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Home | Category: 2008 General Assembly SessionApril 18, 2008Chamber Urges Governor O'Malley to Veto the Flexible Leave Act
Maryland Chamber President & CEO Kathy Snyder sent a letter to Governor Martin O’Malley yesterday urging him to veto HB 40, the Flexible Leave Act. The General Assembly passed the... More»
April 16, 2008Key Business Votes Posted Online
We’ve posted some key business votes from the 2008 General Assembly session online here. We’ve included votes for: HB 664 Corporate Reporting Requirements SB 309 Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Final... More»
April 8, 20082008 General Assembly Session in Review
The General Assembly adjourned its 2008 session late last night. During the 90-day session, 2,641 bills were introduced. The Maryland Chamber took positions on 159 of them. We’ve posted our... More»
April 4, 2008House Committee to Hear Tech Tax Bill this Afternoon
The House Ways & Means Committee will hear SB 46 this afternoon. This bill, which was passed by the Senate yesterday, would repeal the sales tax on computer services, impose... More»
April 3, 2008Senate Passes Bill to Clarify Wage Payment On Termination
The Maryland Senate unanimously passed (47-0) legislation to correct a recent change in Maryland law regarding the payment of unused leave time to employees upon termination. The bill, SB 797,... More»
April 2, 2008Senate Committee Votes to Repeal the Tech Tax
The Senate Budget and Taxation Committee voted this afternoon to repeal the computer services sales tax. As an alternative, the committee: Increased the income tax rate for those earning more... More»
Bill to Repeal Annual Noneconomic Damage Increase Defeated
The House Judiciary Committee defeated HB 606, which would have repealed the $15,000 annual increase in the cap on noneconomic damages that may be awarded in a health care malpractice... More»
A Regretful Ending for the Apology Bill
Legislation that would have altered the evidentiary rule concerning apologies or expressions of regret in a medical malpractice liability case was defeated in the House Judiciary Committee. HB 607 would... More»
April 1, 2008Tech Tax Update - April 1
This story in today’s Washington Post outlined the latest updates regarding the potential repeal of the computer services sales tax. Based on what the Maryland Chamber has heard, it doesn’t... More»
No News is Good News on the Split Rate Property Tax Bill
There has been no action on legislation to authorize each county to establish classes of real and personal property and impose varying rates of taxation on each class (SB 561/HB... More»
Market Share Liability Bill Defeated
The Maryland Chamber is pleased that the House Judiciary Committee voted down legislation that would have drastically altered Maryland’s tort laws by imposing a variation of market share liability. This... More»
March 28, 2008House Committees Help Business on Procurement Bills
Many state procurement bills opposed by the Maryland Chamber have been defeated or withdrawn, largely due to the help of the House Health and Government Operations Committee and the House... More»
March 27, 2008Prevailing Wage Bill Defeated
The House Economic Matters Committee defeated legislation that would have required contractors working on state or local public works projects that cost more than $500,000 and use any state funds... More»
March 26, 2008Competing with Prison Labor for Service Jobs
The Maryland Senate recently passed legislation that would allow the State to unfairly use low cost prison labor to compete against for profit businesses for service jobs. Under current law,... More»
Corporate Reporting Requirements Bill Clears Both Houses
Legislation to moderate the onerous corporate reporting requirements adopted during the November 2007 special session was unanimously passed by both houses earlier this week. Passage of this legislation is a... More»
March 25, 2008Tech Tax Update
The 2008 General Assembly session ends on April 7. The Fight the Tech Coalition has been working hard all session to convince lawmakers to repeal the computer services sales tax... More»
March 24, 2008Legislation to Moderate Corporate Reporting Requirements Nears Passage
Legislation, SB 444 and HB 664, to moderate the onerous corporate reporting requirements passed during the November 2007 special session is moving through the legislature. During the special session, the... More»
March 21, 2008False Claims Legislation Defeated on the Senate Floor
Legislation that would have created a new private cause of action for the enforcement of state fraud statutes was defeated on the Senate floor earlier this week by a vote... More»
Global Warming Bill Updated to Require MDE to Obtain Legislative Approval
SB 309 was amended on the Senate floor yesterday. As amended, the bill states that the Maryland Department of the Environment may not implement new emissions reduction measures until the... More»
March 20, 2008Additional Time to Apply for Manufacturing Personal Property Tax Exemption
The Maryland Chamber is advocating legislation, SB 981/HB 1609, to give manufacturers additional time to apply for and receive a personal property tax exemption on their machinery and equipment. Under... More»
Chamber Fights to Keep ICC Construction Moving
After decades of studies, legal challenges and delays, construction of the Intercounty Connector (ICC) began last year. The Maryland Chamber continues to fight to keep this critical, and long-overdue, transportation... More»
