2015 SESSION OF THE
MARYLAND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
| | | |
| 2015 SESSION OF THE |
| Volume 21, Number 1 | February 12, 2015 |
Here are some of the hot issues as the 2015 Legislative Session develops:
MCO Briefing
Dr. Rothman Visits Annapolis
Governor Hogan Delivers State of the State
School of Public Health Students Brief House Committee
Caregiver Legislation
Stem Cell Budget Hearing
In May, the Chairman of the House Health & Government Operations Committee contacted Johns Hopkins State Affairs to request that the Bloomberg School of Public Health conduct a literature review on the benefits and risks associated with the consumption of raw milk. Under the leadership of Keeve Nachman, Director of the Food Production and Public Health Program at the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future, Ph.D. candidates Ben Davis and Cissy Li conducted the literature review. On Tuesday, February 3, Professor Nachman, Mr. Davis, and Ms. Li briefed the House Public Health & Minority Health Disparities Subcommittee on their findings.
Caregiver Legislation
Amy Deutschendorf, Vice President for Care Coordination/Clinical Resource Management at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Dan Hale, Special Advisor in the Office of the President at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, met with Senator Mac Middleton, Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, to discuss how Johns Hopkins engages patients and their families in transitioning from the hospital to home. The purpose of this meeting was to address expected legislation, promoted by AARP, which would mandate hospitals establish a process for identifying and educating patient caregivers prior to discharge. While Johns Hopkins supports the intent of this legislation, the bill would impede the transition of care work already underway at Johns Hopkins. The Chairman was very supportive of Johns Hopkins’ position.
Stem Cell Budget Hearing
As introduced, the FY 2016 budget provides $9.4 million to the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund (MSCRF), a $1 million cut from the FY 2015 funding level. Johns Hopkins State Affairs testified before the House Education and Economic Development Subcommittee in favor of protecting funding for the MSCRF. State Affairs showed the video “Shawna’s story,” which highlights a patient who was cured of sickle cell disease after receiving a half match transplant with stem cells. This discovery is a result of research done by Dr. Robert Brodsky, which was supported by a 2013 MSCRF grant. State Affairs also presented letters from Johns Hopkins researchers who have received grants from the MSCRF, including Ted Dawson, M.D. Ph.D., Professor of Neurology, Neuroscience and Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences; Jeff Bulte, Ph.D., Professor of Radiology, Oncology, Biomedical Engineering, and Chemical & Bimolecular Engineering, and Director, Cellular Imaging Section, Institute for Cell Engineering; Hongiun Song, Ph.D., Professor of Neurology and Neuroscience, Director of Stem Cell, Institute for Cell Engineering; Gabsang Lee, Ph.D., D.V.M., Assistant Professor, Institute for Cell Engineering, Department of Neurology and Neuroscience, Translational Tissue Engineering Center; and Assaf A. Gilad, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Radiology. Historically, the Maryland Catholic Conference has opposed funding for the MSCRF. This year, the Catholic Conference did not testify.
BILLS INTRODUCED
Behavioral Health SB90/HB293 Guardianship, Advance Directives, and Surrogates - Disabled Persons and Mental Health Services Authorizing a court to appoint a guardian of the person of a disabled person for a limited period of time under specified circumstances; providing that a revocation of an advance directive for mental health services by a specified declarant is not effective until 72 hours after the request for revocation is made by the declarant; repealing the prohibition against surrogate decision makers authorizing treatment for a mental disorder; etc. Hearing Date: Tue 2/10 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB162/HB451 Task Force to Study Regulation of Teletherapy Establishing the Task Force to Study Regulation of Teletherapy; providing for the composition, chair, and staffing of the Task Force; prohibiting a member of the Task Force from receiving compensation, but authorizing the reimbursement of expenses; requiring the Task Force to study and make recommendations on specified matters; and requiring the Task Force to submit an interim report on or before December 1, 2015, and a final report on or before December 1, 2016, on its findings and recommendations. Hearing Date: Wed 2/25 1:00 PM Effective Date: July 1, 2015 SB174 Behavioral Health Administration - Behavioral Health Advisory Council Establishing the Behavioral Health Advisory Council in the Office of the Governor; providing for the purpose, duties, and membership of the Council; requiring the Council to appoint the chair of the Council; providing for the terms of members; authorizing the Council to adopt specified procedures; authorizing the chair to designate specified individuals to serve on a committee or task force of the Council; requiring the submission of an annual report to the Governor and General Assembly on or before December 31 of each year; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 2/18 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 [GO TO TOP] [GO TO BILL LIST] HB22 Education - Privacy of Education Records and Personal Information of Students Authorizing the State Department of Education, the State Board of Education, a county board of education, a local school system, a primary school, or a secondary school to collect or disclose the education records or personally identifiable