This year’s legislative session included bills related to pandemic relief, education, taxes and much more. Let’s take a closer look.
RELIEF Act
Governor Larry Hogan signed a $1.2 billion RELIEF Act into law in mid-February. Under this act, the following will happen:
2021 Income Tax Deadline Change
The IRS announced in March that its tax deadline would be pushed back from the usual date of April 15 to May 17 for individual tax returns.
Comptroller Peter Franchot has extended the deadline for filing and paying state income taxes from April 15, 2021 to July 15, 2021.
Veto Overrides
In May 2020, Governor Hogan vetoed many pieces of legislation due to how the COVID-19 virus would affect the state budget. At the start of the 2021 legislative session, the General Assembly brought back many of these bills to consider overriding the governor’s veto.
Here are two of the more high-profile bills that passed on the override:
Senate Bill 1000 – Blueprint for Maryland’s Future – Implementation
Governor Hogan vetoed this bill, criticizing its yearly $4 billion price tag. It has a 10-year plan to expand prekindergarten. It will increase funding to schools with a high percentage of poor, special education or limited English-speaking students. For the teachers, it will increase their pay, as well as raise their required standards. The governor’s 2020-2021 budget had included $7.3 billion for education. This will provide historically high funding for K-12 education. Prekindergarten also received $94 million in the 2020-2021 budget. Governor Hogan stated in his veto that Kirwan lacked accountability and a funding source.
House Bill 732 - Taxation – Tobacco Tax, Sales and Use Tax and Digital Advertising Gross Revenues Tax
This bill is the nation’s first tax targeting digital advertising. The tax will affect large technology-based and online companies that derive revenue from advertising on their websites. It will ultimately be passed along to advertisers, small business, and entrepreneurs who are trying to make a living by advertising online. This tax will eventually flow down to the consumer.
I voted to uphold Governor Larry Hogan’s veto to avoid raising taxes and fees on Marylanders during a time of financial struggle.
The following are important bills from the 2021 legislative session.
Police Reform
Senate Bill 71: Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2021 – Body-Worn Cameras, Employee Programs, and Use of Force
This bill enacted the following for police officers:
This bill was vetoed by Governor Hogan, and the General Assembly overrode the governor’s veto. I voted to uphold the governor’s veto.
Senate Bill 178: Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2021 – Personnel Records – Investigation of Law Enforcement Officers (Anton’s Law)
The following was included in this piece of legislation:
This bill was vetoed by Governor Hogan, and the General Assembly overrode the governor’s veto. I voted to uphold the governor’s veto.
House Bill 670: Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2021 – Police Discipline and Law Enforcement Programs and Procedures (Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights – LEOBR)
This bill removes the Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights, which was created in the 1970s. It creates a multi-step disciplinarian process for officers accused of wrongdoing on the job. This bill’s final draft after going through both chambers and a conference committee included the following:
This bill was vetoed by Governor Hogan, and the General Assembly overrode the governor’s veto. I voted to uphold the governor’s veto.
Legislative Bond Initiatives
Through the Legislation Bond Initiative Program, I was able to help secure funding for the following organizations located within District 33.
Anne Arundel County Fair: $85,000
Cape St. Claire Improvement Association: $250,000
Chrysalis House: $250,000
Elks Camp Barrett: $89,200
Langton Green Community Farm: $95,000
Pascal Crisis Stabilization Center: $300,000
Rockbridge Academy: $500,000
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