The Maryland Chamber’s subject-matter policy committees bring a wealth of expertise and experience to the Maryland Chamber’s legislative efforts. These committees help guide the Maryland Chamber’s agenda for subjects ranging from health care to civil liability and business law.
BUSINESS REGULATION & OPERATIONS
This committee addresses legislative and regulatory issues affecting daily operational activities of business.
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This committee meets every Friday during session at 9:30 a.m. via conference call.
Key issues include:
- Modifications to corporations and associations law (by-laws, board of directors structure/authority)
- Regulatory expansion over general business practices
- All other relevant business-impacting legislation not classified into any current issues committee
CIVIL LIABILITY COMMITTEE
This committee covers all issues related to tort reform and civil liability of businesses, including opposing efforts to expand exposure to liability and damages (including punitive and non-economic damages) and weaken defenses available to businesses.
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This committee meets during legislative session as needed via conference call.
Key issues for this committee include:
- noneconomic damages
- contributory negligence
- punitive damages
CYBER & TECHNOLOGY
This committee covers issues related to growing and retaining biotechnology, cybersecurity, and other high-tech business innovators, including a focus on industry infrastructure needs.
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This committee meets during session every Friday at 10:30 a.m. via conference call.
- Key issues for this committee include:
- Data privacy and net neutrality
- Industry investment tax credits
- Small cell/5G regulations
EDUCATION & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
This committee covers issues addressing both education and workforce development that seek to address the need for Maryland’s students to have affordable access to quality educational and skills-training systems that prepare them for college or career, and the need for Maryland’s trades and businesses to hire and retain workers with the right skills and qualifications.
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This committee meets every Friday during session at noon via conference call.
Key issues for this committee include:
- apprenticeships
- skills development
- talent pipeline
- entrepreneur development
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE
This committee covers all energy and environmental issues.
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This committee meets via conference call at 8:30 a.m. on the first Thursday of the month outside of legislative session, and every Thursday during session.
This committee has 3 subcommittees: Air Quality, Water Quality and Land Use and Natural Resources.
The committee holds an annual meeting with the MDE secretary and senior staff, usually in late November or early December.
Key issues for this committee include:
- renewable energy sources
- storm water and waste management
- pollution control
- land use and judicial review
HEALTH CARE & BIOPHARMA
This committee covers all healthcare issues, including cost factors, mandated health benefit demands, and regulatory oversights and requirements relative to improving Maryland’s current market-based health care system to control costs and improve affordable access to coverage. Additionally, this committee will address issues regarding legislative interaction in the pharmacological discovery and development processes and related areas.
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This committee meets during legislative session via conference call on Fridays from 11:30-12 p.m.
Key issues for this committee include:
- potential modifications to Maryland’s health care delivery and financing systems resulting from federal health care law changes
- additional mandated benefit demands
- Unnecessary and onerous restrictions on pharmacological research and development
See how the Maryland Chamber supports the biopharma and life sciences industry.
LABOR & EMPLOYMENT COMMITTEE
This committee covers all employment law and workplace regulation issues.
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This committee meets every Thursday morning during legislative session at 9:30 a.m. via conference call. Outside of session, the committee generally meets once or twice in-person, in the early fall.
As needed, the committee can form ad-hoc workgroups/subcommittees to work on specific employment issues.
Key issues for this committee include:
- mandatory paid leave
- paid sick leave insurance
- pre-emption of local laws on labor issues
- public accommodation laws
- noncompete agreements
- $15 minimum wage
- predictive/restrictive scheduling
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE
This committee develops the Maryland Chamber’s position on legislation affecting the business community.
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The committee meets every Monday at 3 p.m. during legislative session, and at least twice in the fall. All meetings are in-person.
This committee is an invitation-only committee that shall not exceed 48 members at any given time.
TAXATION COMMITTEE
This committee covers all taxation issues impacting Maryland’s tax climate with the goal of strengthening the state’s competitive tax climate to help attract and retain businesses, workers, and investment.
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This committee meets every Friday during legislative session at 8:30 a.m. via conference call.
Key issues in this committee include:
- reduction of corporate income tax
- income tax modifications and/or credits that incentivize knowledge and specialized skills retention of retirees for business support and growth in Maryland
- competitive business income tax structures that incentivize business and job retention and growth in Maryland
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
This committee covers all transportation issues, coordinating a broad-based coalition of businesses, trade groups, and associations to advance short- and long-term solutions to state-wide transportation and transit needs.
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This committee meets during legislative session as needed via conference call.
Key issues for this committee include:
- highway user revenues
- infrastructure needs
WORKERS COMPENSATION & UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE
This committee covers all workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance issues.
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This committee meets during session as needed via conference call.
Key issues for this committee include:
- changes to current workers compensation provisions relative to evidence and procedure
- unemployment insurance increases
- potential efforts to liberally amend the criteria to determining status as Independent Contractor vs. Employee as it relates to unemployment insurance eligibility
