MARYLAND: OPPORTUNITIES FOR WORKING
FAMILIES MEETING

Since 2003, the NCSL/AECF Partnership on Family Economic Success has held a yearly meeting to give lawmakers a chance to convene with their colleagues and discuss solutions to the challenges faced by low-income working families. Legislative leadership from 10 states send small teams of legislators to the forum. Participants hear from leading experts and practitioners and develop an action plan that is relevant to their state.

Read Maryland's state action plans below including a list of attending legislators, priorities areas and legislative action by meeting participants related to their working families policy goals.

History of Participation

Maryland has participated four times in the working families meeting. Here are the state action plans for Maryland and a list of team members who have participated in our meeting 2003-2010.

List of State Team Members from All Years

State Action Plans

2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007

All Maryland State Action Plans and Participants

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Legislative Action by Year

The following legislative actions were taken by team members in relation to their action plan. Legislative actions include follow up meetings with key stakeholders, constituent meetings and newsletters, statutory enactments and resolutions, appropriations, and the creation of legislative working groups.

MD HB 786 / MD SB 1053 (2012) – Revises the 2010 savings promotion raffles law (SB 886/HB 990) to allow banks and credit unions to offer savings promotion products as raffles where no purchase is required by the account holder.
MD SB 886 / MD HB 990 (2010)– Promotes asset building (savings) for working families by allowing depository institutions to conduct savings promotion raffles. Authorizes a credit union or depository institution to conduct a savings promotion raffle for credit union or depository institution members. Exempts a savings promotion raffle from specified provisions of law relating to the award of prizes by chance. Authorizes the Commissioner of Financial Regulation to take specified actions relating to a savings promotion raffle. A contingency clause prevents credit unions from running prize-linked savings programs until federal law is changed to allow major banks to offer them as well. The bill sponsors wrote their Congressional delegation addressing this law. So far, Congress has not acted.
MD SB 130 (2010) – Requires the Board of Public Works to adopt regulations to promote and facilitate certification under the state's minority business enterprise program of minority business enterprises that have received certification from a certain federal agency that uses a qualification process substantially similar to the state's certification process. Requires the board to keep records and to submit an annual report to the General Assembly about the certification of certain minority enterprises.
MD SB 698 / HB 883 (2009) - Requires the Comptroller to allow state tax refunds to be directly deposited into multiple accounts.

Maryland offered the option to split state tax refunds through Form 588 in 2010. The Form allowed people to deposit their refund in up to three different checking or savings accounts.
In 2009, Maryland legislators, including forum participants, Delegate John A. Olszewski, Jr. and Senator Katherine Klausmeier, worked with the Secretary of the Department of Human Resources to eliminate asset limits for recipients who use Temporary Cash Assistance. Read More
MD H 120 (2009) – Creates the Task Force to Study How to Improve Financial Literacy in the State.