Today, the Senate considered its first bills of the session. These were all bills that passed out of committees after yesterday’s hearings. One of these bills was Senate Bill 71, which extends the life of the State Board of Pilots to 2032. Without this bill, the State Board of Pilots would have been terminated in 2022. This is part of a regular review of State agencies to ensure that they are still effectively accomplishing their duties. Senator Bailey supported this important bill for the pilots who guide ships in the Chesapeake Bay to and from the Port of Baltimore.
Senator Bailey is continuing to work with legislators and officials at all levels of government to address the needs of District 29. This morning, Senator Bailey held meetings with Delegates from St. Mary’s and Calvert Counties to discuss county-specific legislation. These local bills are based on requests made by the local Boards of Commissioners. In general, a local bill can only pass with the support of a majority of the Senators and a majority of the Delegates from each county. These meetings were an opportunity for Senator Bailey and the Delegates to discuss these bills, propose amendments, and decide which of the requested bills to support, as well as discuss their own initiatives to support our community.
Later in the day, Senator Bailey joined other Republican Senators to meet with Senate President Bill Ferguson and Senate Majority Leader Nancy King. This meeting was held as part of an effort to foster bipartisan dialogue and ensure that all Senators are able to put their priorities before legislative leadership.