Maryland lawmakers are ending their 90-day session after a tough budget year

ANNAPOLIS Md AP Maryland lawmakers are scheduled to end their legislative session late Monday in a challenging budget year that was aggravated by uncertainties with the Trump administration s downsizing of the federal governing body on a state that relies heavily on federal jobs and contracts Gov Wes Moore a Democrat and lawmakers addressed a billion deficit by making cuts throughout state governing body and raising taxes and fees We had very targeted revenue-raisers that were focused on those who have done the best over the last sparse decades and for user fees that people utilize across the state of Maryland explained Senate President Bill Ferguson a Baltimore Democrat Republicans criticized the tax and fee increases contending the state has spending problems and noting the deficit existed before Trump regained the White House in January Sen Justin Ready the Senate minority whip commented during debate last week that no other state in our region has this issue The budget measures raise about billion in revenues and include roughly billion in spending reductions The state would still have about billion in its rainy day fund and a fund balance of more than million Multiple of the priorities of leadership in the General Assembly which is controlled by Democrats were either settled or nearing passage We have a minimal open items but for the majority of part all of the the greater part major and critical issues that we set out from the beginning of the year are near or through the finish line from the budget to an vitality package to protecting against an uncertain future that comes from the Trump administration Ferguson mentioned Friday Here is a look at selected of the highlights of rule lawmakers have approved Budget changes Lawmakers closed a big budget deficit with cuts throughout state regime and tax increases A panel of House and Senate negotiators reconciled differences between the chambers on the regulation Friday night but it still necessities a final vote on Monday The budget includes a new tax in information instrument services It also includes two new tax brackets for high-income residents one for people who make over annually and another for those with more than million in annual income There also is a new tax on capital gains for people with income over as well as tax hikes on recreational cannabis and sports wagering The total budget is about billion Abortion funding The Maryland Department of Healthcare would have access to million for an abortion grant venture to help providers pay costs for the uninsured The money comes from part of the federal Affordable Care Act that has collected fees from insurers to pay for abortion services for their policyholders Healthcare care for young adults Lawmakers approved a measure to make permanent a operation that provides subsidies to help young adults get affordable soundness insurance Sentencing second look People convicted of a crime between the ages of and who have served years or more of a prison sentence would be able to petition for a reduction in sentence if they have not been sentenced to life without the possibility of parole or are a sex offender The bill does not apply to offenders convicted of killing first responders Criminal records Multiple more state residents would be able to expunge criminal records after completing their sentences The measure also will require the state to automatically shield records from society view for roughly people who were pardoned by the governor last year for minor cannabis convictions Slavery reparations A statewide commission would analysis and recommend foreseen reparations for slavery and the lingering effects of racial discrimination Sex abuse lawsuits Future liabilities from states of sexual abuse at state and private institutions would be limited with caps on settlements from to for cases filed after May for state institutions and from million to for private institutions A measure passed by lawmakers also changes the Child Casualties Act to only allow each claimant to receive one payment instead of being able to collect for each circumstance of abuse Source