Priority Bills on the Move Before Crossover Date

Monday, March 20 is the Opposite Chamber Crossover Date, meaning that each Chamber must send to the other Chamber those bills it intends to pass favorably. Bills that miss this deadline are subject to being referred to the other chamber’s Rules Committee, rather than going directly to a standing committee for consideration.

With the deadline approaching, legislative committees have produced a flurry of activity, amending and voting out scores of bills, including many of those selected as priorities by UULM-MD. This led to multiple sessions of the full House and Senate, including two rare House sessions on Saturday. While things are still moving rapidly, below is a snapshot of the bills that have moved before the House and Senate adjourned for the weekend.

Climate Change

• Electricity - Community Solar Energy Generating Systems Program and Property Taxes

  • HB 908- has passed 3rd Reading (99-36) with amendments;

  • SB 613- no action on companion

• Environment - Reducing Packaging Materials - Producer Responsibility –

  • SB 222- passed the Senate (32-13) with amendments;

  • HB 284- no action on companion

• Equity in Transportation Sector - Guidelines and Analyses –

  • HB 9- passed 2nd Reading in the House with Amendments; companion

  • SB 19 - voted out of Finance Committee with amendments

Criminal Justice

• Resources and Education for All Prisons (REAP) Act –

  • HB 416 - passed 2nd Reading in the House with amendments;

  • no companion bill in Senate

Gun Violence Prevention

• Firearm Safety - Storage Requirements and Youth Suicide Prevention (Jaelynn's Law)

  • SB 858- passed the Senate (36-10) with amendments;

  • HB 307 - no action on companion bill

• Public Safety - Regulated Firearms - Possession and Permits to Carry, Wear, and Transport a Handgun

  • HB 824 passed the House (98-39) with amendments;

  • no companion bill in the Senate

• Criminal Law - Wearing, Carrying, or Transporting Firearms - Restrictions (Gun Safety Act of 2023) -

  • SB 1 passed the Senate (31-16) with amendments;

  • no companion bill in the House, although there is some overlap with HB 824

• Firearms - Maryland Voluntary Do Not Sell Firearm Registry – Establishment

• HB 162 passed the House (96-36) with amendments;

• SB 159 - no action on companion bill

Healthcare and Reproductive Rights

• Declaration of Rights - Right to Reproductive Freedom

  • HB 705 passed the House (99-37) without amendment and

  • SB 798 passed the Senate (32-15) without amendment

• Public Senior Higher Education Institutions – Reproductive Health Services Plans – Requirements

  • SB 341 passed the Senate (31-13) with amendments;

  • HB 477 passed 2nd Reading in the House with nearly identical amendments

• Reproductive Health Protection Act –

  • SB 859 passed the Senate (33-11) with amendments;

  • HB 808 - no action on companion bill

• Health - Reproductive Health Services - Protected Information and Insurance Requirements

  • HB 812 passed 2nd Reading in House with amendments; companion

  • HB 786 passed 2nd Reading in Senate with identical amendments

• Prescription Drug Affordability Board - Upper Payment Limits -

  • HB 279 passed the House (97-38) without amendment and

  • SB 202 passed the Senate (34-11) without amendment

• Maryland Medical Assistance Program, Maryland Children's Health Program, and Workgroup on Low-Income Utility Assistance -

  • SB 26 passed the Senate (45-0) with amendments;

  • HB 111 passed the House (99-36) with nearly identical amendments.

• Maryland Health Benefit Exchange - State-Based Young Adult Health Insurance Subsidies Pilot Program - Sunset Extension

  • HB 814 passed the House (100-31) with amendments; companion

  • SB 601 passed the Senate (33-12) with identical amendments

• Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Gender-Affirming Treatment (Trans Health Equity Act)

  • HB 283 passed 3rd Reading (93-37) in the House with amendments;

  • SB 460 on 2nd Reading in the Senate

Immigration

• Health Insurance - Qualified Resident Enrollment Program (Access to Care Act) -

  • HB 588 passed the House (100-38) with amendments;

  • SB 365 - no action on companion

• Maryland Health Benefit Exchange and Maryland Department of Health - Health Care and Dental Care Coverage for Undocumented Immigrants – Report

  • SB 806 passed the Senate (32-14) with amendments;

  • HB 363 - no action on companion bill

• Probation Before Judgment – Probation Agreements –

  • SB 211 passed the Senate (41-4) with amendments;

  • HB 193 passed 3rd Reading in the House (102-32) with amendments

For those priority bills that have not yet come out of committee in the chamber of origin, we must renew our efforts to contact your lawmakers on the relevant committees seeking a (favorable) vote. Keep an eye out for alerts from our Issue Leads asking you to contact your lawmakers who sit on specific committees! This is the last opportunity before Crossover to reach out to your representatives and make an impact on their vote.

Going Forward

Beginning this week, bills that crossed over to the other chamber start getting heard in committee. So far, only two of our priority bills have been scheduled:

• SB 26 - Maryland Medical Assistance Program, Maryland Children's Health Program, and Workgroup on Low-Income Utility Assistance – March 21 at 1:00 p.m. in Health and Government Operations

• SB 202 - Prescription Drug Affordability Board - Upper Payment Limits – March 23 at 1:00 p.m. in Health and Government Operations

The procedures for bills that have crossed over are different. Those that have had a companion bill heard in the committee often do not have hearings, and if they do, only the bill sponsor is allowed to testify verbally unless there is opposition. We can still submit written testimony.