# Dan Morhaim MGA Bills 1995-2017
# LEGISLATION LEAD-SPONSORED AND PASSED
BY DELEGATE DAN MORHAIM
1995-2017
(details at http://mgaleg.maryland.gov and www.drdanmorhaim.com and [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Dan_Morhaim))
## HEALTH CARE
• Expanding addiction treatment: Although in the headlines now, my [Dan's] bill from 1998 was the first major effort to increase funding for addiction treatment. I continue to introduce evidence-based ideas to manage this ongoing crisis.
• Bringing medical cannabis to Maryland patients: The first bill I introduced on this issue was in 2003. Now we are finally getting close to providing this needed medication to suffering Marylanders in a safe and responsible way.
• Improving end-of-life care by promoting Advance Directives, developing electronic AD registries, and recognizing National Healthcare Decisions Day in our state. This helps to address a difficult issue that every person and family faces.
• Expanding access to affordable health care in a variety of bills including support for colon cancer screening, smoking cessation, birth defect treatments, dental care, eye care, and wellness programs.
• Creating a statewide system for organ donation. This legislation jumpstarted Maryland’s now nationally recognized organ donation program.
• Protecting health care workers from infectious diseases by enhancing safety regulations in hospitals.
## ENVIRONMENT
• Protecting Maryland’s Coastal Bays from over-development, called “landmark legislation” by the late great Delegate Leon Billings.
• Creating Maryland’s system of electronics recycling, which became a model for other states, keeping millions of tons of toxins out of our air, water, and soil.
• Phasing out pollutant microbeads from waterways and water systems. This also became a national model bill.
• Requiring State high-performance “green” building construction, thereby reducing utility expenses and pollution, as well as creating a healthier and more productive work or school environment.
• Expanding growth of organic farming, the wine industry, and farmers’ markets, supporting our state’s agriculture sector. When this bill passed there were less than 5 wineries in Maryland; today there are over 80, and local farmers’ markets are everywhere.
## CITIZEN/CONSUMER PROTECTION
• Promoting open meetings and public access to government operations and documents.
• Regulating/eliminating scam charities while supporting legitimate ones. Unfortunately, too many of our generous citizens have unwittingly donated to phony charities. We want to be sure that donations go to the intended purpose.
• Promoting the rights of persons with disability claims against insurance companies.
• Licensing home inspectors. This legislation set up standards and licensing for home inspectors, thus protecting consumers when making one of the biggest purchases of their lives.
## GOVERNMENT REFORM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
• Reforming our dysfunctional procurement system for government contracts, thereby saving money through better operations and competition for state business.
• Expanding business opportunities for minorities and women by stabilizing and improving the Minority and Women Business Enterprise Program.
• Enabling school districts and private schools to pool their purchasing operations, saving millions of dollars each year.
• Promoting tourism and dining out by allowing restaurants to open outdoor seating areas to patrons with pets.
(A complete list of enacted bills follows.)
Over the years I have been blessed with a wonderful staff, both full-time and part-time, especially Michelle Bernstein, Mary Lou Cole, Sharon Bloom, Penny McDougal, Keshia Pollack, David Fakunle, Tricia Christensen, Shannon Frattaroli, and others. They have contributed greatly to whatever success I have had.
## 2017:
* HB 81: Removes archaic sexist term “confinement” from estate law
* HB 180: Renames Department of Health
* HB 188: Finalizes funding for electronic advance directives and public education
* HB 518: Facilitates pre-natal HIV testing and other pre-natal testing
## 2016
* HB 91: Recognizing National Healthcare Decisions Day
* HB104: Allows dentists, podiatrists, advanced nurses to be medical cannabis practitioners
* HB 185: Maryland Board of Physicians education requirements defined
* HB 403: Helps business get paid by state when change orders applied
* HB 990: Supports rights of people with disability insurance
* HB 1385: Continues progress to establish electronic advance directives
## 2015:
* HB 129: Supports veterans’ procurement government contracts
* HB 150: Protection Charitable Assets extension
* HB 215: Microbead pollutant phase out; became national model for clean water
* HB 293: Improves guardianship for disabled persons
* HB 490: Makes medical cannabis act operational
* HB1106: Advance directives witnessing clarified
* HB 1288: Prohibition powdered alcohol
## 2014:
* HB 592: Improving mental health care for hospitalized patients
* HB 881: Medical marijuana program improved
* HB 1088: Supporting emergency eye care to prevent blindness
* HB1352: Regulation of charitable assets to support legitimate charities and to identify, control, or shut down “scam” charities
## 2013:
* HB 103: Requires solar panels for major school renovations
* HB 248: Bond bill for Baltimore Humane Society
* HB 331: Strengthens Open Meetings Act
* HB 591: Stops wholesale pharmacy price gouging
* HB 877: Iran procurement restrictions
* HB1101: Creates medical marijuana program
## 2012:
* HJ 3: Ratification of 17th Amendment to U.S. Constitution
