Environment and Transportation Committee approves 48-bill voting list, advancing transportation, local-government and environmental measures

The House Environment and Transportation Committee met Thursday, March 27, and adopted voting list No. 12, approving a consent calendar of 48 bills covering transportation, local-government reporting, natural resources, and administrative updates.

The committee approved a mix of departmental, local and policy bills — many as cross-files with the House — with several bills amended on the floor. Committee members recorded opposition on a number of measures; when named, those oppositions are noted below.

Votes at a glance

- House Bill 12 55: Passed as amended. The bill, amended in committee, authorizes a local jurisdiction to permit an aggrieved person to appeal a decision of a local historic preservation commission or historic district commission to the local board of appeals, the appropriate circuit court, or both. Committee reported no fiscal note. (Moved and amended by Chair Lewis.)

- House Bill 15 27 and Senate Bill 5 25: Passed as amended. These companion bills establish a pilot in Prince George’s County permitting members of the public to submit video evidence of illegal dumping and litter-control violations to enforcement units; collected fines are to be used for pilot maintenance and litter removal or control. The committee adopted clarifying and technical amendments. (Presented by Chair Healy.)

- House Bill 9 78: Passed as amended. The bill authorizes the State Highway Administration to place up to eight speed-monitoring systems on I-695 (four in each direction) and six speed-monitoring systems on I-83 (three in each direction) in Baltimore County. Recorded opposition included Delegates Jacobs, Otto, Naraki and Baker. (Presented by Chair Stewart.)

- House Bill 4 22: Passed as amended. The bill allows a person on a bicycle, play vehicle or unicycle facing a red signal to enter an intersection across the highway in the direction of a pedestrian control walk signal; the committee adopted a technical amendment. (Presented by Chair Stewart.)

- Senate Bill 2 36: Passed as amended. A Department of Planning departmental bill updating state law on election precinct boundary data, county water/sewer/solid waste plans, population projections and related reporting; amendments conform to the House cross file. (Presented by Chair Lewis.)

- Senate Bill 2 66: Passed as amended. This departmental bill replaces the 12 statutory “visions” in local comprehensive-plan law with planning principles and clarifies state planning policy language; committee amendments conform to the House version. (Presented by Chair Lewis.)

- Senate Bill 50: Passed. Updates obsolete local government references related to the Anne Arundel County hotel tax to reference Visit Annapolis and Anne Arundel County, Inc. (Presented by Chair Gilley.)

- Senate Bill 2 45: Passed. Adds the Maryland Department of Planning to the entities that must receive annexation resolutions when a municipality annexes property. (Presented by Chair Gilley.)

- Senate Bill 7 17: Passed. A local bill increasing certain Somerset County public official salaries. (Presented by Chair Gilley.)

- Senate Bill 8 72: Passed. Authorizes counties and municipalities to grant hiring or promotion preferences and to award up to 10 credit points on selection tests for eligible veterans and certain spouses/survivors. (Presented by Chair Haley.)

- Senate Bill 8 14: Passed as amended. Requires counties that impose development‑impact fees, surcharges or excise taxes to annually report detailed information about each impact fee to the Department of Planning; amendments remove alternative reporting methods and add specified data requirements. (Presented by Chair Keeley.)

- Senate Bill 9 62: Passed. Establishes an audit exemption for municipalities whose annual revenues are under $100,000 in a fiscal year. (Presented by Chair Healy.)

- Senate Bill 40: Passed. Allows towers to send electronic notice (cross file of HB 191). (Presented by Chair Stewart.)

- Senate Bill 150: Passed as amended. Modernizes statutory provisions for filing, maintenance and transmittal of land records, including authorization for electronic recordation and formatting changes; committee adopted stylistic and technical amendments. (Presented by Chair Lewis.)

- Senate Bill 109: Passed. Requires school boards to certify annually to the State Ethics Commission that they comply with Maryland public-ethics law for board members and applicable employees; no fiscal impact recorded. (Presented by Chair Lewis.)

- Senate Bill 121: Passed. Extends a statutory termination date by two years (same as House Bill 18). Several delegates were recorded in opposition. (Presented by Chair Stewart.)

- Senate Bill 186: Passed. Establishes an invasive blue catfish pilot program to curb the spread of the species (same posture as HB 446). (Presented by Chair Boyce.)

