[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6638198,"mediaKeyId","2574132-b6cb447b5eae72529979890b564dd28c","parentId",2574132,"title","House rejects two amendments that would have paused or increased transparency for greenhouse-gas spending in housing bill","audioSeconds",2423,"startMs",4569000,"endMs",6992000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2574132-b6cb447b5eae72529979890b564dd28c&start=4569&end=6992","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2574132-b6cb447b5eae72529979890b564dd28c/thumbnail_4569000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6638198/Maryland/House-rejects-two-amendments-that-would-have-paused-or-increased-transparency-for-greenhouse-gas-spending-in-housing-bill","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6638198-90f1141548c5ad5210ede6b7d80f9732/orig.mp4?Expires=1771165137&Signature=jb46DSFIiLkzb1YDX4A0-sM-FfPRqFQAhuGoUBi0m3vEyslesY3JHVil6w3fJSFX9j7lYIMb89g-ZHn2H4KH5AfC-bdypK3e5Xc8mnJlAl9xHoCoXPPQfP7nxWpvBtcFWXQJihqjn-YEfxTS2pBiZ-vSZ6hIJdJTO~hrMDHrnMxjxHCXZzuEamdO~xS6BHtchmPCkzdcXp9R4eyPBauxilXGnD5D3ABSeE-1K9Kn8pOwuFjrRkUpSv50sB9Abg46lMD9inod~Okmot08E9TYaiwa59AVwTsGIRQGsmWoOGK0qjMEXOz3ifevktEagC6wRAF8MPFukudy4SlInxgdMg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Maryland General Assembly - House","date","2025-03-12T16:49:28.547Z","article","The Maryland House of Delegates debated amendments to House Bill 155, a housing and community-development measure that includes provisions tied to greenhouse-gas emissions reductions and related grant programs, but rejected both proposals on the House floor.

The first amendment, offered from the floor, sought a two-year pause on the portions of the Empower program that fund greenhouse-gas emission reduction targets. Proponents framed the change as short-term relief for ratepayers facing rising utility bills; opponents and committee leaders said the Empower and related programs generate systemwide savings and that the amendment would interrupt programs already operating.

Supporters said the pause would provide immediate monthly relief to Maryland households that they said are struggling with higher utility costs. \"We're going to pause the portions of the Empower surcharge that relate to greenhouse-gas emission reduction targets,\" the amendment sponsor said on the floor, arguing the move would help people deciding between medicine and heat. Supporters also said local town halls and constituent contacts show growing hardship tied to rising bills.

Floor and committee leaders opposed the pause. The floor leader and the bill's committee members said staff and program operations are already in place and that Empower investments reduce peak load and, over time, lower costs across the grid. The committee argued the evidence in PSC reports and program evaluations shows net system savings from the program and cautioned that delaying the program would shift costs rather than save ratepayers money.

The House rejected the pause amendment on a recorded vote: the clerk announced \"There being 100 votes in the negative, the amendment fails.\" The record shows the amendment did not pass.

A second floor amendment would have required an online public dashboard showing how grant and program dollars related to the bill were spent. Sponsors described the measure as a transparency fix so ratepayers could see where Empower and other program dollars are directed. The bill's opponents and committee leadership said program reporting is already available through the Public Service Commission and the Department of Housing and Community Development, and cautioned that the amendment would impose duplicative reporting and administrative burden.

That transparency amendment also failed on the floor; the clerk announced the result as \"There being 99 votes in the negative, the amendment fails.\" After the votes on the amendments, the House ordered the bill printed for third reading.

Why it matters: HB 155 connects housing and community development actions with greenhouse-gas reduction goals and funding streams already embedded in utility-administered programs. Supporters of the amendments cast their proposals as near-term relief for ratepayers; opponents warned the changes would interrupt programs intended to reduce long-term system costs and emissions.

Vote at a glance (amendments to HB 155)
- Amendment to pause Empower greenhouse-related elements for two years: failed (clerk: 100 negative votes announced).
- Amendment to require an online dashboard showing program/grant expenditures: failed (clerk: 99 negative votes announced).