information contained in the education records of a student only as necessary or required for specified purposes; prohibiting a person from requiring a specified student, without prior written consent, to submit to a survey, an analysis, or an evaluation that reveals specified information; etc. Hearing Date: Effective Date: July 1, 2015 HB101/SB17 Baltimore City School Police Force - Carrying of Firearms - Scope Authorizing a Baltimore City school police officer to carry a firearm on the premises of a Baltimore City public school and any other property used for an educational purpose owned, leased, or operated by, or under the control of the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners; etc. Hearing Date: Tue 3/10 1:00 PM Effective Date: July 1, 2015 HB278/SB15 Task Force to Study the Implementation of a Dyslexia Education Program Establishing the Task Force to Study the Implementation of a Dyslexia Education Program; providing for the composition of the Task Force, including one representative of the Public School Superintendents Association of Maryland; prohibiting a member of the Task Force from receiving specified compensation but authorizing the reimbursement of specified expenses; requiring the Task Force to study specified matters; requiring the Task Force to report its findings and recommendations on or before December 30, 2015; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 2/19 1:00 PM Effective Date: June 1, 2015 HB342 Special Education - Related Services Providers - Consortium Requiring the State Department of Education to establish a consortium of qualified substitute related services providers who may assist in delivering specified services in the absence of the regular related services provider. Hearing Date: Thu 2/26 1:00 PM Effective Date: July 1, 2015 HB406 Education - Implementation of the Common Core State Standards - Prohibition Prohibiting the State Board of Education and specified county boards of education from establishing specified educational policies, curriculum, and guidelines that include or are based on the Common Core State Standards; prohibiting the State Board from entering into any agreements or joining any organizations that give control over educational matters to any entity other than the State; requiring the State Board to take specified steps to rescind the State Board's adoption of the Common Core State Standards; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 2/26 1:00 PM Effective Date: June 1, 2015 HB436/SB266 Education - Privacy of Education Records and Personal Information of Students Authorizing the State Department of Education, the State Board of Education, a county board of education, a local school system, a primary school, or a secondary school to collect or disclose the education records or personally identifiable information contained in the education records of a student only as necessary or required for specified purposes; prohibiting a person from requiring a specified student, without prior written consent, to submit to a survey, an analysis, or an evaluation that reveals specified information; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 2/26 1:00 PM Effective Date: July 1, 2015 HB452/SB497 Commission to Review Maryland's Use of Assessments and Testing in Public Schools Establishing the Commission to Review Maryland's Use of Assessments and Testing in Public Schools; providing for the composition, chair, and staffing of the Commission; prohibiting a member of the Commission from receiving specified compensation, but authorizing the reimbursement of specified expenses; requiring the Commission to survey, assess, review, and make recommendations regarding specified matters; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 2/26 1:00 PM Effective Date: June 1, 2015 HB486/SB595 Public Charter School Expansion and Improvement Act of 2015 Including employees of public charter school operators under provisions of law relating to collective bargaining; authorizing public charter schools to give greater weight to specified students during a lottery to determine admission to the public charter school; clarifying that the State Board of Education is a public chartering authority; specifying the contents of an application to open a public charter school; altering the time period within which the State Board must render a decision on a specified appeal; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 2/26 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 SB183/HB215 Education - Geographic Cost of Education - Requirement Requiring that the county boards of education receive a specified grant to reflect regional differences in the cost of education that are due to factors outside of the control of the local jurisdiction; and repealing a provision that allowed for the reduction of a grant under specified circumstances. Hearing Date: Wed 2/11 1:00 PM Effective Date: July 1, 2015 [GO TO TOP] [GO TO BILL LIST] SB65/HB52 Clerks of the Circuit Courts - Hospital Lien Docket - Repeal Repealing a requirement that the clerks of the circuit courts provide a hospital lien docket. Hearing Date: Tue 2/3 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 [GO TO TOP] [GO TO BILL LIST] HB9/SB105 Maryland Home Birth Safety Act Establishing a licensing and regulatory system for the practice of direct-entry midwifery under the State Board of Nursing; establishing the Direct-Entry Midwifery Advisory Committee; requiring the Board to set fees for the issuance and renewal of licenses; requiring continuing education, peer review, and data submission as a condition of license renewal; providing specified health care providers with specified immunity from civil liability; defining specified terms; subjecting the Act to the Maryland Program Evaluation Act; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 2/11 