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• HB 670 - Police Reform and Accountability Act of 2021 – Repealed the Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights that had been used to inhibit the investigation and discipline for misconduct and provides new procedures that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

• Easy enrollment - HB 1002 / SB 893 – Passed

• Maryland Health Equity Resource Act - HB 463 / SB 172 – Passed

• Medical Debt Protection - HB 565 / SB 514 – Passed

• Young adult subsidies - HB 780 / SB 729 – Passed

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

• Repeal of musical monument to the Confederate cause - HB 667 / SB 8 – Passed

LGBTQ+

• HB 231 - Crimes - Mitigation and Defense - Race, Color, National Origin, Sex, Gender Identity, or Sexual Orientation – Passed

• HB 128/SB 220 - Criminal Law - Hate Crimes - Protected Groups and Penalties – Passed

• HB 130 - Commission on LGBTQ Affairs – Established – Passed