Debate on Global Warming Bill Continues
Here are a couple updates on the debate over SB 309 from WBAL Radio: Steelworkers Protest Global Warming Bill Global Warming Bill Delayed This legislation mandates a 25 percent reduction... More»
March 18, 2008Global Warming Bill Would Cost Maryland Jobs
The Maryland Senate will vote on SB 309 tomorrow. This legislation mandates a 25 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. It also sets a goal of a 90... More»
March 14, 2008Comptroller's Office Releases Draft Regulations
The office of the Comptroller has released draft regulations and a frequently asked questions document regarding the computer services sales tax set to take effect on July 1. View them... More»
MD Chamber Urges Lawmakers to Support Changes to Corporate Reporting Requirements
Earlier this week, the Maryland Chamber of Commerce encouraged two key committees to pass legislation to moderate the onerous corporate reporting requirements passed during the November 2007 special session. During... More»
March 13, 2008Maryland Chamber Opposes Income Tax Increase
Today’s Baltimore Sun reports that momentum is building in Annapolis for a plan to increase Maryland’s individual income tax on high wage earners. The bill, SB 1004 would establish two... More»
Tech Tax Opponents Rally in Annapolis
The Maryland Chamber, in partnership with the Fight the Tech Tax Coalition Partners, yesterday urged Maryland lawmakers to repeal the computer services sales tax enacted during the November 2007 special... More»
March 6, 2008MD Chamber Opposes Market Share Liability Bill
The Maryland Chamber testified yesterday in opposition to legislation that would drastically alter Maryland’s tort laws by imposing a variation of market share liability. This legal theory is fundamentally unfair,... More»
March 5, 2008March 11: Join us For a Tech Tax Discussion in Baltimore
Whiteford, Taylor & Preston LLP and Watkins, Meegan, Drury & Company LLC will host a lively discussion about the tech tax and its implications at 3:30 p.m. on March 11... More»
February 28, 2008Oppose Discriminatory Property Tax Changes
The Maryland Chamber strongly opposes legislation (HB 676) that would authorize each county to establish classes of real and personal property and impose varying rates of taxation on each class.... More»
February 21, 2008Prevailing Wage Bill is a Bad Idea
Maryland Chamber Vice President of Government Affairs Ron Wineholt testified last week in opposition to HB 970 - Procurement - Prevailing Wage. This legislation would require contractors working on state... More»
February 20, 2008Attention Business Property Owners
Legislation (SB 561/HB 676) has been introduced that would authorize counties to specify the classes of property that are subject to real and personal property taxation and to vary the... More»
February 7, 2008Legislation Would Moderate Onerous Corporate Reporting Requirements
During the November 2007 special session, the Maryland General Assembly passed legislation creating the Maryland Business Tax Reform Commission. The Commission will review and evaluate the state’s current business tax... More»
House Tech Tax Hearing Scheduled for March 12
The House Ways & Means Committee will hear the computer service sales tax bills on Wednesday, March 12 at 1 p.m. Mark you calendars. No word on a Senate hearing... More»
January 30, 2008Bills Would Enforce State Fraud Statutes with Bounty Hunting Trial Lawyers
Maryland Chamber Vice President Ron Wineholt testified today in opposition to SB 215 and HB 292, two bills that would establish additional penalties for the filing of a false claim... More»
January 29, 2008Computer Services Sales Tax Bills
So far, lawmakers have introduced 11 bills to repeal or alter the computer services sales tax passed during the special session. We just posted a special page on our... More»
January 23, 2008Majority of Delegates Call for Repeal of Computer Services Sales Tax
Seventy-two of the 141 members of the Maryland House of Delegates have signed on as co-sponsors of a bill that would repeal the computer services sales tax enacted during the... More»
January 10, 2008Fight the Tech Tax
Together with the Tech Council of Maryland and many other local chambers, business organizations and companies throughout the state, we are launching a coalition to repeal the tax, which... More»
Daily Record Launches Eye on Annapolis Blog
The Daily Record rolled out its Eye on Annapolis blog earlier this week. “Things can change quickly here in Annapolis, as anyone in computer services can tell you,” said Andy... More»
January 8, 2008Members in the News: Computer Services Sales Tax
Yesterday, two Maryland Chamber members were featured in news reports regarding their reactions to the computer services sales tax passed during the 2007 special session and set to take effect... More»
January 2, 2008Sun Editorial: Lawmakers Acted Rashly in Passing the Tech Tax
In its lead editorial today, “Much ado about little,” the Baltimore Sun slipped in a reference to the computer services sales tax that’s worth illuminating: The legislature’s actions last year... More»
December 17, 2007Maryland Chamber's 2008 Business Agenda
The Maryland Chamber’s Board of Directors recently approved its 2008 Business Agenda. Priorities for the 2008 General Assembly session include: Repealing the hastily adopted sales tax on computer services. Revising... More»
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