Current Status of Priority Bills and Actions to Take
2021 Legislative Session
Below are all of the bills that have been introduced to date that we are tracking, including those we selected as priorities and some related bills.
For further information on any bill listed below, please go to the Maryland General Assembly website and enter the bill number in the Search field.
Issue | Subject | Bill Number | XFile Bill Number | Sponsor | Title | Status | Current Location | Priority | Position | Action | UULM-MD Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Climate Change | Climate Solutions Now | HB0583 | SB0414 | Delegate Stein | Climate Solutions Now Act of 2021 | Hearing Held - No vote in committee | Environment and Transportation | X | Support | Contact your Delegate on committee | Would requiring the State to reduce statewide greenhouse gas emissions by 60% from 2006 levels by 2030 andachieve net-zero statewide greenhouse gas emissions by 2045; use the Commission on Environmental Justice and Sustainable Communities to determine what percent of all state funds invested in climate must be spent in overburdened communities; protect fossil fuel workers; and enact simple, effective policies to reduce and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. |
Climate Change | Climate Solutions Now | SB0414 | HB0583 | Senator Pinsky | Climate Solutions Now Act of 2021 | Conference Committee Appointed | Failed - Did not report agreement | X | Support | Contact your Senator | Would requiring the State to reduce statewide greenhouse gas emissions by 50% from 2006 levels by 2030 and achieve net-zero statewide greenhouse gas emissions by 2045; use the Commission on Environmental Justice and Sustainable Communities to determine what percent of all state funds invested in climate must be spent in overburdened communities; protect fossil fuel workers; and enact simple, effective policies to reduce and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. |
Climate Change | Community Choice Energy Pilot | HB0768 | Montgomery County Delegation | Montgomery County - Community Choice Energy - Pilot Program MC 17-21 | Allowed to go into effect without Governor's signature | X | Support | Would establish a Community Choice Aggregator Pilot Program for local jurisdictions to negotiate the purchase of electric generation services from a supplier or storage facility; and apply the laws regarding net energy metering and community solar generating systems to customers served by a community choice aggregator. | |||
Climate Change | Forest Mitigation | HB0991 | Delegate Gilchrist | Tree Solutions Now Act of 2021 | Allowed to go into effect without Governor's signature | X | Support | Includes tree planting provisions from Climate Solutions Now Act | |||
Climate Change | Plastic Bags | HB0314 | SB0223 | Delegate Lierman | Plastic Bag Reduction Act | Passed House - No vote in Senate Committee | Finance | X | Support | Would prohibit a “retail establishment” from providing a customer with a “plastic carryout bag” after July 1, 2021 and establish a civil penalty for violations. | |
Climate Change | Plastic Bags | SB0223 | HB0314 | Senator Augustine | Plastic Bag Reduction Act | Hearing Held - No vote in committee | Finance | X | Support | Would prohibit a “retail establishment” from providing a customer with a “plastic carryout bag” after July 1, 2021 and establish a civil penalty for violations. | |
Climate Change | Transit Investment | HB0114 | SB0199 | Delegate Lierman | Transportation - Maryland Transit Administration Funding and MARC Rail Extension Study (Transit Safety and Investment Act) | Vetoed by Governor | X | Support | Contact your Delegate on committee | Would require the Governor to include in the State budget from the Transportation Trust Fund at least $529 million per year for the next five years to the Maryland Transit Administration for its operating and capital needs. | |
Climate Change | Transit Investment | SB0199 | HB0114 | Senator McCray | Transportation - Maryland Transit Administration Funding and MARC Rail Extension Study (Transit Safety and Investment Act) | Vetoed by Governor | X | Support | Contact your Senator on committee | Would require the Governor to include in the State budget from the Transportation Trust Fund at least $529 million per year for the next five years to the Maryland Transit Administration for its operating and capital needs. | |
Climate Change | Utility Regulation | HB0298 | SB0083 | Delegate Charkoudian | Utility Regulation - Consideration of Climate and Labor | Allowed to go into effect without Governor's signature | X | Support | Would require the Power Plant Research Program (PPRP) to include an evaluation of the impact of electric power plants on climate change as part of its ongoing research; and would require the Public Service Commission (PSC) to consider (1) the maintenance by regulated public service companies of fair and stable labor standards for affected workers and (2) additional specific climate effects and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions before taking final action on a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN). | ||
