Stephen Buckingham
Governor’s Final Actions on 2022 Legislation
Before the end of May, Governor Hogan took action on the remaining bills that had passed the General Assembly and were awaiting his...
Climate Change and the 2023 Session
We know that environmental pollution degrades water and air quality
and contributes to climate change, affecting everyone on the planet.
AND
We know that environmental degradation harms marginalized communities
disproportionately and with alarming regularity and intensity.
AND
We know that these communities, due to the vestiges of years of racial discrimination,
do not have resources to engage in lengthy and expensive legislative remedies for the environmental pollution in which they live … and which kills them.
AND
We know that these communities are not protected by state and
local enforcement of existing laws.
AND
We know this injustice can and must be remediated.
Rev. Paige Getty
UU Congregation of Columbia
For more information, please contact Climate Change Task Force Chair Phil Webster at ClimateChange@uulmmd.org.
Subject | Bill Number | XFile Bill Number | Title | Sponsor | Status | Current Location | Priority | Position | Action | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Building standards | HB0806 | Building Standards and Emissions Reductions – High Performance, State, and Local Government Buildings, State Operations, and Eligible Projects | Delegate Stein | Failed: no vote in committee | Appropriations | X | Support | Contact Delegate on Committee | Altering the definition of 'high performance building' to include certain schools and public safety buildings and require that the building meet certain building standards; requiring the Department of General Services to establish a maximum acceptable global warming potential for certain categories of eligible materials used in certain eligible projects; requiring a unit of State government to specify the eligible materials that will be used in an eligible project in the solicitation for an eligible project; etc. | |
Building Energy Performance Stds | HB0061 | SB0081 | Charter Counties - Enforcement of Local Building Performance Laws (Building Energy Performance Standards Act of 2022) | Delegate Stewart | Failed: no vote in committee | Environment and Transportation | X | Support | Testimony submitted | Authorizing charter counties to provide for the enforcement of local building energy performance laws by imposing civil fines not exceeding $10 per square foot of gross floor area. |
Building Energy Performance Stds | SB0081 | HB0061 | Charter Counties - Enforcement of Local Building Performance Laws (Building Energy Performance Standards Act of 2022) | Senator Feldman | Failed: no vote in committee | Environment and Transportation | X | Support | Testimony submitted | Authorizing charter counties to provide for the enforcement of local building energy performance laws by imposing civil fines not exceeding $10 per square foot of gross floor area; and providing that a civil fine may be imposed under the Act only if construction on the building was completed at least 3 years and 1 day before the date the civil fine would be imposed. |
Environmental Justice | HB0171 | SB0135 | Climate Crisis and Environmental Justice Act | Delegate Fraser-Hidalgo | Failed: no vote in committee | Economic Matters | X | Support | Testimony submitted | Requiring the State to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through various measures, including altering statewide greenhouse gas emissions reduction requirements so that after 2040 statewide greenhouse gas emissions are net negative; requiring the Department of the Environment to adopt a plan for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by December 31, 2022; establishing a Climate Crisis Council to develop a plan to meet the reduction targets set out in the Act; establishing a greenhouse gas pollution fee on certain fuels; etc. |
Environmental Justice | SB0135 | HB0171 | Climate Crisis and Environmental Justice Act | Senator Kramer | Failed: no vote in committee | Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs | X | Support | Testimony submitted | Requiring the State to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through various measures, including altering statewide greenhouse gas emissions reduction requirements so that after 2040 statewide greenhouse gas emissions are net negative; requiring the Department of the Environment to adopt a plan for the reduction of statewide greenhouse gas emissions by December 31, 2022; establishing a Climate Crisis Council to develop a plan to meet the reduction targets set out in the Act; and establishing a greenhouse gas pollution fee on certain fuels. |
Climate Solutions Now | SB0528 | Climate Solutions Now Act of 2022 | Senator Pinsky | Enacted under Article II, Section 17(b) of the Maryland Constitution - Chapter 38 | Governor | X | Support | Contact Senator on Committee | Requiring the State to reduce statewide greenhouse gas emissions by altering statewide greenhouse gas emissions goals, establishing of a net-zero statewide greenhouse gas emissions goal, developing certain energy efficiency and emissions reduction requirements for certain buildings, requiring electric companies to increase their annual incremental gross energy savings, establishing certain zero-emission vehicle requirements for the State fleet, and establishing an electric school bus pilot program; etc. | |
Comprehensive Solutions | HB0708 | Comprehensive Climate Solutions | Delegate Barve | Failed: no vote in committee | Economic Matters | X | Support | Signed onto testimony | Requiring the State to reduce statewide greenhouse gas emissions through the use of various measures, including the alteration of statewide greenhouse gas emissions goals, the establishment of a net-zero statewide greenhouse gas emissions goal, requiring gas companies and electric companies to provide certain programs and services, and requiring electric companies to increase their annual incremental gross energy savings through certain programs and services; etc. | |
Environmental Rights Amendment | HB0596 | SB0783 | Constitutional Amendment - Environmental Rights | Delegate Fisher, W. | Failed: no vote in committee | Environment and Transportation | X | Support | Contact Delegate on Committee | Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Maryland to establish that every person has the fundamental and inalienable right to a healthful and sustainable environment; and requiring the State to serve as the trustee of the State's natural resources, including the air, land, water, wildlife, and ecosystems of the State, and to conserve, protect, and enhance the State's natural resources for the benefit of every person, including present and future generations. |
Environmental Rights Amendment | SB0783 | HB0596 | Constitutional Amendment - Environmental Rights | Senator Smith | Failed: no vote in committee | Judicial Proceedings | X | Support | Contact Senator on Committee | Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Maryland to establish that every person has the fundamental and inalienable right to a healthful and sustainable environment; and requiring the State to serve as the trustee of the State's natural resources, including the air, land, water, wildlife, and ecosystems of the State, and to conserve, protect, and enhance the State's natural resources for the benefit of every person, including present and future generations. |
