Baltimore City – Water

Passed a ban on selling Baltimore residents’ water debt at tax sale (this includes all residential property and houses of worship)!

Baltimore City – Police Accountability

Making the Baltimore Police Department a City agency passed the House but failed in the Senate. We do have commitments from the three senators in the City Delegation who opposed (Ferguson, Hayes, and McCray) that they will work with us in the interim to draft a bill that they can support in 2020. Unfortunately, a bill to create a private, unaccountable police force for Johns Hopkins University passed and was signed into law. Every Black faculty member and more than 70% of students opposed this bill.

Montgomery County –  Renters’ Rights

Passed a just cause eviction bill out of the Montgomery County House delegation. While it failed to pass the Environment and Transportation Committee, this is an exciting fist step to passing a significant progressive renters’ rights bill in Annapolis.

Wins

Same-Day Voter Registration (HB172)

JUFJ position: SUPPORT
Bill status: Signed by Governor

This bill carries out the will of the people of the state of Maryland, who voted overwhelmingly in support of the same day voter registration ballot question in the 2018 election, which JUFJ endorsed. 

Clean Energy Jobs Act (SB516/HB1158)

JUFJ position: SUPPORT
Bill status: Became law without Governor’s signature

The bill would mandate that the state’s electric utilities get 50 percent of their power from renewable sources by 2030.

SNAP Summer Benefits (SB218/HB338)

JUFJ position: SUPPORT
Bill status: Became law without Governor’s signature

This bill would require the state to help cover the summer gap in federal food assistance for children who receive SNAP benefits.

Gender Neutral ID Bill (SB196/HB421)

JUFJ position: SUPPORT
Bill status: Became law without Governor’s signature

This bill would require an “X” option for sex on driver’s licenses and other IDs. 

Public information from 9-1-1 calls (HB215/SB5)

JUFJ position: OPPOSE in original form, SUPPORT after amendment
Bill status: Signed by Governor

This bill would have damaged police transparency and accountability, but after amendment it authorized a custodian of records to grant inspection of part of 9-1-1 communications.

Safe Schools Maryland Act (SB165/HB148)

JUFJ position: OPPOSE
Bill status: Amended House version died in Senate

This bill would have set up the framework for an anonymous tip line exempt from disclosure under the Public Information Act (PIA). There is no way to know if such a tip line is being used discriminatorily or if all claims are being handled with the same amount of urgency. 

Losses

Renter Protections for Marijuana (SB862)

JUFJ position: SUPPORT
Bill status: Died in Senate Committee

This bill would prohibit a landlord from denying a patient a lease because of their medical cannabis prescription.

Paid Leave for State Contractual Employees (HB491)

JUFJ position: SUPPORT
Bill status: Withdrawn

This bill would provide some paid leave to all state contractors.

Public notice of police disciplinary hearings (HB1382)

JUFJ position: SUPPORT
Bill status: Died in Senate Committee

This bill would provide advance notice and an agenda for all public police disciplinary hearings. It would make the record of the hearing and the decision of the hearing board available to the public upon request.

Formal Complaints Against Police (HB413)

JUFJ position: SUPPORT
Bill status: Withdrawn

This bill would have classified complaints of misconduct by a public employee as not personnel records. The bill was amended to only apply to police, but was then withdrawn by the bill sponsor to defer to the Judiciary chairman’s bill (HB1382).