What we did in 2006

Public Service Commission - Electric Industry Restructuring
Special Session Senate Bill 1, House Bill 1
Limiting the increase in electricity rates in a specified service territory for a specified period; requiring specified electric companies to obtain electricity supply for extended standard offer service to specified customers in specified manners; authorizing the Public Service Commission (PSC) to take specified actions concerning competitive auctions and implementation of electricity rates; altering the criteria for appointment to the PSC and the method of appointment of the People's Counsel; etc.
 
Maryland Stem Cell Research Act of 2006
Senate Bill 144, House Bill 1
Requiring that State-funded stem cell research be conducted in a manner that considers the ethical and medical implications of the research and using specified embryos under specified circumstances; establishing the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund; requiring the Governor to include an appropriation equal to at least $25,000,000 in the annual budget bill for the Fund; etc.
 
Employees' and Teachers' Pension System - Pension Benefit Enhancement
Senate Bill 1019
Teacher and state employee pensions were increased. Maryland was ranked last out of 50 states for teacher pensions, with Baltimore County losing over 800 teachers last year alone. The legislation passed by the General Assembly increased the current multiplier in the benefit formula from 1.4 percent to 1.8 percent, with a 5 percent member contribution over 3 years. Further more, the bill is retroactive to 1998. This legislation will go a long way towards ensuring a brighter future for those who give so much to our students.
 
Property Tax - Homeowners' Property Tax Credit and Renters' Property Tax Relief
Senate Bill 382
Expands the Homeowner's Property Tax Credit to assessments of $300,000, up from $150,000 thereby easing the tax burden on more homeowners. Also increases the maximum tax relief credit allowed under the Renters' Property Tax Relief Program designed to help seniors and disabled citizens.
 
Public Service Companies - Cost Allocation Manual - Independent Audit
Senate Bill 786
With this bill an independent audit of financial transaction as well as related procedures will greatly assist the Public Service Commission in determining if a utility is subsidizing its affiliate. It will also prevent an affiliate from gaining an unfair competitive advantage in the marketplace. this bill is important to small business, especially heating and air conditioning companies.
 
Grant of Federal Charter to the Korean War Veterans Association
Senate Joint Resolution 8
The Assembly approved a joint resolution urging the United States Congress to support legislation to grant a federal Charter to the Korean War Veterans Association. This is very important to our Korean War Veterans because they are the only veteran war organization without a charter. I was happy to be the main sponsor for this resolution so that Korean War Veterans have the same rights as other war veterans when it comes to legislative issues in Washington DC.
 
Healthy Air Act
Senate Bill 154, House Bill 189
Prohibiting affected facilities collectively from emitting more than specified amounts per year of oxides of nitrogen, sulfur dioxide, and mercury on or after specified dates; authorizing the Department of the Environment to set a specified interim stage of sulfur dioxide emissions reductions; requiring the Governor to include the State in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative; providing for the possible withdrawal of the State from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative after January 1, 2009; etc.
 
Community Energy and Economic Development Grant Program
Senate Bill 175, House Bill 476
Establishing the Community Energy and Economic Development Grant Program in the Maryland Energy Administration; providing for the purpose of the Program; requiring the Administration to manage, supervise, and administer the Program; providing for the eligibility for grants from the Program; providing for the application for grants from the Program; altering the amount of the environmental surcharge for each account for each retail electric customer for a specified period of time; etc.
 
State Personnel - Collective Bargaining - Revisions
Senate Bill 348, House Bill 605
Altering provisions of law governing collective bargaining for State employees and employees of State institutions of higher education; specifying that the State Labor Relations Board is an independent unit of State government; altering the membership of the Board; requiring the Department of Budget and Management under specified circumstances to provide specified information to exclusive representatives; prohibiting the State and employee organizations from engaging in unfair labor practices; etc.
 
State Employees - Military Administrative Leave - Repeal of Sunset
House Bill 34,
Repealing the termination date for the use of military administrative leave or specified paid leave for specified State employees who are on active military duty on July 1, 2003, or are activated for military duty on or after July 1, 2003.
 
Income Tax - Subtraction Modification - Military Retirement Income
Senate Bill 22, House Bill 35
Altering a subtraction modification under the Maryland income tax for military retirement income; providing that retirement income that is included in the subtraction modification for military retirement income may not be taken into account for purposes of a subtraction modification allowed under the income tax for individuals who are at least 65 years old or who are disabled or have disabled spouses; defining terms; applying the Act to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2005; etc.
 
