ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — The Maryland General Assembly is wrapping up its 90-day legislative session at midnight Monday.
Here’s a take a look at among the laws that lawmakers handed:
ABORTION
Lawmakers authorised a constitutional modification that can go on the poll subsequent 12 months to enshrine the correct to abortion within the Maryland Constitution. Lawmakers handed laws to guard sufferers and suppliers from legal, civil and administrative penalties regarding abortion bans or restrictions in different states. They authorised a separate data-privacy invoice to guard medical and insurance coverage data on reproductive well being in digital well being info exchanges that may be shared throughout state strains. Legislators additionally handed a invoice to make sure public schools and universities in Maryland have a plan for scholar entry close to campuses to contraception, together with emergency contraception and abortion tablets.
BUDGET
Lawmakers authorised a $62.5 billion finances for the subsequent fiscal 12 months. The General Assembly determined to place apart $900 million to assist pay prices in future years of a sweeping schooling reform regulation often called the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. That’s on high of $8.7 billion put aside for pre-Okay-12 funding within the subsequent fiscal 12 months. The state can have about $2.85 billion in reserves, together with about $2.5 billion within the wet day fund and a stability of $351 million within the common fund.
CANNABIS
Lawmakers determined licensing and tax charges wanted to open a leisure marijuana market on July 1, after voters authorised a constitutional modification in November. Medical hashish shops will be capable of get a twin license to promote leisure marijuana, and there will probably be extra licenses made accessible with an emphasis on fairness considerations. The tax will probably be 9%. Adults 21 and over will be capable of possess as much as 1.5 ounces of hashish and two marijuana crops.
CLEAN TRUCKS
Maryland will set necessities for automobile producers to promote a rising annual share of zero-emission automobiles like electrical vehicles, supply vans and faculty buses within the state starting in mannequin 12 months 2027.
CLERGY ABUSE-LAWSUITS
Lawmakers handed a measure to finish the state’s statute of limitations for when civil lawsuits could be filed towards private and non-private establishments associated to baby sexual abuse.
GENDER-AFFIRMING TREATMENT
The state will increase procedures regarding gender-affirming care which can be lined by the state’s Medicaid program. Coverage will increase to cowl procedures that embrace hair alteration, voice modification surgical procedure and remedy, alterations to the stomach, trunk, face and neck and fertility preservation providers. Revisions and reversals of prior remedies additionally could be lined.
988 CRISIS PREVENTION
Lawmakers handed a measure to put aside $12 million in 2025 to fund the 988 suicide and disaster prevention hotline.
MAIL-IN BALLOTS
Maryland will start processing mail-in ballots throughout elections eight enterprise days earlier than the beginning of early voting, although some smaller jurisdictions can get a waiver. The state’s major will probably be moved from April to the second Tuesday in May in 2024.
MINIMUM WAGE
Maryland will pace up its scheduled improve of the minimal wage to $15 an hour to take impact in January, moderately than ready till 2025 beneath earlier regulation.
POLICE REFORM-PROSECUTIONS
The Maryland Attorney General can have impartial authority to deliver legal fees towards cops after investigating deaths when officers are concerned.
TAX CREDITS
The General Assembly handed the governor’s enlargement of tax credit that had been set to run out for low-income residents. The laws will make everlasting an enlargement of the state’s earned revenue tax credit score authorised in 2021 for tax years by way of 2022. The measure additionally will increase the state’s baby tax credit score.
TELEHEALTH
Coverage of telehealth will probably be prolonged to June 30, 2025, by the Maryland Medical Assistance Program and sure insurers, nonprofit well being providers plans and well being upkeep organizations.
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