Zero-emission trucks | HB0829 | SB0687 | Department of the Environment – Zero–Emission Medium and Heavy Duty Vehicles – Regulations (Zero–Emission Truck Act of 2022) | Delegate Love | Failed: no vote in committee | Environment and Transportation | X | Support | Contact Delegate on Committee | Requiring the Department of the Environment to adopt regulations on or before December 1, 2022, establishing requirements for the sale of new zero-emission medium and heavy duty vehicles in the State. |
Zero-emission trucks | SB0687 | HB0829 | Department of the Environment – Zero–Emission Medium and Heavy Duty Vehicles – Regulations (Zero–Emission Truck Act of 2022) | Senator Young | Failed: no vote in committee | Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs | X | Support | Contact Delegate on Committee | Requiring the Department of the Environment to adopt regulations on or before December 1, 2022, establishing requirements for the sale of new zero-emission medium and heavy duty vehicles in the State. |
Energy Distribution | HB0088 | SB0525 | Electric Distribution System Planning and Required Labor Standards | Delegate Charkoudian | Failed: no vote in committee | Finance | X | Support | Testimony submitted | Establishing certain State policy goals with regard to the State's electric distribution system; requiring the Public Service Commission and the Maryland Energy Administration to provide assistance and support to electric companies for applying for and obtaining access to certain federal funds to meet the State's policy goals for the electric distribution system; requiring the Administration to identify certain funding sources; establishing labor standards for contractors and subcontractors participating in certain projects; etc. |
Producer & packaging | HB0307 | SB0292 | Environment - Packaging Materials - Producer Responsibility | Delegate Lierman | Failed: no vote in committee | Environment and Transportation | X | Support | Testimony submitted | Requiring the Department of Environment to conduct a statewide recycling needs assessment every 10 years; requiring, by April 1, 2024, producers of certain packaging materials to individually or as part of a producer responsibility organization submit a producer responsibility plan to the Department for approval; prohibiting, on or after October 1, 2024, a producer of certain packaging materials from selling or distributing the packaging materials unless the producer has an approved producer responsibility plan; etc. |
Producer & packaging | SB0292 | HB0307 | Environment - Packaging Materials - Producer Responsibility | Senator Augustine | Failed: no vote in committee | Finance | X | Support | Testimony submitted | Requiring the Department of the Environment to conduct a statewide recycling needs assessment every 10 years; requiring, by April 1, 2024, producers of certain packaging materials to individually or as part of a producer responsibility organization submit a producer responsibility plan to the Department for approval; prohibiting, on or after October 1, 2024, a producer of certain packaging materials from selling or distributing the packaging materials unless the producer has an approved producer responsibility plan; etc. |
Equity in Transportation | HB0141 | SB0023 | Equity in Transportation Sector - Guidelines and Analyses | Delegate Ruth | Returned Passed | Governor | X | Support | Signed onto testimony | Requiring that equity be considered when State transportation plans, reports, and goals are developed; altering the membership of the advisory committee on State transportation goals; requiring the Department of Transportation, in collaboration with the Maryland Transportation Administration, to conduct a transit equity analyses and consult with certain communities before announcing any reduction or cancellation of a capital expansion project in the construction program of the Consolidated Transportation Program; etc. |
Equity in Transportation | SB0023 | HB0141 | Equity in Transportation Sector - Guidelines and Analyses | Senator Carter | Failed: not referred to standing committee | Rules and Executive Nominations | X | Support | Signed onto testimony | Requiring that equity be considered when State transportation plans, reports, and goals are developed; altering the membership of the advisory committee on State transportation goals, benchmarks, and indicators; requiring the Department of Transportation, in collaboration with the Maryland Transportation Administration, to conduct certain analyses and consult with certain communities before announcing any reduction or cancellation of a certain project in the construction program of the Consolidated Transportation Program; etc. |
Resiliency Hubs | HB0031 | SB0256 | Maryland Energy Administration – Resiliency Hub Grant Program and Fund | Delegate Charkoudian | Returned Passed | Governor | X | Support | Contact Delegate on Committee | Establishing the Resiliency Hub Grant Program in the Maryland Energy Administration to develop resiliency hubs that serve low- and moderate-income households at no cost to the households; defining 'resiliency hub' as a location where solar photovoltaic and battery energy storage are designed to provide electricity during extended grid outages; requiring the Administration to establish certain procedures and criteria for the Program; requiring that certain fines and penalties be credited to a certain fund; etc. |
Resiliency Hubs | SB0256 | HB0031 | Maryland Energy Administration – Resiliency Hub Grant Program and Fund | Senator Beidle | Returned Passed | Governor | X | Support | Contact Senator on Committee | Establishing the Resiliency Hub Grant Program in the Maryland Energy Administration to develop resiliency hubs that serve low- and moderate-income households at no cost to the households; defining 'resiliency hub' as a location where solar photovoltaic and battery energy storage are designed to provide electricity during extended grid outages; requiring the Administration to establish certain procedures and criteria for the Program; requiring that certain fines and penalties be credited to a certain fund; etc. |
Zero-emission buses | HB0010 | SB0061 | Maryland Transit Administration - Conversion to Zero-Emission Buses (Zero-Emission Bus Transition Act Revisions) | Delegate Korman | Returned Passed | Governor | X | Support | Contact Delegate on Committee | Requiring the Maryland Transit Administration to provide certain safety and workforce development training for its operations training workforce and its maintenance workforce; requiring the Administration's annual report on the implementation of the conversion of the State's transit bus fleet to zero-emission buses to include a plan that ensures certain employee protections and a certification that the Administration is adhering to the plan. |