Electric Companies - Net Energy Metering - Accrual of Generated Electricity
Senate Bill 167
Allowing customer-generators that own and operate solar, wind, or bio-mass electric generating facilities and use net energy metering, to accrue electricity generating credit for 12 months; altering a specified definition; requiring an electric company to carry forward a negative kilowatt-hour reading until the customer-generator's consumption from the grid eliminates the credit or the accrual period expires; etc.
 
Health Services Cost Review Commission - Report on Hospital Charges
Senate Bill 380, House Bill 647
Requiring the Health Services Cost Review Commission, in consultation with the Maryland Health Care Commission, to publish each acute care hospital's severity-adjusted average charge per case for the 15 most common inpatient diagnosis-related groups.
 
Health Insurance - Carrier Provider Panels - Participation by Providers
Senate Bill 686, House Bill 1003
Requiring a health insurance carrier that uses a provider panel to maintain standards in accordance with specified regulations if the carrier is an insurer, nonprofit health service plan, or dental plan organization; requiring a health insurance carrier that uses a provider panel to establish procedures to verify with each provider on the carrier's provider panel at specified times whether the provider is accepting new patients and to update specified information on participating providers; etc.
 
Procurement - eMaryland Marketplace
Senate Bill 794, House Bill 819
Authorizing the Department of Budget and Management to establish fees for the use of eMaryland Marketplace by entities that publish a notice of a procurement, conduct a procurement, or publish a notice of award; repealing specified procedures for deducting and retaining specified fees from a procurement contract price to pay the costs of operating eMaryland Marketplace; and providing for a delayed effective date.
 
Maryland Trauma Physician Services Fund - Reimbursement Rates - Grants
Senate Bill 835, House Bill 1164
Increasing the reimbursement rate for the cost incurred by level II and III trauma centers to maintain trauma physicians on-call; increasing the total amount of reimbursements made to trauma physicians from the Maryland Trauma Physician Services Fund; requiring the Health Services Cost Review Commission to develop guidelines for the approval of a specified grant to subsidize stand-by costs for specified out-of-state pediatric trauma centers; etc.
 
Procurement - Minority Business Participation
Senate Bill 884, House Bill 869
Continuing until July 1, 2011, the provisions of the State Procurement Law relating to procurement from minority businesses; and requiring a study and a final report on the study of the Minority Business Enterprise Program to be submitted to the Legislative Policy Committee before September 30, 2010.
 
Commission on the Establishment of a Maryland Women in Military Service Monument
Senate Bill 896, House Bill 1070
Establishing a Commission on the Establishment of a Maryland Women in Military Service Monument; providing for the composition and staffing of the Commission; specifying the duties of the Commission; providing specified reimbursement for travel expenses; requiring the Commission to refer to a specified report; requiring the Commission to submit a preliminary report on its findings and recommendations on or before February 1, 2007, and a final report on or before September 30, 2007; etc.
 
Community Health Resources Commission Fund - Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
House Bill 1118
Requiring the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission, in developing specified regulations, to give priority to community health resources that provide a clinical home for specified individuals who access hospital emergency departments for mental health services, substance abuse services, or both; etc.
 
Health Insurance - Coverage for Part-Time Students With Disabilities
House Bill 1405
Providing that specified insurers, nonprofit health service plans, and health maintenance organizations that provide health benefits to specified full-time students may not exclude benefits for students over a specified age who do not attend an institution of higher education on a full-time basis as a result of a specified disability under specified circumstances; authorizing specified entities to require specified individuals to provide specified verification; etc.
 
Maryland Cares
House Bill 1467
Establishing a Medicare Part D Stopgap Program in the Department of Aging; establishing the purpose of the Program; authorizing the Governor to provide in the fiscal 2007 budget of the Department of Aging $2,000,000 for distribution to local area agencies on aging for a specified purpose; requiring the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to collect specified data on health problems; etc.
 
State Employees' and Teachers' Retirement Enhancement Benefit Act of 2006
Senate Bill 1019
Altering the formula used to calculate the normal service retirement allowances for individuals who are members of the Employees' Pension System or the Teachers' Pension System on or after June 30, 2006; providing for an alternate contributory pension selection for individuals who are members of the Employees' Pension System or the Teachers' Pension System on or after July 1, 2006; etc.
 
State Government - Public Records - Personal Information About Individuals with Disabilities
Senate Bill 1040, House Bill 1625
Requiring custodians of public records to deny inspection of the part of a public record that contains personal information about individuals with disabilities or individuals perceived to have a disability under specified circumstances; defining "disability"; requiring custodians of public records to permit the inspection of a specified part of a public record after the custodian redacts specified information under specified circumstances; etc.
 
