Democrats Working Together and Delivering for Harford County
Join us for a Democracy Jam Where Every Idea Resonates
The Harford Democratic Club, along with the Harford County Democratic Central Committee, and Progressive Harford County will be working together to come up with strategies, activities and an action plan for 2024 and beyond. Be part of the plan and be part of the future!
Date: March 6
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: The Holiday Inn Express in Aberdeen
Legislative Updates from Harford’s Democratic Delegation
Sen. Mary-Dulany James:
SB 65 — Senate Bill 65 will strengthen prohibitions and penalties related to child pornography in Maryland. The bill prohibits various actions involving child pornography, including causing a minor to engage in obscene acts, possessing or distributing materials depicting such acts, and accessing visual representations of minors engaged in sexual conduct. It establishes penalties for violations, with harsher penalties for repeat offenses and possession of a large number of images. The bill introduces new provisions regarding the possession of images depicting minors under the age of 13 and establishes guidelines for determining the number of images in possession. Senate Bill 65 passed out of the Senate with a unanimous vote and is set to be heard in the House Judiciary Committee.
SB 424 — Senate Bill 424 proposes an adjustment to the rules regarding the admissibility of certain statements in criminal trials, particularly those involving charges of second-degree assault. Typically, statements made outside of court might not be allowed as evidence due to the hearsay rule. However, this bill suggests an exception: if the person who made the statement is unavailable to testify in court because of actions taken by the defendant, then the statement could be admissible. However, there are strict criteria. The statement must have been made under oath, in writing and signed by the declarant, or recorded verbatim contemporaneously. Additionally, the party seeking to introduce the statement must promptly notify the opposing party upon deciding to use it. SB 424 has not received a vote in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee.
Del. Andre Johnson
HB 555 — House Bill 555 aims to prevent the unauthorized sharing of certain personal identifying information. Commonly referred to as doxing, this is typically done with the intent to intimidate, abuse, threaten, harass, or frighten someone. This includes information about the person, their immediate family members, or household members. If someone violates this by sharing such information without permission and with harmful intent, they could face criminal charges. The bill allows victims to take legal action against the person who shared their information, seeking injunctions, damages, and attorney's fees. HB 555 has not received a vote in the House Judiciary Committee.
HB 560 — House Bill 560 seeks to change the composition of the Harford County Board of Education. It reduces the number of appointed members from three to one and specifies that appointed members cannot hold certain positions within the board. HB 560 outlines the process for appointing and filling vacancies for elected and appointed members. Finally, it includes provisions for the transition of current appointed members and their replacement. Unfortunately, this bill was pulled because it didn’t have the support of the full Harford County Delegation. Harford County Republican legislators were against the bill and county specific bills don’t usually pass without full support of the Delegation.
Del. Steve Johnson
HB 620 — House Bill 620 would expand existing education programs on sexual abuse and assault prevention in Maryland schools. New programs would include material focused on promoting awareness and prevention of human and sex trafficking. It requires both public and nonpublic schools to develop and implement age-appropriate education programs on sexual abuse and assault prevention, with a specific emphasis on including material about human and sex trafficking for students in grades 6 through 8. The State Board of Education is tasked with adopting regulations to ensure compliance with these requirements. Overall, the legislation seeks to enhance awareness and prevention efforts related to sexual abuse, assault, and human trafficking among students in Maryland schools. HB 620 passed out of the House unanimously and has been sent to the Senate Education, Energy, and Environment Committee.
HB 879 — House Bill 879 aims to address issues related to health insurance plans and prescription drug coverage in Maryland. It requires administrators, carriers, and pharmacy benefits managers to include certain cost-sharing amounts paid by or on behalf of an enrollee or beneficiary when calculating their contribution to cost-sharing requirements. Essentially allowing money paid for prescription drugs to go towards a patient’s deductible. Additionally, the bill prohibits these entities from setting, altering, implementing, or conditioning coverage terms based on certain information. The legislation seeks to ensure fairer and more transparent cost-sharing practices, particularly concerning prescription medicines, to alleviate the financial burden on patients. HB 879 has not yet had a vote in the House Government Operations Committee.
HB 1436 — House Bill 1436 outlines the process for municipal incorporation in Maryland. It requires organizing committees to provide detailed reports to county authorities regarding the fiscal impact, expected services, and economic effects of incorporation. If a valid petition is supported by 25% of registered voters (or 20% of voters that own 25% of the county property value), the county must approve a referendum request. If the request garners sufficient support (40% of registered voters), a vote on incorporation is scheduled for the next general election. Rejection of the referendum request prompts a reconsideration process, including a public hearing, after which the county can affirm the rejection or approve the request by resolution. HB 1436 has been referred to the House Environment & Transportation Committee and is scheduled for a hearing on March 5.
Upcoming Events with the National Democratic Training Committee
Mon, Mar 4 @ 1pm
So You Want to Run for Office: Women’s History Month Edition ›Sat, Mar 9 @ 11:15am
National Fundraising Bootcamp ›Tue, Mar 12 @ 1pm
Setting Up Your Local Democratic Party's Structure ›Wed, Mar 13 @ 1pm
Finding a Job in Democratic Politics ›Mon, Mar 18 @ 1pm
Calculating Your Vote Goal ›