Climate Change | Utility Regulation | SB0083 | HB0298 | Senator Kramer | Utility Regulation - Consideration of Climate and Labor | Allowed to go into effect without Governor's signature | X | Support | Would require the Power Plant Research Program (PPRP) to include an evaluation of the impact of electric power plants on climate change as part of its ongoing research; and would require the Public Service Commission (PSC) to consider (1) the maintenance by regulated public service companies of fair and stable labor standards for affected workers and (2) additional specific climate effects and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions before taking final action on a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN). | ||
Climate Change | Zero-emission busses | SB0137 | HB0334 | Senator Zucker | Maryland Transit Administration - Conversion to Zero-Emission Buses (Zero-Emission Bus Transition Act) | Allowed to go into effect without Governor's signature | X | Support | Would prohibit the Maryland Transit Administration from purchasing buses for the Administration's State transit bus fleet that are not zero-emission buses beginning in fiscal year 2023. | ||
Criminal Justice | Baltimore Police Dept. | SB0786 | HB1027 | Senator McCray | Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2021 - Baltimore City - Control of the Police Department of Baltimore City | Allowed to go into effect without Governor's signature | X | Support | Contact your Delegate on Committee | Transfers control of the Baltimore Police Department from the State to the City of Baltimore (contingent on adoption of a City Charter Amendment in 2022). | |
Criminal Justice | Body cams | HB0187 | Delegate Ivey | Public Safety - Law Enforcement - Body-Worn Cameras | Hearing Held - No vote in committee | Judiciary | X | Support | Contact your Delegate on Committee | Would require all law enforcement agencies to adopt policies and procedures and require the use of body-worn cameras by October 1, 2021. | |
Criminal Justice | Body cams | SB0071 | Senator Sydnor | Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2021 - Body-Worn Cameras, Employee Programs, and Use of Force | Gubernatorial Veto Override - Chapter 60 | X | Support | Contact your Delegate on Committee | (1) requires specified law enforcement agencies to require the use of a body-worn camera (BWC) by each law enforcement officer employed by the law enforcement agency who regularly interacts with members of the public as part of the law enforcement officer’s official duties; (2) requires each law enforcement agency to establish a specified early intervention system; (3) requires each law enforcement agency to provide access to an “employee assistance program” for all police officers that the law enforcement agency employs and develop a policy to provide access to required program services at no cost to a police officer; (4) establishes the Maryland Use of Force Statute; and (5) extends the duration and required duties of the Law Enforcement Body Camera Task Force | ||
Criminal Justice | Citations | HB0445 | SB0671 | Delegate Dumais | Criminal Procedure - Charging Procedures - Citations | Allowed to go into effect without Governor's signature | X | Support | Contact your Senator on committee | Would expand the use of citation for charging people with criminal violations instead of making arrests. | |
Criminal Justice | Citations | SB0671 | HB0445 | Senator Waldstreicher | Criminal Procedure - Charging Procedures - Citations | Allowed to go into effect without Governor's signature | X | Support | Contact your Senator | Would expand the use of citation for charging people with criminal violations instead of making arrests. | |
Criminal Justice | Education Credits | HB0089 | SB0397 | Delegate Wilkins | Correctional Services - Diminution Credits - Education | Allowed to go into effect without Governor's signature | X | Support | Contact your Delegate on committee | Would award a diminution credit of 90 days to reduce the term of confinement of an inmate for successfully obtaining an educational certificate, diploma, or degree. | |
Criminal Justice | Education Credits | SB0397 | HB0089 | Senator Carter | Correctional Services - Diminution Credits - Education | Favorable with Amendments Report by Judiciary | House Floor (no vote taken) | X | Support | Contact your Senator on committee | Would award a diminution credit of 90 days to reduce the term of confinement of an inmate for successfully obtaining an educational certificate, diploma, or degree. |
