Jewish communities and all protected populations under the hate crimes statutes.

CCRCs are professionally managed retirement communities that offer residents progressive levels of care, from independent living to assisted living to skilled nursing care.

For many years I’ve heard concerns about the transparency and accountability of CCRCs from residents and their families. HB 68 adds transparency by requiring the Department of Aging to collect and report on grievances filed at CCRCs and by requiring CCRCs to provide information on the status of deposit refunds.

(House Vote: 133-0, Senate Vote: 47-0)

The State budget approved by the legislature totals $63 billion, including general funds and federal funds. With the deficits in the State’s operating budget and transportation budget in the background, the House and Senate spent much time debating the proper response to these deficits.  The transportation deficit is largely a function of increased construction costs and cuts in tolls.  The operating deficit is partly the result of increased costs to improve K-12 education. The legislature agreed to fee increases that will begin to address our long-term funding issues.

The FY25 Budget also adds $330 million in revenue to support our transportation system, which will largely erase the transportation budget deficit this year and into 2026.  Transportation projects are crucial for the economy – they include roads, highways, bridges, and mass transit.

 

The additional revenue will be generated by

• Establishing an electric vehicle surcharge (this will ensure that electric vehicles, which pay no gas tax, will contribute to the Transportation Trust Fund)
• Revised weight class registration fee for vehicles, so that heavier vehicles pay more to reflect the additional wear-and-tear they create on roads
• Rideshare Fee:  75-cent fee on rideshares such as Uber and Lyft
• Road Workers Zone Fines: HB 513 – Maryland Road Worker Protection Act – in response to the 2023 tragedy on the Beltway in which six road workers were killed by a speeding car, this bill increases speed camera fines for speeding in a highway work zone to $80 (rather than the current maximum of $40) effective June 1, 2024.  Beginning January 1, 2025, the fixed civil penalty for speed camera violations in a work zone will increase to $250.  

Finally, the FY25 Budget provides $105 million in additional funding to support Maryland’s trauma system and other emergency services programs. This funding will ensure that Marylanders will be able to receive rapid and effective treatment long into the future. I had introduced HB 1038 to accomplish a similar goal: ensure that there is proper funding for the Maryland Emergency Medical Services Operations Fund, which provides funds to five different state departments or associations: Maryland State Police Aviation Command, Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute, Maryland Institute of Emergency Medical Service Systems, R. Adams Crowley Shock Trauma, Amoss 508 Funds.  These organizations provide emergency medical services across the state.

A recent Washington Post/University of Maryland Poll, found that nearly 1 in 5 Marylanders believe the lack of affordable housing is the state’s top problem.  About 3 in 4 voters from all regions of the state say housing in Maryland is either “extremely expensive” or “very expensive” according to the poll.  The need for affordable housing hits almost every income bracket in the state. Particularly hard hit are the people the United Way calls “ALICE” – Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. 

These households make incomes above the federal poverty level but cannot afford the basic cost of living in the county where they live. They are cashiers, restaurant workers, health aides, drivers, and warehouse workers.  These are the people envisioned by Governor Wes Moore’s housing legislation. 

 

HB 538 – Housing Expansion and Affordability Act of 2024 – incentivizes affordable and market-rate housing around transit, formerly state-owned campuses, and property owned or controlled by a nonprofit. It will also permit new manufactured and modular homes in single-family residential zones.  (House Vote: 98-38   Senate Vote: 31-13)

 

HB 693 – Renters’ Rights and Stabilization Act of 2024 - provides renters the opportunity to purchase a rental property if the property owner decides to sell it.  The bill also establishes an Office of Tenant Rights in the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), and to discourage evictions, this legislation raises the eviction filing fee and bars evictions during times of extreme weather conditions and other public health emergencies. (House Vote: 94-39   Senate Vote: 35-9) 

SB 1 – Electricity and Gas – Retail Supply – Regulation and Consumer Protection - Updates Maryland’s quarter-century-old rules governing the competitive marketplace for retail electricity by balancing electricity choice with tighter electricity supplier licensing regulations to protect customers from dishonest business practices, like confusing variable rates and unwanted, automatic renewals.  A number of constituents wrote me that they were concerned this bill would restrict their green energy choices.  This bill ensures that when you choose to purchase green energy, you get what you paid for.  

(House Vote: 96-39   Senate: 32-15)

 

SB 539 / HB 701 - Commercial Law – Consumer Protection – Sale and Resale of Tickets - Requires ticketing platforms to implement all-in-ticketing (to allow consumers to see the total cost of a ticket up front); prevents tickets from being resold for a large profit; ends the sale of speculative tickets.

