2015 Session – Week 2 (January 26-30th)
No Bills This Past Week
Not unexpectedly, for the MSBA, this was probably quietest week of the 90 day Session of the General Assembly. The legislature finished most of its subject matter briefing calendar on current issues relating to K-12 and higher education, local government, transportation, the environment, agricultural and natural resources, social services, health care, pensions, marijuana policy, and virtually anything else you can imagine affecting the lives of Marylanders. Bill hearings will begin this coming week.
One thing that I noticed this week was an unusually high number of constituents visiting their legislators, especially the first-termers. Long ago I learned that one of the cardinal rules of lobbying is never take a legislator’s attention away from his or her constituents around the grounds of the legislative complex. Certainly, it would be rude to verbally interrupt any conversation, but sometimes even hovering over, or making prolonged eye-contact with a legislator can distract him or her from really hearing a constituent. You’ll know that you’ve broken this rule if a person with his or her back to you is talking to a legislator, and then turns suddenly and gives you the death-stare. I mention this mostly for the benefit of those in the MSBA community who are registered as lobbyists, but rarely lobby.
As I said, it was a quiet week.
Judicial Conference Bill Hearings begin this coming week:
House of Delegates
HB 48 Clerks of the Circuit Courts – Collection of Appearance Fees
MSBA Position: Support
Hearing 2/04 at 2:00 p.m. House Judiciary Committee
HB 50 Active Armed Forces Member – Exemption From Payment of Fees for Certain Court Records
MSBA Position: Support
Hearing 2/04 at 2:00 p.m. House Judiciary Committee
Senate
SB61 Active Armed Forces Member – Exemption From Payment of Fees for Certain Court Records
MSBA Position: Support
Hearing 2/03 at 1:00 p.m. Judicial Proceedings
SB 87 Criminal Procedure – Transfer to Juvenile Court – Petition for Expungement
MSBA Position: Support
Hearing 2/03 at 1:00 p.m. Judicial Proceedings Committee
Does the Bar Association have a position on HB54 and SB 64 which raise the civil case filing fees in the Circuit Court ($30.00) and District Court ($8.00)? Thank you.
Yes, the MSBA is supporting the bills. Our belief is that once fully operational, the MDEC system, will allow attorneys to serve their clients more efficiently, and will allow citizens more direct access to our courts.