Upcoming Hearings - Week of January 23
January 24, 2023 House Appropriations Committee – 1:00 p.m. HB 51 - Department of Transportation - Consolidated Transportation Program...
There are high hopes that successful climate change legislation will increase in the 2023 Maryland General Assembly session. Significant legislation was enacted in the 2022 session AND other important bills were vetoed by the former Governor. The increased progressive supermajorities in both Chambers and the election of Governor Wes Moore and Comptroller Brooke Lierman (A long-time Climate Leader) bode well for Maryland!
The likely legislation that UULM-MD will support are:
Climate Crisis and Environmental Justice Act (which we supported in 2022)
HB 284 / SB 222 Extended Producer Responsibility Act (also supported in 2022)
Reform the EmPOWER Maryland Energy Efficiency Act of 2008
Reclaim Renewable Energy Act
HB 9 / SB 19 - Transportation Equity Act (supported in 2022, passed the Legislature and vetoed by the Governor)
Below are bills that are likely to be considered by members of the General Assembly. The description of these bills will be updated and expanded as they are introduced.
Climate Crisis and Environmental Justice Act (ClimateXChange priority)
Implement a Social Cost of Carbon fee to fossil fuels at the entry point of Maryland.
Will fund projects supporting the Climate Solutions Now Act with two Funds
Benefits Fund to individuals and families (50%)
Infrastructure Fund for communities and local government (50%)
The fee is initially set fairly low and will increase annually for 10 years
Climate Superfund (Chesapeake Climate Action Network priority - CCAN)
Establishes a superfund, funded by historical polluters, to remediate environmental damages that they caused.
This will be different from the Climate Crisis and Environment Justice act which is focused on carbon costs.
$9B to be raised in the first year.
Community Solar Energy Generating Systems Program (League of Conservation Voters priority)
Enacted in 2015 as a Pilot Program that will expire in 2024. The current legislation will make the program permanent. Community Solar Programs can be any solar project or purchasing program, within a geographic area, in which the benefits of a solar project flow to multiple customers such as individuals, businesses, nonprofits, and other groups.
This bill will improve access to solar energy for Low to Moderate Income communities.
Reform the EmPOWER Maryland Energy Efficiency Act of 2008 (InterFaith Power & Light priority)
Ends subsidies for natural gas systems, creates a rebate system to focus on reduction of greenhouse gasses
Directs more of the EmPOWER funds to Low and Moderate Income families and individuals
Aligns current Maryland Law with Federal Law which incentivizes movement to electricity over methane gas. Maryland law includes Methane Gas as an alternative to electricity.
Bill passed last year, but was vetoed.
HB 284 / SB 222 Extended Producer Responsibility
Producers of packaging are required to set up a non-profit to develop an incentive plan to improve recycling and reduce packaging costs.
Local government currently pays for the packaging waste, this bill will shift the cost to producers.
Helps us transition to a Zero Waste Future, which reduces a huge component of the climate problem: Waste.
Will provide a comprehensive look at the waste stream.
HB 6 / SB 92 - Maryland Sustainable Buildings Act aka Bird Safe Building Act
Requires all buildings with >50% state funding to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards
Buildings with lots of glass are significantly less efficient and birds can’t always see windows.
HB 631 / SB 470 - Maryland the Beautiful Act
Protect and conserve 30% of Maryland’s lands by 2030 and 40% by 2040
Create two new programs (“Greenspace Equity Fund” & “Local Land Trust Revolving Loan Program”) for equitable and accessible conserved greenspace.
Expanded funding for the Mel Noland Woodland Incentive fund to increase forest protections.
Off-shore Wind Transmission Bill (Chesapeake Climate Action Network priority)
Bill supports the expansion of offshore wind power by setting an offshore wind goal of 8.5 GWh (gigawatt hours) by 2031
Initiates a state process to coordinate transmission infrastructure, and investing in the full build-out of the existing lease areas.
(HB 499 / SB 225) PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in Pesticides
Requires manufacturers to provide testing for PFAS by January 2024
Will have a huge impact on farm workers that are exposed to significant amounts of PFAS chemicals.
Reclaim Renewable Energy
Removes Tier 1 status for non-green sources from Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) including incineration of trash and woody biomass.
Bio-gas is a growing problem, especially on the Eastern Shore due to the Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations for swine and poultry. This should be stopped before this becomes a significant source of methane pollution.
