TEXT OF HB701

 – Public Safety – Governor’s Health Emergency Powers – Repeal

Repealing the authorization and requirements for the Governor to issue, renew, and rescind a proclamation declaring the existence of a catastrophic health emergency and the Governor’s powers relating to the emergency declaration; and repealing the powers of the Secretary of Health relating to a catastrophic health emergency proclamation.

Read the full bill here

why icm SUPPORTS HB701

• There is currently no state of emergency in Maryland; the Governor has consistently used power granted under the declared state of emergency to unilaterally impose Covid-19 restrictions which have had negative health and economic impacts on Maryland citizens.

• Public health policies and their impacts should be evaluated by public health officials as well as elected legislators and voted on by the full legislature.

• This legislation allows for reasonable swift action when necessary while curbing the potential for executive overreach or abuse of emergency power. Genuine emergencies requiring emergency action do not last indefinitely.

Who to contact about HB701

There will be a hearing for HB701 before the Health and Government Operations Committee on 3/1/22 at 1:30 PM.

URGENT: We’re asking all members to call and email Delegate Cox and the members of Health and Government Operations Committee and let them know, in your own words, why you support HB701.

Cox, Dan410-841-3288 | 301-858-3288Toll-free in MD 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3288e-mail: dan.cox@house.state.md.us

If you’re a constituent of his – in District 4 – let him know!

Find your district and representatives here!

Please copy and paste the following email addresses of the Health and Government Operations Committee members into the BCC section of your email in support of HB701:

heather.bagnall@house.state.md.us, lisa.belcastro@house.state.md.us, harry.bhandari@house.state.md.us, alfred.carr@house.state.md.us, brian.chisholm@house.state.md.us, bonnie.cullison@house.state.md.us, Terri.Hill@house.state.md.us, steve.johnson@house.state.md.us, Anne.Kaiser@house.state.md.us, Ariana.Kelly@house.state.md.us, ken.kerr@house.state.md.us, nicholaus.kipke@house.state.md.us, susan.krebs@house.state.md.us, Cheryl.Landis@house.state.md.us, robbyn.lewis@house.state.md.us, Matt.Morgan@house.state.md.us, joseline.pena.melnyk@house.state.md.us, shane.pendergrass@house.state.md.us, Teresa.Reilly@house.state.md.us, samuel.rosenberg@house.state.md.us, Sid.Saab@house.state.md.us, Sheree.Sample.Hughes@house.state.md.us, kathy.szeliga@house.state.md.us, Karen.Young@house.state.md.us

Please call the offices of the Health and Government Operations Committee members in support of HB701:

Bagnall, Heather410-841-3406 | 301-858-3406 Belcastro, Lisa410-841-3833 | 301-858-3833 Bhandari, Harry410-841-3526 | 301-858-3526 Carr, Alfred C., Jr.410-841-3638 | 301-858-3638 Chisholm, Brian410-841-3206 | 301-858-3206 Cullison, Bonnie410-841-3883 | 301-858-3883 Hill, Terri L.410-841-3378 | 301-858-3378 Johnson, Steve410-841-3280 | 301-858-3280 Kaiser, Anne R.410-841-3036 | 301-858-3036 Kelly, Ariana B.410-841-3642 | 301-858-3642 Kerr, Ken410-841-3240 | 301-858-3240 Kipke, Nicholaus410-841-3421 | 301-858-3421 Krebs, Susan W.410-841-3200 | 301-858-3200 Landis, Cheryl Summers410-841-3448 | 301-858-3448 Lewis, Robbyn410-841-3772 | 301-858-3772 Morgan, Matthew410-841-3170 | 301-858-3170 Pena-Melnyk, Joseline410-841-3502 | 301-858-3502 Pendergrass, Shane E.410-841-3139 | 301-858-3139 Reilly, Teresa E.410-841-3278 | 301-858-3278 Rosenberg, Samuel I.410-841-3297 | 301-858-3297 Saab, Sid410-841-3551 | 301-858-3551 Sample-Hughes, Sheree410-841-3427 | 301-858-3427 Szeliga, Kathy410-841-3698 | 301-858-3698 Young, Karen Lewis410-841-3436 | 301-858-3436   

Please note: Rules for submitting written and oral testimony have changed this year due to Covid-19 restrictions, and can be viewed here. We’re asking members for phone calls, emails, and written testimony only at this time.

Please spread the word! Let’s flood the offices of Delegate Cox and the HGO committee members with polite, respectful, forceful emails and phone calls. They need to hear our voices!