Government Relations Committee, continued...
in the State. It would would also establish the Maryland Trails Advisory Commission in the Department of Transportation to provide guidance to State agencies regarding certain items related to trails. Tis ambitious bill attempts to establish a statewide, coordinated, network of trails for recreation and transportation. Te bill placed a heavy emphasis on bi- cyclists and pedestrians, and contains no mention of equestrians, which we pointed out to the sponsor. At the hearing, the sponsor promised a complete re-working of the bill, due largely to budgetary constraints on funding and staffing the new office and commission. Te bill was not amended and did not cross over, so it is dead for this year.
HB 667/SB 17 would establish that each animal harmed in a violation of a prohibition against animal cruelty is a separate offense; and other sentencing provisions. We support this bill. Te Senate bill was amended to clarify application to domestic and farm animals and passed.
Two Sunday hunting bills: HB 778 which would allow statewide Sunday hunting of Migratory Game Birds, and SB 847 would repeal the 10:30 a.m. time restriction on Sunday hunting in Dorchester County for all game bird and game mammal seasons, failed to cross over.
HB 1358 would establish Gwynns Falls State Park as a partnership park between the Department and Baltimore City. We support this bill. It was amended to instead establish a focus group to study needs and costs for the park. It has passed and is now in Senate.
HB 1388 would add veterinarians to the list of professions for which “a noncompete or conflict of interest provision in an employment con- tract or a similar document or agreement that restricts the ability of an employee to enter into employment with a new employer or to become self–employed in the same or similar business or trade shall be null and void as being against the public policy of the State.” We support this bill.
Te bill was amended to strike the retroactivity clause and make it effec- tive June 1, 2024. Te bill passed and is in the Senate.
HB 1515 is meant to reduce the sales and use tax from 6% to 5%, but ex- tending it to most services, including vets, farriers, equine dentists, legal and accounting services, etc. We oppose this bill. Te bill failed to cross over and the tax on services does not appear to be included in the House budget package.
Other bills we are monitoring include:
HB 337/SB 315 which criminalizes failure to yield to bicycles or re- lated vehicles in a bike lane or shoulder, with imprisonment of up to two months or a fine not to exceed $2,000 or both. Both versions passed and crossed over.
HB 434/SB 1143 exempts certain charitable organizations from the re- quirement to report use of paid lobbyists. House version passed to Senate
HB 447/SB 440 provides a tax credit for the donation of venison to certain organizations. Senate version passed to House
HB 991/SB 1074 and HB 1404/SB 1149 would authorize state (HB 991/SB 1074) or local (HB 1404/SB 1149) regulation and permitting of industrial sludge (DAF - dissolved air flotation by-products) facilities. Such facilities are often sited in rural areas, with little or no regulation. HB 1404 has been withdrawn; its Senate cross-file did not cross over. Both HB 991 and SB 1074 were heavily amended to put jurisdiction in the MD Department of Agriculture and have passed and crossed over.
SB 1035 would promote school-to-apprenticeship programs. Tis bill has passed to House.
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