The Maryland Department of Legislative Services’ annual synopsis of the General Assembly’s time in Annapolis provides an update on taxes, education, transportation, environmental, and health issues addressed in laws that passed – and didn’t pass – in the 2020 Session.
Traditionally, after the conclusion of the annual legislative session, the Department of Legislative Services produces what has become known as the 90 Day Report. This year, for the first time in since the Civil War, the General Assembly closed session early on March 18, due to precautionary social distancing measures taken to curb the spread of COVID-19.
In April, the department published the 2020 Session Major Issues Review, which provided an overview of the fiscal 2021 budget as well as major issues addressed by the General Assembly in the 2020 session. The 71 Day Report discusses additional legislation considered by the General Assembly that was not covered in the 2020 Session Major Issues Review.
As described by the Department of Legislative Services, The 71 Day Report is divided into multiple parts, each dealing with a major policy area. Each part contains a discussion of the majority of bills passed in that policy area, including comparisons with previous sessions and current law, background information, as well as a discussion of significant bills that did not pass.
Bills passed by the General Assembly that were subsequently vetoed by Governor Larry Hogan for policy reasons or as a result of the economic challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic are also discussed in the report.
The areas include, among others (links will take the reader to the start of each section, though there are other the references throughout the document):
Taxes (includes property taxes, income taxes, and tax sales)
State Government (includes state agencies, offices, officials/regulations, and elections)
Local Government (includes disparity grant funding, resilience authorities, land use, and bi-county agencies)
Crimes, Corrections, Public Safety (includes criminal law, criminal procedure, juvenile law, and public safety)
Transportation and Motor Vehicles (includes state highways, public transportation, bridges, and motor vehicle issues)
Business and Economic Issues (includes business occupations, business regulation, horse racing/gaming, economic development, unemployment insurance, and state/local alcohol laws)
Health and Human Services (includes public health – generally, health occupations, health insurance, and social services)
Natural Resources, Environment, and Agriculture (includes natural resources, hunting/fishing, environment, and agriculture)
Education (includes primary and secondary education, community colleges, and libraries)
Useful Links
Previous Conduit Street Coverage: Major Issues and More: Report Reviews 2020 Legislative Session
Previous Conduit Street Coverage: 2020 Session: Recap and Wrap-Ups