Governor Moore recently announced the Moore-Miller Administration’s 2024 Maryland General Assembly’s legislative agenda. This 16-bill package focuses on making Maryland safer, more affordable, more competitive, and making Maryland the state that serves.
The Moore-Miller Administration included three bills focusing specifically on Public Safety. The Victim Compensation Reform Act, SB 471, would provide quicker access to funds for immediate needs, such as funerals and emergency relocation expenses. The Growing Apprenticeships and the Public Safety Workforce Act, SB 470, aims to reform the state’s apprenticeship policies to create an improved pathway to law enforcement. The Center for Firearm Violence Prevention and Intervention, SB475, devotes $10 million to create a center focused on a data-driven public health approach to preventing gun violence
In addition to Public Safety, the administration also included five bills focused on improving affordability. The ENOUGH Act, SB 482, devotes $15 million to combat concentrated poverty specific to each community. The Housing Expansion and Affordability Act, SB 484, incentivizes the construction of highly targeted new housing. The Housing and Community Development Financing Act, SB 483, establishes the Maryland Community Investment Corporation, which could compete for federal funding through the New Market Tax Credit program. The Renter’s Rights Stabilization Act, SB 481, creates an Office of Tenant Rights in the Department of Housing and Community Development responsible for providing renters with information about their rights under law and creating a tenant’s bill of rights. SB 453, Mental Health Emergency Evaluation and Involuntary Admission Procedures and Assisted Outpatient Treatment, would allow court-ordered outpatient treatment for individuals with severe mental illness who are not compliant with treatment and whose lack of compliance poses a potential danger to themselves or others.
State Competitiveness was a large priority as evidenced by the administration’s three competitiveness focused bills in this package. The Pava LaPere Legacy of Innovation Act, SB 473, creates two new programs within the Technology Development Corporation. The Pava LaPere Innovation Acceleration Grant Program provides student tech startups with early-stage capital. The Baltimore Innovation Initiative provides access to capital and wraparound services for technology startups associated with colleges or universities around Baltimore. The Critical Infrastructure Streamlining Act, SB 474, proposes streamlining the regulatory process for approval of industries that rely on backup power generators such as data centers. The Transparent Government Act, SB 472, require sall state agencies to establish and publicize projected timelines for licensing and permitting applications and publicly report the results..
Lastly, the Administration included five bills directly focused on improving public service. The Maryland Road Worker Protection Act, SB 479, increases work zone speed camera fines from $40 to $290 and impose a $1,000 fine for offenders with three or more citations. The Protecting Election Officials Act, SB 480, creates a new misdemeanor charge in state election law for threats against election officials or their families. The Caring for Public Employees in Safety Professions Act, SB 478, incentivizes private businesses and state governments to establish hiring preferences for military spouses. The Time to Serve Act, SB 477, provides 30-days of leave for state employees who also serve in the National Guard and Reserves.
Governor’s Press Release – Maryland General Assembly Legislative Agenda
