Skip to content

Session 2025 – Week 3

This week, Senator Bailey introduced two bills intended to improve public safety in Maryland.  The first bill, Senate Bill 364 – Criminal Law – Manslaughter by Vehicle or Vessel – Increased Penalties (Jamari’s Law), would increase the existing maximum penalties for felony manslaughter by vehicle or vessel from 10 years to 20 years for a first offense, and from 15 years to 30 years for a subsequent offense.  This bill is named “Jamari’s Law” for Jamari Duckett, a Great Mills resident who tragically lost his life in an accident caused by a driver who was drunk and traveling at a high rate of speed.  This bill unanimously passed the Senate last year, but did not receive a vote in the House of Delegates prior to the end of the legislative session.

The second bill, Senate Bill 394 – Criminal Law – Concealment of Death and Disturbing and Dismembering Human Remains, would provide for criminal penalties for individuals who intentionally conceal the death of another person.  Under this bill, a person may not, with the intent to conceal the death of another, knowingly and willfully dismember, destroy, remove, or otherwise obliterate by any means any portion of human remains.  The bill also prohibits an individual from burying or otherwise disposing of a dead body or failing to contact law enforcement or emergency medical services if either action is done with intent to conceal the death of another.

Budget and Fiscal Briefings

This week also included more discussion on the details of the Governor’s budget proposal and how to close the State’s $3 billion deficit.  On Monday, Senator Bailey and the other members of the House and Senate’s budget committees received a fiscal briefing from the Department of Legislative Services based on the budget as introduced.  The full briefing document can be viewed at: https://dls.maryland.gov/pubs/prod/operbgt/fiscal_briefing_2025.pdf

Approximately $1.3 billion of the deficit is resolved through revenues, including increases in income tax rates and a surcharge on capital gains income.  This proposal includes plans for a higher tax rate on Maryland citizens and small businesses earning over $500,000 a year.  This would not be the first time that Maryland has implemented a “millionaire’s tax.”  When last implemented in 2008 under Governor O’Malley, the millionaire’s tax resulted in $1 billion of the State’s net tax base moving to other states.

This figure does not include the proposed 75-cent fee on retail deliveries and limitations on the vehicle trade-in allowance that will increase the amount of excise tax paid by Marylanders when purchasing a car.  These funds would go to the Transportation Trust Fund.  Maryland drivers currently contribute nearly 50% of the revenue in the Fund, while only 22% of spending from the Fund goes towards roads and bridges.

Senator Bailey does not support these tax increases and continues to believe that our State cannot resolve the budget deficit by passing the bill on to Maryland taxpayers.

Property Tax Appeals Process

Our office has heard from many of you who have recently received notices from the State that include a substantial increase in their valuation of your property.  All homeowners receive a Notice of Assessment every three years from the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), that shows the old market value as well as the new market value of your home or property. The new value reflects the current market influences, any additions or changes to structures on the property, along with any other conditions that may be affecting the property’s value since the time of its last assessment, according to SDAT assessors.

Of all the figures on the notice, the single most important figure is the total new fair market value. This is the new appraisal estimate of both land and buildings (improvements). The new fair market value may be appealed to the SDAT supervisor in your county. The notice will include an appeal form and instructions that must be filed with the local assessment office or completed online within 45 days of the date of the notice.

When considering whether to appeal an assessment, the focus should be on the total new fair market value and whether any errors have been made in the improvement characteristics on the property, recent comparable home sales, and any other factors which may affect the current market value of the property.