Every year, the Maryland Catholic Conference works on about 75 bills introduced during the Maryland General Assembly's regular legislative session, which begins in January and ends in April. Below is an update of some of the most pressing issues the Conference was involved with during this year's session, which ended Monday, April 7.
Last updated: Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Area |
Legislation |
Summary |
Conference Position
|
Status |
Child Protection |
Notification of Student "Reportable Offenses" (HB 75/SB 238) |
Allows law enforcement to notify nonpublic school superintendents or principals if a student has been arrested for a sexual or violent crime. |
SUPPORT |
Passed House and Senate; awaiting signature by the governor |
Education |
Textbook/Technology Program
|
Program funds nonreligious textbooks and computer hardware and software for more than 93,000 students at more than 350 nonpublic schools. |
SUPPORT
|
Funding increased by $1 million, to $4.6 million in FY 2009. |
Education |
Quality Teacher Incentive Tax Credit (SB 388) |
Allows nonpublic school teachers to access $1,500 state income tax credit for maintaining or advancing their state certification. |
SUPPORT |
Died in committee |
Education |
BOAST Maryland Tax Credit (SB 373/HB 812) |
Grants state income tax credits of 75% to businesses that donate to scholarship organizations for nonpublic school students or innovative educational organizations for public school students. |
SUPPORT
|
Passed Senate by 30-17; not brought to a vote in House Ways and Means Committee |
Marriage |
Maryland's Marriage Protection Act (SB 169/HB 1345) |
A constitutional amendment to protect marriage as the union of one man and one woman. It would need voter approval in statewide referendum. |
SUPPORT
|
Died in committee |
Marriage |
Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act (SB 290/HB 351) |
Legalizes same-sex marriage in Maryland. |
OPPOSE |
Died in committee
|
Marriage |
Domestic Partnerships/Medical Decision Making (SB 566/HB 733) |
Grants unmarried couples status equivalent to that of married couples in the health statute. |
OPPOSE |
Passed Senate and House; awaiting governor's signature |
Marriage |
Civil Unions/Domestic Partnerships (HB 570, HB 1112, HB 1174) |
Authorize same-sex couples (or in some cases, any two individuals) to enter into civil unions or domestic partnerships and grant those relationships legal status that is equivalent to marriage. |
OPPOSE |
Died in committee |
Marriage |
Domestic Partnerships for all couples (SB 689) |
Abolishes all civil marriage in Maryland and creates domestic partnerships for all couples, whether heterosexual or homosexual. |
OPPOSE |
Died in committee |
Marriage |
Domestic Partnerships for recordation and transfer taxes (SB 597/HB 746) and the inheritance tax (SB 523/HB 668) |
Creates definition of domestic partner in law and gives domestic partnerships marriage-equivalency status in various parts of tax law. |
OPPOSE |
SB 597 passed House and Senate; SB 523 died in committee |
Area |
Legislation |
Summary |
Conference Position |
Status |
Bioethics |
Maryland Revised Anatomical Gift Act (SB 766/HB 906) |
Improves process of and encourages support for organ donation; creates registry of organ donors |
SUPPORT WITH AMENDMENTS |
Passed House and Senate; awaiting governor's signature *The amendments that were made are acceptable to the Conference |
Death Penalty |
Death Penalty Repeal (SB 645/HB 1328) |
Repeals capital punishment in Maryland. |
SUPPORT
|
Died in committee |
Death Penalty |
Commission to Study the Death Penalty (HB 1111/SB 614) |
Establishes commission to study the death penalty in Maryland and make recommendations as to its continued use |
SUPPORT |
Passed House and Senate; awaiting governor's signature |
Pregnancy Support
|
Limited Service Pregnancy Centers - Disclaimers (SB 690/HB 1146) |
Forces pregnancy centers that do not provide or refer for abortions or contraception to tell potential clients that the center is "not required to provide factually accurate information." |
OPPOSE
|
Died in committee |
Pregnancy Support |
Teenage Protection Pilot Program (SB 23/HB 541) |
Requires that abortion clinics in Anne Arundel County give teenagers considering abortion the option of viewing the ultrasound of their baby in the womb. |
SUPPORT |
Died in committee |
Stem Cell Research |
Funding for Stem Cell Research (budget item) |
Provides state funding for stem cell research - including research that destroys human embryos |
OPPOSE |
Funding cut from $23 million to $19 million |
Area |
Legislation |
Summary |
Conference Position |
Status |
Employment |
Flexible Leave Act (SB 344/HB 40) |
Allows workers to use earned sick leave for the illness of an immediate family member. |
SUPPORT |
Passed House and Senate; awaiting governor's signature
|
Health Care |
Kids First Act (HB 1391) |
Improves the State’s outreach to families whose children are eligible for Medicaid or the Maryland Children’s Health Program (MCHP). |
SUPPORT WITH AMENDMENTS |
Passed House and Senate; awaiting governor's signature *Amendments are acceptable to the Conference. |
Housing |
Source of Income Discrimination (HB 1261) |
Prohibits landlords from discrimination against potential tenants based on a lawful source of income (Section 8 vouchers or disability assistance, for example) |
SUPPORT |
Died in committee |
Housing |
Rental Allowance Program (SB 125)
|
Boost's funding for the state's Rental Allowance Program by creating a designated funding source for it. |
SUPPORT |
Passed Senate; died in House committee |
Immigration |
In-State Tuition (SB 591/HB 1236) |
Allows students to receive in-state tuition if they: Attended high school in Maryland for at least two years; they or their parents have had income-tax withheld; sign an affidavit promising to apply for permanent residency status. |
SUPPORT |
Died in committee |
Immigration |
Commission to Study the Impact of Immigrants in Maryland (HB 1602) |
Establishes commission to study both documented and undocumented immigrants and Maryland, including their impact on the economy, public schools, health care and public safety. |
SUPPORT |
Passed House and Senate; awaiting governor's signature |
Poverty |
Hate Crimes Against the Homeless (SB 111/HB 528) |
Expands the definition of hate crime to include attacks on homeless individuals. |
SUPPORT |
Passed Senate; died in House committee |