* HB 71: Family Security Trust
* HB 448: Electronic recycling procurement preference
* HB 879: Electronic recycling expansion
* HB 1118: Nursing home licensure revocation for violators
## 2011:
* HB 82: MOLST – Medical Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment
* HB 92: Bond bill United Cerebral Palsy
* HB 286: Sets peer review standards in hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers
* HB 291/SB 308: Medical marijuana work group and lowers penalties
* HB 456: Minority-Women Business Enterprise program extension
* HB 941: Dining Out Growth Act – expands restaurant options
* HB 1260: Jewish Community Center bond bill
## 2010:
* HB147/SB 314: Assignment of Benefits helps providers get paid by insurance companies
* HB 224: Sets “greywater” recycling standards
* HB 250: Improves MBE certification process
* HB 251: MBE certification done electronically
* HB 292: Uniform medical consultation referral form
* HB 323: Licensure for Physician Assistants
* HB 1132: Bond Bill for Baltimore Humane Society
## 2009:
* HB 70: Eliminates obsolete programs in Department of Health
* HB 91: Promotes proper restoration of historic state buildings
* HB 124: Helps new and minority business compete for state contracts
* HB 154: Expands and extends role of Green Building Council
* HB 456: Facilitates use of medicines for uncommon cancers
* HB 457: Reduces paperwork by expanding web use for state documents
* HB 533: Promotes cooperative buying between state, counties, schools, and non-profits
* HB 610: Allows greater insurance support for wellness programs
* HB 674: Reforms small group health insurance market; first change since 1993
## 2008:
* HB 142: Streamlines Department of Health
* HB 312: Extends, expands surety bond choices
* HB 484: Allows unsolicited bids for government contracts
* HB 561: Expands small business reserve program
* HB 865: Expands E-Maryland marketplace
* HB 906: Organ donation program revised to be operational statewide
* HB 1090: Security for funds held by morticians
## 2007:
* HB 27: Bond for United Cerebral Palsy
* HB 28: Small business reserve extension
* HB 29: Hopewell Cancer bond bill
* HB 53: Group home controls
* HB 157: Wellness benefits from insurance companies
* HB 214: Healthcare planning
* HB 216: Protects forensic scientists from HIV
* HB 487: Non-profit health insurance board of directors
* HB 488: Expands, extends electronic recycling
* HB 682: Supports EMS (emergency medical systems)
## 2006:
* HB 108: Extends ban on genetically modified species in waterways
* HB 169: Alternate ways for bonding for new, small businesses, MBE’s
* HB 549: Expands mental health coverage
* HB 569: Board of Education bid requirements
* HB 813: Group Home contracts
* HB 819: Expands E-Maryland marketplace
* HB 869: Extends MBE (Minority Business Enterprise) program
* HB 883: Promotes locally grown food in state purchasing
## 2005:
* HB 109: Procurement agency accountability
* HB 196/SB 92: Green buildings construction
* HB 262: Debarment of contract violators
* HB 303: Funds smoking cessation medications
* HB 417: Pharmacy electronic reimbursement
* HB 434: Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease reporting requirement
* HB 575: Electronic re-cycling implementation
* HB 827/SB 718: Health care worker safety from blood-borne diseases
## 2004:
* HB 109: Electronic re-cycling task force
* HB 122: Health Insurance Young Adults
* HB 123: Prompt payment of health claims
* HB 429: Administrative Procedure Act reforms
* HB 556: Health Care Decisions, preferences, communication
* HB 557: Advanced Directive Information Act
* HB 558: Dental sedation permits
* HB 702: E-Maryland Marketplace modernization
* HB 718: Reciprocal Preference in contracts
* HB 721: MBE (Minority Business Enterprise) Directory
* HB 767: Board Contract Appeals- Jurisdiction over State Claims
## 2003:
* HB 174: Noise Pollution regulation
* HB 230: Dental Hygienists: supervised office practice
* HB 343: HIV testing providers, first-responders
* HB 702: Medical Marijuana Compassionate Care Act
## 2002:
* HB 210: Blood donation by minors
* HB 301: Atlantic Coastal Bay protection
* HB 492: School Buying Consortium
* HB 659: Water Security and Sewage Systems Advisory Council
## 2001:
* HB 189 Transgenic and Genetically Altered Species
* HB 190: Colon Cancer screening covered
* HB 191/SB193: Wellness Community Bond Bill
* HB 379: Home Inspectors
* HB 1242: Kidney Disease Commission
2000:
* HB 108/SB100: Patient Care Advisory Committees
* HB 360: Health Care Worker Safety Blood borne Pathogens
* HB 694/SB 742: ADHD Council
## 1999:
* HB 45: Visionary Arts Museum bond bill
* HB 62: Addiction Treatment Task Force (extension)
* HB 225: Medical License Requirements
* HB 287: Health Care Worker Safety
* HB 590: Diesel Emissions Testing requirements for trucks
## 1998:
* HB 113/SB 742: Victims of Homicide, transportation
* HB 114: Audiology- Speech Therapy
* HB 149: Addiction Treatment Task Force to increase funding for treatment
* HB 235/SB 244: American Visionary Arts Museum bond bill
* HB 240: Alcohol measurements revised to prosecute DUI cases
* HB 507: Cleft Lip and Palate coverage
* HB 556: Health Utilization Review
* HB 958: Physician address of record defined
## 1997:
* HB 366: Mortician Licenses regulation
* HB 559: Cemetery regulation protecting purchasers
* HB 661: Patient referrals rules
## 1996:
* HB 78: Agriculture Commission, adding organic food, wine industry, farmer markets
* HB 222: Physician as Specialists
* HB 276: Cholesterol Testing simplified
* HB 304: Task Force to study funeral and cemetery industry
## 1995:
First session, no bills