NEWS & VIEWS continued
You get the 2018 Maryland legislative session! T e Maryland General Assembly convened on
Wed. Jan. 10 and adjourned on Monday, April 9 - three months of nail biting high drama! It is not easy to pass legislation, and barely 28% of this year’s bills made it through the process; the system is intentionally deliberative – and that is a good thing, as it helps to avert capriciously en- acted laws. Governor Larry Ho- gan has until May 28 to sign or veto the 889 bills passed in 2018.
On behalf of horse people and the equine industry, the Maryland Horse Council Legisla- tive Committee reviewed all the bills this session, ultimately monitoring the progress of about 40 bills under a variety of topics, from natural resources to agriculture, from taxes to criminal law. Serving on the committee were president Neil Agate, vice president Steuart Pitt- man,
former president
Jane Seigler, former secretary Crystal Brumme Pickett, Christy Clagett, Jennifer Webster, Gale Monahan, Joanne Stone, Joseph Scott Michael, Jacquie Cowan, and Kim Egan Rutter. T e committee met weekly via conference call to discuss developments and the progress of bills; developments on bills can happen in com- mittee, on the fl oor and in back halls. MHC’s registered lobbyist, Frank D. Boston, Jr., was a critical resource at all stages.
Members of the committee visited legislators and testifi ed at committee hearings in support of or opposition to some bills of concern. Offi - cial MHC letters in support of or opposition to legislation were crafted and submitted. Mem- bers of the equestrian community were encour- aged and recruited to attend certain hearings and testify. Not surprisingly, MHC stared down yet
another broad bill that would have expanded Sunday wildlife hunting. For almost 20 years, MHC has lobbied for fair use of shared natural resources, which in essence means retaining some window of fi rearm- free access to public lands during gunning season, for all non-fi rearm users of natural resources. Meanwhile, MHC works with the Maryland Farm Bureau and other hunting groups to ensure eff ective deer management controls, supporting programs such as crop damage permits (allowing farm- ers to harvest as many deer as possible with the most eff ective weapons of choice). Unlike in prior years, however, the scope of this year’s “Sunday Hunting” bill far exceeded
14 | THE EQUIERY | JUNE 2018
Laurel Winter-Spring Titles Claudio Gonzalez earned the Lead-
ing Trainer title for Laurel Park’s 60-day winter-spring meet, while journeyman Jorge Vargas, Jr., earned the Leading Jockey title.
expanding opportunities for deer fi rearms hunters; this year’s bills included broad provi- sions for bow hunters and waterfowl hunters – not areas in which MHC has developed a policy position. T e committee was reluctant to take a policy position on these hunting aspects without greater input from MHC’s member- ship, and was able to successfully defeat the bills without having to do so. Look for more discussion on this topic before next year’s Maryland General Assembly convenes. Meanwhile, the MHC Legislative Commit- tee is deeply indebted to Frank Boston for his guidance and his critical assistance helping MHC build infl uential relation- ships in Annapolis. Bills which passed
and are of interest to our community in- clude:
• HB 7 & HB 119: Supporting Programs T at Support Eff ec-
tive Deer Harvesting - Venison Tax Credit MHC is actively supportive of eff ective deer
harvesting programs, and likewise supportive of shared use of natural resources, which usu- ally means limiting recreational deer hunting with fi rearms in favor of more eff ective meth- ods. HB 7 provides a $50 tax credit to off set expenses associated with processing venison for food banks and HB 119 allows holders of crop damage permits in Calvert County to hunt deer with fi rearms throughout the year (in some counties, farmers are restricted to the weapon in season, which is not the most eff ective means of reducing deer herds).
• HB 198: Inheritance Tax & Perpetual Conservation Easements T is bill expands the exemption from in-
heritance tax for land that is in certain types of perpetual conservation easements to in-
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clude nieces and nephews of the deceased.
• HB 212: Ownership Ban for Convicted Animal Abusers T is allows a judge, as a condition of sen- tencing, to prohibit a defendant convicted
of certain crimes relating to cruelty against animals from owning, possessing, or residing with an animal for a specifi ed period of time.
• HB 1177: Racing Anti-Doping Compact T is bill will enter Maryland into the Inter- state Anti-Doping and Drug Testing Stan- dards Compact, to facilitate joint action to create more uniform and eff ective breed spe- cifi c rules on the permitted and prohibited use of drugs and medications for the welfare of the horse. It also establishes an Interstate Anti-Doping and Drug Testing Standards Compact Commission to administer the Compact, and provides for the composition, voting procedures, operation, and powers and duties of the Commission.
• HB 1721: Preakness & International In- centives Altering the amount available for a purse for the Maryland International T orough- bred race by specifying the amount is up to $500,000; specifying that the Maryland In- ternational is a graded stakes race; authoriz- ing the Maryland International to continue to be conducted after June 30, 2019; requiring that certain money distributed to the Racing Special Fund and paid for certain purposes remain available for those purposes and may not be used for any other purpose, etc.
• SB 610: Forest Conservation Task Force Passed as a task force only to study altering
the reforestation ratio in a priority retention area to a ratio of 1:1; requiring developers to retain priority retention areas in an undis- turbed condition unless the permit applicant has provided certain written justifi cation. T e Task Force is required to develop fi ndings and recommendations regarding forest con- servation in Maryland and to report to the Governor and the General Assembly by De- cember 1, 2018, and is authorized to consult with the Chesapeake Bay Program, the U.S. Forest Service, and certain governmental en- tities and academic institutions.
• SB 851: Injured Jockey Fund T is bill requires that each licensed own- er and trainer be a member of the Mary- land Jockey Injury Compensation Fund; it also closed a loophole by adding trainers to the defi nition of employer.
• SB 1140: MD Ag Land Preservation Fund T is bill clarifi es that the term “children” applies also to step-children for the release of a lot from ag easement restrictions.
Maryland Horse Council works hard for you! Join today to make sure your voice is heard, and help us get ready for 2019!
800-244-9580 |
www.equiery.com
Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club
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