2023 Legislation Introduced by Lorig
​
-
Off Shore Wind: Expanding Maryland's Commitment (HB 793): Passed!
-
Energy Efficiency: Investing in Efficiency for Low and Moderate Income Housing (HB 169): Passed!
-
Unemployment Insurance: Modernizing Maryland's UI Program (HB 724): Not passed in either chamber
-
Electric Utilities: Requiring Prevailing Wages and Benefits (HB 61): Not passed in either chamber
-
School-Based Behavioral Health Services: Increasing Funding for School-Based Mental Health (HB 82): Not passed in either chamber
-
Categorical Eligibility: Streamlining Applications for Safety-Net Services (HB 111) and (HB 323): Passed!
-
SAFE Roads: Improving Bicyclists' and Pedestrians' Safety (HB 70): Passed!
-
​Stop Sign Monitoring: Ensuring Safety and Fines that are Fair (HB 367): Not passed in either chamber
-
Maryland Food System Resiliency Council: Making it Permanent (HB 32): Passed!
-
Chesapeake Invasive Species: Incentivizing Removal of Invasive Species and Building a Market (HB 63): Passed!
-
Pollinator-Friendly Powerlines: Protecting Pollinators (HB 62): Passed!
-
Solar and Clean Energy Equipment in Condominiums: Easing the Switch to Clean Energy (HB 101): Passed in House, but not in Senate
-
Treatment Plans: Improving Care for People Experiencing Mental Health Challenges (HB 121): Passed!
-
Corporate Effective Tax Rate: Increasing Transparency and Accountability (HB 39): Passed in House, but not in Senate
-
Medical Bill Repayment: Making Hospitals Right a Wrong (HB 333): Passed!
-
Bilingual Education: Improving How We Do It and Who Teaches It (HB 56): Not passed, but the Dept. Of Education has committed to enacting this through regulation
-
Public Service Commission: Increasing PJM Transparency and Accountability (HB 1186): Passed in House, but not in Senate
-
Fire Safety: Melanie Diaz Sprinklers Save Lives Act (HB 1292): Not able to pass, given timing; I will continue my advocacy.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
Off Shore Wind: Expanding Maryland's Commitment (HB 793)
Maryland must prioritize the rapid deployment of renewable energy and investments in infrastructure to support our transition to a clean energy economy. This bill supports the expansion of offshore wind power by setting an offshore wind goal of 8.5 GW by 2031, initiating a state process to build coordinated transmission infrastructure, and investing in the full build-out of the existing offshore wind lease areas.
​
Energy Efficiency: Investing in Efficiency for Low and Moderate Income Housing (HB 169)
Too many low-Income Marylanders face high energy bills and unhealthy living conditions because of broken HVAC systems, drafty windows, and unreliable electrical systems. This bill helps low-income residents save energy and lower their energy costs. It coordinates and consolidates a range of federal and state funding sources, enables state-funded home energy audits in qualified low-income homes, and increases Empower and state funding for programs targeting low-income households to make energy efficiency improvements.
​
Unemployment Insurance: Modernizing Maryland's UI Program (HB 724)
This comprehensive legislation seeks to modernize Maryland's Unemployment Insurance (UI) program. Its components include ensuring sufficient benefits for an unemployed person as they search for work, balancing incentives for work search to ensure job matching is ideal for employers and employees, and gradually increases the taxable wage base to 25% of the average weekly wage to ensure the continued solvency of the UI trust fund.
​
​Electric Utilities: Requiring Prevailing Wages and Benefits (HB 61)
This bill will require all work done on the electric grid to be done by employers paying prevailing wages and benefits.
​
​School-Based Behavioral Health Services: Increasing Funding for School-Based Mental Health (HB 82)
Receiving mental health services in schools is a proven way to help young people facing mental health challenges, especially in underserved communities. This bill requires Maryland to take the necessary steps to allow income-eligible children to receive needed services in the school setting, funded by Medicaid.
​
​Categorical Eligibility: Streamlining Applications for Safety-Net Services (HB 111) and (HB 323)
People signing up for safety-net services such as Medicaid, SNAP, and energy assistance programs will be able to do so with a coordinated and streamlined application process.
​
​Safe Roads Act: Improving Bicyclists' and Pedestrians' Safety (HB 70)
This bill aims to reduce the number of serious injuries caused by bike- and pedestrian-involved crashes, make progress towards Maryland’s goal of zero vehicle-related deaths by 2030, and promote alternative modes of transportation—primarily biking and walking—especially in more densely populated areas.
​
​Stop Sign Monitoring: Ensuring Safety and Fines that are Fair (HB 367)
This enabling legislation sets up the requirements for local jurisdictions to install cameras on stop signs. Importantly, it requires a system of graduated fines to be developed based on the income of the person to whom the car is registered. Revenues from collections will be dedicated to improving pedestrian safety.
​
Maryland Food System Resiliency Council: Making it Permanent (HB 32)
This bill will make the Food System Resiliency Council (FSRC) a permanent entity within the Maryland Department of Emergency Management. The FSRC addresses emergency food security issues with the goal of building a just and sustainable food system.
​
Chesapeake Invasive Species: Incentivizing Removal of Invasive Species; Building a Market (HB 63)
This bill will allow blue catfish and other (delicious and nutritious!) invasive species caught in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries to count towards the goal of Maryland-run institutions procuring 20% of their food from local farms and fisheries.
​
​Pollinator-Friendly Powerlines: Protecting Pollinators (HB 62)
Pollinator habitats in Maryland need protection! This bill would prohibit counties and municipalities from enforcing their “weed” height ordinances in powerline corridors and supports electric utilities to create pollinator-friendly meadows underneath their powerlines.
​
Solar and Clean Energy Equipment for Condominiums: Easing the Switch to Clean Energy (HB 101)
This bill would change portions of the Maryland Condominium Act to make it easier for condominium associations to install solar panels and other clean energy equipment, which will help Maryland meet its carbon reduction goals.
​
Treatment Plans: Improving Care for People Experiencing Mental Health Challenges (HB 121)
Too often, people experiencing mental health challenges are admitted to care settings with treatment plans that they and their caregivers are not involved with and may not meet their needs. This legislation establishes a participatory process for developing and administering such plans.
​
Corporate Effective Tax Rate: Increasing Transparency and Accountability (HB 39)
How much do corporations really pay in taxes? This bill would require publicly traded corporations operating in Maryland to calculate and report their effective tax rate. The Comptroller would then issue an annual study analyzing these reports on an aggregate, anonymous basis with size and industry breakdowns and a discussion of the major explanatory factors.
​
Medical Bill Repayment: Making Hospitals Right a Wrong (HB 333)
Status: To be filed
This bill sets up a refund process for certain low-income patients who were eligible for free healthcare, but were billed and paid the hospital bill.
​
Bilingual Education: Improving How We Do It and Who Teaches It (HB 56)
This bill will help establish a certification process for bilingual education programs and dual language teachers.
​
Public Service Commission: Increasing PJM Transparency and Accountability (HB 1186)
Decisions made by PJM, our regional transmission organization, significantly affect our climate and utility rates. The public should be able to know about their decisions.
​
Fire Safety: Melanie Diaz Sprinklers Save Lives Act (HB 1292)
This bill seeks to increase fire safety in high-rise apartment buildings by requiring more fire extinguishers and smoke alarms. Landlords must also let tenants know about fire safety provisions in the lease. The required timeframe for installing sprinkler systems in all high rises would be set for 2033.
​
​
​