Bio-gas is significantly more expensive and can only produce a small amount of gas (when compared to the energy needs). This is a cover for the continued expansion of methane gas infrastructure build-out
This bill does not outlaw bio-gas, just removes Tier 1 status.
HB 9 / SB 19 - Transportation Equity Act (supported in 2022, passed the Legislature and vetoed by the Governor)
For more information, please contact Climate Change Issue Lead Phil Webster at ClimateChange@uulmmd.org.
Subject | Bill Number | XFile Bill Number | Title | Sponsor | Status | Current Location | Priority | Position | Action | Synopsis |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sustainable buildings | HB0006 | SB0092 | Department of General Services – Energy–Conserving Standards (Maryland Sustainable Buildings Act of 2023) | Delegate Hill | Hearing 2/08 at 2:30 p.m. (Health and Government Operations) and Hearing canceled (Appropriations) | Health and Government Operations | X | Support | Contact your Delegate on committee | 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 established for participation in a higher-performance building program in the State; defining 'State building' as one acquired, constructed, or renovated by the State or one for which 50% of the money for acquisition, construction, or renovation came from State funds. |
Sustainable buildings | SB0092 | HB0006 | Department of General Services – Energy–Conserving Standards (Maryland Sustainable Buildings Act of 2023) | Senator Lam | Hearing 2/02 at 2:00 p.m. | Education, Energy, and the Environment | X | Support | Contact your Senator on committee | Requiring the Department of General Services to establish and 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 established for participation in a higher-performance building program in the State; and defining 'State building' as one acquired, constructed, or renovated by the State or one for which 50% of the money for acquisition, construction, or renovation came from State funds. |
Transportation reserves | HB0051 | SB0024 | Department of Transportation - Consolidated Transportation Program and Debt Limit of Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle Bonds (State and Federal Transportation Funding Act) | Delegate Korman | Hearing 1/24 at 1:00 p.m. | Appropriations | X | Support | Requiring the financial forecast that supports the Consolidated Transportation Program to include a reserve of $30,000,000 for changes in certain revenue sources; altering the calculation of the maximum amount of debt secured by future federal aid that the Department of Transportation may issue; providing that the maximum amount of debt that may be issued is calculated as of June 30; and providing that the proceeds from the issuance of certain debt may be used only for certain purposes. | |
Transportation reserves | SB0024 | HB0051 | Department of Transportation – Consolidated Transportation Program and Debt Limit of Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle Bonds (State and Federal Transportation Funding Act) | Senator McCray | Hearing 1/19 at 1:30 p.m. | Budget and Taxation | X | Support | Requiring the financial forecast that supports the Consolidated Transportation Program to include a reserve of $30,000,000 for changes in certain revenue sources; altering the calculation of the maximum amount of debt secured by future federal aid that the Department of Transportation may issue; providing that the maximum amount of debt that may be issued is calculated as of June 30; and providing that the proceeds from the issuance of certain debt may be used only for certain purposes. | |
PFAS monitoring | HB0499 | SB0225 | Environment - Publicly Owned Treatment Works - PFAS Monitoring | Delegate Love | Hearing 2/17 at 1:00 p.m. | Environment and Transportation | X | Support | Contact your Delegate on committee | Requiring the owner or operator of a publicly owned treatment works to monitor and report the levels of certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in effluent, influent, and biosolids. |
PFAS monitoring | SB0225 | HB0499 | Environment - Publicly Owned Treatment Works - PFAS Monitoring | Senator Elfreth | Hearing 2/09 at 1:00 p.m. | Education, Energy, and the Environment | X | Support | Contact your Senator on committee | Requiring the owner or operator of a publicly owned treatment works to monitor and report the levels of certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in effluent, influent, and biosolids. |
Producer responsibility-packaging | SB0222 | HB0284 | Environment - Reducing Packaging Materials - Producer Responsibility | Senator Augustine | Hearing 2/09 at 1:00 p.m. | Education, Energy, and the Environment | X | Support | Contact your Senator on committee | Requiring the Department of the Environment to conduct a statewide recycling needs assessment every 10 years; requiring, by April 1, 2026, 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 a certain date, a producer of certain packaging materials from selling or distributing the packaging materials unless the producer has an approved producer responsibility plan; etc. |
