BWCC's Strategic Alliances on Legislative Issues Serve Membership Well During Maryland General Assembly Session

2580 Possibilities to Impact Your Business
Prudent business practices dictate that you don’t expend resources unnecessarily and you always work collaboratively and strategically if it creates efficiencies and serves all partners in the strategic alliance. The BWCC has done just that during the recent Maryland General Assembly Session.

With 2,580 bills introduced in both the Maryland House of Delegates and the Senate, it’s a herculean task to review all of those and determine which ones impact business. Once a determination is made, it requires analysis, research on possible favorable or detrimental impacts on business interests, and then communication to elected officials as to a position.  Further, all of this must occur within a relatively compressed time frame.

How Does the BWCC Do It?
The BWCC is a part of the Chamber Action Network, a consortium of chambers across Maryland that are tied to the professional lobbyist resources of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce.  The Maryland Chamber staff reviewed all 2580 bills and selected 154 bills that directly impacted business.  Those bills are then brought to the 50 member Maryland Chamber Legislative Committee—comprised of thought leaders from a variety of interests, each an expert in his/her own right, and meeting on Monday afternoons in Annapolis through much of the Session.  In addition, there are seats reserved on the Committee for local chamber executives—one of which is held by the BWCC President & CEO, Walt Townshend.

Of those 154 bills, positions were taken on 146 of them.  Seventy-two bills were supported, of which 19 passed. Seventy-four bills were opposed, of which 8 passed.   Included in those successes were the defeat of combined reporting, the defeat of sales tax expansion to a host of services, and the removal of an automatic sunset provision from the Tax Credit Termination Bill.

But Wait, There’s More!
In addition to that activity, the BWCC also has a Legislative Committee, chaired by Barney Hughes of M&T Bank.  It’s comprised of any BWCC member who wishes to be part of it—and meets virtually by teleconference on most Friday mornings during the Session.  It, too, reviews the decisions made by the Maryland Chamber Committee, confirming or modifying positions taken, and determining which bills to actively lobby for or against.  This group also has key resources, including regular contributors:  Kim Robinson, Esq., of Funk and Bolton and her colleague, Sarah Sheppard; Gene Burner, CEO of the Manufacturers’ Alliance of Maryland (MAM); Christine Walters, MAS, JD, SPHR of FiveL  Company; John Lupo of Kaiser Permanente; and Mike Fowler of  BGE.  BWCC President Walt Townshend, with assistance from his colleague, Shirley Redd, prepares letters and sends them to the Funk & Bolton team, who deliver them “just-in-time” to the respective Senate and House Committees and sometimes individual legislators.

So, What’s the Result?  How Were Members Served?
Members work hard to manage their daily business operations.  Most simply do not have the time to review legislation, research its impact, and lobby for or against its passage.  However, they do  EXPECT their BWCC to be watching out for their interests, working diligently to safeguard all that they have worked so hard to build.

We are proud to work in strategic alliance with the Maryland Chamber and the CAN Network, to assemble a team of committed BWCC members for our own BWCC Legislative Committee and to be in regular communication with our elected officials and the committees on which they serve.  It’s all part of what you expect from us—and we are happy to deliver.

Linked here is an Excel summary listing of all the bills reviewed, the positions taken, and the outcome of those legislative proposals.  We encourage you to print them out, review them, and imagine for a moment how much time it would take for you—a single member—to consider all of them on your own!

As you know, the process is not over.  A Special Session (or two!)is (are) likely to be called within the next several days.  And when it is (or they are), we will be there—in strategic alliance—working hard to watch out for your interests, serving as your eyes and ears—and making your voice be heard.