Category: Legislative Session Update

Adjournment

4/13/2021

The 2021 Maryland legislative session has come to a close. The legislature convened at an unprecedented time as our state continues to battle a public health pandemic and endure the ensuing economic challenges. Despite these difficulties, the legislature was still able to make significant progress on key issues.

Homestretch and Vaccines

4/6/2021

We are in the home stretch of the legislative session with adjournment scheduled for late on Monday, April 12th. There is always a flurry of activity during these finals days of activity and some big ticket items remain to be addressed. Police reform has been a significant issue this legislative session. The House and Senate have passed competing bills on the topic and they still need to be reconciled. Similarly, the Climate Solutions Now Act--to increase our greenhouse gas reduction goal and establish more policies to achieve it--is in different forms in the House and the Senate. Those issues and many others will be a major focus in these last few days of the 2021 legislative session.

Presentment and Vaccinations

3/30/2021

We are in the midst of "presentment week" in Annapolis. Under the Maryland Constitution, the Governor has six days to veto or sign bills passed by the General Assembly during the legislative session, otherwise they become law without his signature. That means in order to be able to override a Gubernatorial veto before the next time the legislature convenes, the bill needs to be presented to the Governor this week. If a bill is presented later than this week, the Governor will have 30 days after presentment to act on the bill. Much of our work in Annapolis is bipartisan and collaborative, but we typically expect the majority Democratic legislature to have some disagreements with the Republican Governor. Therefore, some bills will be passed and presented this week so the General Assembly can override any vetoes it chooses to.

Vaccinations and Legislative Process

3/23/2021

The Governor announced the path forward on vaccine eligibility late last week. By April 27, all Marylanders 16 years of age and older will be eligible for the vaccine.

The Governor also formally announced the state-supported mass vaccination site in Montgomery County that we have known was coming since last week. It will be located in Germantown and will open in early April.

Even as vaccine supply shipments from the federal government increase, the broad groups becoming eligible for the vaccine will constrain our supply and capacity. Here are a few tips:

Crossover and Vaccinations

3/16/2021

Monday is the "crossover" deadline, the date by which legislation is supposed to pass from one chamber to the other for further consideration. It will be a busy few days for the legislature, including weekend sessions, as committees move legislation. The annual operating budget is also headed to the House floor.

Budget Decisions, Vaccinations, and Police Reform

3/10/2021

Later today, the Appropriations Subcommittee I chair (Transportation & Environment) will meet to make our final budget decisions, as will the other subcommittees that cover different areas of the state budget. You can find a link to the meeting here. Following that series of votes, we will report our decisions for adoption by the full Appropriations Committee and then the annual budget will head to the House floor.

Reflecting and Vaccinations

3/2/2021

As Black History Month was winding down in February, I took a few moments to reflect at Lawyers Mall in Annapolis. For those of you who visit Annapolis, you know Lawyers Mall as the area in front of the State House that is often a public gathering spot for protesters and field trips. I traverse it almost every day I am in Annapolis. Since 1996, the area has been adorned by a statute of one of Maryland's premiere lawyers, Thurgood Marshall. Because of COVID-19, we are unable to have our usual February historical presentations by Black Caucus members that are always informative and moving.

Vaccinations and Budget Hearings

2/24/2021

If you had told me this time a year ago that the major issues that would occupy my office were unemployment and vaccines, I would not have believed you. But, of course, that is exactly what has happened. In my view, both the state's unemployment system and the vaccine rollout have been bungled.

Early Adjournment

3/22/2020

The 2020 legislative session—a session that has been unlike any other—has come to a close. As you may be aware, because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the decision was made to adjourn the legislature early for the first time since the Civil War.

March to Crossover - Week 9

3/11/2020

There is a lot going on in the state legislature as we approach Monday's "crossover" deadline, the date by which legislation is supposed to pass from one chamber to the other. But the big news on the minds of many is about the coronavirus. We now have reported cases in Maryland and we all need to be calm and prepared. Be sure to monitor http://health.maryland.gov/coronavirus and call 211 if you think you need to be tested.

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