Laws Committee Purpose & Impact

When the committee identifies a bill of interest, aided by input from the appropriate MSBA member constituency, the committee analyzes the bill and determines which practice area the bill impacts. The committee solicits a recommendation from the impacted MSBA practice section.

The impacted section analyzes the bill and transmits back its recommendation to support, amend, oppose, or monitor the bill to the Laws Committee. The section may also include a statement accompanying its recommendation. Each section manages its decision-making process by its own rules.

The Laws Committee submits its analysis and recommendation, together with that of the impacted section, to the MSBA Board of Governors. The Board deliberates and votes on whether to adopt the committee’s recommendation. The Committee may then submit written or oral testimony, propose amendments, file informational letters, and/or monitor bill activity.

Recent Legislative Successes Include:

• Defeating proposed taxation on legal services
• Obtaining COVID-19 vaccine priority for Maryland’s lawyers
• Securing over $40 Million in Civil Legal Aid Funding for Access to Counsel in Evictions Program (with the Maryland Access to Justice Commission)
• Protecting judicial independence through strategic advice to legislators on Judicial Transparency Bills
• Successfully securing passage of several bills that positively impact businesses around the state
• Modernizing Estates and Trusts practice
• Providing testimony and advice on hundreds of bills that impact the profession and specific practice areas

Contact Us: advocacy@msba.org