B Y M A R K C R O AT T I
A N O T H E R Y E A R O F R E C O V E R Y…
AND PROGRESS A preview of the 2022 Maryland Legislative Session
The pandemic brought out the best of all levels of state government that worked so hard to help those most in need. Continued recovery in the days, months, and even years ahead depends more than ever on cities and counties working together to solve the many pressing problems that remain. As 2022 begins, two things still are clear: Rising up “together” has been a divisive endeavor and this pandemic—even if the number of fully vaccinated people increases—could be far from over.
Recap of the 2021 Legislative Session The “RELIEF” Act supplemented federal stimulus checks with $300/$500 payments to qualifying individuals/families, repealed all state and local unemployment income taxes from 2020–21, provided up to $3,000 per month for 90 days in sales tax credits to small businesses, and allocated half a billion dollars to both companies and nonprofits for assistance with human services-related programs. This included everything from energy use to health and housing needs. Because the pandemic created the highest level of joblessness since the Great Depression, several components of the entire unemployment benefits system were targeted, including allowing higher earned amounts before benefit reductions. The legislature also passed and then overrode Governor Larry Hogan’s veto of a second version of the “Blueprint for Maryland’s Future” Act, a multi-billion-dollar education reform bill that increases teacher salaries, extends tutoring programs through high school, provides support for technology-related equipment and behavioral health, and offers college and career preparation. Another $577 million was distributed to Maryland’s four historically black universities, sports betting was legalized, juvenile life sentences without parole was banned, and “Maryland, My Maryland” as the state song was shelved. Finally, the legislature passed several bills expanding early voting, reforming immigration policies—such as allowing non-citizen low and moderate-income workers, even some living in
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Maryland without documentation, to receive the Earned Income Tax Credit—and enhancing police accountability, including repealing the Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights, which will impact disciplinary proceedings, investigations of officer-related fatalities, and the extended use of body cameras. The Maryland Fiscal Year 2022 Budget of $52.4 billion represented a $4 billion increase from 2021, which compelled the legislature to override many Hogan vetoes of revenue-raising tax bills. To discuss the 2022 session’s priorities, we spoke to Bonnie Cullison, House Deputy Speaker Pro Tem (D-District 19); Jason Buckel, House Minority Leader (R-District 1B); Delegate Shaneka Henson (D-District 30A); Delegate Steve Johnson (D-District 34A); Delegate Dana Jones (D-District 30A); Bill Ferguson, President of the Senate (D-District 46); Arthur Ellis, Senate Assistant Deputy Majority Leader (D-District 28); Senator Sarah Elfreth (D-District 30); and Senator Adelaide Eckardt (R-District 37). Cullen sits on the Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics, and, with Johnson, on the House Health and Government Operations Committee; Buckel sits on Joint committees on Children, Youth & Families and Administrative, Executive & Legislative Review; House committees on Legislative Policy and Spending Affordability, and, with Jones, on the House Ways & Means Committee; Henson sits on the House Appropriations Committee; Ferguson is Co-Chair of the Senate’s Legislative Policy Committee and a member of the Joint Covid-19 Response Legislative Work Group; Ellis sits on the Senate’s Education, Health & Environmental Affairs Committee; the Joint Subcommittee on Program Open Space & Agricultural Land Preservation, and, with Elfreth, on the Joint Committee on Ending Homelessness; Elfreth also sits on Joint committees on the Chesapeake & Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Areas and Pensions, and, with Eckardt, on two more committees—the Senate’s Budget & Taxation Committee and the Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive & Legislative Review; Eckardt also sits on Joint committees on Children, Youth & Families, and Audit & Evaluation as well as the Senate’s Vaccine Oversight Work Group.
I S S U E S T H AT T H E 2022 L EG I S L AT I V E S E S S I O N WI L L F O C U S O N
What’s Up? Eastern Shore | December 2021 | whatsupmag.com
