In April, our volunteer advocates submitted reports informing us which bills they were following had passed and which didn’t pass.

As reported at the time, 3 of the 4 policing accountability bills that passed and were sent to the Governor during the session were vetoed but those vetoes were over-ridden during session.

Another bill, HB 1372 Blueprint for Maryland's Future – Revisions passed during session and was on the Governor's desk for 6 days during which he took no action which meant it became law without his signature. The same process occurred with SB 786 Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2021 - Baltimore City - Control of the Police Department of Baltimore City and SB 683 Election Law - Voting - Permanent Absentee Ballot List, Ballot Drop Boxes, and Reports.

The fate of the remaining bills that were reported on that had passed and been sent to the Governor was not known at the time. 

This is what has happened.  

Protecting the Vote 

HB 1048 Election Law – Permanent Absentee Ballot List, Ballot Drop Boxes, and Reports will go into law without the Governor’s signature.

HB 222 Election Law – Correctional Facilities – Voter Registration and Voting (Value My Vote Act) will go into law without the Governor’s signature.

HB 156 Student and Military Voter Empowerment Act will go into law without the Governor’s signature.

Government Transparency 

HB 183 Public Information Act – Revisions (Equitable Access to Records Act) will go into law without the Governor’s signature. 

HB 133 State Finance and Procurement - Appropriation Reductions (Board of Public Works Budget Reduction Clarification Act) was vetoed by the Governor. 

Public Education

SB 66 Digital Connectivity Act of 2021 was signed into law by Governor. 

Affordable Housing/Evictions

HB 18 Landlord and Tenant-Residential Tenants-Right to Counsel will go into law without the Governor’s signature.

Transportation

HB 114-Transportation - Maryland Transit Administration Funding and MARC Rail Extension Study (Transit Safety and Investment Act) was vetoed by the Governor. 

SB 199 Maryland Transit Administration - Funding (Transit Safety and Investment Act) was vetoed by the Governor. 

HB 414-Southern Maryland Rapid Transit Project – Funding will go into law without the Governor's signature. 

SB 137 - Maryland Transit Administration – Conversion to Zero–Emission Buses (Zero–Emission Bus Transition Act) will go into law without the Governor’s signature.

The bills listed above that were vetoed by the Governor passed by enough votes to override those vetoes when the General Assembly next convenes.  Advocates will be working to make this happen.  The same is true of many of the other bills that were vetoed.