League of Women Voters of Maryland

2008 Bill Number Synopsis Sponsors committee EDUCATION SB 50/HB 121 Special Ed – Children in a Home School, compulsory attendance, Brochin/Lafferty et al pass thru fed monies SB 77 Children in Informal Kinship Care as exception to parent domicile requirement Kelley et al SB 78 Task Force Variables that Impact Student Achievement in Under-Performing schools Kelley et al SB 96 Truancy Rates Behavioral Interventions & Support Porgrams Puch HB 8 Lottery for Schools Act (25% of lotteries monies to education) Holmes HB 49 Maryland High School Assessment Test Results Ross HB 119 – Education – Reporting Requirement – Class Size Cardin, et al TRANSPORTATION HR 78 requires greater detail of mass transit in the CTP Holmes ENV 1/30 ELECTIONS SB 34 Voter Registration – Proof of Citizenship, birth cert, passport or other Pipkin oppose SB 136 Qualification of Voters Proof of Identity photo id to vote Harris, Colburn and Greenip oppose SB 54/HB 102 Voter's Right Portection Act provisional ballot, late polling places, Gladden/Rosenberg false campaign materials SB 92 Yourth Voter Reg & Elective Franchise 17 yr olds Raskin, et al SB 73 Rotation of Candidates Names on the Ballot Kelley AIR QUALITY ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE GUNS HB 2 Handgun Permits repeal language “that a person has a good and substantial Riley Judiciary Jan 22 reason to wear, carry, or transport a handgun" HB 22 Possession of Firearm and with controlled substances Manno Jan 22 Judiciary MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCING LWVMD in general opposes mandatory minimum sentences in favor of judicial discretion HB 34 Violent Crimes &Sexual Offenses Diminution Credits & Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Minnick Judiciary Jan 16 oppose SB 75 possession of child pornography a felony Stone, et al JP oppose CORRECTIONS SB 145 sale of goods from Maryland Correctinal Enterprises to state entities Chair JP & EHEA JUVENILE SERVICES HB 75 JUVENILES – ARRESTS EXPANSION OF NOTIFICATION requires report of a child’s arrest Shewell et al. to the Principal of the child’s school, MARRIAGE EQUALITY AFFORDABLE HOUSING real property SB 17 Foreclosures – written notices to Record Owners 60 days before court Conway env HB 58 Homeowner has right to rescind sales contract in foreclosure Barnes ENV HB 59 Forclosure Proof of Equity to homeowner HB 67 Homeowners in Forclosure Notice to Property Owners to renegotiate McConkey ENV HJ1 Protect Homeowner and Banks by freezing mortgaes Stukes and robinson IMMIGRATION SB 52 Task Force to Study the Cost of Illegal Aliens Pipkin/Harris such a task force, if created, be authorized to analyze net costs or benefits COURTS SB 58/HB 87 District Court – Commissioners to serve temporarily chair 01/17 and 1/29 in any county in the State HB 20 District Court Small Claims Action increase max amount of small claims actions Smigiel Jud 1/15 from $5,000 to $10,000 HB 77 Camera in the Court Room Criminal Sentencing Smigiel living wage ETHICS CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM HB 138 Ballot Issue Additional Campaign Finance Reports Kaiser et al W&M HB 153 State Disbursements --Campaign Chairs & treas can make disbursements Barve, et al REVENUE BILLS SB 41 Sales Tax and Use computer Services repeal tax Harris, et al SB 138 Sales Tax and Use computer Services repeal tax Brinkley et al DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CHILDREN AND FAMILY ISSUES HB 10 Unattended Children Protection Act Increases criminal penalties Ali & Dumais 17-Jan for leaving children unsupervised ENVIRONMENT HEALTH HB 29 Long Term Care Ins - Discrimination Based on Genetic Info or Tests - Prohibited Manno HGO Jan 31 HB 37 Medicare D "Donut Hole" tax assistance Manno W&M HB 69 Prosthetic Parity Act Mizeur HGO Jan 31 HB 115 Med Assistance & Md Children's Health Program statement for Tarrant et al HGO uninsured about medicaid eligibility SB 23 Teenage Protection Pilot Program AA County would offer graphic films of fetus Sinomaire & Greenip Finance before abortion allowed LWVMD has vigorously opposed similar legislation citing the LWVUS position” that public policy in a pluralistic society must affirm the constitutional right of privacy of the individual to make reproductive choices.