ANNAPOLIS -- Del. Lawrence A. LaMotte, D-Carroll, Baltimore, has introduced a bill that would require most nursing homes to dedicate one-third of their bed capacities to medical assistance program recipients.
Under the proposal, nursing homes providing comprehensiveor extended care would have to meet that requirement as a condition of receiving a license or license renewal. Certain nursing homes could gain exemptions.
LaMotte is one of a small group of delegates, including the Speaker of the House, working on structural changes in the way the state operates and finances medical assistance programs. These programs have been cut in the last two years and face more reductions next year.
STATUS OF CARROLL COUNTY'S LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE
Bill
HB 446
Description of proposed legislation
Authorize county to borrow money to lend up to $2 million to 14 volunteer fire companies for capital improvements
Status (as of Friday)
Pending March 3 hearing, House Appropriations Committee
Bill
HB 1013
Description of proposed legislation
Authorize county to borrow $15 million through bond sale for public facility projects
Status (as of Friday)
Pending March 3 hearing, House Appropriations Committee
Bill
HB 1014
Description of proposed legislation
Enable commissioners to employ detention center inmates for public projects,contributing to rehabilitation
Status (as of Friday)
Pending Feb. 28 hearing, House Judiciary Committee
Bill
HB 1015
Description of proposed legislation
Authorize municipalities to grant payment deferral of property tax increases to certain elderly and disabled persons (submitted by Westminster Mayor W. Benjamin Brown, backed by Maryland Municipal League)
Status (as of Friday)
Pending Feb. 28 hearing, House Ways and Means Committee
Bill
HB 1149
Description of proposed legislation
Allow county government to investigate and abate weed nuisance complaints (12 inches growth or higher), at property owner's expense; function cut from Health Dept.
Pending Feb. 26 hearing, House Environmental Matters Committee
STATUS OF CARROLL COUNTY'S DELEGATION PACKAGE
Bill
HB 383
Description of proposed legislation
Require state health agency to recover equipment such as wheelchairs from Medical Assistance recipients whenno longer needed (Elliott)
Status (as of Friday)
Passed House,137-0; pending hearing, Senate Finance Committee
Bill
HB 395
Description of proposed legislation
Make it a misdemeanor to be a spectator at cockfights or dogfights (Elliott)
Status (as of Friday)
Passed House Judiciary Committee, 21-0; pending vote on Housefloor
Bill
HB 415
Description of proposed legislation
Require court to determine if convict sentenced to death should be granted counsel upon a first petition of sentence (Dixon)
Status (as of Friday)
Pending vote, House Judiciary Committee
Bill
HB 425
Description of proposed legislation
Request $500,000 from thestate for Carroll County General Hospital's upgrade and expansion (Dixon)
Status (as of Friday)
Pending hearing, House Appropriations Committee
Bill
HB 444
Description of proposed legislation
Allows expungement of driving records under certain conditions (Dixon)
Status (as of Friday)
Passed, 121-5, House; pending hearing, Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee
Bill
HB 455
Description of proposed legislation
Require mining companies to pay property owners or repair damages caused by sinkholes within a predetermined zone (Dixon)
Status (as of Friday)
Pending vote, House Environmental Matters Committee
Bill
HB 550
Description of proposed legislation
Establish pilot program in Carroll and Frederick permitting law enforcement officials to issue civil citation and fine students for truancy (Frederick delegation with Carroll delegation backing)
Status (as of Friday)
Pending vote, House Constitutionaland Administrative Law Committee
Bill
HB 685
Description ofproposed legislation
Require state to approve mineral resource plans developed by local planning commissioners to determine whether designated mining areas are appropriate (Dixon)
Status (as of Friday)
Pending vote, House Environmental Matters Committee
Bill
HB 686
Description of proposed legislation
Alter intent of mining law to say that other land uses should be considered, even where mineral resources exist (Dixon)
Status (as of Friday)
Pending vote, House Environmental Matters Committee
Bill
HB 687
Description of proposed legislation
Increases fees and performance bond amounts for mining and upgrades land reclamation standards (Dixon)
Status (as of Friday)
Pending vote, House Environmental Matters Committee
Bill
HB 688
Description of proposed legislation
Alter intent of mining law to say that mining must be conducted in a way to minimize effects on surrounding environment, and that non-mining land uses shall be preferred where possible (Dixon)
Status (as of Friday)
Withdrawn by Dixon
Bill
HB 758
Description of proposed legislation
Place alcohol restriction on driver's license of those convicted for a second or subsequent time of an alcohol-related driving offense (Matthews)
Status (as of Friday)
Pending Feb. 25 hearing, House Judiciary Committee
Bill
