Status of state legislation of CDC interest as of Feb. 7

(1) There are two CDC-supported bills, that have bipartisan support, requiring a paper trial for voting machines. SB9, by Harris etal, awaits EHEA committee action after having had a hearing. The committee includes Senator Kittleman. HB107, by Montgomery etal (with Delegates Bobo, Pendergrass, Quinter, and Miller among the cosponsors) has no hearing scheduled yet in the Ways and Means Committee. That committee, chaired by Del. Sheila Hixson of Montgomery County and including no Howard Countians, was the prime source of opposition to similar legislation last year.

(2) CDC supported Health Care For All legislation last year. Delegate Hurson etal (including Del. Pendergrass) have just introduced HB627, entitled Community Health Care Access and Safety Act of 2005 and it is scheduled for hearing in the Health and Government Operations Committee (HGO) on Feb. 8 at 1PM. Del. Pendergrass is a member of that committee. It's possible, but not certain, that this is the successor to last year's legislation.

(3) Twin bills (SB332 and HB428) are definitely successors to CDC-supported legislation in 2004 that would ban smoking in bars and places of employment statewide. SB332, by Ruben etal, is scheduled for hearing in the Finance Committee on Feb. 24 at 1PM and HB428, by Frush etal (and including Bobo) is in HGO with no hearing date set.

(4) HB554, by Jones etal (and including Quinter and Turner), is the same as HB1188 of 2004, which would have capped college tuition while temporarily increasing corporate taxes if it hadn't been vetoed by the governor. We supported the unsuccessful override and we thus support HB554, which is jointly assigned to Ways & Means and Appropriations without a hearing date as yet.

(5) CDC is supporting HB1, by the Speaker etal (and including Bobo, Malone, Pendergrass, and Quinter), which is entitled the Public School Construction Assistance Act. It's had a hearing in Ways & Means and Appropriations.

(6) CDC is also supporting HB56, by Pendergrass etal (and including Bobo, DeBoy, and Turner), and SB80, by Dyson, which would provide privacy for social security numbers. Similar legislation with overwhelming support in 2004 was vetoed by the governor and we unsuccessfully supported an override effort. HB56 has had a hearing in Economic Matters (on which Del. Miller sits) and SB280 will have one in Finance on Feb. 9 at 1PM. Hopefully, there will be no technical problems with these bills this year.

(7) Gov. Ehrlich's budget bill this year (HB150) includes $2,910,000 for non-public school textbooks and computers. Historically, CDC has favored limiting educational funding to our public schools. The Appropriations Committee (which includes Delegates Turner, DeBoy, and Bates) should hold a hearing on this issue sometime in February.

(8) Bills that would otherwise aid nonpublic schools include three that would provide state income tax credits to nonpublic school teachers for graduate education courses. HB256, by Conroy etal (and including DeBoy and Malone) and SB323, by McFadden etal (and including all three Howard County Senators), are identical. HB256 is scheduled for hearing in Ways and Means on Feb. 15 at 1PM. SB323 is in the Budget and Taxation Committee (that includes Senators Kasemeyer and Schrader). HB547, by Cardin, is also in Ways and Means.

(9) CDC also opposes weakening of existing handgun control laws and there are two House bills that would do that by repealing existing reporting requirements with regard to shell casings. These are HB179, by Cadden etal, which is in Judiciary (of which Del. Quinter is a member) and SB424, by Brinkley etal, which is in Judicial Proceedings. There are no hearings yet set on either.

(10) There are presently five bills that would provide additional grounds for the death penalty, which CDC has long opposed. HB133, HB246, and SB219 are administration bills, while HB173 is sponsored by Kelly etal (including DeBoy) and HB493 by O'Donnell. The Judiciary Committee has scheduled hearings on Feb. 10 for HB493, on Feb. 15 on HB173, and on Feb. 17 on HB246 (all at 1PM). SB219 is in Judicial Proceedings.

(11) Senate Joint Resolution 6, by Mooney etal (and including Sen. Kittleman) requests Senators Sarbanes and Mikulski to support timely votes on any Bush nominee for a seat on the Supreme Court. In other words, don't support a filibuster against any such nominee regardless of their views or qualifications. CDC does not yet have a position on this, but a motion will be made at the membership meeting on Feb. 9 to adopt one.

(12) Only two local bills on which CDC has taken a position remain alive. We support the creation of a county revenue authority and oppose as undesirable Del. Bates' proposal concerning property tax breaks for seniors.

Regarding any statewide bills, the county delegation has scheduled a public hearing for Thursday, Feb. 10 at 7:30PM in the Banneker Room of the George Howard Building in Ellicott City.

