Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Committee Procedures topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Rules and Executive Nominations Committee re-refers slate of late-filed bills after debate over tax and EV measures
Summary
The House Rules and Executive Nominations Committee voted to re-refer a slate of late-filed bills to standing committees during a remote meeting on Zoom, approving re-referrals while separately debating and sending House Bill 1554 to the Ways and Means Committee and House Bill 1556 to its assigned committee.
The House Rules and Executive Nominations Committee voted to re-refer a slate of late-filed bills to their appropriate standing committees during a remote meeting held on Zoom. Committee members approved re-referral of the package of bills read into the record and later voted separately to send House Bill 1554 to the Ways and Means Committee and House Bill 1556 to its assigned committee after brief debate.
The action allows standing committees to schedule public hearings and fully vet the late-filed measures. Committee members and minority leaders debated whether the rules committeevote should be treated as purely procedural or whether members should consider the merits of select late-filed measures before allowing them to advance.
During the meeting, Delegate Pippe objected to HB1554, calling it "an insanely large tax increase on Maryland businesses, billions of dollars" and urging colleagues not to refer it. Delegate Kipke said the bill would worsen Maryland—s business climate and said he would vote against re-referral. Delegate Atterberry urged referral to the Ways and Means Committee so the bill could receive a full hearing. Despite objections, the committee voted to re-refer HB1554 to Ways and Means so the measure can be vetted in committee.
Members also discussed HB1556, legislation related to the state—s advanced clean vehicles rules. Delegate Pippe said the bill "makes the EV mandate nonenforceable for a few years," and referenced a date appearing in the bill (read aloud in the meeting as "02/19/28"). The committee chair confirmed that characterization as "functionally correct." Delegate Pippe said he would vote in favor of re-referral; the committee subsequently voted to send HB1556 to the appropriate committee.
Votes at a glance: The committee first moved and approved re-referral of a slate of late-filed bills read into the record. Members recorded several "no" votes on that initial consent motion. The committee then voted separately on HB1554 (sales and use tax / taxable business services alterations) and HB1556 (advanced clean cars/trucks regulation). All three motions to re-refer passed.
The meeting concluded shortly after the final vote when chamber bells rang and the committee adjourned.
(See "Votes at a glance" below for bill numbers and recorded individual votes.)
