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90 Day Report, a Review of the 1998 Department of Legislative Services Office of the Executive Director Maryland General Assembly April 17, 1998 Honorable Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr., President of the Senate Honorable Casper R. Taylor, Jr., Speaker of the House of Delegates Honorable Members of the General Assembly Ladies and Gentlemen: I am pleased to present you with the first edition of The 90 Day Report - A Review of Legislation in the 1998 Session. In previous years, the Departments of Fiscal Services and Legislative Reference each produced reports summarizing the activities of the General Assembly during its most recent legislative session. This year, the Department of Legislative Services has produced this single detailed report which incorporates the best features of the Sine Die Report and the Session Review. The 90 Day Report consists of two volumes. Volume I is divided into 13 parts, each dealing with a major policy area. Each part contains a discussion of the majority of bills passed in that policy area, including comparisons with previous sessions and current law, background information, and a discussion of significant bills that did not pass. Information relating to the Operating Budget, Capital Budget, and aid to local governments is found in Part A of this volume. Volume II, organized in the same manner as Volume I, consists of a list of all bills passed and a short synopsis stating the purpose of each bill. I hope that you will find The 90 Day Report as helpful this year as you have found the Sine Die Report and the Session Review to be in the past. Further, the Department of Legislative Services will make available the Fact Book and Citizen's Tax Guide shortly. The Effects of the 1998 Legislative Program on the Financial Condition of the State will be issued after the Governor has taken final action on all bills. Sincerely, Karl S. Aro Executive Director VOLUME I VOLUME II Major Policy Discussions Synopsis of Passed Bills Major Issues Part A Part A - Budgets And State Aid Budgets And State Aid Overview Of The Operating Budget Part B Capital Budget Aid To Local Government Taxes Part B -Taxes Part C Property Tax State Government Local Property Taxes Income Tax Part D Recordation And Transfer Taxes Miscellaneous Taxes Local Government Miscellaneous Taxes - Local Part E Part C - State Government Crimes, Corrections, And Public Safety State Agencies, Offices, And Officials Part F Elections Ethics Courts And Civil Proceeding Procurement Regulations And Administrative Procedure Act Part G Personnel Pensions And Retirement Transportation And Motor Vehicles General Assembly Part H Part D - Local Government Business And Economic Issues Local Government - Generally Counties Generally Part I Municipal Government Bi-County Agencies Financial Institutions, Commercial Law, And Public Local Laws Corporations Part E - Crimes, Corrections, And Public Safety Part J Criminal Law Health Criminal Procedure Juvenile Law Part K Public Safety Natural Resources, Environment, And Part F - Courts And Civil Proceedings Agriculture Judges And Court Administration Part L Civil Actions And Procedures Family Law Education Human Relations Real Property Part M Estates And Trusts Human Resources Part G - Transportation And Motor Vehicles Transportation Motor Vehicles Part H - Business And Economic Issues Business Regulation And Occupations Public Service Companies Insurance Horse Racing And Gaming Economic And Community Development Workers' Compensation Unemployment Insurance Labor And Industry Alcoholic Beverages - Statewide Bills Alcoholic Beverages - Local Bills Part I - Financial Institutions, Commercial Law, And Corporations Financial Institutions Commercial Law Corporations And Associations Part J - Health Public Health - Generally Health Occupations Health Care Facilities And Regulation Health Maintenance Organizations Part K - Natural Resources, Environment, And Agriculture Natural Resources - Generally Hunting And Fishing Environment Agriculture Part L - Education Education - Primary And Secondary Higher Education Part M - Human Resources Social Services - Generally The Elderly The Disabled Children MAJOR ISSUES Budgets Operating Budget Capital Budget (includes bond bills) Agriculture Nutrient Management (Pfiesteria) Northeast Interstate Dairy Compact Business Regulation Cigarette Vending Machines Real Estate Licensees - Dual Agency Civil Proceedings Comparative Negligence Tobacco Manufacturers - State Claims Criminal Law and Procedure Assisted Suicide Bomb Threats Drunk and Drugged Driving - Blood Alcohol Limits Gubernatorial Pardons Victims' Rights Economic Development Maryland Science, Engineering, and Technology Corporation Education Public Schools - Pest Management Maryland Science and Technology Scholarships Public School