Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Nonprofit Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee approves nonprofit navigator post in Department of Commerce
Summary
The Health and Government Operations Committee voted to report House Bill 541 favorably with amendments, creating a nonprofit organizations navigator in the Maryland Department of Commerce who would represent nonprofit concerns on state grant-related bodies and report on study recommendations about a state grants ombudsperson.
The Health and Government Operations Committee voted to report House Bill 541 favorably with amendments, creating a nonprofit organizations navigator in the Maryland Department of Commerce who would represent nonprofit concerns on state grant-related bodies and report on study recommendations about a state grants ombudsperson.
The measure would require the navigator to serve as a member of the Maryland Efficient Grant Application Council and—as amended in committee—sets an expectation that the position be filled by July 1, 2025. The committee also approved amendments that make the Senate cross-file (Senate Bill 365) an emergency bill, require reporting to specific legislative committees, and sunset the authorization after two years.
Lindsay, the committee analyst, summarized the bill on the record: "the navigator must represent concerns of nonprofit organizations as a member of the Maryland Efficient Grant Application Council." Committee members said the subcommittee considered the measure earlier that day and adopted amendments; the bill had a fiscal note for an $80,000 appropriation that subcommittee members had been awaiting before final action.
During floor action the committee moved and seconded the amendments. When the committee voted on the bill as amended, several members registered opposition by name: Delegate Shalega, Delegate Morgan, Delegate Riley, Delegate Hutchinson and Delegate Kipke. The transcript records those five members as opposing the bill; the committee chair announced the bill passed as amended.
The committee also considered the Senate cross-file, SB 365, and adopted conforming amendments that remove a senate provision barring the navigator from serving nonprofits that pay any single salaried employee $250,000 or more—the subcommittee had struck that provision before the floor vote.
The bills will proceed through the legislative process consistent with the General Assembly rules and any further action required by the Senate and the House.
The committee chair closed the item and moved to the next agenda matter.