Health Insurance - Contracts of Carriers with Providers, Ambulatory Surgical Facilities, or Hospitals - Prohibited Provisions
Senate Bill 1086, House Bill 897
Prohibiting carriers from including in contracts with providers, ambulatory surgical facilities, or hospitals specified terms or conditions relating to reimbursement rates and reimbursement arrangements; and making a violation of the Act an unfair and deceptive practice for purposes of insurance.
 
Department of Health and Mental Hygiene - Adult Sickle Cell Anemia-Study
House Bill 851
Requiring the Department of Health and mental Hygiene, in consultation with the Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities and interested stakeholders, to submit a specified report on adult sickle cell anemia to specified committees on or before December 1, 2006; etc.
 
Lead Poisoning Lead Testing
House Bill 1676
Altering the definition of "elevated blood level"; requiring that the elevated blood lead concentration of a blood sample be determined in a specified manner on or after July 1, 2006; etc.
 
Maryland AIDS Drug Assistance Program - Rebates - Special Fund
House Bill 1701
Requiring the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to distribute any rebates received by the Department from the Maryland AIDS Drug Assistance Program to a special fund to fund the Maryland AIDS Drug Assistance Program.
 

Crimes - Inflicting Unnecessary Suffering or Pain on Animals - Prohibition
House Bill 11
Prohibiting a person from inflicting unnecessary suffering or pain on an animal; repealing the requirement that a person have charge or custody of an animal, as owner or otherwise, to be prosecuted for inflicting unnecessary suffering or pain on an animal; and providing that the Act does not apply to lawful hunting or lawful trapping.
 

Correctional Officers' Retirement System - Reemployment of Retirees
House Bill 1364
Exempting from the earnings limitation placed on a retirement allowance retirees of the Correctional Officers' Retirement System who are re-employed as correctional officers in correctional facilities; requiring the Division of Corrections in the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to provide the State Retirement Agency with information; providing that retirees of the Correctional Officers' Retirement System may only be re-employed for 4 years; etc.
 

Department of Aging - Assisted Living Program Subsidies - Rate Setting Authority
House Bill 1633
Requiring the Secretary of Aging to provide for and set by regulation the amount of State subsidies necessary to assist low income elderly individuals to reside in assisted living facilities under specified circumstances.
 

Sponsored By:
Senator Kathy Klausmeier

Agricultural Stewardship Act of 2006
Senate Bill 5
Requiring the Governor to appropriate specified funds to the Maryland Agricultural and Resource-Based Industry Development Corporation for rural business development and assistance; establishing an Agriculture and Natural Resources Internship Program at the University of Maryland, College Park; encouraging the Governor to make specified appropriations to specified agricultural programs; altering the distribution of specified fees from the Bay Restoration Fund; etc.
 
Charles H. Hickey, Jr. School - Cessation of Operations - Transfer of Property
Senate Bill 6
Requiring the transfer of the real property and all rights of physical control over the real property of the Charles H. Hickey, Jr. School to the Department of Natural Resources if the Department of Juvenile Services ceases to operate the school in a specified manner; and requiring specified transferred property to become a part of Gunpowder Falls State Park.
 
Income Tax - Credit for Smoking Prohibition on Business Premises
Senate Bill 8
Providing for credits against the Maryland income tax for prohibiting smoking on the premises of specified business establishments; limiting the credit to the lesser of $5,000 or a percentage of the Maryland income tax for the taxable year; providing for the issuance of specified eligibility certificates by the board of license commissioners; requiring a taxpayer claiming the credit to obtain and file with the Maryland income tax return a specified eligibility certificate; etc.
 
Electric Companies and Gas Companies - Use of Trade Names and Trademarks
Senate Bill 18
Prohibiting the use of the trade name or trademark of an electric company or a gas company by specified persons for specified purposes under specified circumstances; providing that the Act applies to specified persons engaged in specified activities relating to heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration services, plumbing services, appliances, and home improvements; providing that existing obligations or contract rights may not be impaired by the Act; etc.
 
Criminal Procedure - Sex Offenders - Electronic Tracking and Movement Restrictions
Senate Bill 20
Requiring a court to require a specified defendant, as a condition of probation, to register for electronic tracking by the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services; authorizing a court to specify geographic locations to which specified defendants may not travel as a condition of probation; requiring a person required to register as a sex offender for a term of life to register for electronic tracking with the Department; etc.
 
State Employees - Military Administrative Leave
Senate Bill 34
Repealing the termination date for the use of military administrative leave or specified paid leave for specified State employees who are on active military duty on July 1, 2003, or are activated for military duty on or after July 1, 2003.
 