Producer responsibility-packaging | HB0284 | SB0222 | Environment – Reducing Packaging Materials – Producer Responsibility | Delegate Love | Hearing 2/22 at 1:00 p.m. (Environment and Transportation) | Environment and Transportation | X | Support | Contact your Delegate on committee | Requiring the Department of the Environment to conduct a statewide recycling needs assessment every 10 years; requiring, by April 1, 2026, 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 a certain date, a producer of certain packaging materials from selling or distributing the packaging materials unless the producer has an approved producer responsibility plan; etc. |
Transportation equity | HB0009 | SB0019 | Equity in Transportation Sector - Guidelines and Analyses | Delegate Ruth | Hearing 2/02 at 1:00 p.m. | Environment and Transportation | X | Support | Contact your Delegate on committee | 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 Maryland Department of Transportation to conduct transit equity analyses, cost-benefit analyses, and consult with certain communities before announcing or proposing any major service change or any reduction or cancellation of a certain capital expansion project in the construction program; etc. |
Transportation equity | SB0019 | HB0009 | Equity in Transportation Sector - Guidelines and Analyses | Senator Carter | Hearing 2/01 at 2:30 p.m. | Finance | X | Support | Contact your Senator on committee | 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 to conduct transit equity analyses, cost-benefit analyses, and consult with certain communities before announcing or proposing any major service change or any reduction or cancellation of a certain capital expansion project in the construction program; etc. |
Clean Transportation & Energy | HB0550 | Maryland Energy Administration – Energy Programs – Modifications (Clean Transportation and Energy Act) | Speaker | First Reading Environment and Transportation and Economic Matters | Environment and Transportation | X | Support | Contact your Delegate on committee | Altering the Electric Vehicle Recharging Equipment Program by extending the duration of the Program through fiscal year 2026, repealing the rebates that may be issued to retail service station dealers, and repealing the limitation on the total amount of rebates that the Maryland Energy Administration may issue in each fiscal year; altering the definition of 'grant' for purposes of the Medium-Duty and Heavy-Duty Zero-Emission Vehicle Grant Program; etc. | |
Maryland the Beautiful | HB0631 | SB0470 | Natural Resources - Land Conservation - Establishment of Goals and Programs (Maryland the Beautiful Act) | Delegate Stein | First Reading Environment and Transportation | Environment and Transportation | X | Support | Contact your Delegate on committee | Establishing certain goals and programs related to land conservation; establishing the Local Land Trust Revolving Loan Program to provide loans to certain land trusts to purchase land for conservation purposes; establishing the Land Preservation Rapid Response Advisory Committee to review loan applications and make recommendations on which projects to fund; establishing the Local Land Trust Revolving Loan Fund; requiring the Governor to include $10,000,000 in the fiscal year 2025 budget bill for the Fund; etc. |
Maryland the Beautiful | SB0470 | HB0631 | Natural Resources - Land Conservation - Establishment of Goals and Programs (Maryland the Beautiful Act) | Senator Elfreth | Hearing 2/15 at 1:00 p.m. (Education, Energy, and the Environment) | Budget and Taxation | X | Support | Contact your Senator on committee | Establishing certain goals and programs related to land conservation; establishing the Local Land Trust Revolving Loan Program to provide loans to certain land trusts to purchase land for conservation purposes; establishing the Land Preservation Rapid Response Advisory Committee to review loan applications and make recommendations on which projects to fund; establishing the Local Land Trust Revolving Loan Fund; requiring the Governor to include $10,000,000 in the fiscal year 2025 budget bill for the Fund; etc. |
AG climate change enforcement | HB0347 | Attorney General – Climate Change Actions – Authorization | Delegate Ruth | Hearing 2/22 at 1:00 p.m. | Health and Government Operations | Authorizing the Attorney General to investigate, commence, and prosecute or defend any suit or action that holds accountable a publicly traded entity with market capitalization greater than $1,000,000,000 or its subsidiaries for any 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 certain determination. | ||||
Clean Trucks Act | HB0230 | SB0224 | Department of the Environment - Zero-Emission Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles - Regulations (Clean Trucks Act of 2023) | Delegate Love | Hearing 2/08 at 1:30 p.m. | Environment and Transportation | Requiring the Department of the Environment to adopt regulations on or before December 1, 2023, establishing requirements for the sale of new zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles in the State; defining a 'heavy-duty vehicle' as one with a gross vehicle weight rating equal to or greater than 14,001 pounds; etc. | |||
