Stephen Buckingham
2021 Maryland General Assembly Session Report
Here is an overview providing the final status of each of UULM-MD’s priority and related bills.
Climate Change
Maryland Transit Administration - Funding (Transit Safety and Investment Act) - HB 114/ SB 199 - Passed
Community Choice Energy - Pilot Program - HB 768 - Passed
Utility Regulation - Consideration of Climate and Labor – HB 298 / SB 83 - Passed
Plastic Bag Reduction Act – HB 314 – Passed House but not voted upon in Senate Finance Committee
Climate Solutions Now Act of 2021 - SB 414 – Passed Senate but amended in House; Conference Committee appointed but did not resolve issues – but aspects of this bill were added to other bills that did pass, including:
HB 991 - Tree Solutions Now Act of 2021 – Passed
SB 137 - Maryland Transit Administration – Conversion to Zero–Emission Buses (Zero–Emission Bus Transition Act) – Passed
Criminal Justice
Police Accountability
HB 670 - Police Reform and Accountability Act of 2021 – Repealed the Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights that had been used to inhibit the investigation and discipline for misconduct and provides new procedures that include - Governor’s veto Overridden
SB 71 - Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2021 - Body-Worn Cameras, Employee Programs, and Use of Force - Governor’s veto Overridden
SB 178 - Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2021 - Search Warrants and Inspection of Records Relating to Police Misconduct (Anton's Law) - Governor’s veto Overridden
SB 600 - Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2021 - Surplus Military Equipment and Investigation of Deaths Caused by Police Officers – Allowed to go into effect without the Governor’s signature
SB 786 - Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2021 - Baltimore City - Control of the Police Department of Baltimore City – Allowed to go into effect without the Governor’s signature
Citations – use in lieu of arrest - HB 445 / SB 671 – Passed
Diminution credits for Inmate educational achievements - HB 89 – Passed
Parole Reform – removing the Governor from decisions on lifers - SB 202 - Passed
Juvenile Restoration Act – no life without parole for juveniles – SB 494 – Governor’s veto Overridden
Economic Justice
Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program - Establishment (Time to Care Act of 2021) - HB 375 / SB 211 – Not voted out of either committee
Gun Violence
Child Access Prevention (Jaelyn’s Law) – HB 200 / SB 479 – Not voted out of either committee
Untraceable and Undetectable Firearms - HB 638 / SB 624 – Not voted out of either committee
SB 190 – This bill to protect the right of those who use marijuana to possess firearms was amended to include the provisions of SB 624 to deal with untraceable and undetectable firearms - Passed Senate – Voted Favorable with Amendments by House Judiciary Committee, but never voted by full House
Healthcare
Immigration
Dignity Not Detention (with aspects of Trust Act included) – HB 16 - Passed
Driver privacy – HB 23 – Passed
Trust Act – HB 304/SB 88 – Hearings held, but not voted out of committee in either chamber
Establishment of Governor's Office of Immigrant Affairs - HB 15 / SB 85 – Passed
Child Tax Credit and Expansion of the Earned Income Credit – SB 218 – Expands eligibility of the State and local earned income tax credits, including undocumented immigrants – Allowed to go into effect without the Governor’s signature
State Song
LGBTQ+