Detail and next steps: HB 155 remained on the calendar for further action after the House recorded the amendment votes. Committee staff and advocates on both sides said advocates can still pursue other bills or committee-level changes; the House also heard related debate on other energy and utility measures this week.

Speakers quoted in this article are identified in House proceedings and floor debate.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Floor Session, 3/12/2025 #1","oneSentenceSummary","The Maryland House of Delegates debated and rejected two floor amendments to House Bill 155, which advances housing and community-development measures tied to greenhouse-gas emission targets and related grant programs.","taxTitle","HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative, Maryland","taxId",15055,"location","Maryland","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6638188,"House advances dozens of bills on third reading, including health, education and procurement measures",989,3079000,4068000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2574132-b6cb447b5eae72529979890b564dd28c&start=3079&end=4068","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2574132-b6cb447b5eae72529979890b564dd28c/thumbnail_3079000.jpg","/articles/6638188/Maryland/House-advances-dozens-of-bills-on-third-reading-including-health-education-and-procurement-measures","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6638188-cbdb7180d54bca3e40cd19f4cc362c58/orig.mp4?Expires=1771165137&Signature=FTY5qbzbAeye3KwgA76Wuk9ZnVUYszmvkwqSg7SaDKLV1eYsUu0wFAGuOs00kvG7t5903l1uLTv6~BGaX7yi7damkoHktiXktchvI4blgYNbYTzZ31YsKqNBODipF2S7Mrgm4imG0ABkjs9epaGSeSIQSBj5In39AgKawnYIqS0q82mcIMyKO37XluinyUusMLEgy1~Mn7Dn1BPeHVkJ4t822NwbiYI0PXukN2DzLUCpRznXKrw9lH4TpjUHvtNR0DQlZdkJZSHAox7ODCmm2tMRgYlpiGQfWZi9I6sF81EuwaaGuzT-oU~-oOdmq670kdWQ8c6G~aRaeOIIsLhf7A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Maryland House of Delegates moved a large number of bills through third-reading or final-passage stages during the floor session, passing measures on topics from school health and wellness to hospital staffing and procurement rules.

Clerk calls and roll-call tallies recorded during the session show the House passed a long list of bills. A selection of floor actions recorded in the session:

Votes at a glance (selected bills and recorded outcomes)
- HB 672 (School Health and Wellness Personnel Assessment and Maryland Council on Advancement of School-Based Health Centers): passed; clerk announced it had received a constitutional majority.
- HB 699 (General provisions; veterans benefits; honorable discharge): passed; clerk recorded affirmative votes.
- HB 893 (various life/health insurance consumer protections): passed; clerk recorded affirmative votes.
- HB 1082 (Health insurance, individual market stabilization; state-based subsidy program): passed (house announced 103 affirmative votes on one bill sequence).
- HB 1181 (Task force on establishing a state park dedicated to veterans care): passed (clerk announced 139 affirmative votes).
- HB 1210 (Workers' compensation; evaluation of permanent impairments): passed (clerk announced 127 affirmative votes at the moment reported).
- HB 150 (Childcare centers, certificated staff ratio requirement alteration): passed (107 affirmative votes recorded).
- HB 448 (Modernization of Military Laws Act): passed (139 affirmative votes recorded).
- HB 719 (State Boat Act changes): passed (reported elsewhere in session; clerk recorded 100 affirmative votes).
- HB 783 (various greenhouse-gas and housing development measures; HB 155 related calendar): amendments were debated but failed; the bill remained on the calendar (see separate coverage).
- HB 662, HB 666, HB 1060, HB 1045, HB 1066 and many others addressing health insurance, medical assistance coverage, and procurement reforms: passed or ordered printed for third reading as recorded in the clerk's sequence.

Most bills were presented with committee reports and committee amendments; where amendments were adopted on the floor, the clerk recorded the adoption before third-reading votes.

