Senate advances bill broadening attorney general authority and expanding relief for federal workers after shutdowns

The Maryland Senate advanced House Bill 14-24 after the Budget and Taxation committee's vice chair summarized the measure on the floor. The bill, sponsored in the House by Delegate J. Lewis, contains two major components: expanded authority and resources for the attorney general to pursue patterns of improper denial of earned benefits, and an expansion of a loan program to help federal workers and contractors harmed by shutdowns.

On the Senate floor, the committee vice chair described the first component as enhancing the attorney general's authority "to be able to go to court to protect Marylanders" when there is evidence of systematic improper denials of benefits such as Social Security, Medicare or veterans' benefits. The vice chair said the change would let the attorney general pursue cases on behalf of multiple Marylanders rather than requiring costly individual litigation.

The second component extends a loan program the General Assembly established during a prior shutdown, broadening eligibility and aid so that federal workers who do not return to their prior jobs could receive assistance with immediate financial challenges. "It expands the existing program we had, we set up during the, an earlier federal shutdown providing loans to federal workers," the vice chair said on the floor.

Senators also expressed constituent concerns about errors or mishandling in federal agencies that could affect earned benefits; the vice chair referenced complaints about data-handling and agency errors. The floor accepted five committee amendments and adopted the favorable committee report without objection. The Senate ordered House Bill 14-24 passed for third reading.

The bill's text and the committee amendments were discussed on the floor but the Senate did not enact final statutory changes at this session; supporters said the measure would give the attorney general discretion to file suits when patterns of harm to Marylanders emerge and would expand the state's emergency loan assistance to affected federal workers.