On Friday, on the House Floor, I offered an amendment to HB 314 in order to delay the start of the bill by two years. This intention is due to the Verso Paper Mill struggling to bounce back from the economic hardship caused by the pandemic. There have been 850 Marylanders who have lost their jobs and now it is difficult to retrain, rehire, and repurpose them. In the two years the bill would be delayed, it would give time for Verso Paper Mill to come alive again and employ people who lost their job. It would help put food on the table for these struggling families while they get situated.
This amendment was unfortunately struck down when votes were called. You can view my appeal on the House Floor at the Youtube link. Skip to about 49 minutes in to see it and the vote: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPpjINRP-_0