Criminal Justice | Investigations of police-State Prosecutor | SB0600 | Senator Smith | Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2021 - Surplus Military Equipment and Investigation of Deaths Caused by Police Officers | Allowed to go into effect without Governor's signature | X | Support | Contact your Delegate on Committee | Establishes an independent investigative unit within the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) to investigate all alleged or potential police-involved deaths of civilians. A law enforcement agency must notify the independent investigative unit of any alleged or potential police–involved death of a civilian as soon as the agency becomes aware of the incident and cooperate with the unit in connection with the investigation. The Governor must annually include funding in the State budget sufficient to provide for the full and proper operation of the unit. Funds provided in accordance with this requirement must supplement and may not supplant any other funding provided to the unit. The bill also prohibits a law enforcement agency from receiving specified military equipment from a surplus program operated by the federal government. | ||
Criminal Justice | LEOBOR repeal & procedures | SB0627 | Senator Carter | Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2021 - Law Enforcement Officers' Bill of Rights - Repeal and Procedures for Discipline | Passed Senate-Amended in House | Senate did not accept or reject House Amendments | X | Support | Contact your Delegate on Committee | Would repeal the Law Enforcement Officers' Bill of Rights and replace it with other procedures for investigating police misconduct | |
Criminal Justice | Military equipment | SB0599 | Senator Smith | Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2021 - Surplus Military Equipment | Passed Senate - No vote in House Committee | Judiciary | X | Support | Contact your Delegate on Committee | Would prohibit law enforcement agencies from receiving certain equipment from a federal military surplus program, including weaponized aircraft, drones, or vehicles; destructive devices; firearm silencers; or grenade launchers | |
Criminal Justice | No-Knock warrants | SB0419 | Senator Carter | Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2021 - Search Warrants | Passed Senate - No vote in House Committee | Judiciary | X | Support | Contact your Delegate on Committee | Would repeal the law authorizing an application for a search warrant to contain a request authorizing the executing law enforcement officer to enter a building, apartment, premises, place, or thing to be searched without giving notice of the officer's authority or purpose under certain circumstances. | |
Criminal Justice | Parole Reform | HB0003 | Delegate Clippinger | Correctional Services - Parole - Life Imprisonment | Passed House - No vote in Senate Committee | Judicial Proceedings | X | Support | Contact your Senator on committee | Would alter, from 15 years to 20 years, the time period that inmates sentenced to life imprisonment for a crime committed on or after October 1, 2021, must serve before becoming eligible for parole consideration; and repeal provisions that provide that inmates serving a term of life imprisonment may be paroled only with the Governor's approval. | |
Criminal Justice | Parole Reform | SB0202 | Senator Kelley | Correctional Services - Parole - Life Imprisonment | Vetoed by Governor | X | Support | Contact your Senator on committee | Would alter, from 15 years to 20 years, the time period that inmates sentenced to life imprisonment for a crime committed on or after October 1, 2021, must serve before becoming eligible for parole consideration; and repeal provisions that provide that inmates serving a term of life imprisonment may be paroled only with the Governor's approval. | ||
Criminal Justice | Police Personnel Records | SB0178 | HB0120 | Senator Carter | Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2021 - Search Warrants and Inspection of Records Relating to Police Misconduct (Anton's Law) | Gubernatorial Veto Override - Chapter 62 | X | Support | Contact your Delegate on Committee | Makes various modifications to provisions relating to search warrants, including “no-knock” search warrants, and requires law enforcement agencies to annually report specified data relating to search warrants to the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services (GOCPYVS). In addition, the bill establishes that, except for a record of a “technical infraction,” a record relating to an administrative or criminal investigation of misconduct by a law enforcement officer, including an internal affairs investigatory record, a hearing record, and records relating to a disciplinary decision, is not a personnel record for purposes of Maryland’s Public Information Act (PIA). Thus, such records are generally subject to discretionary denial of inspection (instead of mandatory denial) as provided under PIA, subject to specified exceptions. The bill further specifies requirements for custodians of specified records relating to investigations of misconduct by law enforcement officers | |
