The MACo staff gave testimony this week on the following bills:

February 26, 2013:

• HB 416: Workers’ Compensation – Occupational Disease Presumption – Duty Belt Worn by Law Enforcement testimony

MACo opposed a new “presumption” that back injuries from public safety workers arose from the workplace use of duty belts.

• HB 564: Income Tax – Subtraction Modification and Credit – Creation of a Qualifying Business Enterprise testimony

MACo raised concerns that a broad-based tax subtraction for sales of business interest would compromise revenue streams without accountability on policy outcomes.

• HB 914: County Income Tax Disparity Grants – Alterations testimony

MACo supported a reform of the disparity grant program, currently capped at 2010 levels despite substantial changes in wealth disparities since then.

• HB 1193: Ethics – Lobbying Registration – State and Local Government Entities and Associations testimony

MACo opposed legislation that would subject many county elected officials, county employees, and association staff to professional lobbyist regulation.

February 27, 2013:

• HB 706: Natural Resources  – Forest Preservation Act of 2013 testimony

MACo requested changes to a broad policy on forest preservation, with appreciation for DNR’s ongoing work to address county concerns.

• HB 735: Labor and Employment – Maryland Earned Sick and Safe Leave Act testimony

MACo opposed a sweeping mandate on employers to provide flexible leave – citing seasonal and temporary workers seemingly captured by the bill’s provisions.

• HB 926: County Boards of Education – Spending – Reporting Requirement testimony

MACo supported legislation to provide more public information about school board budgeting, and requested that counties be recipients of the reports.

• SB 141: Creation of a State Debt – Qualified Zone Academy Bonds testimony

MACo supported state recognizing and employing a federally-supported bond program to augment state school construction efforts.

• SB 277: State Aid for Public Education – Certification of Net Taxable Income testimony

MACo supported updating wealth formulas to more accurately reflect late-files tax returns, and phasing in education formula changes to reflect the recognition.

• SB 441: Correctional Training Commission – Correctional Officer Members testimony

MACo opposed changes to this Commission that would eliminate representation from state or local wardens and facility administrators.

• SB 569: Capital Budget – Local Initiatives – Matching Funds testimony

MACo supported added flexibility in meeting a local match under state-sponsored capital projects.

• SB 573: County Property Tax – Personal Property Rate testimony

MACo’s initiative bill would partially “decouple” the personal property tax rate from the real property tax rate, allowing more flexibility with county business incentives.

• SB 698: Labor and Employment – Maryland Earned Sick and Safe Leave Act testimony

MACo opposed a sweeping mandate on employers to provide flexible leave – citing seasonal and temporary workers seemingly captured by the bill’s provisions.

• SB 778: Correctional Services – Inmate Welfare Fund – Telephone Financial Assistance testimony

MACo opposed new state mandates on management of inmate telephone services.

February 28, 2013:

• HB 412: Vessel Excise Tax – Exemption for Commercial Enterprises Paying the Admissions and Amusement Tax testimony

• HB 548: Natural Resources – Vessel Excise Tax – Maximum Tax testimony

MACo opposed limits on the vessel excise tax, that would compromise funding to waterway projects.

• HB 668: Motor Fuel Tax – Exemption – Use in County-Owned Vehicles testimony

MACo’s initiative bill would provide counties the same gas tax exemption that the State provides itself for government vehicles.

• HB 1076: Counties and Municipalities – Required Legislation or Regulations – Adoption by Reference testimony

MACo supported added flexibility and simplicity for local governments when required to locally adopt state-guided laws.

• HB 1136: Political Subdivisions – Legal Notice Requirements – Posting on Web Sites testimony

MACo supported flexibility in providing various public notices through electronic means, rather than exclusively using newspapers.

• HB 1257: Land Use – Clarifications and Corrections testimony

MACo sought changes to a clarifying bill, seeking to preserve a local option to include elected officials as part of a planning commission.

March 1, 2013:

• HB 873: Workers’ Compensation – Public Safety Employees testimony

MACo opposed expanding presumptions and reimbursement calculations for various public safety employees under the workers’ compensation laws.

• HB 889: Vehicles Laws – Emergency Vehicles – Motorcades and Escorts testimony

MACo supported added flexibility for crossing political boundaries when public safety agencies provide safety or ceremonial escorts.

• HB 1248: Workers’ Compensation – Average Weekly Wage – Volunteer Company Member testimony

MACo opposed increases in the base compensation afforded to volunteer firefighter claimants under workers compensation laws.

• HB 1314: Workers’ Compensation – Medical Presumptions – Statute of Limitations on Claims testimony

MACo supported extending the implementation date of a 2012 compromise bill affecting workers compensation presumptions.

To see online versions of MACo’s written testimony from the 2013 legislative session, click here.