Devin Neil, Author at Conduit Street

Counties Raise Concerns About COVID-19 Claims Bill

On March 9, MACo Policy Associate Drew Jabin testified before the Senate Finance Committee in opposition to SB 756 - Workers' Compensation - Occupational Disease Presumptions - COVID-19. This bill expands the eligibility of presumptions for workers' compensation claims to include effects caused by COVID-19. From the MACo Testimony: SB 756 would add COVID-19 as a compensable occupational disease for workers’ compensation, creating a nearly irrebuttable presumption that any affected worker should be compensated by…

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March 12, 2021

Bill Hearing / Coronavirus / County News / Education / MACo Testimony

Counties Seek Alternatives To Solve Student Connectivity Issues

On March 9, MACo Policy Associate Drew Jabin submitted testimony to the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee in opposition to SB 770 Education - Technology Resources - Funding (Ending the Digital Divide Act). This bill would require county boards of education to designate funds to provide digital tools for students, effectively creating an unfunded mandate. From the MACo Testimony: SB 770 would mandate local school boards use at least 7% of the target…

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March 12, 2021

Bill Hearing / MACo Testimony / Public Safety and Corrections

MACo: Collaborate With Counties To Cancel Home Monitoring Fees

On March 9th, 2021 MACo Executive Director Michael Sanderson testified before the House Judiciary Committee to support HB 1331 Maryland Criminal Justice Debt Elimination and Prevention Act of 2021 with amendments. This bill creates incentives to abandon fees associated with home monitoring services. From the MACo Testimony: County leaders must constantly manage their scarce financial resources. Delivering public services, including safe and efficient correctional facilities, is among those challenges. The direction toward home detention as…

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March 11, 2021

Bill Hearing / County News / Emergency Management / Health and Human Services / MACo Testimony

Counties Support Reimbursing Emergency Transport Services

On March 10th, 2021 MACo Policy Associate Alex Butler testified before the Senate Finance Committee to support SB 865 Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Emergency Service Transporters - Reimbursement. This bill creates a reimbursement program through Medicaid for deliveries made by emergency transport. From the MACo Testimony: SB 865 seeks to remedy an inequity in current law, where transportation to a hospital (“facility” in this section of law) is a reimbursable event, but transportation to…

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March 11, 2021

Bill Hearing / County News / Emergency Management / MACo Testimony

Counties Support Next Steps Toward #NG911

MACo Legislative Director Kevin Kinnally yesterday testified in support of SB 714 Public Safety 9-1-1 Emergency Telephone System - Alterations. This bill will help Maryland continue its ambitious and important move toward Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG911), deliver these services equitably across the state, and generally strengthens the statutory framework that governs the state’s 9-1-1 system. From the MACo Testimony: In 2019, the General Assembly passed landmark legislation to update state laws and the 9-1-1 financing…

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March 10, 2021

Bill Hearing / County News / Elections / MACo Testimony

Counties Weigh in on Omnibus Election Bill

MACo Legislative Director Kevin Kinnally this week testified in support of SB 831 Election Reform Act of 2021 with amendments before the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee. This comprehensive bill makes several changes to the structure and administration of Maryland elections, including boosting transparency for local Boards of Elections, providing needed flexibility for the canvass of ballots, and requiring that election results be reported by precinct. While most of the bill’s facets are outside…

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March 5, 2021

Bill Hearing / County News / Emergency Management / MACo Testimony

MACo Supports Bill to Bolster County Resiliency

MACo Legislative Director Kevin Kinnally yesterday submitted testimony to the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee in support of SB 901 Public Safety - Emergency Management - Resilient Maryland Revolving Loan Fund. This bill provides counties and nonprofit organizations with valuable funds for community resilience projects. From the MACo Testimony: SB 901 establishes the Resilient Maryland Revolving Loan Fund to provide low- or no-interest loans for local resilience projects that address mitigation of all…

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March 5, 2021

Bill Hearing / Coronavirus / County News / MACo Testimony / Taxes and Revenues

Tax Incentives Should Preserve Local Autonomy

MACo Legislative Director Kevin Kinnally yesterday submitted testimony to the House Ways and Means Committee in opposition of three bills that would reduce county revenues without local input: HB 1183 Income Tax - Standard Deduction - Charitable Contributions HB 1230 Income Tax - Subtraction Modification - Computer Equipment HB 1161 Income Tax - Subtraction Modification - School Supplies The swift and unprecedented shock of the COVID-19 public health crisis has wreaked havoc on the economy.…

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March 5, 2021

Bill Hearing / MACo Testimony / Public Safety and Corrections

Counties Seek Equitable Compensation for State Inmate Costs

On March 4th, 2021 MACo Executive Director Michael Sanderson testified before the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee to support SB 866 Correctional Services - Payment by State - Inmate Housing Costs with amendments. This bill creates a revised framework for the State to reimburse counties for the cost of inmates sentenced by state courts serving sentences in local detention facilities. Senator Paul Corderman, the bill's sponsor, offered amendments to the bill at the hearing, suggesting that…

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March 4, 2021

Bill Hearing / MACo Testimony / Public Safety and Corrections

MACo: Relocate Pre-Release Inmates By County Agreements

On March 4th, 2021 MACo Executive Director Michael Sanderson testified before the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee to support SB 868 Correctional Services - Inmate Release with amendments. This bill creates a system to relocate State inmates to detention facilities located in their "home" jurisdiction in the time leading up to their release date. MACo urged amendments to grant the host facility's governing body an approval over such arrangements and their details. From the MACo Testimony:…

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March 4, 2021