Zero-emission buses | SB0061 | HB0010 | Maryland Transit Administration - Conversion to Zero-Emission Buses (Zero-Emission Bus Transition Act Revisions) | Senator Zucker | Returned Passed | Governor | X | Support | Contact Delegate on Committee | Requiring the Maryland Transit Administration to provide certain safety and workforce development training for its operations training workforce and its maintenance workforce; requiring the Administration's annual report on the implementation of the conversion of the State's transit bus fleet to zero-emission buses to include a plan that ensures certain employee protections and a certification that the Administration is adhering to the plan; etc. |
Energy Distribution | SB0525 | HB0088 | Public Utilities - Energy Distribution Planning and Required Labor Standards | Senator Feldman | Failed: no vote in committee | Finance | X | Support | Testimony submitted | Establishing the Distribution System Planning Workgroup to study issues related to energy distribution planning and implementation; requiring the Public Service Commission to adopt regulations on or before January 1, 2024, related to energy distribution planning and implementation; requiring the Commission and the Maryland Energy Administration to coordinate efforts with utilities to apply for certain federal funds; and establishing labor standards for contractors and subcontractors participating in certain projects. |
Low Income Housing Energy Efficiency | HB0108 | SB0524 | Public Utilities - Energy Efficiency and Conservation Programs - Energy Performance Targets and Low-Income Housing | Delegate Charkoudian | Returned Passed | Governor | X | Support | Contact Delegate on Committee | Requiring the Department of Housing and Community Development to procure or provide for electricity customers energy efficiency and conservation programs and services designed to achieve an annual incremental gross energy savings of at least 0.4% starting in 2023; requiring the Department to develop a plan to coordinate and leverage funding sources to support certain energy efficiency and other home upgrades and a plan to provide energy efficiency retrofits to all low-income households by 2030; etc. |
Low Income Housing Energy Efficiency | SB0524 | HB0108 | Public Utilities - Energy Efficiency and Conservation Programs - Energy Performance Targets and Low-Income Housing | Senator Feldman | Returned Passed | Governor | X | Support | Contact Senator on Committee | Requiring the Department of Housing and Community Development to procure or provide for electricity customers energy efficiency and conservation programs and services designed to achieve an annual incremental gross energy savings of at least 0.4% starting in 2023; requiring the Department to develop a plan to coordinate and leverage funding sources to support certain energy efficiency and other home upgrades and a plan to provide energy efficiency retrofits to all low-income households by 2030; etc. |
Commercial & residential buildings | HB0831 | Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Commercial and Residential Buildings | Delegate Stein | Failed: no vote in committee | Environment and Transportation | X | Support | Contact Delegate on Committee | Requiring the Department of the Environment to establish building emissions standards for certain commercial and residential buildings; establishing the Building Energy Transition Implementation Task Force to study certain matters and develop a plan for funding the retrofit of certain buildings; and requiring the Maryland Department of Labor to update the Maryland Building Performance Standards. | |
Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard | HB0011 | Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard – Tier 1 Renewable Source – Alterations (Reclaim Renewable Energy Act of 2022) | Delegate Stewart | Unfavorable Report by Economic Matters; Withdrawn | X | Support | Signed onto testimony | Altering the definition of 'Tier 1 renewable source' for purposes of excluding energy derived from qualifying biomass, methane from the anaerobic decomposition of organic materials, certain fuel cells, poultry litter-to-energy, waste-to-energy, refuse-derived fuel, and thermal energy from a thermal biomass system from being eligible for inclusion in the renewable energy portfolio standard. | ||
State Vehicle Fleet | HB0094 | State Vehicle Fleet - Conversion to Zero-Emission Passenger Cars and Other Light-Duty Vehicles | Delegate Fraser-Hidalgo | Failed: no vote in committee | Budget and Taxation | X | Support | Contact Senator on Committee | Requiring the State to ensure that a certain minimum percent of passenger cars and other light-duty vehicles purchased for the State vehicle fleet in certain fiscal years are zero-emission vehicles, subject to the availability of funding; requiring the Department of General Services to ensure the development of charging infrastructure to support the operation of the zero-emission vehicles in the State vehicle fleet; and requiring a certain annual report to the General Assembly regarding the conversion to zero-emission vehicles. | |
Urban Farming | HB0540 | SB0437 | Agriculture - University of Maryland Extension - Urban Farmer Assistance | Delegate Henson | Approved by the Governor - Chapter 172 | Support | Signed onto testimony | Requiring the University of Maryland Extension to hire an extension agent dedicated to urban farm production methods and crop management and an extension agent dedicated to urban farm and agribusiness management; requiring the agents to perform certain applied research and provide certain education to urban farmers; and requiring the Governor to annually include $300,000 in the annual budget bill for the extension agents hired under the Act. | ||
Urban Farming | SB0437 | HB0540 | Agriculture - University of Maryland Extension - Urban Farmer Assistance | Senator McCray | Approved by the Governor - Chapter 173 | Support | Signed onto testimony | Requiring the University of Maryland Extension to hire an extension agent dedicated to urban farm production methods and crop management and an extension agent dedicated to urban farm and agribusiness management; requiring the agents to perform certain applied research and provide certain education to urban farmers; and requiring the Governor to annually include $300,000 in the annual budget bill for the extension agents hired under the Act. | ||
AG suits | HB0363 | Attorney General - Climate Change Actions - Authorization | Delegate Ruth | Failed: no vote in committee | Health and Government Operations | Support | Signed onto testimony | Authorizing the Attorney General to investigate, commence, and prosecute or defend any suit or action that holds accountable a publicly traded entity with a market capitalization greater than $1,000,000,000 or its subsidiaries for tortious or otherwise unlawful conduct that has contributed to climate change; and authorizing the Attorney General to hire outside counsel on a contingency fee basis to assist with an action under the Act if the Attorney General makes a determination that it is in the best interests of the State. | ||