Construction School Accountability for Funding Excellence University System of Maryland - Governance and Funding Study and Funding Commitment Ethics and Elections Election Laws Revision Legislative Ethics - Advisory Services and Disclosure Public Ethics Laws - Study Environment Pest Management in Public Schools Water Quality/Nutrient Management (Pfiesteria) Family Law Absolute Divorce - Excessively Vicious Conduct Adoption Records - Disclosure of Sealed Records Adoptions - Termination of Parental Rights Financial Institutions Mortgage Lending Institutions Gambling and Horse Racing Slot Machines at Race Tracks and Other Locations Horse Racing Industry - Funding General Assembly Legislative Compensation Governor Gubernatorial Compensation Health Breast Cancer Screening Children and Families Health Care Program Health Benefits - Contraceptive Devices Health Benefits - Experimental Clinical Research Treatment Health Care Regulatory Reform Health Maintenance and Managed Care Organizations - Liability for Decisions Hospitals - Acquisition of Nonprofit Health Entities Medical Records - Confidentiality and Disclosure "Partial Birth" Abortions Human Relations Religious Freedom Act Human Resources Developmental Disabilities Programs - Waiting List Reduction Insurance Appeals and Grievances - Health Care Decisions Maryland Insurance Administration - Funding Judges and Courts Judicial Compensation Juvenile Law Juvenile Justice Act of 1998 Local Government State Assistance to Local Governments Natural Resources Clam Dredging by Hydraulic Dredges in Grassbeds of the Chesapeake Bay Fisheries Management - Limited Entry to Commercial Fishery Pensions and Retirement Systems State Employees and Teachers - Enhancements University System of Maryland Employees - Early Retirement Public Safety Boiler Inspection and Safety Home Detention Systems - Stricter Regulation Patuxent Institution Youth Program State Agencies Technology - Electronic Access to Public Records Taxes Earned Income Tax Credits for Low Income Wage Earners Homeowner's Property Tax Credit Program - Expansion Property Tax Setoffs State Income Tax - Reduction Utilities Electric Utility Restructuring/Deregulation Public Service Companies - Holding Companies Vehicle Laws Aggressive Driving Graduated Driver Licensing Workers' Compensation Benefits - Denial for Accidents Caused by Employee's Substance Abuse Part A BUDGETS AND STATE AID OVERVIEW OF THE OPERATING BUDGET Budget in Brief The budget adopted at the 1998 Session provides $16.6 billion in appropriations for fiscal year 1999, an increase of $890 million over fiscal year 1998. General fund appropriations for fiscal year 1999 are $607 million greater than current spending authority. The budget's estimate of special funds in fiscal year 1999 is nominally higher than the current fiscal year. Federal fund appropriations increase by 4.8% due largely to the new Children's Health Initiative Program (CHIPs), Medicaid inflation and utilization trends, and additional funding for the food stamp program, offset by decreases in the welfare caseload and project completions in the transportation capital program. State agency spending accounts for the largest growth in the general fund portion of the budget. Funding for enhancements and initiatives was provided to establish or expand programs to combat pfiesteria, enhance public safety through development of the community court and Break the Cycle programs, enhance the State's institutions of higher education, improve services to individuals with developmental disabilities, provide additional funding for foster care, and to support economic development through information technology programs. The first general salary increase in three years adds $58.3 million. This fiscal year 1999 increase will be a flat $1,275 per position, phased in as a $900 increase on July 1, 1998, and a $375 increase on January 1, 1999. An additional $5 million is provided for faculty recruitment and retention in University System of Maryland institutions as part of a two-year $10 million enhancement. State Police receive a 4% salary increase, at a cost of $3.2 million, as the third year of a six-year program to make salaries competitive with the top third of police regionally. An increase of $11,275 for all Maryland judges was approved, consistent with the recommendations of the Judicial Compensation Commission. Education programs continue to fare well in the fiscal year 1999 budget as general funds for local education spending grew by 6.4%, and community college grants increased by 3.1%. State college and university funding increased by 8.0%, and aid to private colleges grew by 5.4%. The operating budget includes $88.5 million for public school construction. In combination with funding in the capital budget, $222.0 million will be available
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