Criminal Justice | Police Reform | HB0670 | Speaker | Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2021 - Police Discipline and Law Enforcement Programs and Procedures | Gubernatorial Veto Override - Chapter 59 | X | Support | Contact your Delegate | Among other things, the bill (1) repeals the Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights (LEOBR) and establishes provisions that relate to a statewide accountability and discipline process for police officers; (2) alters requirements for the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission (MPTSC) regarding training and police certification; (3) establishes two higher education financial assistance programs for police officers, with mandated appropriations; (4) increases civil liability limits applicable to police misconduct lawsuits; and (5) requires reporting on SWAT team activity and use of force complaints | ||
Criminal Justice | Police Use of Force | SB0626 | HB0139 | Senator Carter | Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2021 - Law Enforcement Officers - Use of Force, Reporting, and Whistleblower Protections | Passed Senate - No vote in House Committee | Judiciary | X | Support | Contact your Delegate on Committee | Establishes three misdemeanors punishable by up to 10 years in jail for a law enforcement officer who:
Intentionally uses excessive force
Fails to intervene to terminate another officer using or expressing an intent to use excessive force, or
Fails to provide or obtain appropriate medical treatment for a person injured as a result of an officer’s use of force. |
Criminal Justice | Police mental health assistance | SB0074 | HB0088 | Senator Washington | Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2021 - Employee Assistance Programs and Early Intervention Programs | Passed Senate-Amended in House | Senate did not accept or reject House Amendments | X | Support | Contact your Delegate on Committee | Would require each law enforcement agency to develop and implement an employee assistance program or a mental health program resiliency sessions, for crisis and stress management counseling, peer support, and mental health evaluations. |
Criminal Justice | Step-Down Programs | HB0131 | Delegate Lewis, J. | Correctional Services - Step-Down Programs - Cause of Action | Hearing Held - No vote in committee | Judiciary | X | Support | Contact your Delegate on committee | Would require the Department of Corrections to establish step-down program to prepare any inmate placed in restrictive housing (solitary confinement) for transition to the general population or the ciommunity. | |
Economic Justice | FAMLI | HB0375 | SB0211 | Delegate Valderrama | Labor and Employment - Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program - Establishment (Time to Care Act of 2021) | Hearing Held - No vote in committee | Economic Matters | X | Support | Contact your Delegate on committee | Would establish the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program to provide temporary benefits to a covered individual who is taking leave from employment. |
Economic Justice | FAMLI | SB0211 | HB0375 | Senator Hayes | Labor and Employment - Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program - Establishment (Time to Care Act of 2021) | Hearing Held - No vote in committee | Finance | X | Support | Contact your Senator on committee | Would establish the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program to provide temporary benefits to a covered individual who is taking leave from employment. |
Gun Violence | Child Access Prevention | HB0200 | SB0479 | Delegate Stein | Public Safety - Access to Firearms - Storage Requirements (Jaelynn's Law) | Hearing Held - No vote in committee | Judiciary | X | Support | Contact your Delegate on committee | Would further limit access to firearms for children under 18, better defines how a firearm should be stored to deny access to an unsupervised child, and requires the storage of unloaded firearms as well as loaded guns. |
Gun Violence | Child Access Prevention | SB0479 | HB0200 | Senator Smith | Public Safety - Access to Firearms - Storage Requirements (Jaelynn's Law) | Hearing Held - No vote in committee | Judicial Proceedings | X | Support | Contact your Senator on committee | Would further limit access to firearms for children under 18, better defines how a firearm should be stored to deny access to an unsupervised child, and requires the storage of unloaded firearms as well as loaded guns. |