Clean Trucks Act | SB0224 | HB0230 | Department of the Environment - Zero-Emission Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles - Regulations (Clean Trucks Act of 2023) | Senator Augustine | Hearing 2/09 at 1:00 p.m. | Education, Energy, and the Environment | Requiring the Department of the Environment to adopt regulations on or before December 1, 2023, establishing requirements for the sale of new zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles in the State. | |||
Electric recharging rebate | HB0007 | Electric Vehicle Recharging Equipment Rebate Program – Renewal | Delegate Fraser-Hidalgo | Hearing 2/02 at 1:00 p.m. | Environment and Transportation | Altering the Electric Vehicle Recharging Equipment Rebate Program by extending the duration of the Program through fiscal year 2027, increasing the total amount of rebates issued annually under the Program to $2,000,000, repealing the rebates that may be issued to retail service station dealers, limiting the issuance of rebates to one recharging system per individual per address, and authorizing the Maryland Energy Administration to offer additional benefits under certain circumstances; etc. | ||||
Net energy metering flexibility | HB0068 | SB0143 | Electricity – Net Energy Metering – Accrual of Net Excess Generation (Net Metering Flexibility Act) | Delegate Korman | Hearing 2/09 at 1:00 p.m. | Economic Matters | Authorizing an eligible customer-generator to accrue net excess generation for an indefinite period; requiring an eligible customer-generator that elects to accrue net excess generation for an indefinite period to forfeit any net excess generation at the time an account is closed; and altering the month used to establish an annual billing cycle for the payment of net excess generation accrued. | |||
Net energy metering flexibility | SB0143 | HB0068 | Electricity – Net Energy Metering – Accrual of Net Excess Generation (Net Metering Flexibility Act) | Senator Feldman | Hearing canceled | Education, Energy, and the Environment | Authorizing an eligible customer-generator to accrue net excess generation for an indefinite period; requiring an eligible customer-generator that elects to accrue net excess generation for an indefinite period to forfeit any net excess generation at the time an account is closed; and altering the month used to establish an annual billing cycle for the payment of net excess generation accrued. | |||
Climate Crisis Plan | HB0147 | SB0250 | Environment - Climate Crisis Plan - Requirement | Delegate Fraser-Hidalgo | Hearing 2/08 at 1:30 p.m. | 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, 2024; requiring the Department to provide feedback to each county on or before November 1, 2024; requiring each county to finalize its plan on or before January 1, 2025; and requiring each county to review and update its plan at least once every 3 years. | |||
Climate Crisis Plan | SB0250 | HB0147 | Environment - Climate Crisis Plan - Requirement | Senator Kramer | Hearing 2/09 at 1:00 p.m. | Education, Energy, and the Environment | 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, 2024; requiring the Department to provide feedback to each county on or before November 1, 2024; requiring each county to finalize its plan on or before January 1, 2025; and requiring each county to review and update its plan at least once every 3 years. | |||
Plastics-recycled content | HB0342 | Environment - Plastic Products - Postconsumer Recycled Content Program | Delegate Terrasa | Hearing 2/22 at 1:00 p.m. (Environment and Transportation) | Environment and Transportation | Prohibiting certain producers of certain plastic products from selling, offering for sale, or distributing the products to any person in the State unless certain conditions are met; requiring certain producers of certain plastic products to, individually or as part of a representative organization, register and pay a certain annual registration fee to the Department of the Environment; establishing certain minimum postconsumer recycled content percentage requirements for certain products; etc. | ||||
Low/moderate income housing | HB0310 | Environment and Energy - Investment in Communities With Low- to Moderate-Income Households | Delegate Rosenberg | Hearing 2/15 at 1:00 p.m. (Environment and Transportation) | Environment and Transportation | Requiring the Department of the Environment, on or before December 1, 2023, to develop certain policies and recommendations to require at least 40% of overall spending on certain programs, projects, or investments to benefit communities with low- to moderate-income households, starting with fiscal year 2025; requiring the Department to conduct public information-gathering sessions in different areas of the State to solicit input; etc. | ||||
Prohibit new auto emission standards | HB0487 | Environment – Low Emissions Vehicle Program – Prohibition (Affordable Emissions Standards Act of 2023) | Delegate Buckel | First Reading Environment and Transportation and Economic Matters | Environment and Transportation | Oppose | Prohibiting the Department of the Environment from adopting certain regulations to implement certain new motor vehicle emissions standards and compliance requirements adopted by the California Air Resources Board unless certain analyses are prepared and submitted to the General Assembly and the General Assembly enacts a law authorizing the adoption of the regulations. | |||
