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A Carnival of Cross-Fire

It’s the time of year in Annapolis when you have to watch out for the cross-fire.  Many bills are filed in both the House and Senate – this is called cross-filing.  The advantage of cross-filing is that you are virtually assured a hearing in both chambers, allowing bill supporters to educate all the involved parties.  If identical bills end up passing the House and Senate, the bill is passed.

But sometimes identical versions don’t pass; sometimes a version is voted down in one chamber and passes the other, and sometimes votes in one chamber impact votes and other issues in the other chamber.  All this activity sets up the April cross-fire phenomenon.  Bills march back and forth across Rowe Boulevard, like items in a carnival shooting gallery, some survive, but some die for the dumbest of reasons.

Recently, we wrote about issues surrounding motor scooters.  See Motor Scooters – like a bike or like a motorcycle? While not exactly the same bills, House Bill 961 and Senate Bill 708 both required licensing, registering, and insuring of motor scooters.  Senate Bill 708 passed the full Senate intact - now it has to journey across the street to the House.

SB 708, is now assigned to the same Committee that considered the related House Bill, 961.  HB 961 died in Committee – technically it is set for a Summer Study, which is a more detailed post-session review of the issue.  Senate Bill 708, then, is doomed to Summer Study too.  It is a victim of cross-fire.

But it will not be the only victim.  The House passed legislation making using a cell phone while driving a primary violation instead of a secondary violation.  The Senate rejected the bill.  In retaliation, the House rejected other bills.  The Senate passed the Civil Marriage bill.  The House failed to enact it.  The House passed a bill providing protections to transgendered individuals – but now the Senate won’t consider it.  And so it goes.

A popular Senate bill now waits its turn to see if it will get caught in cross-fire.  Senate Bill 679 allows local jurisdictions to install cameras on school buses to catch motorists who fail to stop when the bus is loading or unloading children.  It passed the Senate 38 to 7.  But the House already rejected a similar bill – House Bill 1106.  More cross-fire?

At the end of the day, legislators are people too.  Like people everywhere, they retaliate for rejections – real or perceived.  It’s cross-fire season in Annapolis, and people are trying real hard not to let their bills get hit.

The .0015% Solution

The State’s operating budget is over 14 billion, with a “b”, dollars.  All of us see it as the State’s blueprint for spending, but few know it can be a lethal arena for what many of us might see as pure policy issues.

Last year, the Governor announced that he was moving the Department of Housing and Community Development from Crownsville (in Anne Arundel County) to rental space at a Metro stop in Prince George’s County.  The move fulfilled a 2006 campaign pledge.  You might think that the Governor – the Chief Executive Officer of the State – would be able to decide where executive offices are located.

You would be wrong.

Employees, the employees union, and Anne Arundel County fought the move through the budget process.  The Department of Housing and Community Development’s budget is part of that $14 billion spending plan.  Legislators burrowed deep into it, and inserted a $250,000 provision requiring a study and legislative approval on constructing or rehabilitating the Department’s headquarters in Crownsville, and a detailed review of a move to Prince George’s County impact of the existing employees.  The $250,000, on a percentage basis, is .0015 of a percent of the state’s general operating budget.

Will the Department move?  Time will tell, but that .0015 % solution just might prove lethal to this initative.

And the survey says...

A big THANK YOU to all of our readers that took the Punt, Pass, or Kick Survey last week.  It was great to hear from all of you on the legislation that we've talked about over the past (almost) 90 days.

So, we thought it best to "share with the class" and give you the results of the first ever MAIF's Policy and Communication's Department Punt, Pass or Kick Survey, here it goes:

We asked...
On February 14th we discussed SB 48. Remember SB 48? It requires that a record be kept by those installing replacement airbags in vehicles and that the buyer is made aware of the salvaged airbag prior to purchase. What do you think the outcome of SB 48 will be?

You responded...
Punt:  19%
Pass:  74%
Kick:  7%

Our take....
The bill had an air of public safety and anti-fraud efforts about it.  The issue is complicated by Federal law issues and it's getting too late to figure things out down here.  We vote kick.

We asked...
On February 11th we wrote about SB 138. If passed, SB 138 would allow Marylanders to prove damages by submitting unpaid estimates, instead of a paid bill. What do you think will happen to SB 138?

You responded...
Punt:  23%
Pass:  19%
Kick:  58%

Our take....
We predict a heavily amended bill, restricting it to estimates prepared by or on behalf of an insurance company, will...pass.

We asked...Financial literacy is an important topic, but is it important enough to mandate that it be taught as a graduation requirment as SB 262 details? On February 25th we discussed the pros and cons of financial literacy in the classroom. What is your bet on the outcome of SB 262?

You responded...
Punt:  45%
Pass:  22%
Kick:  33%

Our take....There is a concern about micro managing the classroom.  This is viewed as a good idea, but might be a bad law.  We vote kick.

We asked...On February 23rd we wrote about HB 222. Remember the camel's nose and HB 222? Sponsors of the bill want to make using a handheld cell phone a primary offense in Maryland. Do you think the camel is completely in the tent?

You responded...
Punt:  26%
Pass:  55%
Kick:  19%

Our take....It turns out we cheated on this one.  The bill passed the full House and died in a Senate committee.  A definitive kick.

We asked...We discussed HB 1058 and its companion, SB 711 on March 7th. If passed the legislation would shift the insurance responsibility from the rental company to your personal automobile policy in Maryland. Which direction do you think these bills are heading?

You responded...

Punt:  32%
Pass:  16%
Kick:  52%

Our take....The bill was doomed when the owner of a rental car company lectured the Senate committee that was hearing the bill.  Disrespect never plays well.  We vote kick.

We asked...Session Scoop just updated you on March 18th about the unfavorable outcome of the HB 737, legislation that would prohibit smoking in a vehicle with a child under the age of eight. The companion bill however, SB 415 is still under consideration. What will be the outcome of SB 415?

You responded...

Punt:  19%
Pass:  23%
Kick:  58%

Our take:There are still some limits on how far government will go.  This is a kick.

We asked...On March 18th we wrote about HB 873. HB 873 – the Maryland Civil Litigation Funding Act would allow people to receive "funding" in advance of the outcome of their case, in return for paying back the company once the case has been settled or won. What will come of HB 873?

You responded...

Punt:  45%
Pass:  13%
Kick:  32%

Our take:  This bill makes a number of people very uncomfortable.  The industry is trying to offer amendments to save it, but we think it's too hard for people to swallow.  We vote...kick.