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Writer's pictureStephen Buckingham

Priority Bills That Crossed Over

The following bills have passed their chamber of origin (House or Senate) and crossed over to the opposite chamber (Senate or House) for consideration.  


Where both companion bills have crossed over, and they are identical, only one needs to pass in order to go to the Governor for signature. However, most bill sponsors will still want their bills to pass, even if the companion does as well. 


Where both companion bills have crossed over and they are not identical, we have provided a brief description. Either committee could accept the other chamber’s amendments, making it ready for full passage. Where the two committees cannot agree on a single version of the measure, it will need to go to a conference committee (which could endanger passage due to the shortness of time before adjournment on April 8). 


Climate Change – 4 measures 

  • Working for Accessible Renewable Maryland Thermal Heat (WARMTH) Act - HB 397 passed House (97-39) - in the Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee, along with its companion SB 570   

  • Energy Efficiency and Conservation Plans [EmPOWER Reform] - HB 864 passed House (99-35) - scheduled for hearing 3/21 in the Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee since it has no companion bill 

  • Climate & Environmental Equity Act – HB 24 passed House (103-36) - in the Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee, along with its companion SB 96  

  • Clean Water Justice Act – HB 1101 passed the House (100-38) - in the Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee, along with its companion  SB 653   


Criminal Justice – 6 measures 

  • Juvenile Law – Reform – The differing versions need to be reconciled 

    • HB 814 passed House (126-6) - in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee  

    • SB 744 passed Senate (43-2) - in the House Judiciary Committee 

  • Resources and Education for All Prisons (REAP) Act – The differing versions need to be reconciled 

    • HB 92 passed House (108-30) - in the Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee 

    • SB 620 passed Senate (45-0) - in the House Appropriations committee – The Senate amendments moved the postsecondary assistance and tracking program from the Department of Labor to the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services 

  • Medical Parole – Life Imprisonment – SB 132 passed Senate (33-10) - in the House Judiciary Committee, along with its companion HB 185  

  • Prevention of Forced Infant Separation Act – SB 71 passed Senate (43-2) - in the House Judiciary Committee, along with its companion HB 191  

  • Correctional Ombudsman Unit –  SB 134 passed Senate (45-0) - in the House Judiciary Committee, along with its companion HB 297 - The Senate amendments created an independent Office of the Correctional Ombudsman outside of the Attorney General’s Office which will also include the Juvenile Justice Monitoring Unit (which is removed from the AG’s Office) 

  • Reentry Services for Women – HB 37 passed House (135-3) - in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, awaiting a hearing since it has no companion bill 


Gun Violence Prevention – 4 measures 

  • Active Shooter Safety Drills or Trainings – HB 416 passed House (138-0) - in the Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee, along with its companion SB 432 

  • Gun Industry Accountability Act – SB 488 passed Senate (33-12) - in the House Judiciary Committee, along with its companion HB 947  

  • Center for Firearm Violence Prevention – the differing versions need to be reconciled 

    • SB 475 passed Senate (35-11) - in the House Judiciary Committee – The Senate amendments added “and Intervention” to the name of the Center and changed its approach from “whole of government” to “multidepartmental.” 

    • HB 583 passed House (103-34) without amendments - in the Senate Finance Committee 

  • Comprehensive Community Safety Funding Act [higher sales taxes on guns & ammunition] - SB 784 passed Senate – in the House Ways & Means Committee, along with its companion HB 935  


Healthcare and Trans Rights – 1 measure 

  • Legally Protected Health Care - Gender-Affirming Treatment – SB 119 passed Senate (33-13) - in the House Health and Government Operations Committee, along with its companion HB 691  


Immigration – 1 measure 

  • Access to Care Act – Both versions include identical amendments 

    • HB 728 passed House (101-34) - in the Senate Finance Committee 

    • SB 705 passed Senate (34-13) - in the House Health and Government Operations Committee 


Committees to Vote on Priority Bills 

 

Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee 

  • HB 92 Resources and Education for All Prisons (REAP) Act – companion to SB 620 which it already amended and passed 

  • Working for Accessible Renewable Maryland Thermal Heat (WARMTH) Act - HB 397 passed House (97-39) - amended version of companion bill SB 570 which was not brought to a vote in this committee    

  • Energy Efficiency and Conservation Plans [EmPOWER Reform] - HB 864 which is scheduled for hearing 3/21 since it has no companion bill 

  • Climate & Environmental Equity Act – HB 24 passed House (103-36) - amended version of companion bill SB 96 which was not brought to a vote in this committee  

  • Clean Water Justice Act – HB 1101 passed the House (100-38) - amended version of companion bill  SB 653 which was not brought to a vote in this committee   

  • Active Shooter Safety Drills or Trainings – HB 416 passed House (138-0) - unamended version of companion bill SB 432 which was not brought to a vote in this committee 

 

Senate Finance Committee 

  • HB 583 Center for Firearm Violence Prevention and Intervention - amended version of companion bill SB 475 which this commitee passed without amendment 

  • HB 728 Access to Care Act – identical to SB 705 as passed by this committee 

 

Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee 

  • HB 814 Juvenile Law – Reform – amended version of companion bill SB 744 which this committee amended and passed (very different amendments) 

  • HB 37 Reentry Services for Women – which will be scheduled for hearing since it has no companion bill 

House Appropriations Committee 

  • SB 620 Resources and Education for All Prisons (REAP) Act – amended version of companion bill HB 92 which it already passed without amendments 

 

House Health and Government Operations Committee 

  • SB 705 Access to Care Act – identical to HB 728 as passed by this committee 

  • SB 119 Legally Protected Health Care - Gender-Affirming Treatment – unamended version of companion bill HB 691 which was not brought to a vote in this committee 

 

House Judiciary Committee 

  • SB 488 Gun Industry Accountability Act – amended version of companion bill HB 947 which was not brought to a vote in this committee 

  • SB 475 Center for Firearm Violence Prevention – amended version of companion bill HB 583 which this committee passed without amendment 

  • SB 744 Juvenile Law – Reform – amended version of companion bill HB 814 which this committee amended and passed (very different amendments) 

  • SB 620 Resources and Education for All Prisons (REAP) Act – amended version of companion bill HB 92 which this committee passed without amendments 

  • SB 132 Medical Parole – Life Imprisonment – unamended version of companion bill HB 185 which was not brought to a vote in this committee 

  • SB 71 Prevention of Forced Infant Separation Act – unamended version of companion bill HB 191 which was not brought to a vote in this committee  

  • SB 134 Correctional Ombudsman Unit – amended version of companion bill HB 297 which was not brought to a vote in this committee 


House Ways and Means Committee 

  • SB 784 Comprehensive Community Safety Funding Act [higher sales taxes on guns & ammunition] - amended version of companion bill HB 935 which was not brought to a vote in this committee 

 



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