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Appropriations Committee advances package of bills, sends E‑ZPass report and scholarship expansion forward
Summary
The Appropriations Committee moved a bundle of bills to favorable status, including expansions to a police-and-probation scholarship program, an MDTA E‑ZPass reporting requirement, and fund-distribution changes for RIRF; two measures recorded roll-call tallies while most passed by voice vote.
The Appropriations Committee met in a voting session and advanced a package of measures to favorable status, moving several bills to concurrence or passage and adjourning after completing recorded and voice votes.
Delegate Smith presented Senate Bill 101 to expand eligibility for the Maryland Police Officers and Probation Agent Scholarship Fund and the Maryland Loan Assistance Repayment Program and moved the bill; the committee approved it by voice vote. Delegate Smith later introduced Senate Bill 657, establishing practical applications for a real estate appraisal grant program; that measure passed on a recorded roll-call vote.
The session included a notable amendment-and-roll-call on Senate Bill 420 (the Pregnant and Parenting Students Plan). Delegate Smith said the committee would adopt a technical amendment and a conforming amendment to align the Senate bill with House Bill 6; after debate the committee adopted the amendments and approved the bill on a recorded vote (16 yays, 3 nos). Delegate Shetty presented Senate Bill 461, which the committee amended to convert the measure into a Department of Human Services study of SNAP 'heat-and-eat' eligibility; the amendments were adopted and the bill moved by voice vote.
On transportation policy, Delegate Watson explained the Maryland E‑ZPass measure (SB606) requiring the Maryland Transportation Authority to deliver a report to the budget committees by Sept. 1 using 2023–25 data and to include recommendations and a corrective-action plan if more than 25% of E‑ZPass discount plans show unused commuter trips. "If there are more than 25% of all E‑ZPass discount plans that have unused commuter trips, the report must also include a corrective action plan," Delegate Watson said; the committee approved the bill by voice vote.
Budget technicals moved as well: Senate Bill 587 formalizes funding that had been placed in the budget annually for patient-safety work into mandated out‑year funding—"I think it's a million dollars," the sponsor said—and passed on a voice vote. Senate Bill 762 and House Bill 1598 (cross-file) adjusted distribution percentages for the RIRF account so race tracks need not make a matching contribution for renovations; an amendment capped any windfall at 75% if one track closes and directed remaining funds to RIRF for state use or to the general fund. Both measures passed by voice vote.
Recorded roll-call votes are included in committee proceedings for SB420 (16–3) and SB657 (recorded in the transcript as a passing tally; the transcript lists 17 yays and 2 nos). Multiple other bills were approved by voice vote or moved to concurrence, and the committee concluded the session after a short concurrence calendar and an adjournment.
What happens next: bills moved favorably from the committee will proceed according to the chamber's calendar and concurrence processes; the committee noted additional concurrences may follow.
