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MGPA Legislative Update
Your membership dollars make it possible for Maryland Grain farmers to have representation in Annapolis during the legislative session. Our Executive Director, Lindsay Thompson serves as the voice for the best interest of Maryland grain farmers.
HB178/SB497 - State Designations - State Spirit - Maryland Rye
Delegate Reznik & Senator Hershey
Designating Maryland Rye or Maryland Rye Whiskey as the State spirit.
PASSED the HOUSE
MGPA Supports HB178
HB230/SB224- Department of the Environment - Zero-Emission Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles - Regulations (Clean Trucks Act of 2023)
Delegate Love
This bill requires the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) to adopt regulations establishing requirements for the sale of new zero-emission medium and heavy-duty vehicles in the State. The regulations may update existing regulations and incorporate by reference the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) vehicle standards, as revised and updated. “Heavy duty vehicle” means a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight (GVW) rating equal to or greater than 26,001 pounds (lbs). A “medium duty vehicle” is a vehicle with a GVW rating of between 10,000 and 26,000 lbs.
PASSED THE SENATE
MGPA is nuetral with amendments
HB253/SB262 - Environment - On-Farm Composting Facilities - Permit Exemption
Delegate Shetty & Senator Gallion
Requiring the Department of the Environment to adopt regulations to exempt an on-farm composting facility from the requirement to obtain a permit if the on-farm composting facility uses 40,000 square feet of area or less for active food scrap composting, composts only certain materials, records the amount and source of the feedstock composted and the date and time the feedstock arrived on the farm, retains the records for 3 years, and meets any other condition for a permit exemption specified in regulations.
PASSED BOTH CHAMBERS
MGPA Supports HB253/SB262
HB319/SB158 - Pesticide Registration - PFAS Testing - Requirements
Delegate Stein & Senator Hettleman
Prohibiting, beginning January 1, 2024, the Secretary of Agriculture from registering a pesticide for use against mosquitoes in the State unless the distributor of the pesticide submits to the Department test results indicating the pesticide has passed the PFAS test and an affidavit attesting to the legitimacy of the PFAS test results; and prohibiting, beginning January 1, 2026, the Secretary from registering a pesticide for use in the State unless PFAS test results and a certain affidavit are submitted by the distributor.
THIS BILL HAS BEEN CONVERTED TO A STUDY
MGPA opposes HB319/SB158
HB378/SB310 - Natural Resources - Black Bear Conflict Reduction and Damage Reimbursement Fund - Uses
Delegates Love, Lehman, and T. Morgan
Altering the Black Bear Damage Reimbursement Fund to authorize grants from the Fund to be made for projects that reduce conflicts between black bears and humans; renaming the Black Bear Damage Reimbursement Fund to be the Black Bear Conflict Reduction and Damage Reimbursement Fund; increasing the minimum and maximum amounts of reimbursement from the Fund per person annually authorized for damage caused by black bears; requiring the Governor to include at least $50,000 in the annual budget bill for the Fund.
PASSED BOTH CHAMBERS
MGPA supports HB378/SB310 with amendments to alter the limits on funding.
HB389/SB34 - Department of Agriculture - State Specialist for Value-Added Agriculture
Delegate T. Morgan & Senator Hester
Establishing the State Ombudsman for Value-Added Agriculture as a position in the Department of Agriculture.
PASSED BOTH CHAMBERS
MGPA Supports HB389/SB34
SB225/HB499 - Environment - Publicly Owned Treatment Works - PFAS Monitoring
Requiring publicly owned treatment facilities to monitor and report levels of PFAS in effluent, influent, and biosolids.
WITHDRAWN
For information only.
HB983/SB327 - Hunting, Wildlife Conservation, and Outdoor Recreation - Funding, Promotion, Management, Licenses, Permits, and Stamps
Altering the purpose of the Heritage Conservation Fund to include acquiring interests in land that can be used by the general public for hunting; establishing the Wildlife Conservation, Education, and Outreach Program to provide outreach and foster an interest in outdoor recreation and stewardship, hunting, and wildlife conservation; establishing a stamp for hunting sika deer; authorizing a nonresident attending a college or university in the State to purchase a resident hunting license. This bill also authorizes migratory waterfowl hunting on Sundays.
PASSED BOTH CHAMBERS AS AMENDED
MGPA Supports HB983/SB327 with an amendment to remove the Sunday waterfowl hunting provision.
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