On February 8, 2022, Associate Policy Director Dominic J. Butchko testified before the Senate Finance Committee in opposition to SB 330 – County Boards of Health and Baltimore City Health Department – Procedures and Appeals Process. This bill would force counties to adopt a redundant and/or inefficient appeals process for health code violations issued by local Environmental Health Departments. 

From the MACo testimony: 

The process for notifying businesses and individuals of citations and appeals procedures is subject to local scrutiny, and the Board of Health and/or the county governing body may tailor these procedures to respond to local concerns. Maryland state law already entitles appropriate due process for any citation or closure decision – SB 330 is seeking to solve a problem that does not exist and in doing so, is creating a new and unnecessary burden. SB 330 dictates that each county create a second-tier authority with the Board of Health that may prove redundant or inefficient for both the Department and the affected businesses or individuals.

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