Montgomery Co). This bill would establish a chicken manure pollution fee of five cents per chicken payable to the Comptroller by a poultry integrator. It would also require the Comptroller to transfer revenue from the fee to the Maryland Agriculture Water Quality Cost Share Program in the Department of Agriculture for cover crop activities. Despite the fact that the Governor has stated that he will veto such a bill, and the House bill has been withdrawn, the Senator from Montgomery County is moving forward with Senate Bill 725.
As a result of this absurd bill, I have sponsored Senate Bill 1071 (Montgomery County and Prince George’s County Fair Share Act of 2014). This bill would require the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) to impose on every year a sewage and sludge remediation charge to WSSC rate payers. It would also require the Montgomery County Council and the Prince George’s County Council to meet each year to determine the amount of the sewage and sludge remediation charge. It would require the councils to consider certain anticipated costs when determining the amount of sewage and sludge. The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission provides water and sewer service to Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties. There are areas of their sewage collection system that illegally discharges sludge into the Potomac River and that are subject to numerous sewage spills caused by a variety of factors, including excessive stormwater runoff and flooding, power outages, and line breaks, etc. For the years 2010 through 2013, WSSC reported 42.2 million gallons of sewage spills, which is an average of 10.5 million gallons per year (or 28,800) gallons per day). My bill would create a $1 Billion Sewage and Sludge Remediation fund to be paid for by Montgomery and Prince George’s County WSSC ratepayers to address their sewage spills.
Senator Madaleno’s Senate Bill 725 is just the latest attack on the Eastern Shore agriculture and seafood industries. Over the span of 28 General Assembly Sessions, I have witnessed Montgomery and Prince George’s County legislators introduce countless short-sighted measures that would cripple or eliminate the Shore’s two most important industries. Senate Bill 1071 will help these two urban Washington D.C. counties to be held accountable for their part in the Bay clean-up.
Several bills that I have sponsored will be heard next week:
Senate Bill 476 (Criminal Procedure – Seeking Medical Assistance for Another who Ingested Alcohol or Drugs – Minor) will be heard in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee (JPR) on Tuesday, February 25 at 1:00. This bill would provide that a minor who, in good faith, seeks medical assistance for another person who is experiencing a medical emergency after ingesting alcohol or drugs may not be charged with or prosecuted for drug possession or underage possession of alcohol. This bill can be compared to a law that grants immunity to mothers who give their babies away for better homes without any criminal charges.
Senate Bill 763 (Talbot County – Child Support Enforcement Administration – Transfer of Personnel) will be heard in the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday, February 27 at 1:00. This bill would transfer the functions, powers, duties, and personnel of the Talbot County Department of Social Services Office of Child Support Enforcement to the Talbot County Child Support Enforcement Administration on July 1, 2014. It will also require that each transferred employee be given credit for previous time and to be able to retain their annual sick leave credit and service credit in the Employees’ Pension System.
Senate Bill 764 (Caroline County – Volunteer Fire Companies – storage of Alcoholic Beverages) will be heard in the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs (EHEA) Committee on Tuesday, February 25 at 1:00. This bill would authorize volunteer fire companies in Caroline County to store alcoholic beverages on the licensed premises in between licensed events in a locked secure area. It would also require a license holder to keep records of alcoholic beverages on the licensed premises for two years.
Senate Bill 29 (State Designations – State Sandwich – Soft-Shell Crab Sandwich) will be heard in the Senate EHEA Committee on Friday, February 28 at 1:00. This bill would designate the soft-shell crab sandwich as the State sandwich. Soft-shell crab sandwiches are generally quite simple. A traditional sandwich consists of a breaded and fried soft-shell crab between two slices of white bread or toast. Lettuce and tomato are common additions; as well as lemon, Old Bay seasoning, or some tartar sauce. The focus of the sandwich is the sweet and savory meat of the crab and the crunch of the soft shell.
The soft-shell crab is a culinary term for crabs which have recently molted their old exoskeleton and are still soft. This means that almost the entire animal can be eaten, with the exceptions of the mouthparts, the gills and the abdomen, which must be discarded. The remaining edible part of the crab is typically deep fried, pan fried or broiled.
