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Final Report : April MAWC successful in fighting new DNR regulations in 2008! |
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LEGISLATIVE/REGULATORY UPDATE This page will be updated on a regular basis in order for members to have access to current legislative and regulatory information. The Maryland General Assembly is in full swing – with few surprises. However, legislators have taken the lead on issues such as health care, tax “reform,” early voting, electricity deregulation, smoking bans, death penalty abolishment, and “clean car” legislation. The Governor has signed on to the last two legislative initiatives but has taken the lead on few issues, thus far. He has indicated his intention to help Maryland’s long-suffering horse racing industry but has given no particulars. LEGISLATION SB 49/HB 69, Program Open Space - Attainment of Acquisition Goals - Increased Allocation for Local Government. As long as approved local land preservation and recreation plans have been met and acreage attainment is equal to or exceeds minimum goals under the Maryland Land Preservation and Recreational Plan, local governments would be allowed to use up to 100% (currently they can only use 75%) of their future annual apportionment for projects for five years provided that up to 20% of the funds may be used for capital projects. Committees: Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs; House Environmental Matters. SB 188/HB 632, Harford County - Deer Hunting on Private Lands – Sundays. Several years ago, when Sunday hunting became law, a few counties decided they wanted to opt out. Each subsequent year one or two of those counties have decided to opt in and allow Sunday hunting. This bill will more than likely pass with no opposition since farmers and landowners are suffering crop losses resulting from deer overpopulation. Committees: Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs; House Environmental Matters. SB 341/HB 431, Creation of a State Debt - Montgomery County - Woodstock Equestrian Park would authorize a state debt not to exceed $500,000, the proceeds to be used as a grant to the Board of Trustees of the Montgomery County Parks Foundation, Inc. for the construction of a public equestrian park. Committees: Senate Budget and Taxation; House Appropriations. HB 601, St. Mary’s County-Deer Hunting on Private Property-Sundays, would allow only bow hunting on private property in St. Mary’s County on the last three Sundays in October, the second Sunday in November, and on the second Sunday of the deer firearms season. Committee: House Environmental Matters HB 701, Natural Resources-Preservation of Parkland. This bill would require the Governor to increase funding to preserve State forests and parkland. Committee: House Environmental Matters. House Environmental Matters. SB 717, Somerset County, Wicomico County, and Worcester County – Deer Hunting on Private Lands – Sundays, is another local bill that would remove these three counties from the list of counties that currently do not allow Sunday firearms deer hunting and would also allow bowhunting on private property the last three Sundays in October, the second Sunday in November, and the second Sunday of the deer firearms season. Currently Dorchester County allows this. Because this bill was introduced after the Senate deadline, it has been assigned to the Senate Rules Committee but will most likely be re-assigned to Education, Health and Environmental Affairs. As far as Sunday deer hunting with firearms, the only counties which are still opting out are: Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Harford (unless SB 188 passes), Howard and Prince George's. The Maryland General Assembly’s website, www.mlis.state.md.us, is packed with all sorts of information. You can find status of legislation, bill hearings, legislators’ biographical information, contact information, and much, much more.
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