News & Events

The members of Maryland’s General Assembly elected in 2006 are nearing the end of their four-year terms. Want to know how your legislators voted on issues of concern to Catholics? The Maryland Catholic Conference has compiled a list of votes cast by state lawmakers on key issues during the past four legislative sessions. Get the voting records here.

The 2010 session of the Maryland General Assembly, our state's legislative body, ended on Monday, April 12 after members met for 90 days. See how the lawmakers handled issues including support for Catholic schools, respect for human life, upholding marriage, and protecting the poor and vulnerable among us by visiting the legislative session page of our website. Thanks!

On Monday, April 12, in the last hour of the Maryland legislative session, the House Ways and Means Committee voted to defeat the BOAST Maryland Tax Credit. Maryland's bishops have called the 11th hour vote a "heartless disservice" to Catholic school students, teachers, and families, and noted that it represents the triumph special interests over the needs of low-income students. Committee Chairwoman Sheila Hixson (Dist. 20) and subcommittee Chairwoman Anne Kaiser (Dist. 14) blocked BOAST at every possible opportunity. Read the bishops' full statement on the vote and see how the committee voted.

Cardinal Francis George, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, applauded efforts to expand health care access, but said in a March 23 statement that problems with the new health care reform law must be addressed. In particular, Cardinal George urged that conscience rights be protected and that taxpayers not be forced to fund abortions. Read the full statement here and click here for additional health care reform resources from the USCCB.