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2024 Maryland General Assembly
End of Session Report |
| Every session tends to have a “surprise” event that prompts the legislature to take unplanned actions, and in this case, it was the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and closure of the Baltimore Port on March 26 that took center stage at the end of the 2024 session. The 446th Session of the Maryland General Assembly concluded at midnight on Monday, April 8, as we adjourned Sine Die (from the Latin “without day”) until January 2025. |
| 2024 SOLAR ECLIPSE ON SINE DIE |
“This will be a Sine Die ‘solar eclipse’ day that I’ll always remember with some of my legislative priorities making it across the line for final passage in the closing hour and casting the very last vote of the session in support of the Maryland Protecting Opportunities and Regional Trade (PORT) Act to support workers and businesses affected by the Key Bridge collapse."
Senators Cheryl Kagan (D) Montgomery County, D17 and Vice-Chair of EEE, Benjamin Brooks (D) Baltimore County, D19, and I joined with other members of the General Assembly outside the Maryland State House to watch the Solar Eclipse on 4-8-24, the same day as Sine Die |
| FY25 BUDGET AND FENDING OFF TAX INCREASES |
The Maryland General Assembly fulfilled its sole constitutional responsibility in passing a balanced $63 billion operating budget, with the Senate primarily holding the line against the House’s $1.26 billion tax and revenue package.
For Fiscal Year 2025, the budget deficit was approximately $500 million with Maryland facing significant ongoing budget deficits due to the costs of the multi-billion mandated Blueprint for Maryland’s Future education plan and climate change plan spending. The Governor’s proposed budget addressed the shortfall primarily by decreasing the annual amount put into the state’s Rainy Day Fund and revising funding formulas which meant less money for community colleges and local transportation projects.
In the end, the budget passed by the Maryland General Assembly restores almost $10 million for community colleges, and the legislature also rejected the Governor’s drastic cuts to Highway User Revenues, which enable local governments to support safety and maintenance work on local roads and bridges. I voted for the FY ’25 budget.
The Republican Senators did not vote for the budget reconciliation bill, which included dramatic tax and fee increases, including increased vehicle registration fees and tobacco taxes. “There are better ways to address a deficit that does not burden taxpayers, like extending timelines on the Blueprint education plan from 10 years to 15 years and reducing the $90 million targeted for climate change initiatives.”
The Moore Administration also proposed numerous fee increases with over 50 bills introduced to increase taxes, tolls, and fees. The Senate held the line against most of these bills, but a few received final passage, including legislation which increases surcharges paid by landlords. While the increases were limited this year, I am extremely concerned about tax and fee increases planned for next year. |
| $$$ LOCAL CAPITAL PROJECTS $$$ |
This year’s capital budget includes funding for several local projects in District 38 that I requested and supported including:
· $500,000, Ocean City – Worcester County Sports Complex
· $250,000, Wicomico County Humane Society
· $125,000, Somerset County Courthouse, Somerset
· $125,000, Perdue Shorebirds Stadium, E Shore Baseball Museum, Wicomico
· $50,000, Parsonsburg Fire Company Community Center, Wicomico
· $25,000, Worcester County Humane Society
· $23,500, Elks Lodge No. 2645 in Ocean City, Worcester
· $21,500, Delmar Main Street Gym, Wicomico
· $20,000, Delmar Fire Department, Wicomico
· $59.3 million, Salisbury University, Blackwell Hall
· $4.4 million, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Agricultural Research
Education Center |
LOCAL LEGISLATION
· I sponsored, cross filed, and supported several local bills that received final approval including:
· HB 186 enables the Eastern Shore Code Counties (Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Worcester) to set a new hotel rental tax rate to 6 percent maximum.
· HB 1340 allows Class A, B, C, or D license holders in Wicomico County to purchase alcoholic beverages from a dispensary or a wholesaler, aligning with the principles of free enterprise and fair competition, and giving license holders the flexibility to make choices that best suit their operational needs.
· SB 763/HB 977 authorizes the Somerset County Commissioners to sell in whole or in part the Somerset County Industrial Park located on Revells Neck Road.
· SB 807/HB 975 authorizes the Somerset County Commissioners to establish an Emergency Services Advisory Council to support fire/EMS services countywide.
· SB 829/HB 976 allows the Somerset County Commissioners to allocate the appropriate funding for Somerset County’s volunteer fire companies for fiscal years 2025 – 2030.
(The local House bills were sponsored by Delegates Hartman, Anderton, and Otto) |
| STATEWIDE LEGISLATION: JUVENILE CRIME |
Public safety remains job number one as crime increased across the state. I introduced SB 326, which would allow law enforcement to question juveniles in crimes involving firearms and crimes of violence.
HB 814/SB744 passed the Maryland General Assembly and makes important strides in reforming juvenile law regarding supervision, detention, and notification. The Department of Juvenile Services now is required to notify the State’s Attorney Office of all felonies, an important step to ensure children ages 10-12 who commit serious offenses are required to engage with substance abuse or mental health treatment through the juvenile court system. Failing to attend treatment is now considered good cause to extend probation. Courts also have more authority to detain dangerous juveniles.
“This is an important step forward to address the increase in juvenile crime across Maryland, and some of our local and bipartisan ideas were included in the final package. I will continue to push for real accountability and consequences for repeat violent offenders.” |
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