ANNAPOLIS – Feb. 7 was the introduction deadline for legislation in the Senate.

SB 94 Public Health - Maryland Suicide Fatality Review Committee, which will establish a committee to identify and address the factors contributing to suicide deaths and facilitate system changes in the state of Maryland, unanimously passed in the Senate and goes to the House. 

SB 80 - Motor Vehicle Registration - Exceptions for Golf Carts - Hoopers Island and Taylors Island unanimously passed in the Senate and goes to the House. 

This week, we had two pieces of legislation that had their committee hearings scheduled:

SB 154 - Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Compact if passed would authorize Maryland to join the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Compact, so that advanced practice registered nurses can work across state lines.

SB 513 - Health Occupations - Clinical Nurse Specialists - Prescribing Authority if passed will authorize clinical nurse specialists to prescribe and order durable medical equipment.

You can track all legislation that is sponsored by our office on our Maryland General Assembly page.

Constituent meetings last week

Last week, our office met with the following organizations to discuss legislation that will impact the Eastern Shore: the Maryland Sierra Club, the Maryland Farm Bureau, United Healthcare Workers, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and the Rural Maryland Council. Our office also attended the Talbot Chamber’s Government and Regulatory Affairs Committee, where we received updates on legislation that will impact counties in Maryland.

Committee Hearings and Briefings

As a member of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, I oversee various state agencies’ budgets. This week, I heard from the State Retirement Agency, Maryland Supplemental Retirement Plans, the Office of Deaf and Hard of Hearing, the Property Tax Assessment Appeals Board, the State Department of Assessments and Taxation, the Department of Human Services’ Office of Home Energy Programs, the Maryland Department of Health’s Public Health Administration, and the Department of Housing and Community Development.

As a member of the Pensions Subcommittee, we review all legislation related to pensions and retirement for the state. For example, SB 402 Employees’ Retirement and Pension Systems - Reemployment Earnings Limitation - COVID-19 Exemption, an administration bill that I co-sponsored, if passed will exempt retirees of the Employees’ Retirement and Pension Systems from a reemployment earnings limitation for up to three years when the Department of Health or Department of Labor rehires the retiree to assist with the administration of grants or benefits related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Other pension legislation reviewed include SB 346 State Police Retirement System - Deferred Retirement Option Program - Alterations, SB 409 State Retirement and Pension System - COVID-19 Related Death Benefits - Sunset Extension, SB 410 Teachers’ Retirement and Pension Systems - Reemployment, and SB 502 State Retirement and Pension System - Administration - Clarifications and Corrections.

2022-23, 2023-24 hunting seasons

DNR is accepting comments on both the Proposed Migratory Game Bird Seasons and Bag limits for the 2022-23 hunting season as well as the Proposed Hunting and Trapping Seasons and Bag limits for the 2022-23 and the 2023-24 hunting seasons. Migratory Game Bird seasons and bag limits are reviewed every year and Hunting and Trapping seasons and bag limits are reviewed every two years.

Burton Fishing Pier State Park

For the past month, both sides of the Bill Burton Fishing Pier (Talbot and Dorchester counties) have been closed by the Department of Natural Resources due to structural issues. We have been in contact with DNR since its closure to see if there has been anything local offices, community members or concerned constituents would be able to do to assist.

This week, we received an update from Secretary Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio that their department has worked with the Department of General Services on a contract to conduct an underwater inspection of the pier. The Board of Public Works approved that contract on Jan. 26. Once the underwater inspection is complete, a report will be issued to determine the extent and estimated cost of repairs to the pier. It is their estimation that the report will be complete by spring.

Republicans: End school mask mandates

On Thursday, Republican leadership in the House and Senate applauded Gov. Larry Hogan’s call to the Maryland State Board of Education to lift the mask mandate in public schools. In a letter on Thursday, Gov. Hogan noted that a growing number of medical professionals, parents and bipartisan state officials throughout the nation are calling for an end to school mask requirements. I agree that as Maryland’s COVID-19 hospitalizations and positivity rates are coming down, it is time to consider relaxing the mask mandates in our school system.

The Maryland Senate Republican Caucus met with Senate President Ferguson to express concerns over the membership of the Maryland Accountability and Implementation Board that oversees education funding in Maryland, citing the lack of rural representation.

Eastern Shore Delegation meetings

Meetings of the Eastern Shore Delegation occur each Friday, beginning at 9 a.m. Legislators discuss a variety of issues and legislation pertinent to the Eastern Shore. These meetings can be viewed on the General Assembly website under the “Meetings” tab.

2022-2023 Senatorial Scholarship Application

Our office’s Senatorial Scholarship is currently accepting applications for the 2022-2023 school year. Please reach out to our office at adelaide.eckardt@senate.state.md.us to receive the scholarship application packet.

If you have previously applied to the scholarship, it will automatically renew for a total of four years after applying.

Addie Eckardt represents District 37 in the Maryland State Senate.