Last Updated on February 10, 2022
Legislation Tracked in 2021
The Legislative/Political Committee of the Residents’ Council is non-partisan and does not take a position on any bill being heard before the Maryland General Assembly. Bills will be added for tracking, as selected by the Legislative/Political Committee.
The following bills were selected by the committee because of their interest to Charlestown residents.
The Legislative-Political Committee has decided to track bills coming before the Maryland legislature in the following subject areas:
Election law/Voting – Phyl Lansing, Eleanor Lewis, Don Sillars
Enacted
- HB206: Election Law – Early Voting Centers – Hours of Operation – passed both Chambers, to the Governor for signature, enacted without Governor signature
- HB222: Value My Vote Act- passed both Chambers, to the Governor for signature, enacted without Governor signature
- SB224: Election Law – Correctional Facilities – Voter Registration and Voting – passed both Chambers, to the Governor for signature, enacted without Governor signature
- HB156/SB283: Student and Military Voter Empowerment Act – passed both Chambers, to the Governor for signature, enacted without Governor signature
- HB424: Public Financing Act – Matching Fund Revisions (Md. Fair Elections Act)(Feldmark) – – passed both Chambers, to the Governor for signature
- HB745: Election Law – Early Voting Centers – – Enacted into law
- HB1048 – Election Law – Establishes a Permanent Absentee Ballot List – Enacted into law
Bills Tracked
- SB29: Election Law – Voting – Elections by Mail, Polling Places and Early Voting Centers – referral to committee
- SB36: Election Integrity Act – referral to committee
- HB53: Election Law – Voting Rights – Voting Rights – Imprisoned Felons – referral to committee
- HB57: Voting Rights Protection Act of 2020 – referral to committee
- HB206: Election Law – Early Voting Centers – Hours of Operation – passed both Chambers; to the Governor for signature
- HB211: Election Law – Early Voting Centers – Days of Operation
- HB222: Value My Vote Act- passed both Chambers; to the Governor for signature
- SB224: Election Law – Correctional Facilities – Voter Registration and Voting – passed both Chambers; to the Governor for signature
- HB75: Election Law – Circuit Court Judges – Nonpartisan Elections
- HB156/SB283: Student and Military Voter Empowerment Act – passed both Chambers; to the Governor for signature
- HB245: Election Judges – Training and Signs – Accommodations for Voters in Need of Assistance (Hill)
- HB247: Election Law – Voting Order Priority – Individuals Who Need Extra Assistance
- HB493: Election Law – Voting Locations – Accessibility by Public Transportation and Voters with Disabilities
- SB271/HB423: Election Law – Voting Systems – Accessibility for Voters with Disabilities – (Feldmark)
- SB296: Election Law – Campaign Finance – Protection of Contributor Information
- SB340: Election Law – Offenses Related to Voting – Penalties
- HB136: Election Law – Campaign Contributions – Alterations and Prohibition on Sports & Event Wagering Business Entities
- HB153: Elections by Mail
- HB265/SB6: General Assembly – Special Election to Fill a Vacancy in Office (Lam)
- HB274: Election Law – Elections by Mail
- HB355/SB37: Election Law – Registered Voter List Security and Electronic Signature Requirements for Petitions
- HB424: Public Financing Act – Matching Fund Revisions (Md. Fair Elections Act)(Feldmark)
- SB6/HB265: General Assembly – Special Election to fill a Vacancy in Office – Lam
- SB233: Election Law – Absentee Ballots – Envelope Prohibitions, Ballot Status Information and Signature Verification
Environment & Conservation – Anna Ciarrocchi, Marty Tewksbery, Bonnie Kawecki
- HB583/SB414: Climate Solutions Now Act of 2021 – Passed both Chambers; House amendments not approved by the Senate.
- HB164/SB116: Department of the Environment – Office of Recycling – Recycling Market Development – Passed both Chambers and Approved by the Governor – Chapter 289
- HB280/SB304: Maryland Recycling Act – Recyclable Materials and Resource Recovery Facilities – Alterations – Passed both Chambers and sent to the Governor for signature. Enacted without Governor signature
- SB76/HB33: Climate Crisis and Education Act – Referral to Committee in both the House and the Senate
- SB199 – MTA – Transit Safety and Investment Act – Passed both Chambers and sent to the Governor for signature, Vetoed by the Governor
- SB223/HB314 – Plastic Bag Reduction Act – Referral to Committee in the Senate; Passed to House and 1st Reading in the Senate.
Health Care and Service Delivery – Janet Allen, Ann MacKay, Wendel Thompson
Enacted
- HB123/SB3: Preserve Telehealth Access Act of 2021 – Approved by the Governor – Chapter 70
- SB204/HB416: Health Care Facilities – Assisted Living Programs – Memory Care and Alzheimer’s Disease Unit Regulations
- HB203: Estates and Trusts – Wills and Advance Medical Directives – Notaries Public
- SB313/HB119: Md. Dept. of Health – Public Health Outreach Programs – Cognitive Impairment, Alzheimer’s Disease, and Other Types of Dementia
All Health Care Bills Tracked
- SB68: Dept. of Emergency Management – Establishment (Sen. Lam)
- HB25/SB311: Catastrophic Health Emergencies – Health Care Providers – Definition and Immunity (Maryland Health Care Heroes Protection Act)
- HB255 – Department of Aging – Grants for Aging-in-Place Programs – Funding
- HB207: Nursing Homes – Resident Change in Condition – Notification
- HB303 – Long-Term Care Insurance – Prohibition on Premium Increases (Long Term Stability for Seniors Act)
- SB411 – Long-Term Care Insurance – Premium Rate Increases – Restriction (Equity in Long-Term Care Insurance Premiums Act)
- SB47/HB806: Health Facilities – Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Programs – Essential Caregivers
- HB0296/SB075 – Driver’s Licenses – Older Licensees – In-Person Renewal
- SB210/HB508 – COVID-19 Claim – Civil Immunity
- HB276: Congregate Care Facilities – Visitation
Senior Consumer Issues – Ann MacKay
Bills Tracked – none passed and sent to Governor
- HB303: Long-Term Care Insurance – Prohibition on Premium Increase (Long Term Stability for Seniors Act) – Referral to Committeee; 2nd Reading in the House
- SB75/HB296: Driver’s Licenses – Older Licensees – In-Person Renewal – 3rd Reading in the House; 1st Reading in the Senate
- SB210/HB508: COVID-19 Claim – Civil Immunity – Referral to Committee in the Senate; Referral to Committee in the House
- HB255: of Aging – Grants for Aging-in-Place Programs – Funding – Referral to Committee in the Senate
- SB411/Long-Term Care Insurance – Premium Rate Increase – Restriction (Equity in Long Term Care Insurance Premiums Act)
Vetoed, but Veto was Overriden by General Assembly’s Special Session Dec. 2021
- MTA Transit Safety and Investment Act: On Tuesday, December 7, 2021, the Maryland General Assembly voted to override Governor Larry Hogan’s veto of legislation to provide a minimum capital funding level for the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) each year for five years and protect MTA’s operating funds from reductions during the same time period.