LEGISLATION OF INTEREST
With Maryland's General Assembly being conducted virtually MGPA members have the ability to submit testimony without having to travel to Annapolis. If you are interested in submitting written or verbal testimony, be sure to create a MyMGA account
here.
HB84 - Consumer Protection - Right to Repair
Delegate Feldmark
*Hearing held 1/27 - no further action
This bill requires an original equipment manufacturer, on fair and reasonable terms, to make available to an independent repair provider or owner of digital electronic equipment any documentation, parts, tools, or updates to information or embedded software. It also requires, as it applies to equipment that contains a security-related function, any documentation, tools, parts, or updates needed to reset the lock or function when disabled.
MGPA SUPPORTS House Bill 84
SB119/HB507
- Clean Water Commerce Act of 2021
*Hearings on 1/28 and 2/10 - Passed committees w/ amendments
This bill addresses the sunset of the pilot program and establishes the Clean Water Commerce Fund as a special, non-lapsing fund. It requires the Department of the Environment to transfer $20,000,000 from the Bay Restoration Fund to the Clean Water Commerce Fund beginning in the fiscal year 2022. 35% of this funding would be dedicated to agricultural practices.
MGPA has been involved in the workgroup to craft this legislation. We will be supporting the sponsor amendments based on this workgroup's recommendations.
MGPA SUPPORTS Senate Bill 119 & House Bill 84
HB581/SB486 - Labor and Employment - Employment Standards During an Emergency (Maryland Essential Workers' Protection Act)
This legislation would create a number of new essential employer mandates and costs including: 1) hazard pay; 2) financial assistance for healthcare costs; and 3) universal health and bereavement leave, among many other problematic and challenging provisions for Maryland’s job creators; 4) Employee right to refuse to report.
MGPA worked with a coalition of agricultural stakeholders to craft language for an agricultural exemption.
MGPA OPPOSES House Bill 581 & Senate Bill 486
HB860/SB692 - State Planning - Preservation of Agricultural Land - Goal
Passed Senate committee and House sub-committee
Extending the timeline for the State goal of preserving a total of 1,030,000 acres of productive agricultural land to 2030 through the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation, the Maryland GreenPrint Program, the Rural Legacy Program, the Maryland Environmental Trust, and local land preservation programs. The current goal expires in 2022.
MGPA SUPPORTS House Bill 860 & Senate Bill 692
HB1025 - Pesticides - Carbofuran - Collection, Disposal, and Prohibition on Possession or Storage
This bill makes it illegal to possess or store Carbofuran after January 1, 2024, and sets up penalties for violation. The bill gives the Natural Resources Police and Dept of Agriculture the authority to seize Carbofuran. MDA is also required to set up a take back program through the pesticide recycling program.
*Carbofuran was de-registered by EPA and all uses for feed and food crops were revoked in 2009.
MDA has announced a pesticide recycling program and MGPA would prefer this voluntary approach.
HB 1282: Real Property – Nuisance Actions – Rodent Harborage
Hearing 3/2 - *no further action
This bill authorizes an individual to bring a nuisance action for damages caused by rodent harborage on property against an owner of the
property harboring the rodents. It defines "rodent harborage" as a condition that provides sustenance or shelter for rodents, promotes their reproduction and continued existence on a property, creates or contributes to property damage, is injurious to public health and safety, or obstructs the reasonable use of the property. The bill authorizes the court to award compensatory and punitive damages to a prevailing plaintiff.
MGPA OPPOSES House Bill 1282