Community solar commission | HB0936 | SB0999 | Blue Ribbon Community Solar Land Use Commission | Delegate Barve | Failed: no vote in committee | Finance | Establishing the Blue Ribbon Community Solar Land Use Commission to study and make recommendations regarding the land use needs to meet the full generation capacity authorized under the Community Solar Energy Generating Systems Pilot Program; and requiring the Commission to report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly by December 1, 2022. | |||
Green Buildings | SB0588 | HB1165 | Capital Projects - High Performance and Green Buildings | Senator Hettleman | Failed: no vote in committee | Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs | Altering the definition of 'high performance building' to include certain schools and public safety buildings; altering the definition of 'major renovation' to mean a renovation of a certain size or value or resulting in a change in occupancy or replacement of certain utility installations; altering the type of capital projects to which certain high performance building standards apply; repealing a requirement that the Maryland Green Building Council develop certain guidelines for new public school buildings; etc. | |||
Clean Cars | HB1391 | Clean Cars Act of 2022 | Delegate Fraser-Hidalgo | Approved by the Governor - Chapter 234 | Establishing the Medium-Duty and Heavy-Duty Zero-Emission Vehicle Grant Program for certain vehicles and equipment to be administered by the Maryland Energy Administration; altering, for certain fiscal years, the vehicle excise tax credit for the purchase of certain electric vehicles; decreasing, from $63,000 to $50,000, for purposes of the electric vehicle excise tax credit, the limitation on the maximum base purchase price of certain electric vehicles; reducing the vehicle excise tax credit for certain electric drive vehicles; etc. | |||||
Community healthy air | HB0798 | Community Healthy Air Act | Delegate Jalisi | Failed: no vote in committee | Environment and Transportation | Establishing the Committee on Air Quality to create, on or before January 1, 2023, an air quality sampling and monitoring protocol for the collection of air quality and public health data associated with certain large animal-feeding operations. | ||||
Comunity solar-property tax exemption | HB0076 | SB0264 | Community Solar Energy Generating Systems - Exemption From Property Taxes | Delegate Smith | Returned Passed | Governor | Exempting certain community solar energy generating systems from personal property taxes; prohibiting the supervisor of a county or a municipal corporation from accepting applications for the exemption after December 31, 2024; and requiring the Department of Assessments and Taxation to report to certain committees of the General Assembly, by October 1 each year on the number and location of projects that, in the immediately preceding taxable year, have received the exemption. | |||
Comunity solar-property tax exemption | SB0264 | HB0076 | Community Solar Energy Generating Systems - Exemption From Property Taxes | Senator Elfreth | Failed: no vote in committee | Ways and Means | Support | Signed onto testimony | Exempting from personal property taxes a community solar energy generating system that provides at least 50% of the energy it produces to low- or moderate-income customers at a cost that is at least 20% less than the amount charged by the electric company that serves the area where the system is located and is installed on a rooftop, parking facility canopy, or brownfield; prohibiting the supervisor of a county or a municipal corporation from accepting applications for the exemption after December 31, 2024; etc. | |
Conservation finance | HB0653 | SB0348 | Conservation Finance Act | Delegate Love | Approved by the Governor - Chapter 237 | Providing that the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Natural Resources, and the Maryland Environmental Trust must allow participants in certain cost-sharing programs to participate in and receive compensation from greenhouse gas markets, carbon credits, or soil carbon programs under certain circumstances; authorizing certain units to enter into pay-for-success contracts with certain aggregators to procure certain environmental outcomes projects or already certified environmental outcomes; etc. | ||||
Conservation finance | SB0348 | HB0653 | Conservation Finance Act | Senator Elfreth | Approved by the Governor - Chapter 238 | Providing that the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Natural Resources, and the Maryland Environmental Trust must allow participants in certain cost sharing programs to participate in and receive compensation from greenhouse gas markets, carbon credits, or soil carbon programs under certain circumstances; authorizing certain units to enter into pay-for-success contracts with certain aggregators to procure certain environmental outcomes projects or already certified environmental outcomes; etc. | ||||
Sustainable Buildings | HB0043 | Department of General Services – Energy–Conserving Standards (Maryland Sustainable Buildings Act of 2022) | Delegate Hill | Failed: no vote in committee | Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs | Requiring the Department of General Services to establish and periodically update standards for State buildings to conserve energy and minimize adverse impacts on birds; requiring the Maryland Green Building Council to include the standards in any requirements that the Council establishes for participation in a higher-performance building program in the State; and defining 'State building'. | ||||
Community solar capacity | SB0110 | HB0440 | Electricity - Community Solar Energy Generating Systems - Generating Capacity | Senator Kramer | Failed: no vote in committee | Finance | Increasing the maximum generating capacity of a community solar energy generating system from 2 megawatts to 5 megawatts. | |||
Community solar capacity | HB0440 | SB0110 | Electricity - Community Solar Energy Generating Systems - Net Energy Metering and Generating Capacity | Delegate Clippinger | Returned Passed | Governor | Altering the maximum generating capacity of a community solar energy generating system for purposes of net energy metering; increasing the maximum generating capacity of a community solar energy generating system from 2 megawatts to 5 megawatts; and specifying that a community solar energy generating system is not a generating station if the generating capacity of the community solar energy generating system does not exceed 2 megawatts. | |||
Community solar-consolidated billing | HB0818 | Electricity - Community Solar Energy Generation - Consolidated Billing | Delegate Clippinger | Failed: no vote in committee | Finance | Support | Authorizing a subscriber organization for a community solar energy generating system to participate in consolidated billing provided by the electric company serving the territory of the community solar energy generating system. | |||
Labor Standards | SB0418 | HB0569 | Energy Generation Projects - Required Community Benefit Agreement and Labor Standards | Senator Feldman | Failed: no vote in committee | Economic Matters | Support | Signed onto testimony | Requiring a person who is a developer of a project, on the approval of a certificate of public convenience and necessity for the construction of a certain generating station or qualified generator lead line and an exemption from the requirement for a certificate of public convenience and necessity, to take all reasonable actions to enter into a community benefits agreement and adhere to certain labor standards and reporting requirements; etc. | |