Transit-oriented development | HB0012 | SB0151 | Equitable and Inclusive Transit-Oriented Development Enhancement Act | Delegate Lewis, J. | Hearing 2/02 at 1:00 p.m. (Environment and Transportation) | Environment and Transportation | Establishing the Transit-Oriented Development Capital Grant and Revolving Loan Fund to promote the equitable and inclusive development of transit-oriented developments; requiring interest earnings of the Fund to be credited to the Fund; authorizing the Department of Transportation to use the Fund to provide financial assistance to local jurisdictions; requiring the Governor to include in the annual budget bill an appropriation sufficient to ensure a fund balance of at $10,000,000 at the start of the fiscal year; etc. | |||
Transit-oriented development | SB0151 | HB0012 | Equitable and Inclusive Transit-Oriented Development Enhancement Act | Senator Augustine | Hearing 1/25 at 2:00 p.m. | Budget and Taxation | Establishing the Transit-Oriented Development Capital Grant and Revolving Loan Fund to promote the equitable and inclusive development of transit-oriented developments; requiring interest earnings of the Fund to be credited to the Fund; authorizing the Department of Transportation to use the Fund to provide financial assistance to local jurisdictions; requiring the Governor to include in the annual budget bill an appropriation sufficient to ensure a fund balance of at $10,000,000 at the start of the fiscal year; etc. | |||
Extreme weather mitigation fund | HB0190 | SB0077 | Housing and Community Development - Homeowner's Extreme Weather Mitigation and Preparation Grant Program | Delegate Ivey | Hearing 2/07 at 1:00 p.m. | Environment and Transportation | Establishing the Homeowner's Extreme Weather Mitigation and Preparation Grant Program in the Department of Housing and Community Development to assist homeowners, local governments, and nonprofit organizations in preparing and repairing residential properties to mitigate water damage caused by extreme weather; limiting a grant awarded to a homeowner to $5,000 or less; and requiring the Governor to include in the annual budget bill an appropriation of $5,000,000 for the program beginning in fiscal year 2025. | |||
Extreme weather mitigation fund | SB0077 | HB0190 | Housing and Community Development - Homeowner's Extreme Weather Mitigation and Preparation Grant Program | Senator Jackson | Hearing 1/26 at 3:00 p.m. | Education, Energy, and the Environment | Establishing the Homeowner's Extreme Weather Mitigation and Preparation Grant Program in the Department of Housing and Community Development to assist homeowners, local governments, and nonprofit organizations in preparing and repairing residential properties to mitigate water damage caused by extreme weather; limiting a grant awarded to a homeowner to $5,000 or less; requiring the Governor to include in the annual budget bill an appropriation of $5,000,000 for the program. | |||
Credit for energy efficiency upgrades | SB0317 | Income Tax - Credit for Energy Efficiency Upgrades - Passive Houses | Senator Brooks | Hearing 2/08 at 1:00 p.m. | Budget and Taxation | Allowing a credit against the State income tax for certain costs, paid or incurred after July 1, 2023, 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. | ||||
Solar investment tax credit | SB0103 | Income Tax – Maryland Residential Solar Investment Tax Credit | Senator Ellis | Hearing 1/19 at 1:30 p.m. | Budget and Taxation | Allowing a credit against the State income tax for the costs of certain photovoltaic property placed into service by an individual during the taxable year; prohibiting an individual from claiming the credit under certain circumstances; providing for the carryforward of any unused credit; etc. | ||||
Forestry Education Fund | HB0289 | SB0282 | Maryland Forestry Education Fund - Establishment | Delegate Stein | Hearing 3/01 at 1:00 p.m. | Environment and Transportation | Establishing the Maryland Forestry Education Fund to expand and enhance the Maryland Forestry Foundation's capacity to provide certain education and resources to forest landowners, the ability of district forestry boards and the knowledge of local governments to achieve healthy and sustainable forests, and the ability of businesses to test innovative best management practices in forestry; and requiring the Governor to include in the annual budget bill $250,000 for the Fund in fiscal year 2025 and each fiscal year thereafter. | |||
Forestry Education Fund | SB0282 | HB0289 | Maryland Forestry Education Fund - Establishment | Senator King | Hearing 2/08 at 1:00 p.m. | Budget and Taxation | Establishing the Maryland Forestry Education Fund to expand and enhance the Maryland Forestry Foundation's capacity to provide certain education and resources to forest landowners, the ability of district forestry boards and the knowledge of local governments to achieve healthy and sustainable forests, and the ability of businesses to test innovative best management practices in forestry; and requiring the Governor to include in the annual budget bill $250,000 for the Fund in fiscal year 2025 and each fiscal year thereafter. | |||
