Amid the partisan sniping between Republican Gov. Larry Hogan and Democrats who run the General Assembly, lawmakers are holding hearings on a number of administration proposals likely to gain bipartisan support.
Hogan's top priority is repealing what he calls the "road kill bill," the transportation project law that legislators passed over his veto last year. And Democrats have spent much of this year trying to weaken the governor's popularity by linking him to polarizing Republican President Donald J. Trump.
But beyond that, top legislators and staff say at least half of Hogan's agenda may become law if the governor is flexible.
The bills with the best chance of passage are not on the scale of last year's Justice Reinvestment Act, the sweeping reform of the state's approach to criminal justice backed by his his administration. But his proposals — including jobs initiatives, environmental programs and crackdowns on crime and drugs — can't be dismissed as trivial or symbolic.
Rather than swinging for the fences, political observers say Hogan is trying to hit enough singles and doubles to win the 90-day legislative session and strengthen his position heading into the 2018 election.
The Maryland Democratic Party announced Tuesday it hired a communications adviser to focus on "holding Gov. Larry Hogan accountable."
Hogan, a popular Republican, has amassed a $5.1 million war chest for his 2018 re-election bid, and Democrats have not coalesced around a candidate to face him.
In...
The Maryland Democratic Party announced Tuesday it hired a communications adviser to focus on "holding Gov. Larry Hogan accountable."
Hogan, a popular Republican, has amassed a $5.1 million war chest for his 2018 re-election bid, and Democrats have not coalesced around a candidate to face him.
In...
"I think he views this as one hit at a time or one run at a time, and all that matters is that you have one more run than the other guy," said Todd Eberly, a political scientist at St. Mary's College in Southern Maryland.
The first hearings on pieces of Hogan's agenda began last week. More are scheduled this week, including on proposals to repeal the transportation project scoring law, offer targeted tax breaks, strengthen enforcement of sex trafficking and ease student debt.
Hogan aides say they're optimistic that when the Assembly adjourns in April, the governor will be able to point to a substantial list of achievements in the third session of his term — typically the most productive of a governor's four years. They say the administration has learned from the setbacks of the first two years and has retooled some of his proposals to make them more palatable to Democrats.
Del. Mike McKay, R-Allegany, explains his bill that would allow beekeepers to shoot a bear that is threatening their bee hives. (Michael Dresser/Baltimore Sun video)
Del. Mike McKay, R-Allegany, explains his bill that would allow beekeepers to shoot a bear that is threatening their bee hives. (Michael Dresser/Baltimore Sun video)
Comptroller Peter Franchot's tax fraud bill will face a hearing on Wednesday in a Senate committee. (Michael Dresser/Baltimore Sun video)
Comptroller Peter Franchot's tax fraud bill will face a hearing on Wednesday in a Senate committee. (Michael Dresser/Baltimore Sun video)
"This year it's part of a natural progression," said Hogan spokesman Doug Mayer. "We submitted a robust legislative package."
Democrats say they have no interest in scuttling the bulk of the governor's agenda and want to reach common ground where they can.
"There's a number of areas where there's overlap, where both the legislature and the administration would like to see some improvements," said House Majority Leader C. William Frick, speaking for the Democratic leadership.
Proposals to create tax credits for cyber security firms, encourage purchases of "clean" electric cars, relieve students from debt, create a Maryland Energy Information Institute, crack down on sex trafficking, expand technology training and overhaul the state's hidebound procurement system are most likely to be approved by the legislature.
"We disagree when we disagree, but that doesn't stop us from agreeing when we do," said Del. Kumar Barve, chairman of the House Environment & Transportation Committee. The Montgomery County Democrat pointed to the governor's bill to encourage electrical car ownership as a palatable proposal.
Senate Minority Leader J. B. Jennings said Hogan is working "brick by brick" to build a legislative record.
"He's trying to methodically transform this state in a way that's business-friendly and it's easier for Marylanders to live here," said Jennings, a Republican who represents part of Baltimore and Harford counties.
Bills in Hogan's agenda breaks down into a few categories. Some are highly partisan and likely doomed to defeat or watering down beyond recognition.
The most obvious of these is Hogan's effort to repeal the transportation scoring bill the Assembly passed over his veto last year.
The administration has christened the measure the "road kill bill," and said the bill requires the Department of Transportation to submit a doomsday plan that cancels funding for all highway projects in most counties. Legislative leaders, who say the threat is based on a questionable reading of the law, declared his repeal demand dead on arrival but have not ruled out tweaks that could help the governor save face.
The governor's proposed bill transferring the power to redraw congressional districts to an independent commission is also unlikely to pass. The same applies to his bill curbing spending mandates the legislature uses to require the governor to include their priorities in his budgets. Lawmakers are confident they can enforce or ease mandates on a year-by-year basis, which preserves their leverage in budget negotiations.
Both measures are likely to become campaign issues.
Other Hogan bills bolster his Republican bona fides even though they have little chance of passage in a Democratic-dominated legislature.
His bills promoting charter schools and a defined-contribution alternative to the state's traditional defined-benefit public employee pension systems are examples of measures that Democrats could only support at the risk of offending their core constituencies.
Some of Hogan's tax proposals, such as giving breaks tax breaks to retired military and first responders, could come down to how much the breaks would reduce state revenue. While both groups are popular, the Assembly's tax-writing committees are skeptical that they would do much to stimulate the economy.
Hogan aides think their overhaul of a bill giving tax breaks to manufacturers gives it a chance of passage, but Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller is still skeptical that it would have much impact.
But on a range of issues, Hogan is proposing broadly popular measures or incremental reforms that stand a good chance of winning bipartisan buy-in. In doing so, the governor has borrowed liberally from traditionally Democratic ideas.
One example is the issue of paid sick leave. The legislature came close to passing such a bill last year but instead spent much of the summer and fall hammering out a Democratic consensus on how to handle the issue.
Then, the governor made a more modest proposal. Legislative staff members predict a version of a paid sick leave mandate will pass but say it's unclear whether it's something the governor would welcome or spurn.
Donald F. Norris, director of the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, said Hogan's agenda shows an astute balance of pragmatism and ideology.
"He's going to really please his base by trying to get things he can't get," Norris said. "He's going to be able to appeal to independents and conservative and moderate Democrats by being a reasonable guy in other areas.
"That's a hard package to beat."
mdresser@baltsun.com
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