Maryland General Assembly Special Session Report, December 2021
Maryland State House. One of the "General Government and State Capitol Buildings" series of cigarette cards from Allen & Ginter, late 1800s.
The Maryland General Assembly’s special session, Dec. 6-9, 2021, was notable for the adoption of a new map for the state’s congressional districts, one that is expected to make the First District more competitive.
Currently the state’s only district represented in Congress by a Republican, the First District is largely made up of the nine Eastern Shore counties. Because of the Shore’s relatively low population, the district needs to add voters from somewhere else. For roughly 20 years, the district incorporated voters from comparatively conservative parts of Baltimore and Harford counties, putting it firmly in the Republican camp.
The new map substitutes parts of Anne Arundel County near Annapolis for Baltimore and Harford counties. This returns the district to the shape it held for much of the 20th century, at the same time making it more evenly balanced between the two parties. While Republicans are challenging the new map on grounds that it is a partisan gerrymander aimed at defeating incumbent Rep. Andrew P. Harris, it will likely remain in effect through the 2022 congressional election.
But while the new map was a highlight of the special session, it wasn’t the only business the legislators completed in their three days in Annapolis. Among other things, they filled an important office, state treasurer. Elected by the General Assembly to a four-year term, the treasurer is responsible for managing and investing the state’s financial resources — cash, bond revenue, and other collateral. Along with the governor and comptroller, the treasurer sits on the state’s Board of Public Works, which has broad authority over the state’s spending. This year, the General Assembly chose Derek E. Davis, a long-time delegate from Prince George’s County, to replace retiring Treasurer Nancy Kopp, who had held the office since 2002. Davis spent 19 years as chairman of the Economic Matters Committee in the House of Delegates, so his familiarity with the state’s budget and finances is a good fit for his new job.
The legislators spent much of the session overriding Gov. Larry Hogan’s vetoes of several bills it had passed during its regular 2021 session. Among the measures that will now become law is SB746, granting collective bargaining rights to staff members at community colleges in the state. Opponents argued that the measure would increase costs for community college students, while supporters said that there is no necessary connection between college costs and staff salaries.
Also enacted in the session was SB202, which shortens the time before a person sentenced to life in prison is eligible for parole. The bill also removes the governor from parole decisions. Those in favor of the bill noted that Black Marylanders are disproportionately represented in the prison population, and that they typically serve longer sentences than others. Sen. Jill Carter of Baltimore said the new law represents a “long overdue” reform in criminal justice in the state.
Still another override was on SB133, which changes rules for local income tax brackets and rates. The bill’s supporters argue that it will provide tax relief for low-income residents.
HB16, the Dignity Not Detention Act, sparked considerable debate in the House. The act bans local jails from accepting payment from the federal government for holding people under deportation order, a practice used by some counties to increase their income. A related bill, HB23, prohibits police from asking drivers about their immigration status during traffic stops unless they have a warrant. Opponents, including Governor Hogan, characterized the measures as making Maryland a “sanctuary state,” where the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency’s powers are limited by local authorities.
The legislators indefinitely postponed action on a bill that would decriminalize possession of certain types of drug paraphernalia. They also postponed a vote on a bill that would allocate funds to advertise the Purple Line, a light rail line serving Montgomery and Prince George’s county commuters.
All in all, in the General Assembly’s December session overrode 18 of 21 bills vetoed by Hogan last spring. Equally important was its adoption of the new map of congressional districts for the state, while its appointment of Derek Davis as state treasurer fills an important post with a highly qualified candidate.
Peter Heck is a Chestertown-based writer and editor, who spent 10 years at the Kent County News and three more with the Chestertown Spy. He is the author of 10 novels and co-author of four plays, a book reviewer for Asimov’s and Kirkus Reviews, and an incorrigible guitarist.
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