Bill Hearing / County News / Environment / Health and Human Services / Intergovernmental Relations / MACo Testimony / Transportation and Public Works
Counties Support Stable Funding for Local Environmental Health Boards

MACo Policy Associate Alex Butler testified before the House Appropriations Committee to support HB 1484 (CF SB 673) - State Board of Environmental Health Specialists - Fees - General Fund. MACo also submitted testimony in February to support the cross-filed Senate Bill 673. This bill would help ensure stable and predictable funding for the State Board of Environmental Health Specialists, which is responsible for licensing Maryland's Local Environmental Health Directors. From the MACo Testimony: The…

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March 13, 2020
Bill Hearing / County News / Employee Benefits and Relations / MACo Testimony / Public Safety and Corrections
Public Safety Employers Shouldn’t “Ban the Box”

On March 12, 2020, MACo Policy Associate Drew Jabin submitted testifimony to the House Judiciary Committee to oppose SB 1008 (CF HB 586) - Public Safety – Criminal History Records Check – Fire Departments, Rescue Squads, and Ambulance Services. MACo staff and Carroll County Commission President Steve Wantz also testified earlier this session to oppose the cross-filed House Bill 586. This bill prohibits a fire department, rescue squad, or an ambulance service from requiring an applicant…

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March 13, 2020
Bill Hearing / County Budgets / General Assembly News / Health and Human Services / Intergovernmental Relations / MACo Testimony / Public Safety and Corrections
Counties Back Proposed Interjurisdictional Policing Grant Program

On March 12, 2020, MACo Legislative Director Natasha Mehu submitted written testimony to the Senate Judicial Proceedings and Budget & Taxation Committees to support SB 1051 (CF HB 1355) – Public Safety – Interjurisdictional Policing Grant Program – Establishment. This bill establishes an Interjurisdictional Policing Grant Program administered by the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention to provide financial support to counties to seeking to establish and implement collaboration agreements on interjurisdictional law enforcement…

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March 13, 2020
Bill Hearing / Business Affairs / General Assembly News / MACo Testimony / Planning and Zoning
Counties Oppose Removal of Local Permitting Authority for Electric Fences

On March 12, 2020, MACo Legislative Director Natasha Mehu and Bill Jorch, from Maryland Municipal League, testified before the Senate Finance Committee to oppose SB 883 (CF HB 1216) – Business Regulation – Security Systems – Battery-Charged Fences. This bill, proposed by businesses wanting to avoid the permitting processes some counties require, would restrict local permitting authority and oversight over electric security fences. From the MACo Testimony: In Maryland, zoning regulations, permitting requirements, and code enforcement are…

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March 13, 2020
Bill Hearing / General Assembly News / Health and Human Services / Intergovernmental Relations / MACo Testimony
Counties Seek Representation on Council for Health in All Policies

MACo Legislative Director Natasha Mehu testified on March 11, 2020 to support with amendments HB 1528 (CF SB 716) - Maryland Council on Health in All Policies - Establishment. This bill would establish a Maryland Council on Health in All Policies that is charged with employing a health in all policies framework to examine the health of the residents of the state, ways state and local governments could collaborate to implement policies to improve the health…

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March 12, 2020
Bill Hearing / County News / Finance and Procurement / Health and Human Services / MACo Testimony / Public Safety and Corrections
Counties Recognize Need to Improve Emergency Transporter Reimbursement Policies

On March 10, 2020,  MACo Associate Director Kevin Kinnally testified to the Senate Finance Committee to support  SB 777 (CF HB 779) - Maryland Medical Assistance Program – Emergency Service Transporters and Emergency Medical Services Providers – Reimbursement.  This bill is among the trio of bills that MACo has testified to support that seek to modernize reimbursement for services provided by emergency service transporters to better meet growing demands and needs for services. SB 777 would…

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March 11, 2020
Bill Hearing / County Budgets / County News / Government Liability and Courts / MACo Testimony / Public Safety and Corrections
MACo Opposes Hiring Limitations for Jail Procurement Processes

MACo Legislative Director Natasha Mehu submitted written testimony on March 10, 2020 before the House Health & Government Operations Committee to oppose HB 1524 (CF SB 858) – Procurement and Correctional Facilities –  Employment Opportunities for Formerly Incarcerated Individuals. Although well-intentioned, the bill places concerning and complicated requirements on the local jail procurement process that may hamper rather than help the process for employing formerly incarcerated individuals. MACo also submitted testimony last month to oppose the…

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March 11, 2020
Bill Hearing / Business Affairs / County Budgets / County News / Economic Development / Intergovernmental Relations / MACo Testimony / Taxes and Revenues
MACo: Cutting Enterprise Zone Tax Credit Payments Hurts Local Economies

On March 5, 2020, MACo Associate Director Kevin Kinnally submitted testimony to the House Ways & Means Committee in opposition to HB 1117 - Economic Development - Enterprise Zone Program - Alterations. This bill would limit the amount that the State must reimburse local governments for property tax credits issued under the Enterprise Zone tax credit program. From the MACo Testimony: The Enterprise Zone program helps incentivize businesses to locate or expand into several low-income or…

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March 10, 2020
Bill Hearing / County News / MACo Testimony / Public Safety and Corrections
Counties Support Procedures to Help Released Inmates Get Back Home

MACo Legislative Director Natasha Mehu testified March 6, 2020 to the House Judiciary Committee to support HB 1275 - Correctional Services – Inmate Release (Suzanne Jones Act). This bill establishes procedures to ensure that individuals released from state correctional facilities are returned home upon release. From the MACo Testimony: HB 1275 would require the Division of Corrections (DOC) to transfer an inmate upon release from a state correctional facility to the jurisdiction in which they…

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March 10, 2020
Bill Hearing / County News / Health and Human Services / MACo Testimony / Public Information and Ethics
Counties Support Data Sharing to Help Local Health Departments Address Opiod Crisis

MACo Legislative Director Natasha Mehu submitted testimony to the Senate Finance Committee to support SB 710 - Health – General – Prescription Drug Monitoring Program – County Health Officer. This bill would strengthen local health departments’ ability to help identify and deter prescription drug abuse and diversion as the state continues to struggle with an opioid crisis. From the MACo Testimony: SB 710 adds a local health department (or local health officer) to the list…

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March 6, 2020
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