1:00 PM Effective Date: June 1, 2015 [GO TO TOP] [GO TO BILL LIST] SB92/HB230 Health Insurance - Assignment of Benefits and Reimbursement of Nonpreferred Providers - Repeal of Termination Date Repealing the termination date of specified provisions of law relating to the assignment of benefits and reimbursement of nonpreferred providers. Hearing Date: Wed 2/4 2:00 PM Effective Date: June 1, 2015 [GO TO TOP] [GO TO BILL LIST] HB5/SB467 Department of Health and Mental Hygiene - Newborn Screening Program Fund - Establishment Establishing the Newborn Screening Program Fund; requiring the Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene to administer the Fund; providing for the uses, purposes, sources of funding, investment of money, and auditing of the Fund; providing that the Fund is a continuing, nonlapsing fund; requiring the Secretary to pay specified fees to the Comptroller; requiring the Comptroller to distribute the specified fees to the Newborn Screening Program Fund; making the Act an emergency measure; etc. Hearing Date: Tue 2/3 1:00 PM Effective Date: Upon Enactment HB9/SB105 Maryland Home Birth Safety Act Establishing a licensing and regulatory system for the practice of direct-entry midwifery under the State Board of Nursing; establishing the Direct-Entry Midwifery Advisory Committee; requiring the Board to set fees for the issuance and renewal of licenses; requiring continuing education, peer review, and data submission as a condition of license renewal; providing specified health care providers with specified immunity from civil liability; defining specified terms; subjecting the Act to the Maryland Program Evaluation Act; etc. Hearing Date: Wed 2/11 1:00 PM Effective Date: June 1, 2015 HB118 Task Force to Study Presumed Consent Organ Donation in Maryland Establishing the Task Force to Study Presumed Consent Organ Donation in Maryland; providing for the composition, chair, and staffing of the Task Force; prohibiting a member of the Task Force from receiving specified compensation, but authorizing the reimbursement of specified expenses; requiring the Task Force to study and make recommendations regarding specified matters; requiring the Task Force to report its interim and final findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly on or before June 1, 2016, and June 1, 2017; etc. Hearing Date: Tue 2/10 1:00 PM Effective Date: June 1, 2015 SB74 Task Force to Study Maternal Mental Health Establishing the Task Force to Study Maternal Mental Health; providing for the composition, chair, and staffing of the Task Force; requiring the Task Force to study and make recommendations regarding specified matters; requiring the Task Force to report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly on or before December 31, 2015; and terminating the Act after June 30, 2016. Hearing Date: Wed 2/4 2:00 PM Effective Date: June 1, 2015 [GO TO TOP] [GO TO BILL LIST] SB138 Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Assisted Living Services Requiring the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to reimburse through the Maryland Medical Assistance Program specified assisted living services provided to specified individuals; etc. Hearing Date: Thu 2/12 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 [GO TO TOP] [GO TO BILL LIST] SB141 Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Former Foster Care Adolescents - Dental Care Authorizing the Maryland Medical Assistance Program, subject to the limitations of the State budget, and as permitted by federal law, to provide dental care for former foster care adolescents who, on their 18th birthday, were in foster care under the responsibility of another state or the District of Columbia. Hearing Date: Wed 2/11 1:00 PM Effective Date: October 1, 2015 Legislative Session Office Legislative Hotline is a service of Johns Hopkins Government Affairs. © 2015 The Johns Hopkins Institutions. Baltimore, Maryland.
For more information, please contact: Nicole McCann
For more information, please contact: Nicole McCann
For more information, please contact: Nicole McCann
General Education
For more information, please contact: Chelsea Beaupre
For more information, please contact: Chelsea Beaupre
For more information, please contact: Chelsea Beaupre
For more information, please contact: Chelsea Beaupre
For more information, please contact: Chelsea Beaupre
For more information, please contact: Chelsea Beaupre
For more information, please contact: Chelsea Beaupre
For more information, please contact: Chelsea Beaupre
For more information, please contact: Chelsea Beaupre
Health Care Facilities
For more information, please contact: Delora Sanchez
Health Care Occupations
For more information, please contact: Nicole McCann
Health Insurance/Health Care Access
For more information, please contact: Nicole McCann
Health, General/Public/Environmental
For more information, please contact: Nicole McCann
For more information, please contact: Nicole McCann
For more information, please contact: Nicole McCann
For more information, please contact: Nicole McCann
Long Term Care
For more information, please contact: Nicole McCann
Medicaid
For more information, please contact: Nicole McCann
STAFF CONTACT INFORMATION
Please contact Government Relations if you have concerns or would like additional information. Your input assists us greatly in evaluating and formulating the position of Johns Hopkins on all legislation.
47 State Circle, Suite 203
Annapolis, MD 21401
410-269-0057
fax 410-269-1574
Chelsea Beaupre [email protected] Mickey Geisler [email protected] Matt Greenwood [email protected] Sheila Higdon [email protected] Nicki McCann [email protected] Patrick Murray [email protected] Delora Sanchez [email protected]
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ACRONYMS
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