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Legislative Update 2018

From your Legislative Committee - Ray Enrico and Jan Travers

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The Maryland Legislative Session ended on April 27, 2018. The link provided below will take you to a chart with the bills and their final status. Click on the bill number for more information.

Final Legislative Update 

Click the link below to access the MRSPA link.

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https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/640edf_1f95fcd7381e465ba0725ac9e9c0096b.pdf

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Legislative Update for CRSPA as of March 9, 2018
2018 LEGISLATIVE SESSION
438th session of General Assembly
January 10 to April 9, 2018
                   web: http://mgaleg.maryland.gov
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This list is taken from the MRSPA list of bills which spotlight issues of interest to educational retirees. It is not in any way comprehensive or all inclusive. In addition, bills exist which are similar in purpose or content to those listed above. Visit the link above for a more information.
Retirement Pension Issues:
  • SB0031: State Retirement and Pension System - State Employees and Teachers – Benefits (Sponsored by Senator Bates)

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Altering certain local employer contributions for members of the Teachers' Pension System; establishing a State Employees' and Teachers' Integrated Pension System and a State Employees' and Teachers' Integrated Pension System Savings Plan for individuals who are members of the Employees' Pension System or the Teachers' Pension System on or after July 1, 2019; etc. Bill imposes a local government mandate which is a directive in a bill requiring a local government unit to perform a task or assume a responsibility that has a discernible fiscal impact on the local government unit.
Status: In the Senate
                                                                                                                      MRSPA Position: Opposed/ Letter Sent
  • SB0699: Alternate Contributory Pension Selection – Former Members – Member Contributions (Sponsored by Senator Guzzone)
  • HBB1019: (Sponsored by Delegate Barnes)
Requiring that certain active members of the Employees' Pension System or the Teachers' Pension System who are subject to the Reformed Contributory Pension Benefit earn a certain rate of interest on certain former member contributions in the Alternate Contributory Pension Selection under certain circumstances; etc.
Status: In the House – Third Reading passed                                                                       MRSPA Position: Monitor
  • SB0898: Maryland Pension Climate Change Risk Act (Sponsored by Senator Guzzone)
  • HB0993 (Sponsored by Delegate Korman)
Requiring that, the Board of Trustees to conduct or commission a climate risk assessment of the investments of the several systems by January 31, 2019, and every 4 years thereafter; etc.
Status: In the House – Third Reading passed                                                                       MRSPA Position: None
Long Term Care Insurance:
  • HB0945: Long term Care Insurance Premium Rate Increases Restriction (Sponsored by Delegate Kramer)
Prohibiting a carrier from imposing a premium rate increase for a policy or contract of long-term care insurance in a year in which the carrier, or any entity with which the carrier is affiliated, pays a dividend, or comparable payment, to its shareholders or a certain bonus or certain benefit to certain executive officers; etc.
Status: In the House - Hearing 3/01 at 1:00 p.m.                                                                 MRSPA Position: Support w/Letter
  • HBO983: Long Term Care Insurance – Non- Forfeiture Benefits (Sponsored by Delegate Kramer)
Prohibiting, in the years 2019 through 2021, a carrier from imposing an annual increase of a renewal premium rate that exceeds 5% for certain policies or contracts of long-term care insurance.
Status: In the House – Hearing 3/1 at 1:00 p.m.                                                                  MRSPA Position: None
  • SB0075: Income Tax - Credit for Long-Term Care Premiums (Sponsored by Senator Klausmeyer)
Altering a limitation on claiming the income tax credit for eligible long-term care insurance premiums for more than 1 year with respect to the same insured individual; altering the amount of the credit from a one-time $500 credit to a maximum of $250 for taxable years beginning January 1, 2019, and January 1,
2020, and a maximum of $500 for the taxable year beginning January 1, 2021, and for each taxable year thereafter; and applying the Act to all taxable years beginning after December 31, 2018.
Status: In the Senate                                                                                                                      MRSPA Position: Support with Letter
 
Pharmaceutical Issues:
  • HB1527: Health Insurance: Freedom of Choice of Pharmacy Act (Sponsored by Delegate Carozza)
  • SB1075 (Sponsored by Senator Mathias)
Prohibiting certain carriers from prohibiting an enrollee from selecting, or limiting the ability of an enrollee to select, a certain pharmacy for the receipt of certain services.
 
