On Wednesday, February 23, the House Environment and Transportation Committee (E&T) heard my bill HB 649 Environment - Discharge Permits - Inspections and Administrative Continuations. Currently, Maryland’s Department of the Environment (MDE) "administratively" extends hundreds of expired water pollution control permits (known as "zombie" permits). With lack of adequate oversight by MDE, many plants and facilities operating with “zombie" permits are notoriously spewing illegal amounts of pollutants into our waters -- and have been for years. My bill would limit the amount of time MDE can administratively extend water pollution discharge permits, establish inspection and reporting requirements, institute specific monetary penalties for those in noncompliance, and require MDE to clear a portion of its “zombie” backlog. It is cross-filed in the Senate (SB 492) with Sen. Paul Pinsky, Chair of the Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee. Watch my House bill hearing here. You can read more about this hazardous situation -- and how my bill addresses it -- in this Maryland Matters article.

On Friday, February 25, E&T heard my bill HB 829 Department of the Environment – Zero–Emission Medium and Heavy Duty Vehicles – Regulations (Zero–Emission Truck Act of 2022). This bill requires MDE to adopt regulations establishing requirements for the sale of new zero-emission medium and heavy duty vehicles in our state.The bill, modeled after similar 2020 legislation passed in California, encourages manufacturers and purchasers of medium and heavy-duty trucks to transition faster to zero-emission vehicles. By reducing harmful emissions, this legislation will improve human health and our environment. It is cross-filed in the Senate (SB 687) with Sen. Ron Young. Watch my House bill hearing here. (Go to "meetings" and then date.)

On Friday, February 25, E&T also heard my bill HB 834  On–Site Sewage Disposal Systems – Outreach and Education (Septic Awareness Act of 2022). This bill requires MDE to establish SepticSmart Week in conjunction with the EPA's SepticSmart Week, and to use educational materials and other resources to promote community awareness regarding on-site sewage disposal systems. It also requires those selling residential real estate with an on-site sewage disposal system to direct the purchaser to the EPA website on septics. Proper maintenance of septic systems is good for everyone's health and good for the environment. Watch the bill hearing here. (Go to "meetings" and then date.)

As I mentioned above, these are my last three bill hearings for this session! In total, I have sponsored 12 Bills. None of my bills has been scheduled yet for a vote in committee, but I will keep you posted.

On Monday evening, demonstrators gathered in Annapolis to support paid family and medical leave legislation referred to as the Time to Care Act of 2022. SB 275/HB 8 would establish the Family Medical Leave Insurance Program in the Maryland Department of Labor, creating a paid family and medical leave program. If passed, the Time to Care Act would give workers the ability to take up to 12 weeks of paid time off including leave for a loved one’s health issues, a new child, and military deployment. The leave would be funded through a state-administered insurance pool that employers and employees contribute an amount from each paycheck. SB 275 was heard in the Senate Finance Committee on January 28. (Listen here.) HB 8 was heard in the House Economic Matters Committee on February 16. (Listen here.)

On Tuesday, the House Health & Government Operations Committee heard HB 1171, Sponsored by Speaker Adrienne Jones, which would create a ballot initiative for voters in November to add the right to reproductive liberty to our Constitution. Also heard were HB 937, and HB 952, sponsored by D16 Delegate Ariana Kelly. These bills would require most private insurance plans to cover abortion without deductibles or cost-sharing, would make abortion care permanent for medicaid recipients, provide clinical training for physicians and nurses who move to Maryland from other states, and expand the list of who can provide abortions. You can listen to the hearing here, and read a Maryland Matters article about it here.

On Friday morning, the House passed HB 1 Constitutional Amendment - Cannabis - Adult Use and Possession that allows voters to decide whether to legalize cannabis. Additionally, the Chamber passed HB 837 Cannabis Reform, which requires the study of the racial impacts of cannabis legalization, creates a public health fund, alters the civil and criminal penalties, and creates a process of expungement for possession of the drug, among other conditions. Details of what the system of taxation and regulation will be worked out after passage. Both bills now head to the Senate.

On Friday afternoon, the General Assembly's Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive, and Legislative Review voted to lift the statewide school mask mandate. This vote comes four days after the Maryland State Board of Education voted to make masking a local issue. Now, local school districts can set their own policy.

You can read about each of these legislative steps here. And, if you are interested in tracking specific bills as they move through this process, you can do so here on the Maryland General Assembly website. (The brief videos found here provide help.)