Labor Standards | HB0569 | SB0418 | Energy Generation, Transmission, and Storage Projects - Required Community Benefit Agreement and Labor Standards | Delegate Carey | Failed: no vote in committee | Economic Matters | Support | Signed onto testimony | Requiring the Public Service Commission to condition the approval of a certificate of public convenience and necessity for the construction of a certain generating station or qualified generator lead line and an exemption from the requirement for a certificate of public convenience and necessity on the requirement that the developer of the project take all reasonable actions to enter into a community benefits agreement and adhere to certain labor standards and reporting requirements; etc. | |
Crisis Plan | SB0552 | HB0695 | Environment - Climate Crisis Plan - Requirement (Better Together to Save Our Weather Act of 2022) | Senator Kramer | Failed: no vote in committee | Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs | Requiring each county to prepare a climate crisis plan to address the effects of climate change in the county; requiring each county to submit its plan to the Department of the Environment for review and feedback on or before June 1, 2023; requiring the Department to provide feedback to each county on or before November 1, 2023; requiring each county to finalize its plan on or before January 1, 2024; and requiring each county to review and update its plan once every 3 years. | |||
EV Charging-Env Justice | HB0507 | SB0924 | Environment - Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure - Environmental Justice Considerations | Delegate Proctor | Failed: no vote in committee | Environment and Transportation | Requiring a unit of State government that develops electric vehicle charging infrastructure or administers public funding for the development of electric vehicle charging infrastructure to use environmental justice guidelines when selecting communities for the development of electric vehicle charging infrastructure. | |||
Climate & labor impact | HB0880 | SB0931 | Environment - Impact of Actions on Climate, Labor, and Environmental Justice | Delegate Boyce | Failed: no vote in committee | Environment and Transportation | Prohibiting a certain governmental unit from taking an action unless the governmental unit has conducted certain evaluations and assessments of the impact of the action on the climate, labor and employment, environmental justice, and any overburdened community; authorizing a governmental unit to deny, condition, approve, or amend an action based on certain findings; and requiring governmental units to coordinate and seek federal funding to meet the requirements of the Act. | |||
Overburdened Communities | HB1033 | Environment and Energy - Investment in Overburdened Communities | Delegate Rosenberg | Failed: no vote in committee | Appropriations | Requiring the Department of the Environment, on or before December 1, 2022, to develop certain policies and recommendations to require at least 40% of overall spending on certain programs, projects, or investments to benefit certain overburdened communities, starting with fiscal year 2024; defining an 'overburdened community' as any census tract where the median house hold income is not more than 75% of the statewide median household income and certain environmental indicators are above the 75th percentile; etc. | ||||
Crisis Plan | HB0695 | SB0552 | Environment – Climate Crisis Plan – Requirement (Better Together to Save Our Weather Act of 2022) | Delegate Fraser-Hidalgo | Failed: no vote in committee | Environment and Transportation | Requiring each county to prepare a climate crisis plan to address the effects of climate change in the county; requiring each county to submit its plan to the Department of the Environment for review and feedback on or before June 1, 2023; requiring the Department to provide feedback to each county on or before November 1, 2023; requiring each county to finalize its plan on or before January 1, 2024; and requiring each county to review and update its plan once every 3 years. | |||
PFAS | HB0275 | SB0273 | Environment – PFAS Chemicals – Prohibitions and Requirements (George “Walter” Taylor Act) | Delegate Love | Approved by the Governor - Chapter 138 | Support | Signed onto testimony | Prohibiting, on or after January 1, 2024, a person from using, manufacturing, or knowingly selling or distributing Class B fire-fighting foam that contains intentionally added PFAS chemicals in the State; prohibiting, on or after January 1, 2024, a person from manufacturing, selling, or distributing a certain rug or carpet in the State; prohibiting, on or after January 1, 2024, a manufacturer or distributor from manufacturing, selling, or distributing certain food packaging intended for direct food contact in the State; etc. | ||
PFAS | SB0273 | HB0275 | Environment – PFAS Chemicals – Prohibitions and Requirements (George “Walter” Taylor Act) | Senator Elfreth | Approved by the Governor - Chapter 139 | Support | Signed onto testimony | Prohibiting, on or after January 1, 2024, a person from using, manufacturing, or knowingly selling or distributing Class B fire-fighting foam that contains intentionally added PFAS chemicals in the State; prohibiting, on or after January 1, 2024, a person from manufacturing or knowingly selling or distributing a certain rug or carpet; prohibiting, on or after January 1, 2024, certain persons from manufacturing or knowingly selling or distributing certain food packaging designed for direct food contact in the State; etc. | ||
Permits-environmental justice | HB1200 | SB0818 | Environment – Permit Applications – Environmental Justice Screening | Delegate Wells | Returned Passed | Governor | Requiring a person applying for a certain permit from the Department of the Environment to include in the application the EJ Score from the Maryland EJ tool for the census tract where the applicant is seeking the permit; requiring the Department, on receiving a certain permit application, to review the EJ Score for the census tract where the applicant is seeking a permit using the Maryland EJ tool to verify the applicant's information; etc. | |||
Permits-environmental justice | SB0818 | HB1200 | Environment – Permit Applications – Environmental Justice Screening | Senator Ellis | Failed: no vote in committee | Environment and Transportation | Requiring a person applying for a certain permit from the Department of the Environment to include in the application the EJ Score from the Maryland EJ tool for the census tract where the applicant is seeking the permit; requiring the Department, on receiving a certain permit application, to review an environmental justice analysis of the census tract where the applicant is seeking a permit using the Maryland EJ tool; and requiring notices regarding certain permit applications to include information related to EJ Scores and certain analyses. | |||