Status: In the Senate - Hearing 3/21 at 1:00 p.m.                                                                MRSPA Position: Support w/Letter
  • HB1546: Pharmacy Benefits Managers - Requirements for Prior Authorization (Sponsored by Delegate Hill)
Prohibiting a pharmacy benefits manager from requiring prior authorization for certain coverage of certain prescription drugs prescribed in certain situations; these are general emergency situations or for chronic or long-term illnesses.
Status: In the House – Hearing 3/8                                                                                           MRSPA Position: None
  • SB1023: Health - Drug Cost Review Commission (Sponsored by Senator Conway)
  • HB1194 (Sponsored by Delegate Pena-Melnyk)
Establishing the Drug Cost Review Commission; providing for the purpose of the Commission; providing for the membership of the Commission
Status: In the House – Hearing 3/6                                                                                           MRSPA Position: None
 
Tax Issues:
Note: Many of the bills introduced this year were relative to Income Tax issues, in reaction to the new Federal Tax Law in anticipation of a significant effect on the State income.  This is not exclusive to MD – this seems to be a national trend.
  • SB0191: Income Tax – Itemized Deductions (Sponsored by Senator Serafini)
  • HB0589 (Sponsored by Delegate Krebs)
Allowing an individual to itemize deductions to compute Maryland taxable income whether or not the individual itemizes deductions on the individual's federal income tax return; providing that, for an individual who does not itemize
deductions on the individual's federal income tax return, Maryland itemized deductions shall be determined as if an individual itemized deductions on the federal income tax return; applying the Act to tax years after 2018; etc.
Status: In the House and Senate                                                                                                              MRSPA Position: Support/Letter sent
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  • SB0194: Calculation of Taxable Income - Itemized Deductions - Property Taxes (Sponsored by Senator Serafini)
  • HB0587 (Sponsored by Delegate Krebs)
Allowing an individual, under certain circumstances, to increase the amount of itemized deductions used to determine Maryland taxable income by the amount of certain real or personal property taxes paid by the individual and not included as part of the individual's federal itemized deductions; and applying the Act to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017.
Status: In the House and Senate                                                                                                               MRSPA Position: Monitor
 
Calvert County Issues:
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There are 23 bills listed as relevant to Calvert County. (Not from the MRSPA update) Here are a few:
·HB0725: Calvert County Budget Changes (Sponsored by the Calvert County Delegation)
 
Increasing from $100,000 to $150,000 the threshold amount of a change to an adopted budget that may be made by the County Commissioners of Calvert County only by resolution after complying with certain publication and hearing requirements.

Status: In the House – Hearing 3/6
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  • HB1084: CCPS Superintendent Post-Employment Compensation (Sponsored by the Calvert County Delegation)
Requiring any postemployment compensation and benefits provided to the county superintendent of schools in Calvert County to be commensurate with the postemployment compensation and benefits provided to professional personnel in the county school system with the same tenure and vested benefits; etc.
Status: In the House – Hearing 2/23
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  • SB1106: Creation of a State Debt for North Beach Fire Dept. (Sponsored by Senator Miller)
Authorizing the creation of a State Debt not to exceed $100,000, the proceeds to be used as a grant to the Board of Directors of the North Beach Volunteer Fire
Department, Inc. for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of a new marine fire/rescue boat for the North Beach Volunteer Fire Department, located in Calvert County.
Status: In the Senate – Hearing 3/10
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  • SB0905 and HB1251: Creation of a State Debt for East-John Center Pools (Sponsored by Senators Miller and Waugh, and Delegate Clark)
Authorizing the creation of a State Debt in the amount of $75,000, the proceeds to be used as a grant to the Board of Directors of the East-John Youth Center, Inc. for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of the pools at the East-John Youth Center in Calvert County.
Status: In the Senate and House – Hearing 3/10
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