By Tashi McQueen,
AFRO Political Writer,
tmcqueen@afro.com
Maryland’s state legislators acknowledged April 8, the last day of the Maryland General Assembly session, with a flurry of last minute deals and– finally, as the clock struck midnight– blasts of confetti to signify the crossover into April 9.
“This session we responded to the moment and we protected Maryland’s future,” said Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Md.-46). “While we did some remarkable work this year, the last 14 days really proved what this general assembly is about. There were a number of issues from housing security to making sure that our neighborhoods are safer.”
Major bills such as the Juvenile Law Reform and the Maryland Protecting Opportunities and Regional Trade (PORT) Act passed in time to make it to the governor’s desk.
“This year, we worked together to pass meaningful juvenile justice legislation. Legislation that puts rehabilitation front and center while strengthening the oversight and accountability for the Department of Juvenile Services to make sure children are treated fairly and held accountable to their treatment plans,” said House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones (D-Md.-10).
The general assembly passed over a thousand bills in the 2024 session.
The Juvenile Law Reform bill, laid out in HB 814 and SB744, was one of the high-tension bills this session, with everyday Marylanders and legislators alike concerned about the number of youth involved in crimes in the state over the last year.
During fiscal year 2023, the Department of Juvenile Services reported that there were 12,363 complaints about Maryland juveniles.
HB 814 expands the juvenile court’s jurisdiction to include 10 through 12-year-olds who have allegedly committed car theft, animal abuse, offenses involving firearms and third-degree sexual offenses. Current state law says that no child under 13 can be charged with a crime.
It also requires that intake officers forward complaints to the state’s attorney to consider prosecution. The bill also authorizes detention before a hearing.
Some were not happy with the bill, which permits the Department of Juvenile Services to have control over children ages 10-12.
“I don’t want anybody’s child locked up at 10 years old,” said Zakiya Sankara-Jabar, of Racial Justice Now! “I don’t want people to think that it’s okay to lock up 10-year-olds without providing the necessary services and care they deserve. These kids need care, not cages.”
Dayvon Love, director of public policy for Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle, was one of many gathered days before the April 8 deadline to pressure Gov. Wes Moore to veto the bill.
“That’s the last step in the process,” said Love.
But Moore supported the package when it was announced, so Love said he’s not confident that the governor will veto it.
If the governor signs the bill it will take effect on January 1, 2025.
“It’s been great, having my first session with the general assembly under my belt as a Delegate,” said Del. Malcolm Ruff (D-Md.-41) as he reflected on the 2024 session. “A couple of things that I’ve been able to accomplish include, today, passing the bill that will start the process of developing Gwynn Falls/Leakin Park into a state park.”
House Bill 1358, if signed into law, will convene focus groups on the establishment of the state park, identify priority needs and associated costs and establish an advisory committee to oversee the management of the park.
Ruff said he was also able to work on a bill that would keep Preakness in Park Heights in Baltimore City and fund community revitalization efforts in the Park Heights community.
“For too long Park Heights has been left out of the spoils of Preakness,” said Ruff. “I think with House Bill 1524, which I along with the senator and my fellow delegates in the 41st district were able to help weigh in on how we would set up a plan that would really work for the people of the neighborhood that hosts the Preakness.”
The bill also transfers ownership and operation of thoroughbred racing facilities in the Maryland Jockey Club (MJC) to the Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority (MTROA). If signed, the bill would take effect on June 1.
The PORT Act was the first bill to be signed into law from the 2024 session on April 9. The PORT Act aims to provide financial support to Baltimore port workers and businesses impacted by the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse through the slowdown of port operations.
“Today, I will proudly sign the PORT Act into law,” said Moore at the signing. “This bill will help create a new permanent scholarship program for the families of transportation workers who died on the job. The legislation will empower our administration to stay nimble in our response to the collapse.”
Because the PORT Act is an emergency bill, it became law immediately upon receiving the needed signatures on April 9.
Moore also signed a few of his bills, including the Time to Serve Act of 2024, a bill that will provide more military leave for members of the National Guard and Reserves to 30 days and a bill to rename the Port of Baltimore the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore.
Moore highlighted that he has gotten all of the 26 bills he’s introduced since becoming governor passed by the Maryland legislature.
The Budget bills SB360 and SB362, were passed and sent to the governor’s desk on April 5. The governor has not yet signed the bills.
The budget process took a bit longer this year, partly due to the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse on March 26 and legislators’ being at odds on how to address the $761 million projected deficit the state began with for fiscal year 2025.
House delegates believed in using raised taxes and fees to close the gap and the Senate, as well as the governor, were against raising taxes.
The House and Senate reconciled $257 million of revenues by raising vehicle registration fees, creating a Transportation Network Company impact fee, an annual registration surcharge on owners of zero-emission and plug-in electric vehicles, raising the dealer processing charge and increasing fines for speeding in work zones via Senate Bill 479.
The budget eliminates the projected fiscal 2027 Blueprint Fund shortfall by increasing taxes on cigarettes, dedicating new revenues and a portion of existing tobacco tax revenues to the Blueprint Fund and transferring $40 million from the School Construction Revolving Loan Fund.
“We have passed a budget that funds the Blueprint through 2027 and makes critical investments in Maryland’s Transportation system to ensure that we don’t see catastrophic cuts to roads, bridges, busses, transit, airports and the port,” said Jones.
The budget also restores funds the governor’s proposed budget reduced including nearly $10 million for community colleges, $5 million for pediatric cancer and $1 million for warrant apprehension grants.
Tashi McQueen is a Report For America corps member.