Transit-Oriented Development | SB0516 | HB0710 | Equitable and Inclusive Transit-Oriented Development Enhancement Act | Senator Augustine | Failed: not referred to standing committee | Rules and Executive Nominations | Establishing the Transit-Oriented Development Capital Grant and Revolving Loan Fund; authorizing the Department of Transportation, in collaboration with the Department of Housing and Community Development, to use the Fund to provide financial assistance to local jurisdictions to be used for certain purposes within a transit-oriented development; requiring the Secretary of Transportation to submit a certain report by November 30, 2025, on efforts to increase transit-oriented development throughout the State; etc. | |||
Transit-Oriented Development | HB0710 | SB0516 | Equitable and Inclusive Transit–Oriented Development Enhancement Act | Delegate Lewis, J. | Failed: no vote in committee | Environment and Transportation | Altering the More Jobs for Marylanders Program to allow certain businesses located in certain transit-oriented developments to qualify for certain Program benefits; extending the deadline after which the Department of Commerce may not certify certain businesses to participate in the Program; establishing the Transit-Oriented Development Capital Grant and Revolving Loan Fund; authorizing the Department of Transportation to use the Fund to provide financial assistance related to transit-oriented development; etc. | |||
FUTURE Act | HB0729 | SB0471 | Facilitating University Transformations by Unifying Reductions in Emissions (FUTURE) Act | Delegate Solomon | Failed: no vote in committee | Appropriations | Support | Signed onto testimony | Requiring each public senior higher education institution to be carbon neutral for certain emissions on or before January 1, 2025, and January 1, 2035; specifying certain requirements that a public senior higher education institution must meet to achieve the carbon neutral requirements under the Act; requiring each public senior higher education institution to designate, on or before August 1, 2022, a certain individual to implement and monitor the institution's progress with certain requirements; etc. | |
FUTURE Act | SB0471 | HB0729 | Facilitating University Transformations by Unifying Reductions in Emissions (FUTURE) Act | Senator Rosapepe | Failed: no vote in committee | Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs | Support | Signed onto testimony | Requiring each public senior higher education institution to be carbon neutral for certain emissions on or before January 1, 2025, and January 1, 2035; specifying certain requirements that a public senior higher education institution must meet to achieve the carbon neutral requirements under the Act; requiring each public senior higher education institution to designate, on or before August 1, 2022, a certain individual to implement and monitor the institution's progress with certain requirements; etc. | |
Energy Efficiency Upgrades | HB0058 | SB0045 | Income Tax - Credit for Energy Efficiency Upgrades - Passive Houses | Delegate Brooks | Failed: no vote in committee | Ways and Means | Allowing a credit against the State income tax for certain costs, paid or incurred after July 1, 2022, by an owner of certain residential property for certain energy efficiency upgrades; requiring the owner to obtain a tax credit certificate from the Maryland Energy Administration; and prohibiting a taxpayer from claiming the tax credit for a taxable year during which the Governor declares a state of emergency. | |||
Energy Efficiency Upgrades | SB0045 | HB0058 | Income Tax - Credit for Energy Efficiency Upgrades - Passive Houses | Senator Kramer | Failed: no vote in committee | Budget and Taxation | Allowing a credit against the State income tax for certain costs, paid or incurred after July 1, 2022, by an owner of certain residential property for certain energy efficiency upgrades; requiring the owner to obtain a tax credit certificate from the Maryland Energy Administration; and prohibiting a taxpayer from claiming the tax credit for a taxable year during which the Governor declares a state of emergency. | |||
Civilian Climate Corps | HB0443 | SB0228 | Maryland Corps Program - Revisions | Delegate Rosenberg | Failed: no vote in committee | Appropriations | Altering certain purposes of the Maryland Corps Program; establishing that the Program is exempt from certain provisions of law relating to procurement but is subject to a certain review by the Office of Legislative Audits; altering the membership of the Board of Directors of the Program; establishing that the Board is a body politic and corporate and is an instrumentality of the State; requiring the Board to meet at least once every two months and that Board meetings are subject to the Open Meetings Act; etc. | |||
Civilian Climate Corps | SB0228 | HB0443 | Maryland Corps Program – Revisions | Senator Ferguson | Enacted under Article II, Section 17(b) of the Maryland Constitution - Chapter 37 | Governor | Altering certain purposes of the Maryland Corps Program by allowing participants to transition to the workforce as well as to higher education institutions; requiring that Program funds be used to expand the Chesapeake Conservation Corps and the Maryland Conservation Corps and create a Maryland Civilian Climate Corps and a Maryland Historic Trades Corp; restructuring the Board as a body politic and corporate and as an instrumentality of the State; requiring the Board to prioritize certain individuals for participation in the Program; etc. | |||
Office of Resilience | HB0706 | SB0630 | Maryland Department of Emergency Management - Office of Resilience | Delegate Sample-Hughes | Failed: no vote in committee | Environment and Transportation | Support | Signed onto testimony | Establishing the Office of Resilience in the Maryland Department of Emergency Management; requiring the Secretary of Emergency Management to appoint a Chief Resilience Officer to direct the Office of Resilience; and requiring the Office of Resilience to coordinate with appropriate State agencies and State entities to meet certain goals. | |
Office of Resilience | SB0630 | HB0706 | Maryland Department of Emergency Management - Office of Resilience | Senator Hester | Returned Passed | Governor | Support | Signed onto testimony | Establishing the Office of Resilience in the Maryland Department of Emergency Management; requiring the Secretary of Emergency Management to appoint a Chief Resilience Officer to direct the Office of Resilience; and requiring the Office of Resilience to coordinate with appropriate State agencies and State entities to meet certain goals. | |
Efficiency Standards | HB0772 | SB0494 | Maryland Energy Administration - Energy and Water Efficiency Standards - Alterations | Delegate Ruth | Returned Passed | Governor | Altering the application of certain testing, certification, and enforcement requirements for certain efficiency standards; requiring the Maryland Energy Administration to review certain efficiency standards on or before January 1, 2023; prohibiting the sale, offering for sale, and installation of certain products in the State under certain circumstances beginning on a certain date; requiring the Administration to adopt regulations on efficiency standards for certain products on or before January 1, 2023; etc. | |||
