HB 517

WithdrawnConstitutional amendment

Constitutional Amendment - Environmental Rights

Sponsor: Vaughn Stewart (District 19)Committee: Environment and TransportationSubject: EnvironmentStatus: Unfavorable Report by Environment and Transportation; Withdrawn (as of Nov 6, 2020)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Proposing an amendment to the Maryland Constitution to establish that every person has the right to a certain clean and healthy environment; establishing that every person has the right to intervene in an action brought by the State or a political subdivision of the State to protect certain rights; prohibiting the State or a political subdivision of the State from causing diminution of or degradation to the State's natural resources; submitting the amendment to the qualified voters of the State for their adoption or rejection; etc.

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Testimony (37)

MGA witness list

FAV 22FavorableUNF 15Unfavorable

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Toles O'Laughlin, Tamara	350.org	Written (PDF)
FAV	Bakre, Rebecca	Baltimore Commission on Sustainability	Written (PDF)
FAV	Field, Anthony	CCAN Action Fund	Written (PDF)
FAV	Hinton, Rev. Dellyne	Central Maryland Ecumenical Council	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Harren, Angela	Chesapeake Legal Alliance	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Ranson, Emilylobbyist	Clean Water Action	Position only
FAV	Van Rossum, Maya	For the Generations/Delaware Riverkeeper	Position only
FAV	Jenkins, Annalisa	Friends School Baltimore	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Lacock-Nisly, Jonathan	Interfaith Power and Light	Written (PDF)
FAV	Latshaw, Dr. Megan	Johns Hopkins Center for a Liveable Future	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Ashanti, Mary	NAACP Wicomico County	Written (PDF)
FAV	Schmitt, Katlyn	Waterkeepers Chesapeake	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	McNary, Ethan	West Nottingham Academy	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Benson, Kallan	Individual	Position only
FAV	Beth Cardin, Rabbi Nina	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Delegate Stewart, Delegate Stewartlegislator	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	DiGuardo, Maggie	Individual	Oral
FAV	Henschel, George	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Hill, Barry	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Hopp, Rachel	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Jenkins, McKay	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Sign on letter, Environmental Organizations	Individual	Written (PDF)
UNF	Porter, Hollylobbyist	DPI	Written (PDF)
UNF	butler, alex	MACO	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	CAMPION, LOUISlobbyist	MD MOTOR TRUCK ASSOCIATION	Written (PDF)
UNF	Thompson, Lindsaylobbyist	MDAssoc of Soil Conservation Districts	Written (PDF)
UNF	Fiore, Justin	MML	Position only
UNF	Jorch, Bill	MML	Written (PDF)
UNF	Graf, Lorilobbyist	Maryland Building Industry Association	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	enten, bob	Maryland Building Industry Association	Position only
UNF	Ferguson, Colby	Maryland Farm Bureau	Written (PDF)
UNF	Castelli, Bill	MdRealtors	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Ballentine, Tom	NAIOP	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Ballentine, Tom	NAIOP	Position only
UNF	Kasemeyer, Pam	NWRA	Written (PDF)
UNF	chason, toddlobbyist	mita	Written (PDF)
UNF	Porto, Brian	Individual	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

350.orgFAV 1

Baltimore Commission on SustainabilityFAV 1

CCAN Action FundFAV 1

Central Maryland Ecumenical CouncilFAV 1

Chesapeake Legal AllianceFAV 1

Clean Water ActionFAV 1

DPIUNF 1

For the Generations/Delaware RiverkeeperFAV 1

Friends School BaltimoreFAV 1

Interfaith Power and LightFAV 1

Johns Hopkins Center for a Liveable FutureFAV 1

MACOUNF 1

Maryland Building Industry AssociationUNF 2

Maryland Farm BureauUNF 1

MD MOTOR TRUCK ASSOCIATIONUNF 1

MDAssoc of Soil Conservation DistrictsUNF 1

MdRealtorsUNF 1

mitaUNF 1

MMLUNF 2

NAACP Wicomico CountyFAV 1

NAIOPUNF 2

NWRAUNF 1

Waterkeepers ChesapeakeFAV 1

West Nottingham AcademyFAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVRanson, EmilyClean Water ActionRegistered for: Clean Water Action

UNFPorter, HollyDPIRegistered for: Delmarva Chicken Association

UNFCAMPION, LOUISMD MOTOR TRUCK ASSOCIATIONRegistered for: Maryland Motor Truck Association

UNFThompson, LindsayMDAssoc of Soil Conservation DistrictsRegistered for: Alliance to Prevent Legionnaire's Disease; American Farmland Trust; CropLife America; Delaware-Maryland Agribusiness Association; Denali Water Solutions; Horizon Farm Credit…

UNFGraf, LoriMaryland Building Industry AssociationRegistered for: Maryland Building Industry Association

UNFchason, toddmitaRegistered for: Calpine Energy Solutions LLC; CI Renewables; Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Coalition Action (MAREC Action)