4.25.24 – WBAL
Some 286 bills became law Thursday after Gov. Wes Moore and legislative leaders gave their final stamp of approval.
Legislation signed into law included the governor’s housing package and some of House Speaker Adrienne Jones’ “Decency Agenda,” part of which includes the Freedom to Read Act, which prevents book bans in libraries.
“This session, I wanted to put some safeguards and best practices in place to prevent intolerance and hate from taking further root in our state institutions and schools,” said Jones, D-District 10.
| FILES: Lists of bills signed on April 25, 2024 — 1 | 2
“We are protecting libraries, librarians and literature,” said Anne Arundel County Delegate Dana Jones, D-District 30A.
According to the Maryland State Library Agency, libraries have seen a 133% increase in formal challenges to their collections since 2019. The agency found that 53% of librarians reported they were fearful of purchasing certain books, even though they believed students would benefit from them, and 52% said book challenges have made their jobs more difficult.
The Freedom to Read Act is emergency legislation, meaning it will take effect immediately.
When it comes to housing, the governor signed his entire legislative package into law. Those bills address everything from added protection for renters to paths creating more affordable housing.
The governor’s housing package also provides incentives for developers to add affordable housing options in future projects and allows them to exceed density limits.
“Building a stronger housing market cannot wait,” Moore said. “Addressing the fact that, right now in Maryland, we have a minimum of a 96,000 unit shortage in our state. That cannot wait. It is a stat that literally keeps me up at night, that 30% of younger Marylanders are considering leaving our state, simply because of housing costs.”
The governor praised Baltimore City Sheriff Sam Cogen for his efforts to get the housing legislation passed.