Today, Governor Hogan signed into law three bills that were sponsored or co-sponsored by Senator Bailey that passed during the 2021 Legislative Session.
Senate Bill 51 – Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland – Property Management – Southern Maryland Regional Agricultural Center authorizes the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland to act as the property manager for the new Regional Agricultural Center (RAC) which is currently being built in Charlotte Hall. This bill institutes the technical change necessary to allow the Tri-County Council to act as property manager for the RAC, which will in turn allow the SMADC to operate the facility, reflecting how all parties involved want to move forward and putting the statute in line with the memorandum of understanding for this project.
Senate Bill 318 – Natural Resources – Fishing and Hunting Rights affirms the importance of hunting and fishing to Maryland’s cultural and social heritage and economy. The bill also codifies the intent of the General Assembly that Marylanders have a right to hunt and fish in accordance with regulations and restrictions under laws enacted by the General Assembly. While reasonable regulation of hunting and fishing is necessary to preserve our environment for future generations to enjoy, these statutes need to be balanced with the rights of our residents in this area. Formal recognition of these rights is intended to help in protecting this balance and support the hundreds of thousands of Marylanders who fish and hunt and the hundreds of millions of dollars of economic activity that hunting and fishing generate in our State each year. Maryland was the 25th State to pass this type of legislation that was a priority for the Maryland Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, which Senator Bailey chairs.
Senate Bill 769 – Income Tax Credit for Venison Donation – Reporting Requirement and Testing for Chronic Wasting Disease was co-sponsored by Senator Bailey and was another priority of the Maryland Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus. This bill requires the Department of Natural Resources to study deer brought to processors as part of the income tax credit program for venison donation for chronic wasting disease to ensure that the State is providing a safe and healthy food source to those in need through this initiative.