- Senate Bill 203: Passed. Modifies requirements for exceptional hauling permits. (Presented by Chair Stewart.)

- Senate Bill 210 (SB 2 10): Passed. Extends the maximum duration of an emergency status determination. Several delegates were recorded in opposition when named. (Presented by Chair Stewart.)

- Senate Bill 251 (SB 2 51): Passed. Clarifies required financial disclosure statements to include employer name and address for sources of compensated employment. (Presented by Chair Lewis.)

- Senate Bill 258 (SB 2 58): Passed. Increases senior fishing license, angler license and trout-stamp fees. Recorded oppositions were noted. (Presented by Chair Boyce.)

- Senate Bill 363 (SP 3 63): Passed. Increases the maximum loan amount under the oyster shucking house loan fund from $10,000 to $25,000 per projected seasonal full‑time job to be created or retained. (Presented by Chair Boyce.)

- Senate Bill 390 (SB 3 90): Passed. Allows technicians to review speed-camera citations. Named oppositions were recorded. (Presented by Chair Stewart.)

- Senate Bill 471 (SB 4 71): Passed. Alters the three‑hour railway safety driving education program (cross-file to a House bill). (Presented by Chair Stewart.)

- Senate Bill 590 (SB 5 90): Passed. Revises rules and penalties for aggressive and reckless driving. (Presented by Chair Stewart.)

- Senate Bill 618 (SB 6 18): Passed unanimously. Adds a non‑apparent‑disability indicator option to driver’s licenses. (Presented by Chair Stewart.)

- Senate Bill 707 (SB 7 07): Passed. Removes a two‑year renewal requirement for medical exemptions for permanent eye conditions. (Presented by Chair Stewart.)

- Senate Bill 946 (SB 9 46): Passed. Authorizes DNR to issue incidental-take permits for certain bat species (cross-file to HB 894). (Presented by Chair Boyce.)

- Senate Bill 226 (SB 2 26): Passed as amended. Modifies uses of the Maryland Farm and Families Fund and conforms the bill to the House version; committee adopted amendments. (Presented by Chair Boyce.)

- Senate Bill 249 (SB 2 49): Passed. Eliminates the ability for a noncertified individual to perform restricted-use commercial pesticide applications under supervision. Recorded opposition included Delegates Naraki, Morgan and Baker. (Presented by Chair Boyce.)

- Senate Bill 240 (SB 2 40): Passed. Alters membership and appointment process for the Maryland Agricultural Commission and establishes a committee on young farmers; repeals a young‑farmers advisory board. (Presented by Chair Boyce.)

- Senate Bill 315 (SB 3 15): Passed as amended. Alters the board composition of the Maryland Environmental Service, replacing the state treasurer with the secretary of planning and adding two nonvoting legislative members; committee adopted technical and conforming amendments. (Presented by Chair Stein.)

- Senate Bill 23 (SB 23): Passed. Excludes a licensed auctioneer from the definition of “dealer” under the State Boat Act. (Presented by Chair Boyce.)

- Senate Bill 375 (SB 3 75): Passed. Prohibits keeping roosters except under specified exemptions beginning Jan. 1, 2027 (as described by the sponsor). (Presented by Chair Boyce.)

- Senate Bill 964 (SB 9 64): Passed. Authorizes MDE, at Dorchester County’s request, to establish a privatization program for delegated activities related to well or on‑site sewage disposal systems in Dorchester County. (Presented by Chair Stein.)

- House Bill 757 / Senate Bill 849 (HB 7 57 / SB 8 49): Passed as amended. Increases the minimum amount the governor may include in the annual budget for the Professional and Volunteer Firefighter Innovative Cancer Screening Technologies Program from $500,000 to $1,000,000 and allows up to 20% of program funds for research‑center support to analyze program outcomes; committee adopted amendments that altered the funding language. (Presented by Chair Stein.)

Committee process and next steps

Most bills were taken up on the consent calendar and moved with committee amendments adopted where indicated. Committee members noted they will resume consideration of housing bills and other deferred items in a subsequent voting session the next day. Several measures recorded named oppositions (noted above) on the record; the committee chair indicated roll‑call or recorded opposition where members requested it.

Provenance for voting-record excerpts and committee descriptions is available in the meeting transcript segments below.