Greenspace equity | HB0503 | Natural Resources - Greenspace Equity Program - Establishment | Delegate Stein | Hearing 2/17 at 1:00 p.m. | Environment and Transportation | Establishing the Greenspace Equity Program in the Department of Natural Resources to provide grants to eligible applicants for enhancing the public health and livability of overburdened communities and underserved communities; requiring the Department to submit each grant award to the Board of Public Works for approval; requiring the Board of Public Works to approve or deny a proposed grant award submitted by the Department; and establishing the Greenspace Equity Advisory Board in the Department. | ||||
NE Waste Disposal Authority-review | HB0161 | Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority – Evaluation and Termination of Bond Authority (Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority Sunset Act) | Delegate Korman | Hearing 2/08 at 1:30 p.m. | Environment and Transportation | Prohibiting the Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority from issuing bonds beginning June 1, 2023; requiring the Department of Legislative Services to evaluate the Authority providing enough detail for the General Assembly to determine whether the Authority should continue in its current form; requiring the Maryland Environmental Service and the Maryland Clean Energy Center to review certain aspects of the Authority and analyze whether the Environmental Service or the Clean Energy Center could assume those aspects; etc. | ||||
Buy Clean Maryland | HB0261 | SB0424 | Public Projects - Global Warming Potential of Materials (Buy Clean Maryland Act) | Delegate Kerr | Hearing 2/22 at 1:00 p.m. | Health and Government Operations | Requiring the Department of General Services to establish a maximum acceptable global warming potential for certain categories of eligible materials, any cement or concrete mixture, 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. | |||
Buy Clean Maryland | SB0424 | HB0261 | Public Projects - Global Warming Potential of Materials (Buy Clean Maryland Act) | Senator Elfreth | Hearing 2/22 at 1:00 p.m. | Budget and Taxation | Requiring the Department of General Services to establish a maximum acceptable global warming potential for certain categories of eligible materials, any cement or concrete mixture, 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. | |||
Low Income Housing-Performance | HB0169 | SB0144 | Public Utilities - Energy Efficiency and Conservation Programs - Energy Performance Targets and Low-Income Housing | Delegate Charkoudian | First Reading Economic Matters | Economic Matters | 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 certain target annual incremental gross energy savings for the 2024-2026 program cycle; requiring the Department to update the weather-normalized gross retail sales against which savings are measured for certain plans; requiring the target annual incremental gross energy savings to be achieved based on an average of certain Department plans; etc. | |||
Low Income Housing-Performance | SB0144 | HB0169 | Public Utilities - Energy Efficiency and Conservation Programs - Energy Performance Targets and Low-Income Housing | Senator Feldman | Hearing 1/31 at 3:30 p.m. | Education, Energy, and the Environment | 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 certain target annual incremental gross energy savings in certain years; requiring the Department to update the weather-normalized gross retail sales against which savings are measured for certain plans; requiring the target annual incremental gross energy savings to be achieved based on an average of certain Department plans; etc. | |||
Solar energy compliance fees | SB0357 | HB0511 | Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard - Solar Energy - Compliance Fees | Senator Klausmeier | Hearing 2/14 at 1:00 p.m. | Education, Energy, and the Environment | Altering the compliance fee for a shortfall from the required percentage of energy from Tier 1 renewable sources to be derived from solar energy for the renewable energy portfolio standard beginning in 2025 and later. | |||
Solar energy compliance fees | HB0511 | SB0357 | Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard – Solar Energy – Compliance Fees | Delegate Queen | Hearing 2/16 at 1:00 p.m. | Economic Matters | Altering the compliance fee for a shortfall from the required percentage of energy from Tier 1 renewable sources to be derived from solar energy for the renewable energy portfolio standard beginning in 2025 and later. | |||
Residential electric vehicle charging | SB0477 | Residential Construction or Significant Renovation - Electric Vehicle Charging | Senator Feldman | Hearing 2/14 at 1:00 p.m. | Education, Energy, and the Environment | Establishing and altering certain requirements related to the installation of equipment for the charging of electric vehicles during the construction or significant renovation of certain housing units; and clarifying that a county or municipal corporation may require a greater number of electric vehicle parking spaces under certain circumstances. | ||||
