Legislative Agenda 2018

Priority Legislation Issues

1. Overturning Governor Hogan’s veto of Paid Sick Leave (2017, HB1/SB230) (PASSED AND BECAME LAW) 
2. Medicare for All/Single-Payer Health Care (DIED IN COMMITTEE WITH 8 CO-SPONSORS IN THE SENATE) 
3. Minimum Wage increase to $15 (2017, HB416/SB962) (DIED IN COMMITTEE)
4. Rape Survivor Family Act (2018 HB1/SB2) (PASSED AND BECAME LAW) 
5. Trust Act (2017, HB1362/SB835) (Withdrawn: Unfavorable Report by Judicial Proceedings) 
6. Funding For the Farms and Families Act 
7. Community Healthy Air Act (Senate Bill 133) (DIED IN COMMITTEE)

Other Supported Legislation

1. Economic Issues

1. Debt Free Community College for both AA Degrees and Job Certification; funded through loophole closing – SB 1173 (PASSED AS HB-16 FOR STUDENTS WHOSE FAMILY MAKES LESS THAT 150,000 A YEAR) 
2. Worker Rights

1. Collective bargaining for community college workers (Died in Committee)
2. Statewide collective bargaining for local government workers (Died in Committee)
3. Overtime for low income salaried employees (Died in committee)

1. Racial Issues 

1. Codify Bail Bond Initiative (2017) to Further Criminal Justice Reform HB 1157/SB 879 
2. Criminal Justice Reform

1. Elimination of mandatory minimum sentencing (Died in commitee)
2. Revamp of State k-12 school funding formula, including new school reforms (Died in Committee) 

1. Removing Winder Sign (local issue Wicomico County) (FAILED COUNCIL WON’T MOVE IT)

1. Environmental 

1. Increase Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) of 50% by 2030 (DIED IN COMMITTEE)
2. Prohibit construction of Trans Canada Potomac gas pipeline (Failed Pipeline was approved)

1. Democracy Initiatives

1. Automatic Voter Registration (PASSED AND BECAME LAW)
2. Change of party registration during early voting (PASSED AND ON THE BALLOT) 
3. Small donor public financing (died in Commitee) 
4. Constitutional Amendment Repealing Citizens United (Passed the house. Died in Senate Committee) 

1. Tax Reform
2. Freezing the estate tax (PASSED AND BECAME LAW) 
3. Reinstating the millionaire tax

1. Education
2. Kirwan commission proposal - funded through progressive taxation (Pushed for next session)
3. Universal pre-K education (likely to be included in #1 (Kirwan Commission)  (Pushed for next session)

1. Death with Dignity legislation (Bill Withdrawn With Lack of Support)