(House Vote: 113-25   Senate Vote: 45-0)

 

HB 567 / SB 541 - Maryland Online Data Privacy Act of 2024 - Gives consumers more protection and control over their personal data; requires companies to keep collected data safe; and adds extra layers of protection for sensitive data.  

(House Vote: 104-34   Senate Vote: 42-2)

 

HB 603 / SB 571 - Consumer Protection - Online Products and Services - Data of Children (Maryland Kids Code) - Requires tech companies (such as Instagram and TikTok) to design their online products with kids’ privacy, safety, and wellness in mind. This means not collecting or selling kids’ data, setting high privacy standards by default, and avoiding manipulative designs.

(House Vote: 135-0   Senate Vote: 43-0)

 

For more information on the previous two bills, see this article in the New York Times.

HB 728 / SB 705 - Health Insurance - Qualified Resident Enrollment Program (Access to Care Act) - Enlarges the pool of health insurance subscribers by allowing all Marylanders to purchase health insurance with their own money – regardless of immigration status. The bill will reduce the number of uninsured Marylanders, lower health insurance premiums for everyone, and save the state money by reducing the amount of uncompensated care. 

(House Vote: 101-34   Senate Vote: 34-13)

 

HB 786 / SB 799 -  Health Occupations - Limited License to Practice Dentistry -  Services for Adults - Expands access to care and pathways for internationally trained dentists to move from limited to general licensing, expanding the pool of dentists who can practice. The bill addresses the lack of access to dental care and critical shortage of dental professionals in Maryland by updating programs to attract and retain oral health professionals.

(House Vote: 140-0   Senate Vote: 47-0)

HB 814 - Juvenile Justice Reform

The House Judiciary Committee and Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee held several hearings last year on concerns voiced by residents and County state attorneys regrading juvenile crime.  Both committees worked on a reform bill all session, and on Friday, April 5, the bills were finalized for the Governor’s signature.

(House Vote: 114-8    Senate Vote 42-2)

 

The final bill expands the list of charges youth aged 10 to 12 could face to include certain firearm offenses, third degree sex offenses (using a weapon, threatening, or physically harming someone while also committing sexual assault) and aggravated animal cruelty.  For additional details about the changes see this article from the Baltimore Sun.

DISTRICT 11 COLLEAGUES' LEGISLATION

SENATOR SHELLY HETTLEMAN

SB134 - Office of the Correctional Ombudsman - Establishment and Funding: Creates an independent Office of Correctional Ombudsman to investigate complaints of individuals who are incarcerated, their families, and correctional employees with the purpose of providing accountability and transparency.  Transfers the Juvenile Justice Monitoring Unit to this new office.

DELEGATE JON CARDIN

HB 162 - Prohibited Liability Agreements - Recreational Facilities – This was the cross-file of SB 452, which ensures consumers can take legal action against recreational facilities for negligence on behalf of the facility that is not waived through a consumer’s assumption of risk.   It will protect patrons and create a forum to allow them to get justice when recreational facilities are negligent in upholding safety standards.  

DELEGATE CHERYL PASTEUR

HB 473 – Higher Education - Undocumented Students – Out-of-State Tuition Exemption Eligibility – This bill would decrease the number of years an individual, or an individual’s parent or guardian, must file taxes before the academic year for eligibility to receive an out-of-state tuition exemption; and generally relating to out-of-state tuition exemptions for undocumented students.  This bill would change the filing of taxes from a three-year period to a two-year period.

CONSTITUENT SERVICES

My office advocates for anyone in District 11B who needs assistance dealing with state agencies. It often can be hard to get a clear response from them. Julie Hubbard, my Constituent Services Director, can contact these agencies for you and try to resolve any problems.

 

Other ways my office can assist you:

• Information on financial assistance for higher education
• Legislative scholarships
• Complaints about state roads or concerns with MDOT
• Problems or questions about any state agency
• Complaints or questions about public utilities
• Consumer complaints
• Referrals to Baltimore County agencies

 

We can also provide the following services:

• Requests for state documents— copies of bills, regulations, legislation, senior citizen information, etc.

• Citations from the Maryland General Assembly for outstanding local accomplishments and family milestones

• Tours of the State Capitol
• A flag flown over the State Capitol to mark a special anniversary, community service, or in memory of someone

Congratulations to the Pikesville Panthers on their March Championship win over Southern-Garrett (48-39)

Delegates Stein, Pasteur, Cardin, and Senator Hettleman were excited to meet with the players and present a citation to this exceptional team.  Go Panthers!  

Sincerely,

Dana Stein

Speaker Pro Tem

Delegate, District 11B, Maryland General Assembly