E-mail addresses and phone numbers for our Howard County state legislators (so that they may be contacted on any of the above matters or whatever) are as follows:

Dist. 9 Senator Allan H. Kittleman (R)
Allan_Kittleman@senate.state.md.us
410-841-3671 or 301-858-3671

Dist. 9A Delegate Gail H. Bates (R)
Gail_Bates@house.state.md.us

Delegate Warren E. Miller (R)
Warren_Miller@house.state.md.us
410-841-3556 or 301-858-3556 for both Bates and Miller

Dist. 12 Senator Edward J. Kasemeyer (D)
Edward_Kasemeyer@senate.state.md.us
410-841-3653 or 301-858-3653

Dist. 12A Delegate Steven J. DeBoy, Sr. (D)
Steven_DeBoy@house.state.md.us
410-841-3328 or 301-858-3328

Delegate James E. Malone, Jr. (D)
James_Malone@house.state.md.us
410-841-3378 or 301-858-3378

Delegate Elizabeth Bobo (D)
Elizabeth_Bobo@house.state.md.us
410-841-3205 or 301-858-3205

Dist. 13 Senator Sandra B. Schrader (R)
Sandra_Schrader@senate.state.md.us
410-841-3572 or 301-858-3572

Delegate Shane Pendergrass D)
Shane_Pendergrass@house.state.md.us
410-841-3139 or 301-858-3139

Delegate Neil F. Quinter (D)
Neil_Quinter@house.state.md.us

Delegate Frank S. Turner (D)
Frank_Turner@house.state.md.us
410-841-3246 or 301-858-3246 for both Quinter and Turner

In contacting the above legislators, bear in mind that individuals will normally have the greatest impact with those legislators who directly represent them.

Ken Stevens
Legislative Committee chair
Columbia Democratic Club

On Maryland state legislation for 2005

As of Dec. 8, the Columbia Democratic Club is supporting the following four local bills:

Ho. Co. 8-05 which would authorize the county "to eanct legislation to create a revenue authority with the power to build, own, and/or manage parking facilities, arts and recreation facilities, or other types od facilities approved by the County Executive or County Council, and to issue revenue bonds to finance such activities." (as requested by the County Executive)

Ho. Co. 15-05 (sponsored by Delegates Bobo and Quinter) which would "treat property tax recovery on planned development land when it goes into development similarly to the property tax recovery on agricultural land when it goes into development."

Ho. Co. 16-05 (sponsored by Delegates Bobo and Quinter) which would change "the effective date for the ending of a reduced assessment for planned development land from June 1, 2009 to June 1, 2006 and the applicability of the law from tax years beginning after June 30, 2009 to tax years beginning after June 30, 2006."

Ho. Co. 17-05 (sponsored by Delegates Bobo and Quinter) which would impose "recordation and transfer taxes on the transfer of a controlling interest in certain entities owning interest in real property in Howard County."

On vetoed state bills from 2004

CDC is supporting an override of the governor's veto on six matters when the legislature next convenes:

HB1188 which would cap college tuition and temporarily increase corporate taxes

SB621 which would provide a living wage in state procurement contracts

SB250 which would create an equal pay commission

HB73/SB87 each of which would allow anyone to file suit against violation of the open meetings act

SB117 which would ban posting of social security numbers

HB232 which would expand access to adoption awards for real parents, siblings, or adoptees

A successful override requires the support of at least three fifths of both House and Senate (or 85 Delegates and 29 Senators). The vetoes that should be the most difficult to override are on HB1188 (on college tuitions) and SB621 (on the living wage), because neither had the support of 85 delegates on passage. But these two bills and SB250 (on the equal pay commission) are known to be the subjects of a veto override campaign by various organizatons.
Delegate Bobo is the prime sponsor of HB73 as is Delegate Turner for HB232. Delegate Pendergrass sponsored the House version of SB117.

On funding of public school renovation and construction

CDC voted to align with the Coalition for Public School Funding in requesting that the initial budget allocation for this purpose be increased from $100 million up to $150 million.

