Maryland State Victories
The following NFIB victories will make a real difference for your business.
Recent NFIB/Maryland victories:
Sustained veto on living wage
NFIB/Maryland led the effort to sustain the governor's veto of the living wage law. The successful effort included a statewide speaking tour and unprecedented grassroots activity encouraging members to contact and communicate with their elected officials.
Sustained veto on corporate income tax increase
NFIB worked hand-in-hand with other business organizations to sustain the governor's veto of the corporate income tax increase.
Defeated universal health care
Proponents of universal health care tried again this year to establish a government-run health-care system in Maryland. NFIB testified against these efforts and was able to hold the proposals at bay for another year. BUT… the movement continues and for the first time ever the Maryland General Assembly did pass a "pay or play" health-care proposal on large employers.
Defeated employer mandate on vacation pay
NFIB/Maryland testified against and was successful in defeating proposed legislation that would require employers to pay employees for unused vacation leave.
2004: Proposed state tax on services defeated
NFIB testified in opposition to and worked to defeat the expansion of the sales tax on services. This proposed tax increase would have fallen squarely on the backs of small-business owners to the tune of $500 million plus.
2004: Employer mandate on paid leave defeated
NFIB testified and worked against legislation that would require small employers to provide up to 17 days paid leave for employees attending school-based functions for their children.
2004: Health-care limited benefits package passed
NFIB supported legislation that would allow a limited benefits package to be developed and offered to small-business employers who cannot afford the current small group benefits package. (The 2 percent premium tax was enacted in the Malpractice Reform Bill. The bill was vetoed and overridden by the Maryland General Assembly.)
VICTORY: With our aggressive "Get Out The Vote" campaign, NFIB/Maryland and its members played a critical role in the election of Bob Ehrlich as governor. He has committed to having a place at the policy table for small business and NFIB, a huge win for our Maryland members.
VICTORIES: Last year NFIB defeated the trial lawyers in their attempt to remove caps on personal injury awards.
An issue will be debated in the next session that if enacted would contain provisions making Maryland a single payer provider health state. The suggested method for paying the health care cost for every citizen is to increase all businesses taxes by at least 10 percent. A group of advocates for Maryland to become the first state to enact a universal health care insurance has been formed by a well-financed organization called the Maryland citizens Health Initiative. Members already supporting the organization include labor union, civic groups, the league of Women Voters and the gray panthers. Under the proposal, employer's tax burden would increase by $406 million. The single payers plan is very similar to the plan used in Canada. The government would decide who would be treated and when.
The General Assembly will begin their 90-day session on January 10tth and soon thereafter several bills will be filed to require the state to pay the cost of family leave benefits from the unemployment insurance trust fund. Many years ago, the state established the trust fund to assure that there would be enough money to pay wage replacement for workers who lost their jobs through no fault of their own. It was made clear at that time that these funds would be used for that purpose only. Eight years ago however, Maryland passed a bill that created a family leave program. Advocates at that time said that enacting the bill would cost employers nothing, but now they have returned seeking money from Maryland employers to pay these expenses via the UI fund.
2000:
Late Fees: Passed a bill that overturned a Court of Appeals ruling to limit late fees to 1.5 percent a month or 6 percent a year when parties to a contract fail to pay on time.
Unemployment Insurance Benefits: Helped to pass a bill that limited an increase in the maximum weekly unemployment insurance benefits from the $310 demanded by the unions to $280 as requested by the business owners.
Liability Insurance: Helped to defeat four bills supported by the plaintiffs bar, which would have increased the cost of liability insurance to small businesses.
1999:
Unemployment Insurance: NFIB played a key role in killing a bill that would have cost the employers of Maryland 112 million dollars and increased the weekly benefit amount from $250 to $310.
Comparative Fault: Helped to kill a bill that would have repealed Maryland's standard of contributory negligence and substitute comparative fault. That act would have increased the number of lawsuits and increased the cost of liability insurance.
Regulatory Reform: Helped to pass a bill to review all regulations and reduce their impact on the small businesses of Maryland.
1998:
Civil Justice Reform: NFIB played a key role in defeating bills that would have increased the number of lawsuits against small businesses and raised liability insurance rates.
Workers' Compensation: A bill strongly supported by NFIB/Maryland passed that will deny workers' compensation benefits when the primary cause of a work-related accident is the worker's use of alcohol or drugs.
Wrongful Discharge: NFIB helped to sidetrack a bill to summer study that would have left businesses in danger of huge monetary awards in wrongful discharge cases.
1997:
Civil Liability: NFIB helped kill a civil liability bill that would have increased the number of lawsuits against small businesses.
Regulatory Reform: NFIB helped enact a bill requiring the state to publish the amount of time it should take to process a permit or license application and to help small businesses in the application process.
Minimum Wage: NFIB helped kill a Maryland minimum wage increase to $7.70 per hour.
Brownfields: NFIB helped pass a brownfields bill to allow businesses to use a contaminated site after some cleanup.
Toxic Materials: NFIB helped kill a bill that would have increased the reporting requirements on toxic materials used by small businesses.
