Maryland Senate convenes brief pro forma session, refers bills to committees and adjourns until Feb. 5

A brief pro forma meeting of the Senate of Maryland opened with the presiding officer calling the chamber to order and asking the clerk to call the roll. "Let's send it to order," the Presiding Officer said at the start of the session.

The clerk read a series of bills and measures from the Senate and the House. The clerk read "Senate Bill 520," introduced by Senator Kramer, on applying county tax limitations to public safety budgets; "Senate Bill 570," introduced by Senator Ellis, on public health and a definition used in baby food testing; and a bond initiative listed as number 1 for "Aaron's Place, Food Hub and Innovation Campus," sponsored by Senator Hershey. Each item was ordered to its appropriate standing committee or, for the bond initiative, to the capital budget subcommittee.

The clerk also read House Bill 444 (listed in the transcript as "Hostel 4 4 4") from Delegate Williams on public safety and immigration-enforcement agreements; that bill was referred to an appropriate standing committee. A separate message from the House included House Bill 488 from Delegate Wilson on election districts and congressional representation; the Presiding Officer referred that bill to the Rules Committee.

The clerk confirmed a quorum, reporting that three members were present. The majority leader moved that the Senate "stand adjourned until Thursday, February 5 at 10AM," a motion the presiding officer put to the chamber. "Without objection, so ordered," the Presiding Officer said, and the session was adjourned by unanimous consent.

The meeting included brief announcements and a light exchange noting that it was Senator Feldman's birthday. There was no recorded debate or roll-call votes on the bills during the pro forma session; all referrals were procedural and sent to the committees named by the presiding officer or clerk. The Senate is scheduled to reconvene on the date the majority leader set.