E-mail addresses and phone numbers for our Howard County state legislators (so that they may be contacted to support all of the above matters) are as follows:

Dist. 9 Senator Allan H. Kittleman (R) Allan_Kittleman@senate.state.md.us
410-841-3671 or 301-858-3671
Dist. 9A Delegate Gail H. Bates (R) Gail_Bates@house.state.md.us
Delegate Warren E. Miller (R) Warren_Miller@house.state.md.us
410-841-3556 or 301-858-3556 for both Bates and Miller
Dist. 12 Senator Edward J. Kasemeyer (D) Edward_Kasemeyer@senate.state.md.us
410-841-3653 or 301-858-3653
Dist. 12A Delegate Steven J. DeBoy, Sr. (D) Steven_DeBoy@house.state.md.us
410-841-3328 or 301-858-3328
Delegate James E. Malone, Jr. (D) James_Malone@house.state.md.us
410-841-3378 or 301-858-3378
Dist. 13 Senator Sandra B. Schrader (R) Sandra_Schrader@senate.state.md.us
410-841-3572 or 301-858-3572
Delegate Shane Pendergrass D) Shane_Pendergrass@house.state.md.us
410-841-3139 or 301-858-3139
Delegate Neil F. Quinter (D) Neil_Quinter@house.state.md.us
Delegate Frank S. Turner (D) Frank_Turner@house.state.md.us
410-841-3246 or 301-858-3246 for both Quinter and Turner

In contacting the above legislators, bear in mind that individuals will normally have the greatest impact with those legislators who directly represent them.

Ken Stevens
Legislative Committee chair
Columbia democratic Club

Delegation set to hear proposal for a revenue authority

Baltimore Sun

11 other local propositions also to be considered

By Larry Carson
Sun Staff
Originally published November 9, 2004

The Robey administration wants to create a quasi-governmental revenue authority in Howard County that would have the power to sell bonds to build, buy or operate facilities from parking garages to the Merriweather Post Pavilion.

The bill is among 12 local proposals -- ranging from increasing marriage license fees to financing domestic abuse programs, to allowing the school board to charge more for community use of buildings and fields -- set for consideration by the county's General Assembly delegation. A public hearing is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., Nov. 30 in the County Council chambers in Ellicott City.

In case you missed it

From the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC):

DEMOCRATS AT THE STATE LEGISLATIVE LEVEL BUCK NATIONAL TRENDS AND MAKE GAINS

At the state legislative level Democrats picked up a net of at least 3 chambers in last night's elections.

Of the 98 partisan controlled legislative chambers, Democrats went into the 2004 elections in control of 44 chambers, Republicans controlled 53 chambers and 1 chamber was tied. After last night, Democrats now control 47 chambers, Republicans control 49 chambers, 1 chamber is tied and 1 chamber (Montana House) still has undecided elections which may impact partisan control.

Public Hearing Announcement

The following message was just sent to me by Del. Neil Quinter. I'll try to find out what local bills may be under consideration. - Ken Stevens

The Howard County Delegation will hold a public hearing on Tuesday,
November 30, on the attached timely filed local bills . The hearing
will be held at 7:30 in the Banneker Room of the George Howard Building,
Ellicott City.

Delegate Neil Quinter
Chair, Howard County Delegation
Maryland House of Delegates

Local Questions A and B both endorsed by CDC

Both of these questions that are endorsed by the club would amend the Howard County Charter with regard to the County Council. Question A would enable the Council by ordinance to provide for the filling of vacancies among its membership by special election. In the event that no such ordinance was enacted, the present system (whereby appointees could serve for up to four years right past an election) would remain in place. The present system would also remain in place if Question A was not approved. Question B simply gives the Council the same power as the Executive to remove members of county boards or commissions where it had made the appointment. It should be noted that the Baltimore Sun has also endorsed both questions.

Ken Stevens
Legislative chair

One win and one loss on Charter Amendments for CDC

Considering that the two Republicans on the Howard County Council were only willing to permit two of the Charter Review Commission's 16 proposed amendments on the ballot, CDC might have lucked out in getting one of the two we supported past them. Four affirmative votes were needed for approval of any such amendments, so the minority on the Council had the veto power in this instance and they used it repeatedly and with little comment after seeing their own tax cap amendment revised to the point that they were unwilling to support it. Council member Merdon expressed a concern about not wanting to confuse the voters with too many questions. But 13 of the 16 proposals were so non-controversial that nobody at all testifed against them at the hearing held in June. It seems unlikely that the voters would have had all that much trouble understanding more than just two of them come election time.

The one of CDC's that they were willing to join the three Democrats in supporting would permit the Council by ordinance to provide for special elections to fill vacancies in their body. It will be on the ballot in November along with one that enables the Council to remove any of their appointees to county boards or commissions.

Among the 14 that failed to get past the Republican roadblock was the other one that CDC had supported in testimony at the hearing. It would have required successful referendum seekers to obtain the signatures of five percent of the county's steadily increasing total of registered voters instead of as little as 5000 signatures. Our concern was that, as time passes, getting that 5000 would become steadily easier and eventually too easy. But apparently, some people like it that way.

There could conceivably be a third ballot question for county voters. But that would only happen if those pushing for a tax cap succeed in getting 10,000 signatures on their petitions. We'll soon know if they've succeeded.