Governor Larry Hogan’s Robust 2017 Legislative Agenda

32 Specific Initiatives to Change Maryland for the Better 

More Jobs for Marylanders Act of 2017 

• Legislation that will create thousands of jobs by eliminating all state taxes for ten years for new manufacturers and providing income tax credits for existing manufacturers that create jobs in high unemployment areas. 

Road Kill Bill Repeal 

• Legislation to repeal the disastrous Road Kill Bill, which cancels top priority projects in jurisdictions across the state. 

P-TECH Expansion 

• Budgetary action that will provide funding for six new P-TECH high schools throughout the state. 

Public Charter School Act of 2017 

• Legislation that will create the Maryland Public Charter School Authority, an independent statewide public charter school authorizer, and establish budgetary and staffing autonomy for public charter schools. 

Education Innovation Fund 

• Budgetary action that allocates $1 million to provide planning grants to seed education innovation throughout the state. 

Maryland Partnership for Workforce Quality 

• Budgetary action that allocates $1 million toward the Maryland Partnership for Workforce Quality program to encourage more businesses to invest in employee training. 

Cybersecurity Investment Incentive Program 

• Legislation to grow and continue Maryland’s standing as a cybersecurity leader, provides tax credit accessibility to investors in cybersecurity startups. 

Cyber Jobs Training Grants 

• Budgetary action that invests $3 million to provide funding for cyber job training grants, modeled after the EARN Maryland program. 

Student Debt Relief Act of 2017

• Legislation that allows Marylanders to deduct 100% of the interest paid on their student loan debt from their Maryland income tax return. 

Clean Cars Act of 2017

• Legislation that reauthorizes the Electric Vehicle (EV) Tax Credit and EV Charging Station Rebate programs. 

Clean Water Commerce Act of 2017 

• Legislation that allows $10 million of the Bay Restoration Fund to be used to purchase nutrient reduction credits. 

Maryland Energy Innovation Institute 

• Legislation that will create the Maryland Energy Innovation Institute through collaboration between the University of Maryland Energy Research Center and the Maryland Clean Energy Center. 

Common Sense Spending Act of 2017 

• Legislation that addresses mandated spending, which accounts for 83% of Maryland’s own source revenues, and ensures that future budgets prioritize key expenditures while giving leaders the flexibility to trim excessive cost increases that exceed revenues. 

Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2017 

• Legislation that will save excess revenues in strong economic times to prepare for times when more flexibility is needed; places a cap on the estimate on non-withholding revenues assumed in the budget process. 

Hometown Heroes Act 

• Legislation that exempts retired law enforcement, fire, rescue, or emergency response personnel from state tax on the retirement income specific to their service as a first responder. 

Military Retirement Income Tax Exemption 

• Legislation that exempts military retirees from state tax on their military retirement income. 

Taxpayer Protection Act 

• Legislation that strengthens the ability of the Office of the Comptroller to prevent tax fraud, protect taxpayer information, and hold fraudulent filers and tax preparers accountable. 

Common Sense Paid Leave Act 

• Legislation benefiting Maryland workers without hurting small business job creators by requiring businesses with 50 or more employees to offer paid sick leave, and providing tax incentives to businesses with under 50 employees that choose to offer these benefits. 

State Retirement Choice Act for the 21st Century Workforce 

• Legislation that creates an optional defined contribution retirement savings plan for new state employees. Employees and the state would each contribute 5% to the employee’s individual retirement account. 

Repeat Sexual Predator Prevention Act of 2017 

• Legislation that allows courts to admit evidence of a defendant’s prior history of sexual assault during prosecution for subsequent sexual offenses. 

Protecting Victims of Sex Trafficking Act of 2017 

• Legislation that further defines sexual abuse to include sex trafficking, regardless of whether the sexual abuse was committed by a parent or any other person who has responsibility for supervision of a child. 

Repeat Drunk Driving Offenders Act of 2017 

• Legislation that makes drunk driving a felony offense for those with three or more prior convictions. 

Public Integrity Act of 2017 

• Legislation that prohibits legislators from pushing or effecting legislation that directly benefits their employer or a business they own; prohibits executive branch staff and legislative staff from lobbying for one year after they leave state service; and prohibits any individual employed by a lobbying firm from being appointed to a state board or commission. 

Legislative Transparency Act of 2017 

• Legislation that calls for all General Assembly meetings to be livestreamed. 

Liquor Board Reform Act of 2017 

• Legislation that provides much-needed oversight and transparency surrounding the liquor board appointment process. 

Redistricting Reform Act of 2017 

• Legislation that institutes a nonpartisan redistricting process to ensure free and fair elections. 

Distribution of Opioids Resulting in Death Act 

• Legislation that creates a felony, punishable by up to 30 years, for individuals who distribute an opioid or opioid analog, the use of which causes the death of another. 

Prescriber Limits Act 

• Legislation that limits the duration of prescription opioids prescribed upon the initial consultation or treatment to a 7-day supply, except for when the opioid is prescribed for the treatment of pain associated with a cancer diagnosis or a terminal illness, or to treat a substance-related disorder. 

Overdose Prevention Act 

• Legislation that authorizes local fatality review teams to review non-fatal overdose data in addition to the fatal overdose data they currently review. 

State Finance and Procurement – Small and Minority Business Participation 

• Legislation that will increase minority business participation in state procurement. 

Promoting Efficiencies in State Procurement 

• Legislation that streamlines the procurement process by raising the small procurement threshold to $50,000 generally and $100,000 for the Maryland Department of General Services and Maryland Department of Transportation construction projects. 

Improving the State Procurement Oversight Structure 

• Legislation that revamps procurement oversight by altering the duties and membership of the Procurement Advisory Council.