Efficiency Standards | SB0494 | HB0772 | Maryland Energy Administration - Energy and Water Efficiency Standards - Alterations | Senator Pinsky | Failed: no vote in committee | Environment and Transportation | Altering the application of certain testing, certification, and enforcement requirements for certain efficiency standards; requiring the Maryland Energy Administration to review certain efficiency standards on or before January 1, 2023; prohibiting the sale, offering for sale, and installation of certain products in the State under certain circumstances beginning on a certain date; requiring the Administration to adopt regulations on efficiency standards for certain products on or before January 1, 2023; etc. | |||
Natural Gas infrastructure | HB0801 | Natural Gas - Strategic Infrastructure Development and Enhancement - Surcharge and Plans (STRIDE Act of 2022) | Delegate Branch, T. | Unfavorable Report by Economic Matters; Withdrawn | Including infrastructure replacement project costs under the Strategic Infrastructure Development and Enhancement Program in certain gas company base rates during a multiyear rate plan; and continuing an annual surcharge for eligible future infrastructure project costs not included in certain gas company base rates during a multiyear rate plan. | |||||
Agrivoltatics | HB1039 | SB0860 | Property Tax - Community Solar Energy Generating Systems - Agrivoltaics | Delegate Luedtke | Passed Enrolled | Governor | Exempting certain community solar energy generating systems from personal property taxes; requiring the Department of Assessments and Taxation to assess certain land used by a community solar energy generating system in a certain manner; requiring the governing body of a county or of a municipal corporation to grant a tax credit against the property tax imposed on real property on which a certain community solar energy generating system is installed; establishing a tax credit against the State property tax imposed on certain real property; etc. | |||
Agrivoltatics | SB0860 | HB1039 | Property Tax - Community Solar Energy Generating Systems - Agrivoltaics | Senator King | Passed Enrolled | Governor | Requiring a local school system constructing a new school to consider whether the school should be constructed with solar panels on the roof; exempting certain community solar energy generating systems from personal property taxes; requiring the State Department of Assessments and Taxation to assess certain land used by a community solar energy generating system in a certain manner; establishing a tax credit against the State property tax on certain real property on which a community solar energy generating system is installed; etc. | |||
Buy Clean Maryland | SB0961 | Public Projects – Global Warming Potential of Materials (Buy Clean Maryland Act) | Senator Elfreth | Failed: no vote in committee | Budget and Taxation | Requiring the Department of General Services to establish a maximum acceptable global warming potential for certain categories of eligible materials used in certain eligible projects; requiring a unit of State government to specify the eligible materials that will be used in an eligible project in the solicitation for an eligible project; requiring a successful bidder or offeror of an eligible project to submit certain information about each eligible material proposed to be used in an eligible project; etc. | ||||
Green Schools | HB0365 | Public School Construction - Fossil Fuel-Based Energy System Costs - Prohibition (Green School Construction Act of 2022) | Delegate Korman | Failed: no vote in committee | Appropriations | Support | Prohibiting the Interagency Commission on School Construction from considering a new or replacement fossil fuel-based energy system as a construction or capital improvement cost. | |||
School composting grants | HB0150 | SB0124 | Public Schools - Grant Program to Reduce and Compost School Waste | Delegate Charkoudian | Failed: not referred to standing committee | Rules | Support | Signed onto testimony | Establishing the Grant Program to Reduce and Compost School Waste to award grants to county boards of education and public schools to develop and implement programs for reducing food waste and to establish composting of pre- and post-consumer waste; and requiring the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education to review grant applications and select recipients to be awarded grants by the State Department of Education. | |
School composting grants | SB0124 | HB0150 | Public Schools – Grant Program to Reduce and Compost School Waste | Senator Hettleman | Approved by the Governor - Chapter 205 | Support | Signed onto testimony | Establishing the Grant Program to Reduce and Compost School Waste to award grants to county boards of education and public schools to develop and implement programs for reducing food waste and to establish composting of pre- and post-consumer waste; requiring the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education to review grant applications and select recipients to be awarded grants by the State Department of Education; and the requiring the Governor to include at least $250,000 in the annual budget bill for the Program. | ||
Electric School Bus Pilot | HB0696 | SB0948 | Public Utilities - Electric School Bus Pilot Program | Delegate Fraser-Hidalgo | Passed Enrolled | Governor | Support | Signed onto testimony | Establishing an electric school bus pilot program; requiring the Public Service Commission to implement and administer the pilot program; authorizing investor-owned electric companies to apply to the Commission to implement an electric school bus pilot program with a participating school system if the pilot program meets certain standards; authorizing investor-owned electric companies to recover certain costs under the pilot program, subject to the approval of the Commission; etc. | |
Energy Efficiency & Conservation | SB0966 | Public Utilities - Energy Efficiency and Conservation Programs - Alterations | Senator Feldman | Failed: no vote in committee | Finance | Requiring energy efficiency and conservation programs and services provided by gas companies and electric companies to encourage and promote the electrification of certain products and beneficial electrification beginning with calendar year 2024; prohibiting the energy efficiency and conservation programs and services from providing financial assistance for equipment or appliances that use fossil fuel; etc. | ||||
Electric School Bus Pilot | SB0948 | HB0696 | Public Utilities – Electric School Bus Pilot Program | Senator Kramer | Failed: no vote in committee | Finance | Support | Signed onto testimony | Establishing an electric school bus pilot program; requiring the Public Service Commission to implement and administer the pilot program; authorizing investor-owned electric companies to apply to the Commission to implement an electric school bus pilot program with a participating school system if the pilot program meets certain standards; and authorizing investor-owned electric companies to recover certain costs under the pilot program, subject to the approval of the Commission. | |