Gun Violence | Firearms-Cannibis/Untraceable | SB0190 | HB0543 | Senator Hough | Firearms - Right to Purchase, Possess, and Carry - Use of Medical Cannabis | Passed Senate-Favorable with Amendments by House committee | House Floor (No vote taken) | X | Support | Amended to include regulation of undetectable or untraceable "ghost guns" from SB 624 | |
Gun Violence | Untraceable Firearms | HB0638 | SB0624 | Delegate Lopez | Public Safety - Untraceable and Undetectable Firearms | Hearing Held - No vote in committee | Judiciary | X | Support | Contact your Delegate on committee | Would regulate the manufacture of untraceable and undetectable firearms by requiring a serial number and background check |
Gun Violence | Untraceable Firearms | HB1291 | Delegate Amprey | Public Safety - Untraceable Firearms | Hearing Held - No vote in committee | Judiciary | X | Support | Contact your Delegate on committee | ||
Gun Violence | Untraceable Firearms | SB0624 | HB0638 | Senator Lee | Public Safety - Untraceable and Undetectable Firearms | Hearing Held - No vote in committee | Judicial Proceedings | X | Support | Contact your Delegate on committee | Would regulate the manufacture of untraceable and undetectable firearms by requiring a serial number and background check |
Healthcare | Easy Enrollment-Unemployment | HB1002 | Delegate Charkoudian | Unemployment - Insurance Revisions and Special Enrollment Period for Health Benefits | Allowed to go into effect without Governor's signature | X | Support | Contact your Delegate | As part of comprehensive revision of unemployment, would establish an easy enrollment process for applicants to obtain health insurance through the Maryland Health Exchange. | ||
Healthcare | Easy Enrollment-Unemployment | SB0893 | Senator Rosapepe | Unemployment - Insurance Revisions and Special Enrollment Period for Health Benefits | Allowed to go into effect without Governor's signature | X | Support | Contact your Senator on committee | As part of comprehensive revision of unemployment, would establish an easy enrollment process for applicants to obtain health insurance through the Maryland Health Exchange. | ||
Healthcare | Health equity resource | HB0463 | SB0172 | Delegate Barron | Maryland Health Equity Resource Act | Allowed to go into effect without Governor's signature | X | Support | Contact your Delegate on committee | Would require the Secretary of Health to designate certain areas as Health Equity Resource Communities to reduce health disparities, improve health outcomes, improve access to primary care, promote primary and secondary prevention services, and reduce health care costs and hospital admissions and readmissions. Would also authorize health care practitioners and community health workers in Health Equity Resource communities to receive state income tax credits and loan repayment assistance. | |
Healthcare | Health equity resource | SB0172 | HB0463 | Senator Hayes | Maryland Health Equity Resource Act | Allowed to go into effect without Governor's signature | X | Support | Contact your Senator on committee | Would require the Secretary of Health to designate certain areas as Health Equity Resource Communities to reduce health disparities, improve health outcomes, improve access to primary care, promote primary and secondary prevention services, and reduce health care costs and hospital admissions and readmissions. Would also authorize health care practitioners and community health workers in Health Equity Resource communities to receive state income tax credits and loan repayment assistance. | |
Healthcare | Medical Debt Protection | HB0565 | SB0514 | Delegate Charkoudian | Health Facilities - Hospitals - Medical Debt Protection | Allowed to go into effect without Governor's signature | X | Support | |||
Healthcare | Medical Debt Protection | SB0514 | HB0565 | Senator Feldman | Health Facilities - Hospitals - Medical Debt Protection | Allowed to go into effect without Governor's signature | X | Support | |||
Immigration | Dignity Not Detention | HB0016 | SB0478 | Delegate Stewart | Correctional Services - Immigration Detention - Prohibition (Dignity Not Detention Act) | Vetoed by Governor | X | Support | Contact your Senator on committee | Would prohibit the State or any local jurisdiction from entering into agreements facilitating immigration-related detention by private entities, prohibit governmental entities from approving zoning variances or permits for the construction or reuse of buildings to house immigration-related detainees without public notification, and requird governmental entities to terminate existing contracts for the detention of immigration-related detainees by October 1, 2022 | |