Health - Maryland Medbank Program - Sunset Repeal
Senate Bill 61
Repealing the termination provision for the Maryland Medbank Program.
 
Crimes of Violence - Parole
Senate Bill 62
Altering the portion of a sentence that must be served before persons convicted of specified violent crimes can be paroled; altering the portion of a sentence that must be served before persons convicted of specified violent crimes can receive a specified administrative review; providing for the application of the Act; etc.
 
Income Tax Exemption Amounts - Blind and Elderly Individuals
Senate Bill 73
Increasing the amount allowed as a deduction for addiitional exemptions under the Maryland income tax for individuals who, as of the last day of the taxable year, are blind or are at least 65 years old, from $1,000 to $1,500 for the tax year 2007 and to $2,400 for tax years 2008 and beyond; repealing obsolete provisions; and applying the Act to tax years beginning after December 31, 2006.
 
Family Law - Child Support - Deviation from Child Support Guidelines
Senate Bill 74
Adding a factor that a court may consider when determining whether the application of the child support guidelines would be unjust or inappropriate in a particular case.
 
Radio Communications - Regulation of Amateur Radio Equipment - Limitations
Senate Bill 75
Requiring local zoning authorities to comply with specified federal regulations governing amateur radio service; prohibiting specified homeowners associations from restricting or prohibiting the design, placement, screening, height, or use of specified amateur radio equipment; prohibiting homeowners associations exempted from the Act from amending, on or after October 1, 2006, specified governing documents to further restrict or prohibit amateur radio equipment; etc.
 
Education - Baltimore County Board of Education - Qualifications of Members
Senate Bill 99
Prohibiting a member of the Baltimore County Board of Education from being employed as a compensated staff member by a member of the General Assembly who represents a legislative district in Baltimore County.
 
Gaming - Slot Machines - Ownership and Operation by Eligible Organizations
Senate Bill 132
Making provisions that authorize eligible organizations to own or operate slot machines applicable statewide and altering the definition of "eligible organization" to make it applicable to a nonprofit organization located in the State for at least 5 years before the organization applies for a license.
 
Consumer Protection - Personal Information Protection Act
Senate Bill 134
Requiring specified businesses, when destroying a customer's records that contain personal information of the customer, to take specified steps to protect against unauthorized access to or use of the personal information under specified circumstances; requiring specified businesses that own or license personal information of an individual residing in the State to implement and maintain specified security procedures and practices under specified circumstances; etc.
 
Hospitals - Comparable Evaluation System - Health Care-Associated Infection Information
Senate Bill 135
Requiring a comparable evaluation system established by the Maryland Health Care Commission to include health care-associated infection information from hospitals; requiring the system to adhere, to the extent possible, to specified recommendations regarding public reporting of health care-associated infections; etc.
 
Child Abuse and Neglect - Reporting by Commercial Photographic Processors and Forensic Computer Analysts
Senate Bill 136
Specifically mandating the reporting of child abuse and neglect by commercial photographic processors and forensic computer analysts.
 
Vehicle Laws - Vehicle Registration Fees - Discount for Seniors
Senate Bill 139
Reducing annual motor vehicle registration fees for Class A (passenger) vehicles, specified Class E (truck) vehicles, and specified Class M (multipurpose) vehicles owned by individuals who are at least 65 years of age.
 
Education - Task Force on School Safety
Senate Bill 146
Establishing a Task Force on School Safety; providing for the membership and staffing of the Task Force; authorizing the Task Force to establish subcommittees; providing that the members of the Task Force may not receive compensation but are entitled to a specified reimbursement; requiring the Task Force to evaluate and make recommendations regarding methods to address violence in public schools and methods to provide a safe learning environment for students; etc.
 
State Lottery Proceeds - Compulsive Gambling Grants
Senate Bill 149
Establishing a special fund to provide grants to address the problem of compulsive gambling; requiring that the Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene issue specified grants to address the problem of compulsive gambling; establishing the purpose of a specified pilot project; specifying the use of funds; and providing for the termination of the Act.
 
Task Force to Study Gambling Treatment Programs in Circuit Courts and the District Court
Senate Bill 150
Creating a Task Force to Study Gambling Treatment Programs in Circuit Courts and the District Court; requiring the Task Force to study how a system of gambling treatment programs may be established in circuit courts and the District Court, taking specified aspects into account; requiring the Task Force to report its findings to the Governor and the General Assembly on or before December 1, 2007; etc.
 
