Hello Friends,
Welcome to Week 12 of the General Assembly! Last week…
Child Interrogation Protection Act, Climate Solutions Now Act, and Energy Performance Targets & Low Income Housing all made it past Crossover Day! Next step is making sure these bills get voted favorably out of committee in the opposite chamber; check out our Bill Tracking sheet for updates on hearings and voting sessions.
If you are interested in learning more about bill status check out this press coverage:
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- Climate Solutions Now “Makeover” in the House (Maryland Matters, 3/23/22) – As of today Climate Solutions Now has already passed the House Environment & Transportation Committee and still needs to be voted on in Economic Matters; check out this article to understand the nuances of this legislation as it moves from the committee of origin (Senate) to the opposite chamber (House).
- Press release – Energy Performance Targets & Low Income Housing (NRDC, 3/21/22) – The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) speaks to the importance of this first in the nation piece of legislation to ensure everyone has access to the many benefits of energy efficiency.
This week…
- ACTION ALERT – Show support for the GRID Act (HB0088). This bill will help modernize and upgrade MD’s electricity distribution system to get us ready for future electrification; it is currently being considered by the Senate Finance committee (opposite chamber) and has yet to be scheduled for a vote. This bill is not on our priority list, but electrification is part of the Climate Solutions Now bill so this will be an important partner on the path to clean energy in MD – thanks for taking action to support!
- Keeping an eye on Child Interrogation Protection Act (SB0053). After the hearing in the House Judiciary committee (also known as “opposite committee”) on 3/23 this bill has yet to be scheduled for a vote; we will be keeping our eyes on this committees schedule and reaching out for action if it looks like the bill will need extra support. You can learn more about the bill by reading the testimony Quaker Voice shared last week with the bill sponsor Senator Carter and plan to take action by attending the Social Justice Rally in Annapolis – check out details below!
Add to the calendar…
- Social Justice Legislation Rally in Annapolis – 4/5 @ 9-11AM. We’ve been invited by MD Poor People’s Campaign for a rally in Annapolis to show support for social justice legislation along with other like-minded organizations (CASA, Jews United for Justice, and others); legislation they are supporting include one of our 2022 priority bills – the Child Interrogation Protection Act! Check out the event page to learn more and hope you can join the rally to show support for SB0053!
That is all for this week — if you have any questions or ideas please feel free to reach out to me or any of our working group members.
In Light,
Molly Finch