Senator Eckardt, Legislative Update

Senator Adelaide Eckardt, District 37 Legislative Weekly Update February 8, 2017 At the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Basketball Classic recognizing Rev. George Ames who was awarded the MLK Image Award for Cambridge. Pictured left to right – Delegate Johnny Mautz, Rev. George Ames, Talbot County Council member Corey Pack, and County Council President Jennifer Williams.

GOVERNOR'S VETO - CLEAN ENERGY ACT Last week after much debate concerning the unintended consequences of SB 921 from last year, the House of Delegates and the Senate voted to override the Governor’s veto on the Clean Energy Act of 2016 (SB 921). The Clean Energy Act would increase the state’s renewable electricity requirement from 20% by 2022 to 25% by 2020. This bill puts an unnecessary burden on to the taxpayers in Maryland as it is estimated that the rate of electricity bills will be affected. This change also has opened the door for large solar businesses to purchase active farm land to establish large solar energy facilities. Since the Public Service Commission authorizes these projects, citizens have organized to voice concerns for local control. From my perspective the increase passed last year is premature and artificially accelerates the development of these large solar fields on the Shore before the  technology matures in the solar energy industry. An alternate might be to provide incentives to build the facilities in designated Brownfields, greyfields, shopping center parking lots and for retrofitting poultry house roofs instead of subsidies for active farmland. I was proud to stand with Governor Hogan and voted to sustain the Governor’s veto of SB 921. COWNOSE RAYS LEGISLATION UPDATE Senate Bill 268, Cownose Ray Fishing Tournaments – Prohibition would prohibit those from conducting or participating in cownose ray fishing tournaments in Maryland. This proposed legislation has sparked debate in both the House and Senate. The banning of cownose ray tournaments may have unintended consequences to the marine populations and businesses in Maryland, especially the Eastern Shore. Cownose rays are known predators of oysters, soft shell crabs, and clams. According to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation study, in two separate oyster replenishment projects, over 1.650 million newly planted oysters were devoured by the rays. Watermen have expressed concern over the cownose rays and their harmful impact to shellfish in the Bay and destruction of the growing Bay Grasses. It was debated as to whether the Tournaments have been a population management tool. An amendment was adopted that would develop a two-year moratorium on the tournaments and directs the Department of Natural Resources to complete a study on the cownose ray population and recommend a management strategy. ECKARDT INTROUCES SENATE BILL 622 Senator Eckardt has introduced Senate Bill 622 – Sale & Use Tax – Tax-Free Period for Back-to-School Shopping – Sale of Backpacks & Bookbags. This proposed legislation would include the backpacks and bookbags among the list of items during Tax-Free Week in Maryland (every August). SB 622 has received bipartisan support from my fellow Senators. BILL HEARINGS All committee hearings are live-streamed on the Maryland General Assembly website. If you are unable to attend the meetings, please visit http://mgaleg.maryland.gov to stay updated.   State Retirement and Pension System-Guaranteed Retirement Income Plan and Retirement Savings Plan On February 16, I will be presenting to the Senate Pensions Subcommittee a proposal for a new Pension System for the state of Maryland. This system is modeled off of the current Montgomery County Pension Plan. This plan would allow employees to choose between the current and proposed pension system. This plan will help with the recruitment of future state employees.   Income Tax – Income Tax - Credit for Nurse Practitioner or Licensed Physician in Preceptorship Program - Alterations – (Emergency Bill) On February 22, the Senate Budget & Taxation Committee will discuss this emergency bill.  This legislation would clarify last year’s bill language so that the tax credit can be made available for the Nurse Practitioners.