Maryland Senate clears long concurrence calendar, adopts House amendments and passes dozens of bills

The Senate of Maryland convened and processed a lengthy concurrence calendar, taking up amended House bills and Senate measures and recording final passage or concurrence on a broad slate of legislation before adjourning until April 10.

Leaders explained their floor strategy as aiming to take up concurrences and amended House bills first to avoid a backlog of amended Senate bills. The chamber handled procedural motions — including several “not concur” motions on House amendments — and adopted many House amendments without objection.

Among measures adopted or passed were: SB 11 (campaign finance reporting deadline and Fair Campaign Financing Fund distribution adjustments), SB 164 (Pamela J. Kelly Tree Maryland program, clarifying stewardship and data maintenance), SB 266 (authorizing local regulation of certain invasive trees), SB 509 (workforce Pell Grant implementation), SB 553 (reestablishing a lithium-ion battery safety commission), SB 581 (statewide technology master plan posting requirement), and SB 670 (authority at polling places revisions). The clerk announced recorded tallies as bills were called: SB 11 passed with 32 affirmative votes; SB 164 with 41; SB 266 with 36; SB 509 with 42; SB 553 with 41; SB 581 with 42; SB 670 with 42.

The Senate also handled special-ordered House bills: HB 862 (rail crew movement of freight) passed (see separate item); HB 497 (temporary and final protective orders) passed with 41 ayes; HB 552 (commission on reformation and instruction for colored children) passed with 42 ayes; HB 573 (fair housing discrimination intent/effect) passed with 29 ayes. On the concurrence calendar from Judicial Proceedings the chamber concurred and passed bills including SB 61 (Division of Correction volunteer service program), SB 140 (benefits exploitation penalties), SB 475 (protecting artistic expression in evidence), and SB 487 (speed monitoring system safety corridors); vote tallies were read aloud as each bill was taken.

Several procedural “not concur” actions were completed earlier in the day: the Senate refused to concur in House amendments on SB 514 (third-degree assault), SB 626 (sex designation on birth certificates), and SB 866 (chain restaurant nutrition disclosures); messages returning those bills to the House were journalized.

Floor chairs regularly described the House amendments as technical, conforming, or clarifying; on certain measures the amendments made substantive changes (for example, SB 656’s House amendments removed creation of a restitution fund and instead directed the Maryland Department of Health to develop a plan for a special fund to support research and treatment related to harmful hair chemicals).

The day concluded with leadership announcements about committee meetings (Budget and Tax to meet immediately after session) and caucus activities (Veterans Caucus photo at 9 a.m. the following day). The majority leader moved and the Senate adjourned to reconvene Friday, April 10 at 11:00 a.m.

Votes at a glance (selected items called during the session):
- SB 11 — Passed (third reading): 32 ayes (constitutional majority)
- SB 164 — Passed: 41 ayes
- SB 266 — Passed: 36 ayes
- SB 509 — Passed: 42 ayes
- SB 553 — Passed: 41 ayes
- SB 581 — Passed: 42 ayes
- SB 670 — Passed: 42 ayes
- HB 862 — Passed (see article on HB 862): 33 ayes
- HB 497 — Passed: 41 ayes
- HB 552 — Passed: 42 ayes
- HB 573 — Passed: 29 ayes
- SB 61 — Passed: 42 ayes
- SB 475 — Passed: 32 ayes
- SB 487 — Passed: 31 ayes

The session was procedural-heavy, with many committee chairs explaining why the Senate was concurring with House amendments and with relatively little extended floor debate on most items. Several bills received technical or conforming House amendments that the Senate adopted without objection.