Business Entities - Annual Report - Fees
Senate Bill 151
Altering the fees paid by specified business entities to file an annual report with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation.
 
Vehicle Laws - Registration Fees - Discount for Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities
Senate Bill 161
Providing that for the renewal of a motor vehicle registration the annual registration fee shall be reduced by 50% for disabled individuals and individuals 70 years old or older if all owners of the vehicle meet specified requirements and the vehicle is driven less than 5,000 miles annually; providing that the registration fee reduction does not apply to the first issuance of a registration to the owner of a motor vehicle after title or interest transfers to that owner; etc.
 
Electric Companies - Net Energy Metering - Accrual of Generated Electricity
Senate Bill 167
Allowing customer-generators that own and operate solar, wind, or biomass electric generating facilities and use net energy metering, to accrue electricity generating credit for 12 months; altering a specified definition; requiring an electric company to carry forward a negative kilowatt-hour reading until the customer-generator's consumption from the grid eliminates the credit or the accrual period expires; etc.
 
Community Energy and Economic Development Grant Program
Senate Bill 175
Establishing the Community Energy and Economic Development Grant Program in the Maryland Energy Administration; providing for the purpose of the Program; requiring the Administration to manage, supervise, and administer the Program; providing for the eligibility for grants from the Program; providing for the application for grants from the Program; altering the amount of the environmental surcharge for each account for each retail electric customer for a specified period of time; etc.
 
Creation of a State Debt - Baltimore County - Perry Hall Mansion
Senate Bill 182
Authorizing the creation of a State Debt not to exceed $500,000, the proceeds to be used as a grant to the County Executive and County Council of Baltimore County for the renovation, interior restoration, and capital equipping of the Perry Hall Mansion in Perry Hall; providing for disbursement of the loan proceeds, subject to a requirement that the grantee provide and expend a matching fund; establishing a deadline for the encumbrance or expenditure of the loan proceeds; etc.
 
Consent Provisions - Minors - Mental or Emotional Disorder
Senate Bill 381
Authorizing psychologists to give specified individuals information, without the consent of or over the express objection of a minor, about treatment of a mental or emotional disorder needed by a minor or provided to a minor under specified circumstances; authorizing specified individuals, on advice or direction of a psychologist, to give specified individuals information, without the consent of or over the express objection of a minor under specified circumstances; etc.
 
Electricity Suppliers - Customers - Contact Information and Electricity Usage Data
Senate Bill 561
Requiring an electric company, on written request of a specified electricity supplier, to give to the requesting electricity supplier specified contact information and electricity usage data of specified customers; requiring an electric company to provide a specified notice prior to providing specified information; etc.
 
Property Tax - Credit for Continuing Care Retirement Communities
Senate Bill 685
Requiring the State and the governing body of each county and of each municipal corporation to grant property tax credits under specified circumstances for continuing care facilities; requiring the State Department of Assessments and Taxation to include the credit on the taxpayer's property tax bill; providing for the method of calculation of the tax credit authorized; and applying the Act to tax years beginning after June 30, 2007.
 
State Agencies - Energy Performance Contracting - Water and Wastewater Conservation Projects
Senate Bill 783
Including water and wastewater conservation projects in the provisions of law relating to energy performance contracting.
 
Public Safety - Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Senate Bill 929
Requiring the State Fire Prevention Commission, on or before a specified date, to adopt regulations relating to carbon monoxide detectors; requiring the owner of a residential dwelling, building, or structure, on or before a specified date, to equip the dwelling, building, or structure with carbon monoxide detectors that conform to the requirements of the Commission; requiring the owner, on or before a specified date, to replace, as necessary, carbon monoxide detectors or batteries; etc.
 
Family Law - Child Care - Influenza Immunization
Senate Bill 1012
Requiring the parent or guardian of a child in the care of a specified child care center to provide to the child care center specified evidence of immunization against the influenza virus by a specified date each year except in specified circumstances; and requiring specified child care centers to provide to the State Department of Education specified documentation that children in their care have received a specified immunization against the influenza virus.
 
Creation of a State Debt - Baltimore County - Blind Industries and Services of Maryland
Senate Bill 1054
Authorizing the creation of a State Debt not to exceed $1,210,000, the proceeds to be used as a grant to the Board of Trustees of Blind Industries and Services of Maryland, Inc. for the construction and capital equipping of the Baltimore headquarters of Blind Industries and Services of Maryland, Inc.; providing for disbursement of the loan proceeds, subject to a requirement that the grantee provide and expend a matching fund; establishing a deadline for the encumbrance or expenditure of the loan proceeds; etc.