TOPIC–DESCRIPTION OF LEGISLATION

Budget

*HB650 (Budget); Passed House, 110-19; Senate, 40-7; $11.6billion budget, ties $65 million in local education assistance to tax increase

Dixon- No

Elliott-No

LaMotte-Yes

Matthews-No

Haines-Yes

Smelser-Yes

*HB707 (Taxes); Passed House, 93-36; Senate, 27-20; raises $90.1 million in taxes on cigarettes, food sales and capital gains to restore local education cuts, provide other relief

Dixon -No

Elliott- No

LaMotte- No

Matthews – No

Haines- No

Smelser – No

*HB1206 (Capital gains*); Passed House, 91-40; killed by Senate Budget and Taxation Committee; raises $37 million by reducing tax breaks on capital gains to restore local aid cuts

Dixon-Exc.

Elliott – No

LaMotte- No

Matthews- No

Haines – n/a

Smelser –

n/a

Environment

* HB209/SB205 (Vehicle emissions); Passed House, 105-22; Senate, 32-14; extend Vehicle Emissions Inspection program (Carroll is among eight participating jurisdictions); possibly add seven counties

Dixon -No

Elliott – No

LaMotte- Yes

Matthews – No

Haines- Yes

Smelser – No

*HB1082 (Air quality); Passed House, 75-59; died in Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee; toughens emissions equipment standards of cars sold in-state

Dixon- No

Elliott- No

LaMotte- Yes

Matthews- No

Haines – n/a

Smelser – n/a

*HB214/SB227 (Growth management); Killed by House Environmental Matters Committee, 18-4, and Senate Economicand Environmental Affairs Committee, 10-1; state’s “2020 plan” to curb sprawling development, preserve resources, cut infrastructure costs

Dixon -n/a

Elliott – No (Com.)

LaMotte No (Com.)

Matthews – n/a

Haines – No (Com.)

Smelser – n/a

*SB224 (Forest conservation); Passed House, 121-14; Senate, 42-5; requires developers to replace cleared trees, plant trees in some barren tracts

Dixon -Yes

Elliott – No

LaMotte – Yes

Matthews – Yes

Haines – Yes

Smelser – Yes

*HB1202 (Recycling); Passed House, 113-11; Senate, 42-3; requires establishment of used tire recycling system with costs paid by tire industry

Dixon -Yes

Elliott – Yes

LaMotte- Yes

Matthews – No

Haines – Yes

Smelser – Yes

*SB194 (Water pollution); Passed House, 133-0; Senate, 45-0; increases penalties for sewage treatment plants violating pollution standards

Dixon-Yes

Elliott – Yes

LaMotte – Yes

Matthews – Yes

Haines -Yes

Smelser – Yes

Abortion

* SB 162; Passed House, 84-52; Senate, 29-18; protects right to have abortions

Dixon -No

Elliott – No

LaMotte – Yes

Matthews – No

Haines – No

Smelser – Yes

Gun Control

* HB 310 (Assault weapons); Passed House, 80-55; died in Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee; bans sale of semiautomatic assault weapons

Dixon -No

Elliott – No

LaMotte – Yes

Matthews- No

Haines- n/a

Smelser – NA

*HB197 (Access by minors); Passed House, 71-57; died in Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee; prohibits storage of an unsecured loaded firearm within accessof an unsupervised minor

Dixon -No

Elliott – No

LaMotte – Yes

Matthews – No

Haines – n/a

Smelser – n/a

Education

* SB210 (Mandatory kindergarten); Passed House, 100-27; Senate, 43-1;requires mandatory kindergarten attendance for children 5 and older

Dixon -No

Elliott – No

LaMotte – Yes

Matthews – No

Haines – Yes

Smelser – Yes

*HB56 (Corporal punishment); Passed House, 94-36; killed by Senate Economic and Environmental Affairs Committee; outlaws physically punishing children in all Maryland school districts

Dixon -No

Elliott- No

LaMotte – Yes

Matthews – No

Haines – No (Com.)

Smelser – n/a

*HB204 (Community College Funding); Passed House, 134-1; Senate, 42-3; alters formula to increase state assistance for community colleges

Dixon -Yes

Elliott – Yes

LaMotte – Yes

Matthews – Yes

Haines – Yes

Smelser – No

Open Meetings

* SB170; Passed House, 100-2; Senate, 44-2; tightens loopholes, expands requirements in open meetings law for publicbodies

Dixon -Yes

Elliott – Yes

LaMotte – Yes

Matthews -n/v

Haines – No

Smelser – Yes

Transportation

* SB761 (Revenues**); Passed Senate, 26-21; killed by House Rules Committee, 13-0; increases variety of motor vehicle fees to finance transportation projects

Dixon -No (Com.)

Elliott – n/a

LaMotte – n/a

Matthews – n/a

Haines – No

Smelser – No

*HB466 (Speed limits); Passed House, 105-21; Senate, 34-12; allows State Highway Administration to raise speed limit from 55 mph to 65 mph on certain rural highways

Dixon -Yes

Elliott – Yes

LaMotte – Yes

Matthews – Yes

Haines – Yes

Smelser – No

Campaign Reform

*HB1047 (Financing); Passed House, 123-2; Senate, 44-1; establishes limits on political action committee contributions and candidate transfers

Dixon -Yes

Elliott – Yes

LaMotte – Yes

Matthews – Yes

Haines – Yes

Smelser – Yes

*HB1049 (Ethics); Passed House, 129-0; Senate, 146-0; strengthens reporting requirements for lobbyists and prohibits them from engaging in certain fund-raising activities

Dixon -Yes

Elliott – Yes

LaMotte – Yes

Matthews – Yes

Haines – Yes

Smelser – Yes

Crime

*HB288 (Drug arrests); Passed House,92-34;Senate,45-0; makes it a crime to possess or buy fake drugs sold undercover by police

Dixon -Yes

Elliott – Yes

LaMotte – No

Matthews – Yes

Haines – Yes

Smelser – Yes

*SB141 (Battered Spouse Syndrome); Passed House, 128-0; Senate, 45-1; allows courts to admit testimony of battered spouse syndrome as evidence in cases

Dixon -Yes

Elliott – Yes

LaMotte – Yes

Matthews – Yes

Haines – Yes

Smelser – Yes

*HB857 (Hate crimes); Passed House, 78-50; Senate, 35-1; requires police and fire agencies to file documentedreports of crimes directed at gays and lesbians

Dixon -No

Elliott – No

LaMotte – Yes

Matthews – No

Haines – n/v

Smelser- Yes

Exc.

excused from voting

Com.

vote cast in committee before reaching floor

n/a

not applicable

n/v

no vote cast

* Capital gains tax included in compromise tax package (HB707)

** Proposal for 5 percent gas tax increase amended out of final Senate version

SOURCE: Legislative reference