2022 Legislative Session
The key pillars of our 2022 policy priorities were Children Are Successful in School, Families are Economically Stable, and Communities are Safe for Children, Youth and Families. Family League supported and monitored over 40 bills. The General Assembly made great strides by passing legislation that positively impacts Early Childhood and Juvenile Justice Reform.
Early Childhood
Four bills (HB89, HB993, HB995 and HB1100) help child care centers expand and provide equitable access to children before they enter school, easing the path for parents seeking Child Care Scholarships. HB89 directed the Maryland State Department of Education to administer $50.0 million in child care stabilization grants; HB993 established the Child Care Capital Support Revolving Loan Fund for no-interest capital loans; SB920/HB995 altered the Child Care Scholarship Program with presumptive eligibility and faster payment; and SB906/HB1100 funded bonuses for child care providers and employees.
Juvenile Justice
SB691, Juvenile Justice Reform, was formed based on recommendations by the Juvenile Justice Reform Council; it increases the minimum age for children to be adjudicated delinquent in Maryland. The state also passed SB53, the Child Interrogation Protection Act, prohibiting custodial interrogation of a child until the child has consulted with an attorney and a parent, guardian, or custodian has been notified.
Family League tracked more than 40 bills across the 2022 session under three pillars — Children Are Successful in School, Families Are Economically Stable, and Communities Are Safe for Children, Youth and Families — with outcomes ranging from passed (e.g., HB47 Expanded American History, HB513 Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health, SB617 Equivalent Access for Digital Tools) to failed (e.g., HB200 Financial Literacy Graduation Requirement, HB376 Outdoor Preschool License Pilot).
2021 Legislative Session
Family League provided written testimony on legislation spanning housing, health equity, digital inclusion, food access, child care, and pandemic relief. Highlighted bills include HB18/SB154 Residential Tenants Right to Counsel; HB28/SB5 Implicit Bias Training and the Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities; HB97 Digital Connectivity Act of 2021; HB101/SB913 SNAP Heat and Eat Program; HB608/SB890 Child Care Provider Support Act; HB612/SB496 RELIEF Act; HB636/SB546 Safe School Drinking Water Act; and HB944/SB711 Growing Family Child Care Opportunities Pilot Program.
2020 Legislative Session
Family League testified on landmark education and family-support legislation, including HB1300/SB1000 Blueprint for Maryland's Future Implementation and HB1/SB1 Build to Learn Act of 2020. The League strongly supported SB207/HB208 establishing that unaccompanied minors experiencing homelessness may consent to emergency shelter and supportive services; supported HB286 expanding the Maternal Mortality Review Program stakeholder group; supported HB1067 creating a Doula Technical Assistance Advisory Group; and opposed SB490, which would have eliminated competitive funding for Youth Service Bureaus currently at the discretion of Local Management Boards.