The 436th session of the Maryland General Assembly began on Wednesday, January 13th and our Caucus members look forward to building upon the success of the Hogan-Rutherford Administration. While so much has already been accomplished, there is still much work to do to change Maryland.
We look forward to working with Governor Hogan as we continue to make Maryland a better place to live, work, raise a family, run a business, and retire!
The good new is that here will not be will not be any taxes in the Governor's budget. In Maryland, things are looking up!
"It is a privilege to serve as Minority Leader and I am appreciative to have the continued support of my colleagues," said Kipke. "We have a talented group of leaders all working to support Governor Hogan's common-sense agenda so that hard working Marylanders can be more prosperous. These are very exciting times for those of us who care about our state."
"This year we arrive in Annapolis ready to build upon the multitude of successes the Hogan-Rutherford Administration has achieved," said Delegate Kathy Szeliga. "While much has been accomplished to date, there is still much work to do as we continue to change Maryland."
Governor Hogan Proposes $480 Million in Tax Relief
Earlier this week, Governor Hogan rolled out his tax relief package for the 2016 session. This package includes $480 million in statewide tax relief measures aimed at retirees, small businesses, working families, and manufacturers.
Coming Next Week: Governor Hogan's Vetoes
Next week, the House of Delegates will take up those bills that were vetoed by the Governor during the interim. Our caucus members support the Governor's vetoes and will work to see that these vetoes are sustained.
* SB 190: Sales and Use Tax - Taxable Price -
Accommodations and HB 209
: Howard County - Room Rental Tax - Room Rental Fee Ho. Co. 12-15; these bills, one on a state level and one on a county level, both apply the sales and use tax to hotel room rentals booked through accommodations intermediaries like Travelocity and Expedia. The question of whether these intermediaries are required to collect and remit sales tax is currently being litigated by the Comptroller of Maryland (Travelocity v. Comptroller). It has been the longstanding practice of the General Assembly not to pass legislation that would directly affect matters being litigated in a pending court case. However, such consideration was not given in this matter, therefore Governor Hogan vetoed these bills.
* SB 340/HB 980: Election Law - Voting Rights - Ex-Felons:
these bills would allow a person convicted of a felony to register to vote upon their release from prison, even if they are still subject to parole and probation. Under current law, once a convicted felon has served their court-ordered sentence, including any terms of parole and probation, their voting rights are restored. Parole and mandatory supervision are conditional releases from incarceration as the released inmate must comply with the conditions of release imposed by the Parole Commission. Violations of those conditions could subject the individual to incarceration. Similarly, a felon on probation would in all likelihood be supervised and have conditions imposed, the violation of which may subject them to incarceration. Current law achieves the proper balance between the repayment of obligations to society for felony convictions and the restoration voting rights, therefore Governor Hogan vetoed these bills.
* SB 517: Criminal Law - Use and Possession of Marijuana and Drug Paraphernalia: During the 2014 Legislative Session, the General Assembly enacted legislation that decriminalized the use and possession of less than 10 grams of marijuana, making this a civil offense subject to a fine. Senate Bill 517 attempted to correct some unintended consequences from that law, but in doing so created legal uncertainties including the elimination of criminal sanctions for the use of marijuana while operating a motor vehicle or in a public setting. Smoking marijuana while driving is a serious threat to public safety. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, after alcohol, marijuana is the next drug most frequently found in crash-involved drivers. Allowing SB 517 to become law leaves State and local law enforcement with no authority to make a traffic stop if they see someone smoking marijuana while driving. The Maryland State's Attorneys' Association, the Maryland Chiefs of Police Association, and the Maryland Sheriffs' Association all support Governor Hogan's veto of this legislation.
* SB 528: Criminal Procedure - Seizure and Forfeiture: Maryland's asset forfeiture law helps to ensure that criminals do not reap any economic benefit from their crimes. SB 528 would greatly inhibit local law enforcement agencies from pursing asset forfeiture from drug dealers. It also imposes new restrictions that would interfere with joint federal and State task forces investigating drug crimes. However, knowing that asset forfeiture laws can sometimes be abused by those in charge of their implementation, Governor Hogan created a workgroup to review the current forfeiture law and make recommendations for changes that prevent abuses, provide protections for innocent persons, and ensure that law enforcement has the enforcement tools it needs to fight illegal drugs.
