I had my final two bill hearings last week. Other bills have been voted out of committee and headed to the House Floor while still others have passed the House and are now in the Senate. My remaining bills are still in committee, and I will continue to update you on their progress.

My Bill Hearings
Forest Preservation and Retention HB 723 (SB 526). Based on the findings of the recently released Hughes Study Report, this bill updates forest goals and definitions to provide clarity and reflect new data, protects and conserves more forest land and tree canopy, and gives local governments significantly greater flexibility to pursue solutions that meet local needs and advance equity.

Water Utilities - Shut Off Protections (Water Access for All Protection Act) HB 893 (SB 883). Recognizing access to clean safe water as a human right, this bill prevents water utilities from shutting off service for Maryland's most vulnerable residents, and generally prohibits the sale of residential property solely to enforce a tax lien from unpaid water bills. My Chief of Staff, Gretchen Zekiel, presented the bill to the Committee. She did a great job!

My Bills Voted Out of Committee & Headed to a House Floor Vote
Water Affordability Assistance HB 538 (SB 380) ensures that residents who need financial assistance to afford their water bills are not penalized by having this assistance deemed taxable income, protecting possible loss of income eligibility for such key programs as SNAP or Medicaid.
Person in a Position-of-Authority HB 226 (SB 21) closes a loophole in our law to protect minors by expanding the definition of a person in authority prohibited to engage in sexual acts with a minor from just an employee of a school to include others who are in a position of authority with our children, such as private tutors, music teachers, and sports coaches.
Black Bear Conflict Reduction and Damage Reimbursement Fund HB 378 (SB 310) updates the Black Bear Damage Restitution Fund to be a proactive tool to fund conflict avoidance and increases the funding for damage restitution.

My Bills Passed in the House & Now in the Senate
Snares, Traps, and Other Similar Devices HB 406 (SB 275) requires a free Department of Natural Resources identification number before using a snare, a trap, or other similar device to capture wildlife, promoting more humane treatment of these animals and protecting trappers who abide by the law.
Antimicrobial Report Date Change Amendment HB 516 amends the law to change the report date of use of antimicrobial drugs in cattle and swine, in order to improve accuracy and ease compliance. 

In the News
Here's an interesting article from Cyberscoop on Biometric Privacy legislation for which I was interviewed. My Biometrics Data Privacy Bill (HB 33) as well as my Omnibus Privacy Bill (HB 807) are among those introduced in about a dozen states that would include setting guardrails for companies’ ability to collect and sell consumers’ biometric data such as fingerprints and images of their faces. You can read more here.