By Authority:
Jay Stearman
Treasurer,
People for
Pendergrass

An Issues Update - End of Session, May 2004 

Dear Friends:

The 2004 Maryland Legislative Session ended on April 12th. Much of my energy this year was consumed with making sure that HB 566 entitled Homeowners Associations - Annual Charges, which I introduced, passed the General Assembly. This bill helps ALL Columbia residents pay a more reasonable homeowner's fee, without causing undo harm to the Columbia Association (CA) Corporation. As written, this bill applies only to the Columbia Association. Because the CA Homeowners Fee is based on the Property Tax Assessment, it requires that if the assessment increase is more than 10%, it must be phased in with a limit of a 10% increase each year (the same limit that the state property tax law mandates). It also requires that any excess of fees over the 10% increase that members paid in FY2004, must be rebated or credited back.

I also introduced a Consumer Protection Bill, HB 74, which would have limited the use of an individual’s Social Security number, as a beginning step in avoiding identity theft. Although my bill passed the House, it was caught up behind the Senate filibuster on the Living Wage bill and did not pass the Senate. The cross-filed Senate bill, SB 117, was modified to be identical to my bill and passed both houses. Unfortunately the governor vetoed the bill, so Maryland citizens will not have the limited protection against identity theft this bill provided. I expect to work with Senator Roy Dyson and reintroduce the bill next year.

My Slots Referendum bill, (this year numbered HB 1497) once again did not receive a vote in committee. It is interesting to note that it has been the subject of much discussion by leaders in the State surrounding slots. This bill would have put a two-tiered referendum on the ballot in November requiring that a majority of voters would have to vote "yes" for slots to be legalized in Maryland. In addition, only those counties in which a majority of voters approve it could have slots located in their county. This would mean that if a voter thinks slots would be good for the state, he would have to be willing to have slots located in his own backyard.

Another issues that caused much interest in Annapolis this year was Medical Malpractice Insurance. I was selected by Speaker Busch to be one of nine delegates asked to serve on a workgroup to study the issues surrounding the high cost of Medical Malpractice Insurance. After six weeks of intensive study and meetings, our conclusions and suggestions resulted in HB 1299 entitled Medical Malpractice Reforms and Task Force. This bill set out some beginning steps to address the problem and established a Task Force to look in more depth at the issue. Although the House passed the bill by a vote of 136-1, the Senate opted to take no action on the bill. Because this issue is so important to the Governor, there is discussion that he may call the Legislature back into a special session this summer to solve this problem.

Over the last two sessions I have focused energies on services for citizens with Mental Health Problems. I am presently a member of the Special Legislative Task Force to Study Access to Mental Health Services that is looking into the issues surrounding the lack of state services for some of our neediest citizens. I am optimistic that the upcoming year will see progress on this issue.

I was honored to be chosen by Speaker Busch and the Milbank Memorial Foundation (a non-profit think tank on Health Issues) to be invited to attend (at their expense) several of their nationwide conferences. At the meetings, I have met with other legislators, industry leaders, and regulators from all over the nation to discuss health care problems and possible solutions. I look forward to my continued association with Milbank and am hopeful that my association with so many national leaders will help Maryland come up with creative solutions to health care problems that we all face.

As a member of the Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review (AELR), I have been able to approve regulations that increased medicaid payments to dentists and determined under what circumstances hospitals may do various health procedures, thereby increasing the number of hospitals close to home where patients may have various procedures safely performed.

As always, it is a pleasure to serve you. I encourage you to contact me to express your opinion on legislative issues which interest you. Also, if there is any way in which I can assist you with a Maryland State problem, please do not hesitate to contact me or my assistant, Virginia Charles. The best method to contact me is by e-mail at, shane_pendergrass@house.state.md.us. You can, of course, still contact the office by phone at (410) 841-3139, (301) 858-3139, or 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3139 or by fax at 301-858-3178 or 410-841-3178.

 

Shane Pendergrass 

2006 Legislative Session Update

2005 Legislative Session Update

Delegate Shane Pendergrass, District 13
Maryland House of Delegates
6 Bladen Street, Room 262
Annapolis, MD 21401
(301) 858-3139, (410) 841-3139
Toll Free: 1-800-492-7122, ext. 3139
FAX: (410) 841-3178  -  (301) 858-3178
e-mail: shane.pendergrass@house.state.md.us