MD FAMILY LAW BILLS AS OF 3/11/13

(non-family law bills of interest are in italics)

BILL # / SPONSOR(S) / TITLE / SYNOPSIS / STATUS /
HB 10
Cross-filed with SB 52 / Delegate Haddaway-Riccio / Family Law - Denial of Custody or Visitation - Sexual Abuse of a Minor / Prohibiting a court, except under specified circumstances or unless good cause for the award of custody or visitation is shown, from awarding custody of a child or visitation with a child to a parent who has been found guilty of sexual abuse of a minor; and applying the Act prospectively / 11/07/12 pre-filed
1/9/13 first reading Judiciary
Hearing 1/17/13 at 1:00 P.M.
HB 22
Cross-filed with SB 165 / Delegate Nathan-Pulliam / Adoption – Access to Birth and Adoption Records and Search, Contact, and Reunion Services / Making provisions of law authorizing access to birth and adoption records by specified adoptees and biological parents applicable to adoptions in which a juvenile court entered an order for adoption before January 1, 2000; repealing provisions of law limiting, under specified circumstances, access to specified information in birth and adoption records by adoptees and biological parents for adoptions in which a juvenile court entered an order for adoption on or after January 1, 2000, except under specified circumstances; etc. / 11/1/12 pre-filed
1/9/13 first reading Judiciary
Hearing 1/17/13 at 1:00 P.M.
2/11/13 Unfavorable Report by Judiciary
HB 47 / Delegate McMillan /
Income Tax - Joint Returns - Married Couples
/ Requiring, except under specified circumstances, a married couple who files a joint federal income tax return to file a joint Maryland income tax return; requiring a married couple who does not file a joint federal income tax return to file a joint Maryland income tax return or a married filing separately Maryland income tax return; and applying the Act to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012. / 11/13/2012 pre-filed
1/9/2013 first reading Ways and Means
1/16/13 at 11:00 A.M. hearing (cancelled)
1/30/13 at 11:00 A.M. hearing
Hearing cancelled
Hearing 2/0513 at 1:30 P.M.
Hearing cancelled
Hearing 2/26/13 at 1:00 P.M.
HB 189 / Delegate Feldman /
Courts - Peace Orders - Acts Committed Against Employees
/ Altering the definition of "petitioner" under provisions of law relating to peace orders; authorizing a petitioner to file a petition for a peace order for specified acts against the petitioner's employee; authorizing a court to issue a peace order to protect a petitioner's employee under specified circumstances; etc. / 2/11/13 Unfavorable Report by Judiciary Withdrawn
HB 245 / Chair, Judiciary Committee (By Request - Departmental - Human Resources) / Family Law - Substance-Exposed Newborns / Establishing a presumption that a child is not receiving proper care and attention from the mother for purposes of determining whether a child is a child in need of assistance; altering the factors that a juvenile court is required to consider when determining whether to terminate a parent's rights; requiring a health practitioner involved in the delivery or care of a substance-exposed newborn to make a report to a local department of social services except under specified circumstances; etc. / 1/23/13 first reading Judiciary
Hearing 2/14/13 at 1:00 P.M.
1/25/13 hearing cancelled
Hearing 2/21/13 at 1:00 P.M.
3/11/13 Favorable with Amendments Report by Judiciary
HB 277
Cross-filed with SB 264 / Chair, Judiciary Committee (By Request - Maryland Judicial Conference) / Children in Need of Assistance - Review Hearings / Requiring the juvenile court to conduct specified hearings within specified periods of time to review the status of specified children under its jurisdiction; requiring the juvenile court to take specified actions at a review hearing under the Act; and establishing that a specified hearing to review a child's permanency plan satisfies the requirements for a review hearing under the Act. / 1/23/13 first reading Judiciary
Hearing 2/07/13 at 1:00 P.M.
3/11/13 Favorable with Amendments Report by Judiciary
HB 278
Cross-filed with SB 265 / Chair, Judiciary Committee (By Request - Maryland Judicial Conference) / Children in Need of Assistance - Rights of Preadoptive Parents, Foster Parents, and Caregivers of Child / Expanding the proceedings for which a local department of social services is required to provide specified notice to preadoptive parents and foster parents of a child under specified circumstances and at which preadoptive parents and foster parents have the right to be heard; repealing a requirement that a local department of social services provide specified notice to specified relatives of a child and substituting a requirement that the local department provide specified notice to caregivers of a child; etc. / 3/7/13 Third Reading Passed (135-2)
In the Senate 3/8/13 First Reading Judicial Proceedings
HB 326
Cross-filed with SB 333 / Delegate Glenn / Criminal Procedure - Vulnerable Adult Abuse Registry / Establishing a vulnerable adult abuse registry; requiring the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to establish and maintain a registry containing the names of specified individuals; requiring that names and information contained in the registry be available for public inspection; authorizing the Department to discharge specified responsibilities in a specified manner; requiring a State agency that makes a specified finding to notify the Department in a specified manner; etc. / 1/24/13 first reading Judiciary
Hearing 2/12/13 at 1:00 P.M.