As a result of this absurd bill, I have sponsored Senate Bill 1071 (Montgomery County and Prince George’s County Fair Share Act of 2014). This bill would require the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) to impose on every year a sewage and sludge remediation charge to WSSC rate payers. It would also require the Montgomery County Council and the Prince George’s County Council to meet each year to determine the amount of the sewage and sludge remediation charge. It would require the councils to consider certain anticipated costs when determining the amount of sewage and sludge. The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission provides water and sewer service to Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties. There are areas of their sewage collection system that illegally discharges sludge into the Potomac River and that are subject to numerous sewage spills caused by a variety of factors, including excessive stormwater runoff and flooding, power outages, and line breaks, etc. For the years 2010 through 2013, WSSC reported 42.2 million gallons of sewage spills, which is an average of 10.5 million gallons per year (or 28,800) gallons per day). My bill would create a $1 Billion Sewage and Sludge Remediation fund to be paid for by Montgomery and Prince George’s County WSSC ratepayers to address their sewage spills.
Senator Madaleno’s Senate Bill 725 is just the latest attack on the Eastern Shore agriculture and seafood industries. Over the span of 28 General Assembly Sessions, I have witnessed Montgomery and Prince George’s County legislators introduce countless short-sighted measures that would cripple or eliminate the Shore’s two most important industries. Senate Bill 1071 will help these two urban Washington D.C. counties to be held accountable for their part in the Bay clean-up.
Several bills that I have sponsored will be heard next week:
Senate Bill 476 (Criminal Procedure – Seeking Medical Assistance for Another who Ingested Alcohol or Drugs – Minor) will be heard in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee (JPR) on Tuesday, February 25 at 1:00. This bill would provide that a minor who, in good faith, seeks medical assistance for another person who is experiencing a medical emergency after ingesting alcohol or drugs may not be charged with or prosecuted for drug possession or underage possession of alcohol. This bill can be compared to a law that grants immunity to mothers who give their babies away for better homes without any criminal charges.
Senate Bill 763 (Talbot County – Child Support Enforcement Administration – Transfer of Personnel) will be heard in the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday, February 27 at 1:00. This bill would transfer the functions, powers, duties, and personnel of the Talbot County Department of Social Services Office of Child Support Enforcement to the Talbot County Child Support Enforcement Administration on July 1, 2014. It will also require that each transferred employee be given credit for previous time and to be able to retain their annual sick leave credit and service credit in the Employees’ Pension System.
Senate Bill 764 (Caroline County – Volunteer Fire Companies – storage of Alcoholic Beverages) will be heard in the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs (EHEA) Committee on Tuesday, February 25 at 1:00. This bill would authorize volunteer fire companies in Caroline County to store alcoholic beverages on the licensed premises in between licensed events in a locked secure area. It would also require a license holder to keep records of alcoholic beverages on the licensed premises for two years.
Senate Bill 29 (State Designations – State Sandwich – Soft-Shell Crab Sandwich) will be heard in the Senate EHEA Committee on Friday, February 28 at 1:00. This bill would designate the soft-shell crab sandwich as the State sandwich. Soft-shell crab sandwiches are generally quite simple. A traditional sandwich consists of a breaded and fried soft-shell crab between two slices of white bread or toast. Lettuce and tomato are common additions; as well as lemon, Old Bay seasoning, or some tartar sauce. The focus of the sandwich is the sweet and savory meat of the crab and the crunch of the soft shell.
The soft-shell crab is a culinary term for crabs which have recently molted their old exoskeleton and are still soft. This means that almost the entire animal can be eaten, with the exceptions of the mouthparts, the gills and the abdomen, which must be discarded. The remaining edible part of the crab is typically deep fried, pan fried or broiled.
1 comment:
God bless you, Senator. I lived and worked in Montgomery County (MC) for 38 years and, upon retirement 15 years ago, left immediately. Why? In very large part, because of the pervasive, mean-spirited arrogance of left wing extremists disguised as the champions of good-governence. Nonsense. Over the years, I took note of the extent to which MC blamed other jurisdictions for MD's ills, while drafting and/or supporting legislation that clearly benefited MC and the other DC suburb, Prince Georges County, often to the detriment of other areas of MD. What I never understood was why smaller county's let themselves be pushed around by the MC bullies. It's great to see that's no longer the case.
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