2009 Maryland General Assembly Scorecard KEEPING SCORE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT SINCE 1979 Board of Directors Advisory Committee For 30 years, the non-partisan Maryland League Frederick Hoover, Chair Ajax Eastman of Conservation Voters has served as the Kevin Rackstraw, Treasurer Marion Edey political voice for the environment. We advocate Marcia Verploegen Lewis, Senator Bernie Fowler for sound conservation policies, promote Secretary Governor Harry Hughes environmentally responsible candidates, and Jennifer Bevan-Dangel Edmund A. Stanley, Jr. hold individual elected officials Anthony Caligiuri Joan Seward Willey accountable through our Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin scorecards and reports. Staff George Chmael J. Elizabeth Garraway, PhD Cindy Schwartz, Executive Director Peter Hamm Jen Brock-Cancellieri, Director Chuck Porcari of Outreach Terri Shuck Kim Dissen, Administrative Assistant Aaron Mintzes, Legislative and Political Manager Catherine Stirling, Development Manager Dear Marylander, We are very excited to introduce the 2009 Maryland League performed when it really mattered. We hope you’ll spread of Conservation Voters’ General Assembly Scorecard. In line the word, and tell your Senators and Delegates how you feel with our mission as the political voice for the environment, about their score. This year, we find ourselves with a House we evaluate the performance of each of our Senators and divided. Looking inside the numbers reveals a strong pro- Delegates on the conservation issues that matter most to conservation majority with 85 of the 141 delegates scoring Marylanders and best reveal the story of the 426th legislative 80% or higher. The Senate is a different story. 25 of the 47 session. Senators scored between 20% and 80%, a gaping “mushy This year, the Maryland LCV saw some significant victo- middle” which is to blame for the demise of many good ries for our air, land, water, and people. Working with our environmental bills. advocate colleagues and legislative leaders, we passed the Once again, the votes in this scorecard were chosen by Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act to reduce our global warm- Maryland LCV’s Board of Directors in conjunction with our ing pollution. We passed significant legislation to reduce friends at Environment Maryland. We wish to thank every- nitrogen pollution in the Chesapeake Bay from septic sys- one who helped us this year including our designer, Julie tems, preserved vital sources of funding for cover crops and Burris, our hard-working interns, and Dave O’Leary. open space, and created stronger building energy efficiency An interactive online edition of the scorecard standards. More and more, our elected officials recognize is available at www.mdlcv.org that investments in energy efficiency, creating green jobs, and you can call us for an extra preserving open space, and protecting the Bay strengthens copy at 410-280-9855. our economy and environment. The next step will involve Sincerely, genuine land use reform that tackles the problems of sprawl and traffic congestion while helping clean the Bay. Ultimately, this scorecard is about YOU—the conservation voter. It is a tool for you to see how well your representatives Cindy Schwartz, Executive Director 1 Highest Scores Lowest Scores Senate (100%) Senate (20% or below) Brochin, Conway, Frosh, Gladden, Harrington, Lenett, Madaleno, Colburn, Greenip, Haines, Peters, Pinsky, Raskin, Rosapepe Jacobs, Mooney, Simonaire House (100%) House (20% or below) Ali, Anderson, Barnes, Barve, Benson, Bobo, Bromwell, Busch, Bartlett, Bates, Boteler, Dwyer, Cardin, Carr, V. Clagett, Conaway, Davis, Doory, Dumais, Frick, Frush, Elliott, Impallaria, Jennings, Gaines, Gilchrist, Glenn, Gutierrez, Hammen, Hixson, Howard, McComas, McDonough, Miller, Hubbard, Hucker, Ivey, Kaiser, Kramer, Lafferty, Lee, Levi, Manno, Myers, Norman, O’Donnell, McHale, McIntosh, Mizeur, Montgomery, Morhaim, Murphy, Serafini, Shank, Shewell, Nathan-Pulliam, Niemann, Olszewski, Pena-Melnyk, Pendergrass, Smigiel, Sossi, Stocksdale, Stull, Ramirez, Reznick, Rice, Rosenberg, Ross, Schuler, Simmons, Walkup Sophocleus, Stein, Stukes, Tarrant, V. Turner, Waldstreicher Averages 2009 2008 2007 05–06 03–04 Senate 62% 59% 69% 59% 68% Republicans 24% 12% 38% 13% 18% Democrats 77% 79% 82% 79% 90% House 72% 71% 80% 67% 73% Republicans 25% 30% 50% 26% 32% Democrats 88% 86% 91% 85% 92% Unaffiliated 43% 2 Senate Committee Votes Budget and Taxation SB 274 Tax Increment Financing for Transit-Oriented Develop- HB 309 Maryland Heritage Structure Rehabilitation Tax Credit ment (Administration bill) This bill encourages people to live (Administration bill) This smart growth bill would have reautho- and work around mass transit locations by allowing property tax rized an important program for restoring historic buildings. The incentives for smart growth. The correct vote is yes. The bill correct vote is yes. The bill died in this committee. passed unanimously and was later signed by the Governor. Currie, ChairKasemeyer,Brinkley Vice ChairDeGrangeEdwards Jones King Kramer MadalenoMcFaddenMunson Peters Robey Stoltzfus Zirkin District 25 12 4 32 1 44 39 14 18 45 2 