NEWS FROM SEN. JACK BAILEY

This week, the Senate passed two bills sponsored by Senator Bailey in support of Maryland’s veterans. 

On Tuesday, Senator Bailey presented Senate Bill 1178 to the Education, Energy, and Environment Committee.  This legislation removes vague language in the statute, creating the Douglas J. J. Peters Veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq Conflicts Scholarship, which was being interpreted to deny some veterans of these conflicts access to this scholarship.  This bill received a favorable report from the Committee at the bill hearing and has since passed the full Senate.

The Senate also passed Senate Bill 712, revising last year’s legislation instituting reporting requirements for State-owned nursing homes, including Charlotte Hall Veterans Home.  This legislation was introduced at the request of the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure that all reports of deficiencies and enforcement actions at these facilities, which are required because of legislation sponsored by Senator Bailey last year, are delivered to the Governor and General Assembly in a timely and efficient manner.

Health Care Facilities and Regulation

SB0974

Status: Passed in both chambers

Primary Sponsor: Senator Bailey

Title: State-Owned Nursing Homes – Deficiencies, Citations, and Fines – Contractor Reporting Requirements

Description: Requiring contractors operating State-owned nursing homes to promptly provide notice of certain deficiencies, enforcement actions, citations, and fines to the Governor, the State agency overseeing the nursing home, certain committees of the General Assembly, and members of the General Assembly who represent the district in which the nursing home is located; etc.

State Government – Agencies, Offices, and Officials

SB0639

Status: Passed in both chambers

Primary Sponsor: Senator Bailey

Title: Historic St. Mary’s City Commission Reform Act of 2023

Description: Altering certain provisions of law governing the Historic St. Mary’s City Commission, including laws relating to membership of the Commission, appointment of certain officers, Commission meeting times, and duties; and specifying the process for the Commission to collaborate with an affiliated nonprofit organization.

Hunting and Fishing

SB0091

Status: Passed in both chambers

Primary Sponsor: Senator Bailey

Title: Natural Resources – Apprentice Hunting License – Alterations

Description: Authorizing the Department of Natural Resources to issue an apprentice hunting license to a person under the age of 17 years who has previously been issued an apprentice hunting license under certain circumstances.

Taxes – Property

SB0061

Status: Passed in both chambers

Primary Sponsor: Senator Bailey

Title: Property Tax Credit – Public Safety Officer

Description: Repealing the definition of “public safety officer” for purposes of a certain credit against the county or municipal corporation property tax imposed on a dwelling owned by a public safety officer; repealing a certain limitation on the amount of the credit; requiring the governing body of a county or municipal corporation that authorizes the credit to establish, by law, the definition of “public safety officer” for purposes of eligibility for the credit; and applying the Act to all taxable years beginning after June 30, 2023.

Hunting and Fishing

SB0080

Status: Passed in both chambers

Primary Sponsor: Senator Bailey

Title: Natural Resources – Blue and Flathead Catfish Finfish Trotline License – Establishment

Description: Establishing a licensing and regulatory scheme to allow the commercial fishing of blue and flathead catfish in the tidal waters of the State using a finfish trotline.

Criminal Law – Substantive Crimes

SB0057

Status: Passed in both chambers

Primary Sponsor: Senator Bailey

Title: Sexual Offenses – Crime of Violence and Lifetime Supervision

Description: Altering the list of crimes included within a certain definition of “crime of violence” to include sexual abuse of a minor if the offender is at least 21 years old and the victim is under the age of 16 years; and requiring a sentence for certain persons convicted of certain sexual abuse crimes to include a term of lifetime sexual offender supervision.

Natural Resources – Generally

SB0010

Status: Passed in both chambers

Primary Sponsor: Senator Bailey

Title: Department of Natural Resources – Documents – Digital or Electronic Issuance

Description: Expanding the requirement that the Department of Natural Resources make available and issue certain licenses and stamps in a digital or electronic format; and providing that, if the Department cannot issue certain licenses, stamps, permits, registrations, or certificates in a digital or electronic format because of federal restrictions, it is the intent of the General Assembly that the Department issue certain licenses, stamps, permits, registrations, or certificates in a digital or electronic format whenever the federal restrictions are eliminated.

State Government – Pensions and Retirement

SB0395

Status: Passed in both chambers

Primary Sponsor: Senator Bailey

Title: State Employee and Retiree Health Benefits – Creditable Service

Description: Requiring the inclusion of all State service while an individual was employed by the State in the Executive, Legislative, or Judicial Branch of government for the purpose of determining eligibility for State retiree health benefits.

SB0275

Status: Passed in both chambers

Primary Sponsor: Senator Bailey

Title: Hunting – Snares, Traps, and Other Similar Devices – Identification Requirement

Description: Requiring a person who is not required to be licensed or permitted under certain provisions of law to obtain a free Department of Natural Resources identification number before using a snare, a trap, or another similar device to capture wildlife; and requiring a person who uses a snare, a trap, or another similar device to capture wildlife to ensure the person’s Department identification number is stamped on the device or on a metal tag affixed to the device.

SB0457

Status: Passed in both chambers

Primary Sponsor: Senator Bailey

Title: St. Mary’s County – Public Facilities Bond

Description: Authorizing and empowering the County Commissioners of St. Mary’s County to borrow not more than $41,000,000 in order to finance the construction, improvement, or development of certain public facilities in St. Mary’s County and to effect such borrowing by the issuance and sale at public or private sale of its general obligation bonds; etc.

SB0102

Status: Passed in both chambers

Primary Sponsor: Senator Bailey

Title: Natural Resources – Recreational Crabbing Gear – Individuals Under the Age of 16 Years

Description: Authorizing an individual under the age of 16 years to use a certain collapsible trap or net ring when catching or attempting to catch crabs in the waters of the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries without a recreational crabbing license.

SB0061

Status: Passed in both chambers

Primary Sponsor: Senator Bailey

Title: Property Tax Credit – Public Safety Officer

Description: Repealing the definition of “public safety officer” for purposes of a certain credit against the county or municipal corporation property tax imposed on a dwelling owned by a public safety officer; repealing a certain limitation on the amount of the credit; requiring the governing body of a county or municipal corporation that authorizes the credit to establish, by law, the definition of “public safety officer” for purposes of eligibility for the credit; and applying the Act to all taxable years beginning after June 30, 2023.