Thursday, January 18, 2018

General Assembly Overrides Governor Hogan's Vetoes of Paid Sick Leave and Ban the Box Legislation

Paid Sick Leave Becomes Law  

The legislation allows workers at companies with 15 workers or more to earn up to five days a year of paid sick leave, which they could also use for such matters as going to court to obtain a protective order against domestic violence or dealing with the aftermath of sexual assault. A worker will be able to earn an hour of sick leave for every 30 hours they work. It will benefit about 700,000 Maryland workers.
 
Ban the Box Becomes Law

The new law denies colleges and universities the option of asking an applicant if they have been arrested or charged of a crime in the initial application process. This will provide a second chance to those individuals who have worked hard to turn their life around, and it encourages them to seek higher education. Colleges and universities remain free to ask about arrests and convictions at later stages of the admission process and to deny entry to applicants they believe pose a danger.
 
Order Prohibits Swift Van Lines from Refusing to Deliver Consumers’ Goods

Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh filed charges against Swift Van Lines, LLC (formerly known as Revolution Moving and Storage), a household goods moving company based in Hyattsville for charging consumers several times the amount the company estimated it would cost to move consumers’ goods, and then driving off with consumers’ goods if they did not pay the increased demand.  Under Maryland law, when a move takes place within the State, a moving company cannot refuse to deliver consumers’ household goods after they’ve been loaded on the truck.  Maryland law also places limits on how much movers can charge consumers above their estimates—in most cases movers cannot charge more than 125% of the estimate.
 
Process to Legally Obtain Medical Cannabis in Maryland

​​A number of people have asked me: What is the process for legally obtaining medical cannabis in the State of Maryland (once it becomes available)?  You can find out on this important web-site.
http://mmcc.maryland.gov/Pages/process_to_obtain.aspx
 
Free Tax Preparation Available

The CASH Campaign of Maryland ​ ​ (Creating Assets, Savings and Hope) is a nonprofit organization that promotes economic advancement for low-to moderate income individuals and families. CASH Is providing the important services:
If you made less than $54,000 in 2017 you may qualify for free tax preparation.  IRS certified volunteers and local agencies will e-file your taxes and direct deposit your refund into your bank account.
Call 800-492-0618 for a list of sites or visit www.cashmd.org .
You can also get free software to do your own taxes at www.cashmd.org.
Proposed Legislation to Deny Parental Rights for An Attacker in a Rape

LEGISLATION THAT would allow a rape victim to terminate the parental rights of her attacker has been introduced into the Maryland General Assembly nine times. Nine times it has died — making Maryland one of the dwindling few states in the country that requires a woman who becomes pregnant as the result of rape to negotiate custody and adoption decisions with her assailant.  We hope this will be one of the first bills that will pass in this year’s session. This legislation would establish a court process to terminate rapists’ parental rights when a child is conceived through rape.

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Save the Date
District 47 Night in Annapolis
Monday February 12th from 6pm - 8pm

More information will be distributed next week regarding sign up and transportation.
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President’s Trumps Unacceptable Comments on Our

Immigrant Communities

I usually only discuss state and county issues in these newsletters but every elected official, including myself, has to publicly state that the President’s statements about the countries from which many of our neighbors come from are completely unacceptable.  I cannot believe that in 2018 our national leader said these things.  We just cannot shrug our shoulders and say his comments are the new normal.  We all need come out and vote in this year’s election and send a message to the White House about what we think of his comments and actions!g