23 13 38 11 SB 274 + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + HB 309 – – – – – + + – + + + + – – + Totals 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 2/2 2/2 1/2 2/2 2/2 2/2 2/2 1/2 1/2 2/2 + Pro–environment vote a Not voting (disadvantage for the environment) – Anti–environment vote e Excused absence 3 Education, Health & Environmental Affairs SB 278 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act (Senator Pinsky, Delegate dards for energy efficiency. The correct vote is yes. The bill passed Barve) This bill will reduce global warming pollution by 25% and was later signed by the Governor. below 2006 levels by 2020. The correct vote is yes. The bill passed SB 672 Stormwater Surcharge (Senator Raskin, Delegate and was later signed by the Governor. Hucker) This bill would have required counties to assess a fee to HB 1569 Standing (Senator Frosh, Delegate McIntosh)/ Pinsky pay for stormwater management projects. The correct vote is yes. amendment This bill allows citizens and association the right to The bill died on the Senate floor. challenge in court permit decisions that affect our environment, SB 554 Septics (Senator Lenett, Delegate Lafferty) This bill re- natural resources, and Critical Areas. The Pinsky amendment quires nitrogen removing technology on new septic systems in the extended the amount of time citizens and associations have to Critical Areas. The correct vote is yes. The bill passed and was later develop the record for judicial review. The correct vote is yes. The signed by the Governor. amendment passed, as did the underlying bill which was later signed by the Governor. SB 408 Water Pollution Penalties (Senator Simonaire) This bill increases five fold the penalties for certain violations of water pol- SB 625 Energy Efficient Building Codes (Senator Frosh) This lution controls. The correct vote is yes. The bill passed and was bill requires buildings to comply with stronger international stan- later signed by the Governor. Conway, Dyson, Chair Vice Chair Colburn Greenip Harrington Harris Lenett Pinsky Rosapepe District 43 29 37 33 47 7 19 22 21 SB 278 + + – – + + + + + HB 1569 (Pinsky) + + – – + – + + + SB 625 + + – – + + + + + SB 672 + – – – + – + + + HB 554 + a a – + – + + + SB 408 + a a a + + + + + Totals 6/6 3/6 0/6 0/6 6/6 3/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 + Pro–environment vote – Anti–environment vote a Not voting (disadvantage for the environment) 4 Finance SB 992 Green Jobs-Welfare to Work (Senator Kelley, Delegate HB 1567 Clean Energy Loan Programs (Delegate Hecht) Rosenberg) This bill accesses federal stimulus funds to train This bill provides loans for commercial and residential energy current and former welfare recipients for jobs in the emerging efficiency upgrades that are paid back by a modest surcharge on clean energy economy. The correct vote is yes. This bill passed the individual’s property taxes. The correct vote is yes. The bill and was later signed by the Governor. passed and was later signed by the Governor. HB 15 BPA Ban (Delegate Hubbard) This bill would have banned BPA, a toxin typically found in baby bottles. This vote was on a motion to kill the bill. The correct vote is no. The bill died. Middleton, Astle, Chair Vice Chair Della Exum Garagiola Glassman Kelley Kittleman Klausmeier Pipkin Pugh District 28 30 46 24 15 35 10 9 8 36 40 SB 992 + + + + + + + + + + + HB 15 – – + + – – – – + – + HB 1567 + + – – + + – + + – + Totals 2/3 2/3 2/3 2/3 2/3 2/3 1/3 2/3 3/3 1/3 3/3 + Pro–environment vote – Anti–environment vote 5 Senate Floor Votes SB 278 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act (Senator Pinsky, Delegate SB 672 Stormwater Surcharge (Senator Raskin, Delegate Barve) This bill will reduce global warming pollution by 25% by Hucker) This bill would have required local governments to 2020. The correct vote is yes. The bill passed 36–9 and was later establish fees to reduce stormwater pollution. The correct vote signed by the Governor. is yes. The bill failed in the Senate 18–29. SB 666 No Net Loss of Forest (Senator Pinsky, Delegate Bobo) SB 554 Septics (Senator Lenett, Delegate Lafferty) This bill re- Middleton amendment This bill strengthens the standards quires nitrogen removing technology on new septic systems in developers must follow when designing a new project that affects the Critical Areas. The correct vote is yes. The bill passed 24–23 forest land. The Middleton amendment exempted the utility and was later signed by the Governor. companies from compliance. The correct vote is no on this amendment. The underlying bill passed with the amendment Table Legend 33–14 and was later signed by the Governor. + Pro–environment vote – Anti–environment vote SB 1065 Standing (Senator Frosh, Delegate McIntosh) This bill e Excused absence allows citizens and associations the right to challenge in court permit decisions that affect our environment, natural resources, and Critical Areas. The correct vote is yes. The bill passed 36–8 and was later signed by the Governor. SB 555 Cellulosic Ethanol (Senator Middleton, Delegate Hubbard) This bill would have created incentives and mandates for production, distribution, and sale of the next generation bio- fuels.