Bill Hearing / County News / Health and Human Services / MACo Testimony
Effective Communication Critical in the Opioid Crisis

MACo Legislative Fellow Zach Hands testified in support of Senate Bill 1083, "Public Health - Prescription Drug Monitoring Program - Revisions", before the Senate Finance Committee on March 20, 2018. This bill would require, as opposed to authorize, the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) to review and identify possible abuse and misuse of the prescription drug to the prescriber or dispenser. Also, the PDMP would be required to report potential misconduct by the prescribers and…

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March 20, 2018
Bill Hearing / County News / MACo Testimony / School Construction and Capital Budgets
School Facility Index Sets Some Goalposts on School Construction

Senate Bill 1183 would establish educational facilities sufficiency standards and a facility condition index and use the index to rank all of Maryland’s public schools. This can help accurately inform the State and counties about what school construction needs exist here in Maryland. However, the indexing of facilities through a ranking system are a concern because it would be difficult for the index to properly take into account all of the factors and priorities that…

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March 15, 2018
Bill Hearing / County News / MACo Testimony / School Construction and Capital Budgets
Expanding County Flexibility Opens the Door on School Construction

MACo Research Director Robin Eilenberg testified in support on Senate Bill 1145, "County Boards of Education - Leasing of School Property", before the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee on March 15, 2018. This bill gives counties significant flexibility in finding alternative means of financing school construction. Among the newfound authorities granted to counties are: 1. the ability to use alternative financing methods; 2. engage in competitive negotiation, including construction management at–risk arrangements; 3. accept unsolicited…

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March 15, 2018
Bill Hearing / County News / Finance and Procurement / MACo Testimony
Forcing County Participation in Health Care Plans is Not the Right Prescription

MACo Associate Director Barbara Zektick testified in opposition to Senate Bill 1016, "State Employee and Retiree Health and Welfare Benefits Program - Expansion of Participating Units", before the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee on March 15, 2018. The bill would force counties to enter into the State's health care plan. While it is possible for counties to currently opt-in to the State health care program (Caroline County currently does), mandating all counties to do it…

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March 15, 2018
Bill Hearing / County News / Education / MACo Testimony
Salary Mandate Meddles in Local Fiscal Policy

MACo submitted written testimony in opposition to Senate Bill 775, "Education - Salaries of Noncertificated Public School Employees - Minimum Living Salaries", to the Senate Finance Committee on March 15, 2018. This bill would impose a huge fiscal impact on counties by mandating local jurisdictions to provide a minimum salary to noncertificated public school employees. Local school boards take many factors into consideration when deciding compensation for public school employees, and SB 775 removes their…

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March 15, 2018
Bill Hearing / Business Affairs / County News / MACo Testimony
Statewide Licensing for Electricians is a Step Backwards

MACo Policy Associate Kevin Kinnally testified in opposition to House Bill 1407, "Maryland Electricians Act - Revisions", before the House Economic Matters Committee on March 14, 2018. This bill would repeal long-standing local authority to license electricians and imposes a new, less comprehensive, statewide system. It would also remove the ability of local governments to issue any electrical licenses, which would be phased in by 2021. MACo believes it is premature to address this issue,…

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March 14, 2018
Bill Hearing / County News / MACo Testimony / Transportation and Public Works
Complete Streets Funding Brings Roads Up to Speed

MACo Executive Director Michael Sanderson testified on the sponsor panel before the Senate Finance Committee in support of Senate Bill 407, "Transportation - Complete Streets Program - Establishment", on March 14, 2018. This bill creates a competitive grant program making Transportation Trust Fund dollars available to local governments for the planning and design of Complete Streets projects. Complete Streets strives to establish roads and through-ways that accommodate many forms of transportation and continue working to…

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March 14, 2018
Bill Hearing / County News / Health and Human Services / MACo Testimony
Core Funding Modifications Help County Health Departments Keep Pace

Core Funding from the State to local health departments has experienced significant cuts in the last 10 years, requiring local jurisdictions to fund far more than the required matching of State funds to ensure that critical community health services are being provided. MACo Legislative Director Natasha Mehu testified on a sponsor panel alongside Dorchester County Health Officer Roger Harrell and Baltimore City Health Department Director of Legislative Affairs D'Paul Nibber in support of Senate Bill…

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March 14, 2018
Bill Hearing / County News / MACo Testimony / Taxes and Revenues
Stakeholders Agree to Amendments on Recordation Tax Exemptions

MACo Associate Director Barbara Zektick testified, on the sponsor panel along with NAIOP Maryland Chapters Vice President for Policy and Government Relations Tom Ballentine, on Senate Bill 999 before the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee. As introduced, the bill would have broadly exempted certain real property transfers from the county recordation tax. However, NAIOP and MACo agreed to consensus amendments which limited the application of the bill to limited partnerships and only certain refinances performed by parties…

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March 14, 2018
Bill Hearing / County News / MACo Testimony / Public Safety and Corrections
Pretrial Programs Avoid Unnecessary Incarceration

MACo Legislative Director Natasha Mehu testified in support of House Bill 447, "Pretrial Services Program Grant Fund - Establishment", before the House Judiciary Committee on March 13, 2018. This bill would establish pretrial programs in counties that do not already have through a grant fund operated by the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention (GOCCP). The grant is funded by proceeds from the state police sales of forfeited property, in addition to any governor appropriations, grants,…

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March 13, 2018
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