Maryland National Capital Homecare Association
Weekly Legislative Review-Conference Call
January 29, 2015
Call Participants:
Ann Horton, MNCHA Executive Director; Elizabeth Weglein, Elizabeth Cooney Care Network; Mindy Kursban, Family & Nursing Care; Pam Ackerman,
Western Maryland Health System; Carla Leedy, Western Maryland Health System; Venzil Browne, Adventist Home Health Services; Jessie Pulsipher,
MNCHA.
For more information and full details about these bills, please go to http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frm1st.aspx?tab=home. Bills addressed on this
call indicated in bold.
Bill
HB 0004
HB 0009
HB 0020
HB 0023
HB 0045
Topic/Short Title
Maryland Wage and
Hour Law - State
Minimum Wage Rate Increase
Maryland Home Birth
Safety Act
Crimes – Elder Abuse or
Neglect – Increased
Penalties
Criminal Procedure Vulnerable Adult Abuse
Registry
General Provisions Commemorative Days National Healthcare
Decisions Day
Bill Details & Discussion Notes
MNCHA Status & Action
Increasing the State minimum wage rate to $10.10 per hour; repealing specified
provisions of law establishing a phase-in of specified increases in the minimum wage
rate; providing specified exemptions to the Act's minimum wage requirement; etc.
MNCHA will monitor this bill.
May testify if needed.
Establishing a licensing and regulatory system for the practice of direct-entry
midwifery under the State Board of Nursing; establishing the Direct-Entry Midwifery
Advisory Committee; requiring the Board to set fees for the issuance and renewal of
licenses; requiring continuing education, peer review, and data submission as a
condition of license renewal; providing specified health care providers with specified
immunity from civil liability; defining specified terms; subjecting the Act to the
Maryland Program Evaluation Act; etc.
Increasing from 10 to 20 years the maximum imprisonment and from $10,000 to
$20,000 the maximum fine or both for the crime of causing abuse or neglect of a
vulnerable adult in the first or second degree.
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.
MNCHA will monitor this bill.
Requiring the Governor annually to proclaim April 16 as National Healthcare
Decisions Day.
MNCHA will monitor this bill.
Hearing 1/27 at 1:00 p.m.
Ann posted full text to the
LAC. Please read the bill and
send comments to Ann by
COB Friday, 1/23. Ann to
draft letter of testimony.
Hearing 1/27 at 1:00 p.m.
Neither OHCQ nor MD Board
of Nursing want to house.
MNCHA should oppose this
bill. Need to educate
legislators about already
existing similar bills.
We have no issues with this
bill. MNCHA will issue a letter
of support. Hearing 2/4 at
1:00 p.m.
1
Bill
Topic/Short Title
Bill Details & Discussion Notes
HB 0058
Health Occupations Members of Boards and
Advisory Committees Prohibition Against
Concurrent Service
Prohibiting an individual from serving concurrently as a member of a health
occupations board or a specified advisory committee and as an elected officer of a
specified professional association; and defining specified terms.
SB 0006
Income Tax - Credit for
Long-Term Care
Premiums
SB 0040
Labor and Employment Maryland Healthy
Working Families Act
Altering a limitation on claiming the income tax credit for eligible long-term care
insurance premiums for more than 1 year with respect to the same insured
individual; altering the amount of the credit from a one-time $500 credit to a
maximum of $250 for taxable years beginning January 1, 2016, and January 1,
2017, and a maximum of $500 for the taxable year beginning January 1, 2018, and
for each taxable year thereafter; and applying the Act to all taxable years beginning
after December 31, 2015.
Requiring specified employers to provide employees with specified earned sick and
safe leave; providing for the manner in which earned sick and safe leave is accrued
by the employee and treated by the employer; requiring an employer to allow an
employee to use earned sick and safe leave for specified purposes; requiring an
employee, under specified circumstances, to request leave, notify the employer of
specified information, and comply with specified procedures; etc.
MNCHA Status & Action
Priority MNCHA Board needs
to look over. Joe to discuss
with Del Reznick why this bill
was created. Possible joint
action with Lifespan and MD
Hosp Assoc. Hearing 2/5 at
1:00 p.m.
We have no issues with this
bill. MNCHA will issue a letter
of support. Hearing 2/4 at
1:00 p.m.
MNCHA will monitor this bill.
Ann posted full text to the
LAC. Please read the bill.
Seems to pose an undue
economic burden. MNCHA
should oppose as it is
currently written. Send out to
membership for comment
ASAP. Hearing 2/03 at 1:00
p.m.
Additional Call Notes:
 Next call will be Wednesday, February 4, 2015 starting at 10:30 a.m. The call-in number is the same each week and is distributed in
the weekly e-news blast.
 Please register ASAP for MNCHA’s March 3, 2015 Advocacy Day in Annapolis. This is a ½ day conference and is designed to be
affordable for all. Get there early and park in the Visitor Center Parking Lot. Meet in House Office Building on the first floor. Bring
your identification and after clearing security, make a right and go to the end of the hall. Follow MNCHA signage.
2