2/25/13
Unfavorable report by Judiciary
HB 333 / Delegates Rosenberg and Haynes / Family Investment Program - Couples Advancing Together Pilot Program / Requiring the Secretary of Human Resources to establish the Couples Advancing Together Pilot Program in the Department of Human Resources; requiring the Program to be established for 100 couples in at least three counties in the State; requiring the Secretary to cooperate with specified persons on the establishment of the Program; requiring the implementation of specified policies and procedures in local departments of social services; establishing eligibility standards for the Program created by the Act; etc. / 1/24/13 First reading Appropriations
Hearing 2/12/13 at 1:00 P.M.
HB 403 / Delegates Ready, Krebs, and Stocksdale / Family Child Care Homes - Adult to Child Ratio - Children Under 2 Years / Authorizing an adult to child ratio for children under the age of 2 years of 1 adult to every 3 children in a family child care home if at least one of the children is at least 18 months old. / 2/19/13 Unfavorable Report by Health and Government Operations Withdrawn
HB 428 / Delegates K. Kelly, Dumais, and Simmons / Child Abuse and Neglect - Reports and Records - Disclosure to Public Institutions of Higher Education / Authorizing the disclosure of a report or record of child abuse or neglect to specified officials of specified public institutions of higher education for specified purposes if the abuse was committed under specified circumstances. / 1/28/13 first reading Judiciary
Hearing 2/21/13 at 1:00 P.M.
HB 442
Cross-filed with SB 415 / Delegate Dumais / Criminal History Records Checks - Child Care Providers / Requiring the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to transmit weekly a specified registry and a specified listing to the State Department of Education in a specified format; prohibiting a registered sex offender from entering onto specified real property on which a home is located where specified informal child care is provided or will be provided; altering specified provisions of law relating to individuals required to obtain a criminal history records check; etc. / 1/28/13 first reading Judiciary
Hearing 2/21/13 at 1:00 P.M.
HB 443
Cross-filed with HB 413 / Delegate Dumais / Criminal History Records Checks - Informal Child Care Providers / Altering provisions of law relating to individuals required to obtain a criminal history records check; requiring an adult known to be residing in an informal child care provider's home to obtain a criminal history records check; requiring specified informal child care providers to obtain a criminal history records check; etc. / 1/28/13 first reading Judiciary
Hearing 2/21/13 at 1:00 P.M.
HB 505 / Delegates Glass, Boteler, Dwyer, Impallaria, McComas, McDonough, Myers, Norman, Parrott, Stifler, Stocksdale, and Szeliga / Natural Resources - Hunting and Fishing License Applications - Social Security Number / Creating for hunting and fishing licenses issued by the Department of Natural Resources an exception to the requirement that a licensing authority require a license applicant to disclose the Social Security number of the applicant and record the Social Security number on the application; altering the information that a request for information from a hunting or fishing license application made by the Child Support Enforcement Administration is required to contain under specified circumstances; etc. / 1/30/13 first reading Environmental Matters
Hearing 2/26/13 at 1:00 P.M.
Hearing cancelled
Hearing 2/27/13 at 1:00 P.M.
HB 514 / Delegate O'Donnell / Hunting, Fishing, and Boat Manufacturer's or Dealer's License Applications - Disclosure of Information / Establishing that the Department of Natural Resources may require an applicant to provide only specified information on an application for a hunting, fishing, or boat manufacturer's or dealer's license; altering the information that a request for information from a hunting, fishing, or boat manufacturer's or dealer's license application made by the Child Support Enforcement Administration of the Department of Human Resources to the Department of Natural Resources is required to contain; etc. / 1/30/13 first reading Environmental Matters
Hearing 2/26/13 at 1:00 P.M.
Hearing cancelled
Hearing 2/27/13 at 1:00 P.M.
HB 535 / Delegates Niemann, Ivey, Summers, Valderrama, Walker, and A. Washington / Court Fees - Surcharge on Divorce Petitions - Distribution to the Domestic Violence Program Fund / Altering a specified surcharge on specified costs and charges in divorce petitions; requiring a maximum of $25 of a $70 surcharge on divorce petitions to be distributed to the Maryland Legal Services Corporation Fund and a maximum of $45 to be distributed to the Domestic Violence Program Fund; establishing the Domestic Violence Program Fund as a special, nonlapsing fund; specifying the purpose of the Fund; requiring the Executive Director of the Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention to administer the Fund; etc. / 1/30/2013 first reading Judiciary
Hearing 2/28/13 at 1:00 P.M.
