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ANNAPOLIS — Gov. Larry Hogan and legislative leaders capped this year's 90-day Maryland General Assembly by signing 114 bills into law Tuesday.
They included a few local bills sponsored by first-time Washington County Del. Paul Corderman, who was appointed by the Republican Central Committee shortly before the session started. Corderman replaced Brett Wilson, who was appointed circuit judge last fall.
They also included major bills to enhance school safety and stabilize rates in the Maryland Health Care Exchange's individual market.
Seated with Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. and House Speaker Michael E. Busch, Hogan called this year's session, which ended at midnight Monday, "our most successful legislative session."
"I believe it was a big win for the people of Maryland," he added. "Unlike Washington, where nobody works together, and nothing ever seems to get done, here in Annapolis we have chosen a different path. And we've consistently proven that we can come together and find common-sense bipartisan solutions to the serious problems that face our state."
But that doesn't mean they always agreed. The session began with the Democrat-heavy General Assembly overriding Hogan's veto of last year's paid sick leave legislation. And it ended days after legislators overrode Hogan's veto of a school construction bill that had been amended to remove the state's Board of Public Works from authority over construction funding.
Most of the bills local officials requested had been dealt with well before the session ended, although a few squeaked through on the last day.
The last to pass in the House on Monday night was a bill to repeal a law that allows the Washington County Board of Education to renew the contract of its superintendent on a yearly basis. This local law was approved in 2015. The board now will go back to renewing the superintendent's contract every four years, as other Maryland counties do.
Also approved Monday was another bill the school board requested to repeal a law requiring the school system's construction projects to be reviewed by the Advisory School Design Review Committee.
Monday also brought the culmination of a multi-year effort by Sen. George Edwards, R-Washington/Allegany/Garrett, to update the state's "One Maryland" business incentive program to include more counties and types of industry.
His bill revises the program to offer different "tiers," or levels, of incentives for business expansion. The expansion makes Washington County eligible for the program.
"It's good for Western Maryland," Edwards said shortly after midnight. "All three counties will be eligible. … It opens it up to more types of businesses, which is good."
Edwards said he believes the bill was his biggest achievement for the year. "It took a while; I feel real good about it."
"Sen. Edwards' One Maryland bill is a big deal that will help a lot of people," said Sen. Andrew Serafini, R-Washington.
Several bills requested by the county's liquor board were approved. On Tuesday, Hogan signed the bill authorizing the liquor board to issue a Class C "per diem," or one-day on-sale, license to a nonprofit organization during an event that is held away from its place of business and has an admission fee, ticket or donation. The fee would be $100.
Corderman sponsored that bill in the House, as well as a bill to authorize the county government to issue bonds of up to $70 million over the next five years to fund capital projects. That bill also was signed Tuesday.
"It's been a heck of an experience," said Corderman, a Hagerstown City Council member before being appointed delegate. "Everything down here, just from the first day to the last day and everything in between, has been a learning experience, but it's been very engaging and I'm looking forward to coming back here next year."
First, however, he faces a challenge in November's general election from Washington County Democratic Central Committee Chairman Peter Perini. Now that the session's over, Corderman said he'll focus more on the upcoming campaign.
Coderman noted the city would benefit from funding approved for the planned Thomas Kennedy Center and for improvements to The Maryland Theatre.
Two House committees on Monday voted down a local initiative to ban medical marijuana in local jails. Del. Neil Parrott, R-Washington, the chairman of the county's delegation, said the bill "only makes total common sense." It already is prohibited in state prisons.
Nevertheless, he said, "overall, I think it was a very good session. Washington County did very well."
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