The Washington Report from Annapolis: Vol 2, #1
Dear Friends,
I trust that you had a productive and service-filled Martin Luther King Jr. Day! It’s hard to believe that it’s been an entire year since I began serving in the Maryland General Assembly.
Bills, Bills, Bills
Here is a preview of the legislation that I will be sponsoring this session:
1. Electronic Harassment
For the past three months, I have been working with Delegate Sandy Rosenberg and Luke Clippinger to develop legislation that would amend Maryland law by broadening the types of communications that are covered under existing harassment statutes. Maryland’s current electronic harassment law applies only to “electronic mail” (email); text messages and other forms of direct e-messaging are not covered. The bill that I have introduced (HB8, found here) strikes the word “mail” and replaces it with “communications.” This slight change will modernize Maryland law to account for technological developments in the ways we communicate.
In developing this bill, I solicited the advice of the Attorney General’s office to ensure that we address concerns about the protection of free speech under the First Amendment. It is in the interest of protecting all Marylanders from harassment in all areas of their lives that we close this dated loophole in our harassment laws. The hearing on this bill is this Thursday, January 19th at 1pm in the House Judiciary Committee. I’m very pleased that a number of organizations have pledged their support of this legislation, including the Maryland State Association of Attorneys, the Maryland State Police, the Maryland Sheriffs, the Women’s Law Center, the Maryland Network against Domestic Violence, the State Board of Victim’s Services, the Governor’s Family Violence Council and the Maryland State Bar Association. You can track the bill’s development using the link above.
2. Rent-to-Own Regulation
Many communities in Baltimore City and across the state of Maryland are dealing with the fallout from high interest subprime loans, credit scams, debt scams and retirement and investment fund disappearing acts. As the economy continues to weather these storms, rent-to-own businesses have expanded and are taking advantage of these conditions. The multi-billion dollar rent-to-own industry (Rent-A-Center, Rentway, Aaron’s, etc.) sells televisions, appliances, computers, jewelry and furniture by advertising “low monthly payments” and promising consumers the American dream of ownership. However, the industry does not tell consumers that the effective interest rates on their products is approximately 220% APR! Moreover, consumers who are unable to meet their monthly obligations are often either forced to forfeit the equity that they had put into their purchase thus far or are subjected to payday loans with exorbitant interest rates.
While these businesses face little regulation, their predatory practices have not gone unnoticed: in 2006, the U.S. Department of Defense listed rent-to-own businesses as predatory. For the past several months, I have been working with the Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition to develop a bill that will regulate rent-to-own businesses. The goal of this legislation is not to shut down these businesses; rather, it intends to inhibit them from engaging in predatory practices that harm Maryland consumers. This legislation is currently being drafted and I will keep you informed about its progress.
3. The “Bag Bill”
You may have heard of the “bag bill” already, as it has been introduced in some capacity for the last 3 legislative sessions. In 2011, the bill was titled the “Clean the Streams and Beautify the Bay Act” and was sponsored by Delegate Al Carr from Montgomery County. This year, I have agreed to be the lead sponsor on this legislation. The purpose of this bill is two-fold: to reduce trash from plastic bags that are not reused and recycled and end up damaging our ecosystems, and to raise revenue for the Chesapeake Bay Trust fund and Maryland communities that are working towards a cleaner, greener Maryland. In a perfect world, plastic bags would be reused and recycled at 100% capacity; however, studies show that over 99% of these bags are neither recycled nor reused, but rather end up in landfills, along highways and in our most vital water resources. Moreover, the funds that are currently going toward sustainability initiatives and the Chesapeake Bay Trust Fund is simply not enough to keep up with all the work that needs to be done.
This bill will require that all bags distributed by retailers meet specified requirements, including being 100% recyclable. It also requires that retailers to charge and collect a 5¢ fee for each disposable plastic bag provided to a customer; of that 5¢, a penny will stay with the retailer and the remaining 4¢ will be distributed to the Chesapeake Bay Trust Fund and local jurisdictions. The bill also includes an incentive for businesses that have bag credit programs, such as Whole Foods and even (gasp) Walmart. These retailers will be able to retain 2 of the 5¢ bag fee. Both D.C. and Montgomery County have recently passed legislation that is very similar to this bill. Data from D.C. has shown a reduction in plastic bag use by nearly 85%, Jus like the rent-to-own legislation, this bill has not been dropped in the hopper just yet; but, I’ll definitely be keeping you up to date as it passes through the House.
What’s next?
Today, Governor Martin O’Malley will release his budget proposal for FY2013. As a member of the Appropriations committee, I will be working hard to ensure that the state continues to make smart investments that will build stronger and safer communities for all Marylanders. I am particularly committed to making certain that the final budget addresses the educational, environmental and transportation-related needs of Baltimore City.
That’s it for now. As always, I encourage you to contact me with the issues that matter most to you at mary.washington@house.state.
In partnership,
Delegate Mary Washington
