Bill Hearing / County Budgets / County News / MACo Testimony / Parks and Recreation
Counties Oppose State Mandated Synthetic Turf Restrictions

MACo Policy Associate Alex Butler testified with a panel of county Parks & Recreations representatives before the House Appropriations Committee to oppose HB 1098 - Use of Public Funds – Playground and Athletic Field Surfaces – Authorizations, Preferences, and Prohibitions (Safe and Healthy Fields Act). This bill would impose an unnecessary restriction on the use of state funds, including Program Open Space (POS) monies, for the installation of synthetic or artificial turf playing fields and…

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March 6, 2020
Bill Hearing / County News / Energy / Environment / MACo Testimony / Planning and Zoning
MACo Opposes Removal of Local Authority Over Solar Energy Siting

MACo Legal & Policy Counsel Les Knapp testified with Caroline County Planner Kathleen Freeman to the House Economic Matters Committee on March 5, 2020 to oppose HB 1390 - Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity - Electric Facilities - Study and Procedures. The bill would: (1) remove current incentives for energy developers seeking a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) from the Public Service Commission (PSC) to follow local zoning and land use requirements;…

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March 6, 2020
Bill Hearing / Business Affairs / County News / Economic Development / MACo Testimony
Counties: Makerspace Pilot Program Will Spark Economic Development

MACo Policy Associate Drew Jabin testified to the Senate Finance Committee in support of SB (CF HB 1455) - Economic Development - Makerspace Initiative Pilot Program. Last week, MACo testified before the House to support the cross-filed House Bill 1455. This bill creates a grant program to help counties, nonprofits, and other eligible applicants establish or expand makerspaces, which are spaces for community members to design, prototype, and manufacture items using tools that would otherwise…

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March 6, 2020
Bill Hearing / County Budgets / County News / Housing and Community Development / MACo Testimony / Taxes and Revenues
Counties Support Bill to Clarify Eligibility for Local Option Tax Credit

MACo Associate Director Kevin Kinnally submitted testimony to the House Ways & Means Committee in support of HB 1200 - Property Tax - Credit to Offset Increases in Local Income Tax Revenues - Eligibility. This bill alters the eligibility criteria for a property tax credit that local governments are authorized to provide homeowners in order to offset increases in local income tax revenues. Under the bill, in order to remain eligible for the property tax credit,…

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March 6, 2020
Bill Hearing / County News / Environment / Government Liability and Courts / Health and Human Services / MACo Testimony
Counties Oppose Increased Inspection Requirements for Non-Residential Buildings

MACo Policy Associate Alex Butler testified March 4, 2020 with Justin Fiore from Maryland Municipal League to oppose HB 1540 (CF SB 1067) - Environment – Mold Inspections – Standards, Reporting, and Penalties.  The bill would require local jurisdictions to conduct expansive annual mold inspections in many different buildings and facilities. In all jurisdictions, this would require the addition of significant new resources resulting in costly expenditures. From the MACo Testimony: Additionally, counties do not…

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March 5, 2020
Bill Hearing / County Budgets / County News / Environment / MACo Testimony / Transportation and Public Works
MDE Recycling Markets Study Would Help Local Recycling Programs

MACo Policy Associate Alex Butler testified to before the House Environment & Transportation Committee to support HB 1452 - Department of the Environment – Office of Recycling – Recycling Market. The bill would require the Office of Recycling contained within the Maryland Department of the Environment to identify new and existing markets for recycled commodities. From the MACo Testimony: In Maryland, the State mandates that counties reach certain recycling goals, and central to the revenue…

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March 5, 2020
Bill Hearing / County News / Housing and Community Development / MACo Testimony / Planning and Zoning
Counties Raise Concerns Over “One Size Fits All” Housing Bill

MACo Policy Associate Alex Butler submitted testimony to the House Environment & Transportation Committee to oppose HB 1406 - Land Use - Development - Middle Housing (Modest Home Choices Act of 2020). This bill would force all counties to arbitrarily amend their comprehensive zoning plans with a "one-size-fits all" approach that will not directly address housing affordability across the state. From the MACo Testimony: Some of the biggest affordable housing shortages are in rural jurisdictions…

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March 5, 2020
Bill Hearing / General Assembly News / Health and Human Services / MACo Testimony / Public Safety and Corrections
MACo Supports Bills Seeking to Modernize Emergency Transporters Reimbursements

On March 4, 2020,  MACo Legislative Director Natasha Mehu testified to the House Health & Government Operations Committee to support three bills that all seek to modernize reimbursement for services provided by emergency service transporters to better meet growing demands and needs for services. Each bill proposes a slightly different way to increase reimbursements for emergency service transporters: HB 1496 - Medical Assistance Program - Emergency Service Transporters - Reimbursement for Transportation and Medical Services…

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March 5, 2020
Bill Hearing / County Budgets / County News / Health and Human Services / MACo Testimony
Counties Seek Solutions to Rising Dialysis Transport Costs

MACo Legislative Director Natasha Mehu testified in support of HB 1417 - Dialysis Patient Transportation Fund and Task Force to Study the Dialysis Patient Transportation Fund. This bill establishes a fund and task force to address the pressing and costly issue of dialysis patient transport. While the bill sponsor withdrew the bill at the hearing, she urged for the committee to move forward with a task force to further explore solutions to the transports and…

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March 5, 2020
Bill Hearing / County Budgets / County News / Intergovernmental Relations / MACo Testimony / Transportation and Public Works
Counties Support Restoration of Stable Highway User Revenue Funds

MACo Executive Director Michael Sanderson testified to support with amendments SB 982 (CF HB 1067) - Highway User Revenues – Revenue and Distribution. This bill would provide a long-term restoration for the state-levied transportation revenues needed to support safety and maintenance work on local roads and bridges across Maryland, which took deep cuts during the Great Recession in 2009-2010. From the MACo Testimony: SB 982 takes an appropriate “next step” with Highway User Revenues –…

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March 5, 2020
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