Photo: Kim Hairston | Baltimore Sun
No, I’m not suggesting the entire House and Senate of Maryland has the virus, I’m merely suggesting that our institutions of state government have been deeply impacted by the pandemic, and the most directly impacted group are the voters of Maryland.
Oh, there’s definitely a lot of credit due to the legislative leaders, Senate President Bill Ferguson and House Speaker Adrienne Jones, for the additional steps they’ve taken to place procedures and processes on the Internet and the steps they’ve taken to protect our 188 legislators and professional staff from the spread of the virus.
But as I mentioned at the beginning, there has been at least one serious victim under the COVID 2021: TRANSPARENCY. Yes, the open and obvious process of deliberation, testimony and the right of a citizen to petition their government during the legislative process.
We can all watch the actions on the floor of the House and the Senate. We can even watch the bill hearings in committee rooms. This year, for the very first time in history, we can watch a number of committee voting sessions if we have an abundance of time on our hands and the patience to track the daily hearing and voting schedules. Most people don’t.
What we cannot do is appear, in person, to offer our thoughts on matters that deeply and seriously to our state elected legislature. Due to fears of COVID community spread, no one is permitted to travel to Annapolis to testify on bills they love or bills they despise. The leadership has created systems for citizens to either submit written correspondence via email or participate in a virtual hearing session. Both require advance registration twenty-four hours in advance. Simply signing up will not guaranty one a spot on camera, as a “lottery” actually determines who specifically will get camera time. At least the choice of submitting testimony via email ensures us that our words will be shared, but doesn’t mean that they’ll be read. But we can hope and maybe that’s the best we can do under COVID restrictions.
We’ve been active on advocacy and have already sent testimony and issued alerts to our members on a number of bills we think might help businesses as well as a number of bills we believe will negatively impact our members.
WE’VE OPPOSED HB 581/SB 486: The Essential Worker Protection Act – If passed, the legislation would create a number of new employer mandates and costs including 1) hazard pay; 2) financial assistance for healthcare costs; and 3) universal health and bereavement leave, among many other problematic and challenging provisions for Maryland’s job creators.
WE STRONGLY SUPPORT SB 502: This Bill simply exempts retail workers at family-owned farm stands in Maryland from the $15.00 per hour minimum wage. These farm stands cannot compete with commercial grocers if this higher minimum wage is not exempted. Many of our family farms utilize that stands as a way to supplement their farm income.
WE ARE OPPOSED TO SB211: The program generally provides up to 12 weeks of benefits to an employee who is taking partially paid or unpaid leave for certain reasons, except that an additional 12 weeks for benefits appears to be provided for certain circumstances. Leave with benefits is provided for the following reasons: 1) to care for a child during the first year after the child’s birth or after the placement of the child through foster care or adoption; 2) to care for a family member with a serious health condition, 3) because the employee has a health condition that results in their being unable to perform the functions of their job, 4) to care for a service member who is the employee’s next of kin, or 5) because the employee has an exigency arising out of the deployment of a service member who is a family member. The bill establishes the FAMLI Fund, which will consist of contributions from employees and employers. Beginning January 1, 2021, each employee and employer shall contribute to the fund at a rate to be set by the Maryland Department of Labor. Self-employed individuals may also participate.
WE HAVE ALSO BEEN OPPOSED TO: Veto Overrides from Governor Hogan on the Excellence in Public Education bill and the Digital Advertising Sales Tax bills from the 2020 Session. While the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce strongly supports the best possible public education for every single child, we felt that a pandemic, when small businesses in Frederick County and all across Maryland are struggling to survive, was no time to increase the cost of any business. It appears as though almost all of the bills that the Governor vetoed last year, almost all of which he cited the COVID-19 pandemic as the basis for the veto, will be overridden on party-line votes.
The Frederick County Chamber of Commerce will continue to track the major issues for you throughout the session. We encourage you to continue to share your views and thoughts with your legislators.
- Senator Ron Young: ron.young@seante.state.md.us
- Senator Michael Hough: michael.hough@senate.md.us | Delegation Vice-Chair
- Delegate Barrie Ciliberti: barrie.ciliberti@house.state.md.us
- Delegate Dan Cox: dan.cox@house.state.md.us
- Delegate Carol Krimm: carole.krimm@house.state.md.us
- Delegate Ken Kerr: ken.kerr@house.state.md.us
- Delegate Jesse Pippy: jesse.pippy@house.state.md.us
- Delegate Karen Lewis-Young: karen.young@house.state.md.us | Delegation Chair
As always, if you have a question about the process, specific legislation, or just want to discuss what’s happening, feel free to email me at rweldon@frederickchaber.org.
– Rick Weldon, President & CEO
Frederick Chamber Insights is a news outlet of the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce. For more information about membership, programs and initiatives, please visit our website.