Why it matters: These bills, taken together, touch on education policy, veterans initiatives, health coverage and hospital staffing, procurement and small-business enterprise reporting, and other routine but consequential governance matters. Passage at third reading moves measures further toward final enactment or to the Senate (depending on chamber rules).

Detail and next steps: Each bill will proceed per the General Assembly schedule (return to committee, additional readings, or transmittal as required). Constituents and advocacy groups interested in specific measures should consult bill texts and committee reports for provisions and fiscal notes cited during debate.

A fuller roll-call and committee-adoption list is available in official House records and the clerk's daily journal.","On a busy floor calendar, the House recorded passage or advancement of numerous bills on third reading and final passage across health, education, procurement and public-safety topics; several bills were adopted with recorded roll-call tallies.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6638192,"House approves State Boat Act changes after extended floor debate over fee increases",364,3436000,3800000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2574132-b6cb447b5eae72529979890b564dd28c&start=3436&end=3800","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2574132-b6cb447b5eae72529979890b564dd28c/thumbnail_3436000.jpg","/articles/6638192/Maryland/House-approves-State-Boat-Act-changes-after-extended-floor-debate-over-fee-increases","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6638192-080bc9b5f37d63bad4f5375eac361f17/orig.mp4?Expires=1771165137&Signature=bSjk-JKGZqEhEeVUbtfVVvsSOo6lKQRbCixhmouUJlMF9V06ZIEDbwV3zJdtqISH6VYbIiTK-LbR46qt3dacIzXbSCb-A6kJb6jdp7CE9k9wp3A2X65Qn0eG~LrAivE2aUG17FHincfaHfFA~vy95AemYmYtZBGCrXLXoEha2ZX5cjfV45duGan3Pf4OV~SWu9Ewzg-DRftuqbSU2LZ7zetwrWh1yqug0ouRExvI2OQHkiBJTtf40EVuFg7sbKzp9727cFF~cHHWPmvBzfDEa8CL13iDnos4YqS95mAd4rXSRMhmXUVA3TW70SWpRa8gix4VEZUPjCMDm-ZLaZT2dg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Maryland House of Delegates approved changes to the State Boat Act (House Bill 7 19) after floor debate that centered on fee increases for boat titles, numbering and registration.

The bill updates several fees and registration procedures that, supporters said, have not been revised since 1983. \"These fees for a title for a boat, numbering and certificate of number for a boat, and Maryland user fees have not been increased since 1983,\" a backer of the bill said on the floor, adding that some fee levels date back four decades and do not reflect current administrative costs.

Supporters argued the changes would bring fees closer to inflation and help Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officers manage vessels, including voluntary registration options for nonmotorized boats so authorities can return found vessels to owners instead of assuming a capsize or abandonment. One proponent noted the increase would better align DNR responsibilities with resourcing.

Opponents said the increases would fall on recreational users, older residents and people on limited incomes. \"We want to make sure that we keep it feasible for people on limited incomes to still use their vessels,\" an opponent said, and said raising long-unchanged fees was the wrong direction.

After debate, the clerk recorded the roll call: \"There'll be 100 votes in the affirmative. House Bill 7 19 having received the constitutional majority is declared passed.\" The bill was ordered printed for further reading per House procedure.

Why it matters: The bill affects fees tied to recreational boating across Maryland, including registration, titling and voluntary numbering for nonmotorized vessels. Supporters framed the update as an inflation and administration adjustment; opponents raised affordability concerns for people who use boats for recreation or livelihood.

Speakers quoted in this article are identified by role in House proceedings and floor debate.","Delegates approved changes to the State Boat Act that raise registration and title fees; proponents said fees had not kept pace with inflation since 1983 while opponents warned the increases would burden recreational users.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

House rejects two amendments that would have paused or increased transparency for greenhouse-gas spending in housing bill

House advances dozens of bills on third reading, including health, education and procurement measures

House approves State Boat Act changes after extended floor debate over fee increases