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Committee Hears 'Mason’s Law' After Teen Swept Into Storm Drain; Sponsors Seek Statewide Remediation
Summary
A committee hearing on SB189, known as Mason’s Law, drew emotional testimony from the Kearns family and officials from Mount Airy who urged municipalities be required to install grading, trash racks or covers on hazardous open drainage inlets to prevent further deaths. Sponsor and witnesses discussed costs, timelines and possible municipal funding.
A Maryland Senate committee on July 31 heard emotional testimony urging passage of SB189, called Mason’s Law, a bill that would require municipalities to install approved grading systems, trash‑rack grates or other safeguards over open drainage inlets identified as hazards.
Senate sponsor testimony described the July 31 flash flood that claimed 13‑year‑old Mason Kearns and said the legislation is intended to prevent similar deaths. The sponsor said his staff worked with the Kearns family, the mayor of Mount Airy and a town engineer to draft language and that Mount Airy’s initial survey found 48 inlets needing corrective action out of roughly 2,000 surveyed, or about 2.4 percent.
Lieu…
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