School solar panels | HB0300 | SB0235 | School Buildings - Solar Technology - Solar Panels on Schools | Delegate Bhandari | Hearing 2/07 at 1:00 p.m. | Appropriations | Requiring local school systems, from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2034, to consider whether to construct schools with solar panels on the roofs of the schools; and requiring local school systems to provide to the Interagency Commission on School Construction an explanation for a decision not to include solar panels as part of the construction of a school. | |||
School solar panels | SB0235 | HB0300 | School Buildings - Solar Technology - Solar Panels on Schools | Senator West | Hearing 2/01 at 2:00 p.m. | Budget and Taxation | Requiring local school systems, from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2034, to consider whether to construct schools with solar panels on the roofs of the schools; and requiring local school systems to provide to the Interagency Commission on School Construction an explanation for a decision not to include solar panels as part of the construction of a school. | |||
Task force on recycling | HB0109 | Task Force on Recycling Policy and Recycling and Waste Systems in Maryland | Delegate Love | Hearing 2/22 at 1:00 p.m. | Environment and Transportation | 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 committees of the General Assembly by June 30, 2024. | ||||
Solar tax incentive study | SB0469 | Task Force to Study Solar Tax Incentives | Senator Elfreth | First Reading Budget and Taxation | Budget and Taxation | Establishing the Task Force to Study Solar Tax Incentives to study and make recommendations regarding a tax strategy that is more competitive than the State's current strategy to maximize the installation of rooftop solar panels, to facilitate and promote installation of grid-connected generation of renewable energy, and to meet the State's renewable energy goals; and requiring the Task Force to report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly on or before December 15, 2023. | ||||
Transportation - Equity impacts | HB0341 | Transportation - Statewide Transportation Improvement Programs and Transportation Improvement Programs - Equity Impacts | Delegate Lewis, J. | Hearing 2/21 at 1:00 p.m. | Appropriations | Requiring the Department of Transportation to include in the statewide transportation improvement program analyses of how the transportation improvement program my impact low-income communities and minority communities; and requiring a metropolitan planning organization to include in a transportation improvement program analyses of how the transportation improvement program my impact low-income communities and minority communities. | ||||
Rail investment | HB0074 | SB0412 | Transportation – Maryland Rail Authority – Establishment (Maryland Rail Investment Act of 2023) | Delegate Korman | Hearing 1/31 at 1:00 p.m. (Appropriations) and Hearing canceled (Environment and Transportation) | Appropriations | Establishing the Maryland Rail Authority and the powers and duties that the Rail Authority, acting on behalf of the Department of Transportation, has with respect to the supervision, financing, construction, operation, maintenance, and repair of railroad facilities projects; altering the membership of the Maryland Transportation Authority to include the Executive Director of the Rail Authority; prohibiting the Transportation Authority from passing a budget plan that exceeds a certain amount; etc. | |||
Rail investment | SB0412 | HB0074 | Transportation – Maryland Rail Authority – Establishment (Maryland Rail Investment Act of 2023) | Senator Rosapepe | Hearing 2/22 at 1:00 p.m. (Finance) | Finance | Establishing the Maryland Rail Authority and the powers and duties that the Rail Authority, acting on behalf of the Department of Transportation, has with respect to the supervision, financing, construction, operation, maintenance, and repair of railroad facilities projects; altering the membership of the Maryland Transportation Authority to include the Executive Director of the Rail Authority; prohibiting the Transportation Authority from passing a budget plan that exceeds $2,800,000,000; etc. | |||
HOV lanes-plug in hybrids | HB0123 | Vehicle Laws – HOV Lanes – Plug–In Electric Drive Vehicles | Delegate Fraser-Hidalgo | Hearing 2/02 at 1:00 p.m. | Environment and Transportation | Authorizing certain plug-in electric drive vehicles for which a permit has been issued by the Motor Vehicle Administration to use high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes regardless of the number of passengers in the vehicles; authorizing the Administration to charge a fee, not to exceed $20, for issuing the permit; and requiring, on or before January 1 of each year, a report to be submitted to the Governor and the General Assembly on the effect of the use of the plug-in electric drive vehicle permits on the operation of HOV lanes. |