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Gov. Hogan Vetoes Eight Bills, Allows Dozens Of Others To Become Law

May 25th, 2019 by WCBC Radio

Gov. Larry Hogan vetoed eight bills on Friday, including measures to abolish the Handgun Permit Review Board and ban employers from asking about the criminal history of job applicants. WBAL reports the gun bill would have sent appeals of wear and carry permits denied or limited by Maryland State Police to the Office of Administrative Hearings. Democrats had raised concerns that review board members appointed by the governor were too frequently overruling state police. In a letter to lawmakers, Hogan said lawmakers should have instead focused on his proposals to curb repeat violent offenders. "This measure does nothing to prevent guns from getting into the hands of dangerous people," Hogan wrote. "The majority of cases overturned or modified by the Handgun Permit Review Board were merely appeals of restrictions on permits." 

 

On the so-called "Ban the Box" bill, Hogan said that leaving the question off the form allows convictions to instead arise later in the hiring process, after alternative candidates may longer be available.

"This will have a particularly negative impact on employers in industries with high employee turnover or where positions must be filled quickly," Hogan wrote back to lawmakers.

Other vetoed bills include an oyster management proposal and a bill establishing grants for bikeway programs. Any overrides of Hogan's vetoes would take place in the early days or weeks of the next General Assembly session, which begins on Jan. 8, 2020.

“I am disappointed that Governor Hogan vetoed so many commonsense pieces of legislation, many of which passed the Senate with bipartisan support," Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller said in a statement. "After we have discussions with Senate leadership and Speaker [Adrienne] Jones, I expect the Senate to override several of these vetoes when we return.”

Hogan allowed a number of bills to become law without his signature, including the polystyrene container ban, decriminalization of assisted suicide and the establishment of a Prescription Drug Affordability Board, along with various changes to local liquor laws across the state.

A signing ceremony that had been scheduled earlier this week was abruptly canceled.

One Response to “Gov. Hogan Vetoes Eight Bills, Allows Dozens Of Others To Become Law”

  1. May 27, 2019 at 9:18 am, Terri Lynn Martin said:

    300 NEW Laws this session, ALONE! 99% were non-sense, but made the Powers that Be feel like they actually earned their pay checks…MAYBE instead of trying to create NEW ways to control citizens in the People’s Republic of MD, those a**hats down state could work on actually improving the state in other ways!?!

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