Unfavorable Report by Judiciary Withdrawn
HB 563 / Delegate Dumais / Adoption - Payment of Expenses / Authorizing the payment, by an interested person, of specified expenses in connection with a specified adoption / 1/31/2013 first reading Judiciary
Hearing 2/28/13 at 1:00 P.M.
HB 631
Cross-filed with SB 534 / Delegates Hough, Hogan, Krebs, McDermott, Mitchell, and Valentino-Smith / Family Law - Preventing or Interfering with Report of Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect / Prohibiting an individual from preventing or interfering with the making of a specified report of suspected child abuse or neglect; and making a violation of the Act a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or a fine not exceeding $10,000 or both. / 2/01/2013 first reading Judiciary
Hearing 2/21/13 at 1:00 P.M.
HB 687 / Delegates Dumais, Carter, Anderson, Clippinger, Conaway, McComas, Mitchell, B. Robinson, Smigiel, Valderrama, Valentino-Smith, and Waldstreicher / Commission on Child Custody Decision Making / Establishing the Commission on Child Custody Decision Making; providing for the composition, chair, and staffing of the Commission; prohibiting a member of the Commission from receiving compensation but authorizing specified reimbursement; requiring the Commission to perform specified duties; requiring the Commission to submit specified reports to the Governor and the General Assembly on or before specified dates; etc. / 2/04/13 first reading Judiciary
Hearing 2/28/13 at 1:00 P.M.
HB 715
Cross-filed with SB 620 / Delegates Dumais, Anderson, Arora, Aumann, Barkley, Barnes, Barve, Bates, Beidle, Bobo, Braveboy, Bromwell, Cardin, Clagett, Clippinger, Cullison, Eckardt, Elliott, Feldman, Frank, Frick, Frush, Gaines, Gilchrist, Glass, Glenn, Griffith, Gutierrez, Guzzone, Haddaway-Riccio, Healey, Hixson, Holmes, Hough, Howard, Hubbard, Hucker, Ivey, Jameson, Jones, Kaiser, A. Kelly, Kipke, Krebs, Lafferty, Lee, Love, Luedtke, McComas, McDermott, McIntosh, A. Miller, Mitchell, Murphy, Nathan-Pulliam, Oaks, Pena-Melnyk, Pendergrass, Reznik, B. Robinson, Rosenberg, Schuh, Simmons, Smigiel, Sophocleus, Stein, Stocksdale, Tarrant, F. Turner, V. Turner, Valderrama, Valentino-Smith, Waldstreicher, A. Washington, M. Washington, Wilson, and Zucker / Family Law - Denial of Paternity, Custody, and Visitation / Excluding as a father of a child a man who has committed a specified sexual crime against the child's mother for purposes of specified provisions relating to the paternity of a child in a guardianship or adoption proceeding under specified circumstances; requiring a court to consider a specified statement when making a specified finding; prohibiting a court from requiring publication of specified information under specified circumstances; etc. / 2/04/13 first reading Judiciary
Hearing 2/28/13 at 1:00 P.M.
HB 723
Cross-filed with SB 460 / Delegates Tarrant, Costa, Cullison, Elliott, Hubbard, A. Kelly, Kipke, Krebs, Ready, and V. Turner / Health Occupations - Physician Assistants - Authority to Practice / Authorizing a physician assistant to complete a specified certificate that an individual of a specified age is pregnant or has given birth to a child; authorizing a physician assistant to provide specified information on a certificate of birth under specified circumstances; authorizing a physician assistant to fill out and sign a certificate of death under specified circumstances; authorizing a physician assistant to file a replacement death certificate under specified circumstances; etc. / 3/8/13 Third Reading Passed (136-0)
HB 748
Cross-filed with SB 503 / Delegates Simmons and Kramer / Family Law - Grounds for Divorce / Providing that for purposes of granting a limited or an absolute divorce, parties shall be considered to be living separate and apart without cohabitation even if the parties share living expenses and a residence, as long as the parties maintain separate bedrooms; and establishing that specified third party corroboration is not necessary under the Act. / 2/06/13 first reading Judiciary
Hearing 2/28/13 at 1:00 P.M.
HB 804
Cross-filed with SB 784 / Delegates Hucker, Carr, Cullison, Donoghue, A. Kelly, Reznik, and Tarrant / Employment Discrimination - Reasonable Accommodations for Disabilities Due to Pregnancy / Requiring an employer to explore specified means of reasonably accommodating a disability caused or contributed to by pregnancy if an employee requests a reasonable accommodation; requiring an employer to transfer an employee to a less strenuous or less hazardous position for a specified period of time in specified circumstances; authorizing an employer to require an employee to provide a specified certification under specified conditions; requiring an employer to post specified information; etc. / 2/6/13 First Reading Economic Matters