Immigration | Dignity not detention | SB0478 | HB0016 | Senator Smith | Correctional Services - Immigration Detention - Prohibition (Dignity Not Detention Act) | Favorable with Amendments Report by Judicial Proceedings | Senate Floor (no vote taken) | X | Support | Contact your Senator on committee | Would prohibit the State or any local jurisdiction from entering into agreements facilitating immigration-related detention by private entities, prohibit governmental entities from approving zoning variances or permits for the construction or reuse of buildings to house immigration-related detainees without public notification, and requird governmental entities to terminate existing contracts for the detention of immigration-related detainees by October 1, 2022 |
Immigration | Driver privacy | HB0023 | SB0234 | Delegate Stein | Personal Information - State and Local Agencies - Restrictions on Access (Maryland Driver Privacy Act) | Vetoed by Governor | X | Support | Contact your Delegate | Would require an officer, an employee, an agent, or a contractor of the State or a political subdivision to deny inspection by a federal agency seeking access for certain immigration enforcement matters of a public record that contains personal information or certain photographic images unless a valid warrant is provided. | |
Immigration | Driver privacy | SB0234 | HB0023 | Senator Lam | Personal Information - State and Local Agencies - Restrictions on Access (Maryland Driver Privacy Act) | Passed Senate - No vote in House Committee | Rules and Executive Nominations | X | Support | Contact your Senator on committee | Would require an officer, an employee, an agent, or a contractor of the State or a political subdivision to deny inspection by a federal agency seeking access for certain immigration enforcement matters of a public record that contains personal information or certain photographic images unless a valid warrant is provided. |
Immigration | Right to counsel | HB0750 | SB0317 | Delegate Atterbeary | Office of the Attorney General - Right to Counsel in Immigration Proceedings Coordinator | Hearing Held - No vote in committee | Judiciary | X | Support | Contact your Delegate on committee | Would establish a right to legal representation for an individual in immigration detention for an immigration proceedings where he/she is subject to removal from the US. Would establish the Right to Counsel in Immigration Proceedings Coordinator in the Office of the Attorney General to manage services and resources in order to provide individuals with access to legal representation. |
Immigration | Right to counsel | SB0317 | HB0750 | Senator Hettleman | Office of the Attorney General - Right to Counsel in Immigration Proceedings Coordinator | Hearing Held - No vote in committee | Judicial Proceedings | X | Support | Contact your Senator on committee | Would establish a right to legal representation for an individual in immigration detention for an immigration proceedings where he/she is subject to removal from the US. Would establish the Right to Counsel in Immigration Proceedings Coordinator in the Office of the Attorney General to manage services and resources in order to provide individuals with access to legal representation. |
Immigration | Trust Act | HB0304 | SB0088 | Delegate Fisher, W. | State and Local Government - Participation in Federal Immigration Enforcement | Hearing Held - No vote in committee | Judiciary | X | Support | Contact your Delegate on committee | Would provide immunity for an official from criminal and civil liability for refusing to provide information to the federal government or another state that would be used for the creation or maintenance of a registry for the purpose of discriminating against indiiduals on the basis of religion, race, gender, sexual orientation, immigration status, or national or ethnic origin. |
Immigration | Trust Act | SB0088 | HB0304 | Senator Smith | State and Local Government - Participation in Federal Immigration Enforcement | Hearing Held - No vote in committee | Judicial Proceedings | X | Support | Contact your Senator on committee | Would provide immunity for an official from criminal and civil liability for refusing to provide information to the federal government or another state that would be used for the creation or maintenance of a registry for the purpose of discriminating against indiiduals on the basis of religion, race, gender, sexual orientation, immigration status, or national or ethnic origin. |
State Song | Repeal | HB0667 | SB0008 | Delegate Sample-Hughes | General Provisions - State Song - Repeal | Approved by the Governor - Chapter 148 | X | Support | Repeals the current State song. | ||
State Song | Repeal | SB0008 | HB0667 | Senator Kagan | General Provisions - State Song - Repeal | Approved by the Governor - Chapter 149 | X | Support | Repeals the current State song. |