View position statements, access bill text, and check hearing times and dates. Bills that have passed through the House or Senate or been withdrawn are noted!

Conference Committee Summary on Budget Bill (SB 360) & the Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act (SB 362)

After disagreements between the House and Senate, a Conference Committee with members of both chambers came together to resolve their differences and get out a final version of the budget. The Conference Committee's plan to balance the state budget was accomplished through increasing revenues, shifting funds, and other maneuvers (such as delaying implementation of certain initiatives: a 6-month delay on FAMLI (Family and Medical Leave Insurance) program and a 1-year delay on subsidized full-day Pre-K for Tier 2 children) to come to a compromise on the FY2025 budget.

Some of the major points include:

Transportation Trust Fund Rebuilding:

• A proposal to generate $257 million in fiscal 2025 through raising vehicle registration fees.
• Establishing a Transportation Network Company (such as Uber and Lyft ride programs) impact fee for each trip.
• The creation of an annual registration surcharge for owners of electric vehicles.

Funding for Education:

• Increasing taxes on cigarettes by $1.25 a pack, and taxes on electronic smoking devices from 12% to 20%, and directing new revenue to the Blueprint Fund.
• Reducing fiscal 2025 spending and transferring $40 million from the School Construction Revolving Loan Fund.
• Increases state support for public schools to total $9.1 billion. Aid to local school systems will increase an estimated $457.1 million, or 5.3%.
• Delaying subsidized Full-Day Pre-K for Tier 2 children until FY26. Tier 2 includes children from families with an annual income of more than 300% Federal Poverty Level (FPL) but not more than 600% FPL.
• Restored some of the funding previously reduced in the Governor's draft budget for Community Colleges.

Funding for services to people with disabilities, including DDA and other Medicaid community-based providers:

• 3% funding increases for DDA rates remained intact in the FY25 budget (58 million). Other providers including behavioral health providers, nursing homes, and most Medicaid community-based providers received 3% rate increases.
• $14.2 million for Transitioning Youth, $13.9 million for Emergencies, $14.2 million to support over 200 people coming off the Waiting List in the highest crisis categories, and $1.125 million for services to people who qualify for the Waiting List Equity Fund.
• Funding for 9-8-8 mental and behavioral health crisis hotline and referral supports
• $1 million – Housing and rent subsidies for people with IDD.
• Striken from the BRFA: a provision that would have removed a prohibition on the Maryland Department of Health-DDA setting a dollar cap on "Self Directed and Family Directed Goods and Services" (IFDGS).
• Addition of $0.7 million for MSDE Division of Rehabilitation Services (DORS) per SB856/HB1163 to capture matching federal funds.

The Total Solar Eclipse is today! The eclipse will begin in Baltimore at 2:05 PM reaching about 88% coverage around 3:21 PM, and end at 4:33 PM.

Don't forget to use special glasses to safety watch the eclipse. Regular sunglasses will not provide enough protection.

Check out this Solar Eclipse guide on what to expect and how to protect your eyes: written in plain language and provided by Green Mountain Self Advocates!

We had an amazing day on April 2nd, celebrating Autism Acceptance Day in Annapolis! We joined our event partners and advocates from across the state to kick off Autism Acceptance Month with a luncheon and dance party on that day, joined by special guests from the Maryland General Assembly, and citations from Governor Wes Moore, Senator Craig Zucker, and Delegate Robbyn Lewis.

Thanks to everyone who came to celebrate the valuable contributions of people with autism across the globe! A big shoutout to our event partners from the Autism Acceptance Day Celebration Coalition!