More work lies ahead for MD lawmakers after Crossover Day

MARYLAND – Every bill didn’t make it across the line on Monday’s Crossover day in Maryland.

Legislators are now sharing their thoughts as they fight to get those bills passed. Delegate Wayne Hartman saying you can’t fall in love with your legislation. While a few local bills made it across the finish line, the bill that didn’t was House Bill 5.

It would place communication boards at schools for kids to express themselves as well as help students communicate that English is not their first language. “The fiscal note said that these communication boards would cost upwards of 1,200 to 2,000 dollars a piece and that’s just simply not true. It could have been as simple, as a communication board on canvas zipped tied to the fence around the playground and that couldn’t have cost anywhere near 100 dollars,” Delegate Wayne Hartman explains.

Delegate Hartman says the Ocean City promoter’s license bill which will allow people bringing events to Ocean City to have a liquor license for the event is still on the table. Senator Mary Beth Carozza says the trauma funding commission bill has been crossed over with Tom Hutchinson’s bill for Tidalhealth.

However, tomorrow she says the committee will be debating the budget and she is set to propose an amendment. “We’re very interested to see if we can offer legislation, offer an amendment that would provide more retiree tax credits and deductions, as you know that was a legacy accomplishment for Governor Hogan,” says Senator Mary Beth Carozza.

Senator Carozza says she is looking to expand the bill in this year’s budget. The Maryland General Assembly session is set to end on April 10th.