2010 Maryland General Assembly Wrap Up

2-1-1 MARYLAND:

HB 693/SB 527
Health and Human Services Referral Board – 2-1-1 Maryland – Modifications
Sponsor: Hubbard et al. (H); Frosh et al. (S)
Codifies 2-1-1 as a permanent system in Maryland, creating the Governor’s Health and Human Services Referral Board to figure out sustainability of the system.  

EDUCATION:

HB465/SB284  
Negotiations by Family Child Care Providers
Sponsors: Administration et al.
It establishes collective bargaining rights for family child care providers.

HB 350/SB 758
Education – Early Learning Challenge Fund – Application for Grants
Sponsor: Hucker et al. (H); King et al. (S)
Requires the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) to apply for grants from
the Early Learning Challenge Fund and will require MSDE to adopt regulations so that
applications are competitive with other states. 

HB 789 
Early Child Care and Education Enhancement Program – Annual Report
Sponsor: Hucker et al. (H); King et al. (S)
Expands the Maryland State Department of Education’s annual report to include the
programs that participate in Judy Hoyer initiatives, including pre-K, Head Start, Infants
and Toddlers, family support services and child care programs. 

HB1375
Kids First Express Lane Eligibility Act
Sponsor: Delegate Mizeur
Requires the Comptroller to send information from a taxpayer’s tax return to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene for the purpose of determining eligibility of a dependent child for the Maryland Medical Assistance Program and the Maryland Children’s Health Program. 

INCOME:

BUDGET
“Doors Open for Families in Need of Basic Needs”
Budget language creates a collaborative
The Governor will appoint a cabinet including state agencies and providers of service including 2-1-1 Maryland, to develop a protocol on how people can access services including health care insurance, food stamps, benefits through the Women, Infant and Children’s Program (WIC), temporary assistance for needy families, etc.  This collaborative will have to develop a system to make it easier for people in need of assistance to get help without having  to submit multiple applications and visit many state agencies for the help they need.  2-1-1 Maryland will serve as that single point of entry for these needy families as an easy to remember number and source of that information.   

HB 1135
Property Tax Credit – Grocery Stores - Low-Income Area 
Sponsor: Delegate Ross, et al.
This would authorize a local government to grant a property tax credit for real property that is used for a grocery store located in a low-income area. 

HEALTH:

HB 106/SB 248
Civil Cases – Maryland Legal Services Corporation Fund – Surcharges  
Sponsor: Dumais et al. (H); Frosh et al. (S)
Increases the surcharges in court which will be used to provide legal services to the
individuals that need it.

SB796/HB1043
Criminal Procedure- Child Advocacy Center
Sponsors: Senators Middleton and Forehand
Requires Department of Human Services and the Governor’s Office of Crime and Crime Prevention to establish and sustain child advocacy centers.

HB 1382/SB 554
Rental Housing – Protection for Victims of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
Sponsor: Glenn et al. (H); Gladden (S)
Allows victims of domestic violence or sexual assault to seek certain protections from their
landlords including the right to terminate a lease early or request that locks on doors be
changed.  Victims may not be denied housing or discriminated against because they are
classified as victims of domestic violence or sexual assault. 

For additional information on these bills or all bills monitored by United Way of Central Maryland, contact nan.waranch@uwcm.org.