Maryland lawmakers finished the 2022 Legislative Session at midnight on Monday and passed several bills last minute, while leaving many behind. Monday was also the last day of legislating for lawmakers before the election in November.

Maryland Matters outlined some of the bills that were passed before the General Assembly adjourned Sine Die:

Among the bills that received final passage on Monday were a compromise to increase local budgets for highway repairs, measures to enhance Maryland’s cybersecurity response efforts, and a bill — introduced but not passed for several years — that would raise the age that minors are legally allowed to marry to 17 with permission from their parents or guardians.

The George “Walter” Taylor Act, which would ban fire-fighting foam, food packaging, rugs and carpets that contain the chemical PFAS, also received final approval on Monday.

Debate on a Senate gun bill — which would create a center to track statewide gun crime data and was amended to include some Republican priorities — was pushed to the final 20 minutes of the chamber’s session. It ultimately passed after the House stripped the measure of two provisions Republicans wanted: to classify theft of a firearm as a felony and to classify use of a handgun during a drug deal as a crime of violence subject to increased penalties.

The last bill to pass was Senate Bill 763, which would require the Maryland State Commission on Criminal Sentencing Policy to collect and publish data related to cases prosecuted in state circuit courts. The bill is not as comprehensive as the “Judicial Transparency Act” proposed by Hogan multiple times during his tenure.

Maryland Matters also reported on several bills that failed to pass on Monday:

Other bills met their demise in the final moments of the legislative session. Senators delayed debate on a bill that would have established “safe harbor” provisions in Maryland law to protect victims of child sex trafficking from prosecution. The measure failed to come back up for discussion and died.

A brief progressive uprising on the House floor late Monday night killed a bill that would have provided a raise to the next Frederick County sheriff. Jones, moderate Democrats, a few institutionalists and Frederick County’s Democratic delegates joined with Republicans in voting in favor of the measure. Most progressive Democrats voted to kill it.

Efforts to include the vestiges of GOP Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr.’s anti-crime package also fell short on the final day of session.

The House of Delegates paused the floor session on Monday evening to unveil the official portrait of the late Speaker Michael E. Busch, who served as Speaker from 2003 until his death three years ago. The portrait, painted by Rick Casali, was revealed as Speaker Busch’s wife Cindy and their daughters Erin and Megan pulled away the blue drape that had covered the portrait all day. Several legislators and former members of Busch’s staff were in attendance for the ceremony. The portrait will remain in the front of the chamber.

For more information, please visit Maryland Matters.