House Appropriations Committee hears sponsor presentations on more than two dozen bills, including $71 million St. Mary’s bond and $5 million behavioral health 

The House Appropriations Committee on behalf of Chair Ben Barnes heard sponsor-only presentations for more than two dozen bills on a range of topics including local bonds, health-care funding, behavioral health grants, collective bargaining for firefighters at BWI, and retirement and pension technical bills.

The presentations were brief and primarily consisted of sponsors or their representatives asking the committee for favorable reports. Among the largest funding items presented was Senate Bill 623, a local bill authorizing St. Mary’s County to borrow up to $71,000,000 to finance construction and improvements of public facilities. Senator Jack Bailey, who presented the bill, asked the committee to give it a favorable report.

Committee members were also briefed on Senate Bill 599, which would establish a $5,000,000 mandatory appropriation for the Behavioral Health Crisis Grant Program. Mara Dunigan, presenting for Senator Katie Hettleman, said the funding supports local mobile crisis teams and warned that two mobile crisis teams would be laid off if the funding ended. She stated the appropriation is intended to maintain the state’s crisis response infrastructure and reduce emergency-room, hospital and criminal-justice costs.

Senate Bill 1005, presented by Angela Jones for Senator Joanne Benson, would expand the scope of the existing Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) grant program to allow the Board of Public Works to make grants for land acquisition for FQHC construction or use. Jones said the expansion is intended to improve access to comprehensive care in underserved communities and described the bill as “a profound commitment to building a healthier, more equitable future for all Maryland residents.”

Other health and human services items included Senate Bill 208 to establish a Maryland Assistive Technology Program in state law (presented by Secretary Carol Batey of the Maryland Department of Disabilities) and Senate Bill 523, presented by Senator Nick Charles, which would provide state employees up to four hours of paid leave in a 12-month period for cancer screenings.

Labor and personnel topics included Senate Bill 373, concerning collective bargaining for the BWI Airport Rescue, Fire and Rescue Department. The sponsor framed the measure as addressing working conditions rather than salary and noted surrounding departments already have binding arbitration. Senator (presenting) said the bill’s Senate amendment made the proposal subject to the state budget so that a constitutional amendment would not be required.

Higher education and student support measures were presented as sponsor-only items, including Senate Bill 597 (Maryland graduate and professional scholarship program eligibility), Senate Bill 511 (Pregnant and Parenting Student Support Act, presented by Senator Shanika Henson), and Senate Bill 750 (collective bargaining for part-time faculty). Delegate Harris presented Senate Bill 269 (Maryland Community College Promise Scholarship Program) on behalf of Senator Jackson.

Several departmental and technical bills were presented without substantive committee debate: SB 230 (local department of social services audits), SB 270 (Board of Trustees of the Maryland Teachers and State Employees Supplemental Retirement Plan automatic enrollment, presented by Treasurer Davis), and a group of pension system technical and clarification bills presented by the pension subcommittee chair, Delegate Forbes (including SB 457, SB 612, SB 692, SB 693, SB 768 and SB 862 as listed by the presenter).

Most sponsors asked for a favorable report; the committee did not record final votes or detailed floor debate for the items in this transcript excerpt. Where presenters provided quantitative details, the committee record included: a $71,000,000 maximum borrowing authorization in SB 623; a $5,000,000 mandatory appropriation requested in SB 599; and up to four hours of paid leave per 12-month period proposed in SB 523 for cancer screenings. Presenters also referenced local program impacts such as county mobile crisis dispatch volumes in Prince George’s County and estimated staffing impacts if funding ended.

The hearing concluded after the last pension and technical items were presented and the committee adjourned for the day.