Senator Addie Eckardt, District 37 Weekly Wrap-Up March 29, 2019

Senator Addie Eckardt, District 37 Weekly Wrap-Up March 29, 2019

This Week In Annapolis We are nearing the end of the 2019 legislative session, with just over one week remaining until the Sine Die date. With that said, there is still plenty of time for bills to move through both chambers and get to Governor Hogan for approval. On March 26th, the Senate unanimously passed HB 100 – Budget Bill (Fiscal Year 2020). This legislation came over from the House of Delegates with some concerns but the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee worked to compromise and prioritize budget items and funding.   SB 311 – End-of-Life Option Act (Richard E. Israel and Roger “Pip” Moyer Act) failed the Senate on second reader with a 23-23 vote on March 27th. This legislation, which would have allowed for an individual to request and receive aid in dying, was confusing with the suggested amendments. I believe that we should focus on our hospice and palliative care facilities, making the end of life easier and more peaceful for all.  On March 28th, both the Senate and the House of Delegates voted to override three of Governor Hogan’s vetoes: SB 280/HB 166 – Labor and Employment – Payment of Wages – Minimum Wage, SB 128 – Community Control of School Calendars Act, and HB 1052 – Alcohol and Tobacco Commission. My colleagues and I remained firm in our support for Governor Hogan and voted to sustain his vetoes but, unfortunately, we were outnumbered and these bills will go into law.

SB 1030 – The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future SB 1030 was heard by the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee and the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee on March 6th. This legislation is based on the recommendations by the Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education (Kirwan Commission). According to the Commission, this bill is intended to transform the State’s early childhood, primary, and secondary education system into a world-class system. Five main policy areas are addressed through this legislation: early support for young children and families, high-quality and diverse teachers and educators, college and career readiness, additional resources and services for those students who need them, and a strong accountability system to make sure the Blueprint is effectively administered. This legislation has not yet been voted on, but there is still time in the legislative session to move this bill through both chambers. An initiative as significant as modernizing our schools must receive the upmost attention in order to succeed. As a member of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, I worked to finalize the Fiscal Year 2020 State Budget that includes $255 million to fund the initial wave of the Kirwan Commission recommendations, contingent on the enactment of SB 1030. The breakdown is as follows (in millions):   Full-day Prekindergarten for Four-year-olds: $31.7 Special Education Grants: $65.5 Concentration of Poverty School Grants: $54.6 Teacher Salary Incentive Grants: $75.0 Transitional Supplemental Instruction Grants: $23.0 Mental Health Coordinators for Each Local School System: $2.0 Teacher Collaboratives: $2.5 Outreach and Training: $0.3 MSDE IT System: $0.5 Funding sources have been identified within the FY 2020 Budget, including the Education Trust Fund, the Kirwan Commission Special fund, and repurposed funds from the Teacher Induction, Retention, and Advancement Pilot Program (TIRA); other sources of revenue will need to be earmarked in future legislative sessions to implement further stages of Kirwan’s recommendations. Some options to be considered would be sports betting revenue, medical marijuana revenue, or sales tax from out-of-state retailers. Our school system remains a top priority but there are still concerns that Kirwan has yet to present the State with a funding formula, a way to divide education costs between the State and the Counties; it is imperative that the rural counties of District 37 are given adequate and full funding in relation to the State’s more urban areas. Additionally, accountability is necessary in order to guarantee that funding given to schools is spent as it is intended. Ultimately, our students deserve the best and I will continue working to guarantee our school systems have everything they need to succeed in an accountable and reasonable fashion.

My Bills This Week On March 25th, three local Dorchester County Sunday hunting bills passed the Senate; supported by constituents and the County, these bills would expand Sunday hunting on private property on certain days. On March 26th, I presented SB 509 – Property Tax – In Rem Foreclosure – Vacant and Abandoned Property to the House Ways and Means Committee. This bill establishes procedures for counties and municipalities to authorize by law a process to initiate a judicial in rem foreclosure proceeding. This would create another tool to address vacant properties and protect homeowners from tax sale. SB 524 – Maryland Medical Assistance Program – Telemedicine – Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners and Psychiatrists passed the Senate on March 27th and will be moving to the House of Delegates for review. This legislation would include psychiatric nurse practitioners as those eligible to perform Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) or mobile treatment services (MTS) and receive reimbursement for these services.