Renewable Energy Portfolio | SB0903 | HB1085 | Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard - Qualifying Biomass and Thermal Biomass Systems | Senator Hershey | Failed: no vote in committee | Finance | Oppose | Signed onto testimony | Altering the components of fuels that qualify a generating facility as a Tier 1 renewable source under the renewable energy portfolio standard by altering the definitions of 'qualifying biomass' and 'thermal biomass system'. | |
Solar sources | HB0864 | Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard - Renewable Energy Credits - Solar Energy Sources | Delegate Boyce | Unfavorable Report by Economic Matters | Altering the eligibility of solar energy sources for meeting certain portions of Tier 1 requirements of the renewable energy portfolio standard to require that the source is only eligible if it is connected with the electric distribution grid serving Maryland. | |||||
Offshore Wind Credits | HB0622 | SB0526 | Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard and Renewable Energy Credits - Offshore Wind | Delegate Brooks | Conference Committee Appointed | Senate Floor | Altering the application of the offshore wind energy component of the renewable energy portfolio standard to apply only to distribution sales of electric companies; altering the manner in which an electric company may reflect and recover offshore wind renewable energy credit costs; altering certain compliance fees for shortfalls from the offshore wind energy component of the renewable energy portfolio standard; etc. | |||
Offshore Wind Credits | SB0526 | HB0622 | Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard and Renewable Energy Credits - Offshore Wind | Senator Feldman | Returned Passed | Governor | Altering the application of the offshore wind energy component of the renewable energy portfolio standard to apply only to distribution sales of electric companies; altering the manner in which an electric company may reflect and recover offshore wind renewable energy credit costs; altering certain compliance fees for shortfalls from the offshore wind energy component of the renewable energy portfolio standard; etc. | |||
Waste-to-Energy | SB0616 | Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard – Eligible Sources – Waste–to–Energy and Refuse–Derived Fuel | Senator Hough | Failed: no vote in committee | Finance | Making energy derived from waste-to-energy or refuse-derived fuel ineligible for the creation of credits under the renewable energy portfolio standard. | ||||
Renewable Energy Portfolio | HB1085 | SB0903 | Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard – Qualifying Biomass and Thermal Biomass Systems | Delegate Buckel | Unfavorable Report by Economic Matters | Oppose | Signed onto testimony | Altering the components of fuels that qualify a generating facility as a Tier 1 renewable source under the renewable energy portfolio standard by altering the definitions of 'qualifying biomass' and 'thermal biomass system'. | ||
Solid Waste Disposal | HB1070 | Solid Waste Disposal and Diversion and On–Farm Composting and Compost Use | Delegate Boyce | Failed: no vote in committee | Environment and Transportation | Oppose | Signed onto testimony | Establishing the On-Farm Composting and Compost Use Grant Fund as a special, nonlapsing fund; establishing a solid waste disposal surcharge to be paid, on a quarterly basis beginning April 1, 2023, to the Comptroller by owners or operators of refuse disposal facilities in the State; establishing the Environmental Stewardship Fund as a special, nonlapsing fund; requiring the Comptroller to, on an annual basis, transfer certain solid waste disposal surcharge revenue to certain funds for certain purposes; etc. | ||
Recycling Policy TF | HB0217 | Task Force on Recycling Policy and Recycling and Waste Systems in Maryland | Delegate Love | Failed: no vote in committee | Environment and Transportation | Support | Signed onto testimony | Establishing the Task Force on Recycling Policy and Recycling and Waste Systems in Maryland to review the Maryland Recycling Act, study the recycling and waste systems in Maryland, and make recommendations on updating the Maryland Recycling Act and implementing regional recycling and waste disposal facilities; and requiring the Task Force to report its findings and recommendations to certain legislative Committees by June 30, 2023. | ||
Regional Rail Transformation | HB0778 | SB0514 | Transportation - Investment Program - MARC Rail Service (Maryland Regional Rail Transformation Act) | Delegate Solomon | Gubernatorial Veto Override (Legislative date: 4/8/2022) - Chapter 54 | Requiring the Maryland Transit Administration to establish certain investment programs for enhancing certain rail lines and services operated by the Maryland Area Regional Commuter rail service; requiring the Administration to advance certain rail projects in fiscal year 2023; requiring the Administration to conduct a MARC Cornerstone Plan Implementation Study; and establishing the Transportation Trust Fund Workgroup to study certain matters and make its recommendations by December 16, 2022. | ||||
Regional Rail Transformation | SB0514 | HB0778 | Transportation - Investment Program - MARC Rail Service (Maryland Regional Rail Transformation Act) | Senator Beidle | Gubernatorial Veto Override (Legislative date: 4/8/2022) - Chapter 52 | Requiring the Maryland Transit Administration to establish certain investment programs for enhancing certain rail lines and services operated by the Maryland Area Regional Commuter rail service; requiring the Administration to advance certain rail projects in fiscal year 2023; requiring the Administration to conduct a MARC Cornerstone Plan Implementation Study; and establishing the Transportation Trust Fund Workgroup to study certain matters and submit a report of its recommendations by December 16, 2022. | ||||
Rail investment | HB1324 | Transportation - Maryland Rail Authority - Establishment (Maryland Rail Investment Act of 2022) | Delegate Korman | Failed: no vote in committee | Appropriations | Establishing the Maryland Rail Authority; adding the Executive Director of the Rail Authority as an ex officio member of the Maryland Transportation Authority; prohibiting the Transportation Authority from passing an operating budget or capital improvement plan that exceeds $2,800,000,000; authorizing the Transportation Authority, by resolution, to finance the cost of transportation facilities projects and borrow money for that purpose, after obtaining the consent of the Rail Authority; etc. | ||||
Zero-emission resources | HB1366 | Zero–Emission Energy Resources and Carbon Capture, Use, and Sequestration – Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard and Study | Chair, Economic Matters Committee | Failed: no vote in committee | Economic Matters | Including a zero-emission energy resource as a Tier 1 renewable source eligible for meeting certain Tier 1 obligations under the renewable energy portfolio standard; and requiring the Maryland Energy Administration, in consultation with the Public Service Commission, the Department of the Environment, and the Department of Natural Resources, to conduct a study on carbon capture, use, and sequestration. |
