Session Updates and Action

This year’s legislative session started with promise, but significant smart growth legislation has been delayed for another year. The end of session saw 1000 Friends focused on fighting budget cuts and stopping legislation that would have weakened our communities and jeopardized our open spaces. 

As you have learned to expect from us, we are already rolling up our sleeves to ensure Maryland has significant victories in 2012 that will result in stronger economies, communities, and rural lands.

Estate Tax Reform (SB764, Young/HB721, Afzali): Attempts to relieve the estate tax burden on farmers did not pass this session.  Many farms are lost to development because the owner dies and the family cannot afford to pay the estate taxes without selling all or part of the farm. We will continue to fight for this critical reform.

Legislation passed to give farmers who are attempting to preserve their land more time to pay the estate tax.  Reforms passed last year allow a farmer with preserved land up to six years to pay the estate tax. This year’s legislation gives farmers actively seeking to preserve land the same six years to repay as a farmer who has already preserved (SB 513, Middleton). 

Wineries in Maryland received a boost as the bill to allow wine shipping in state finally succeeded (HB1175, Barkley and Davis).