2010 House Hearing Information

Hearing Information

 

Date: 3/5/2010

Time: 1pm

Location: House Economic Matters Committee

                  House Office Building, Rm 230

                  6 Bladen Street

                  Annapolis, MD 21401

 

Click below for information on sample testimony:

Sample consumer testimony

Written Testimony

 

Written Testimony must be submitted to Committee staff at least 1 hour prior to hearing start, 1pm.  40 copies must be provided to Committee for testimony to be included in file for specific bill.  In order to ensure your testimony is received by the Committee on the hearing date, please forward all testimony to Alice Wilkerson, Chief of Staff to Senator Jamie Raskin (Senate Bill sponsor), at senatorjamieraskin@gmail.com  Testimony must be received no later than 12pm on Thurs, March 4 and should be sent with the subject line:  re: Testimony for HB 716.  Testimony should be on company/organization letterhead when applicable and must include company/organization or individual’s name, street address and phone number.  Please carbon copy Jennifer Levy, Director of Legislative Affairs for MBBWL, at jlevy@mbbwl.org  Please see attached sample testimony document, which should be personalized to describe how you believe this legislation will benefit you and/or the people you represent.

 

Oral Testimony:

 

For those planning on attending the hearing, please note that individuals who plan to speak before the Committee on HB 716 must be signed in one hour before the hearing starts, by 12 noon.  As there is no way of determining when our bill will be heard until the day of the hearing, you should prepare to be in Annapolis until possibly 4 or 5pm.  In an effort to keep testimony organized and effectively grouped, MBBWL will be signing in witnesses to testify on the bill. All witnesses should provide contact information (full name of person to speak, the business/organization name you are affiliated with, street address of business/organization or residence if an individual with state and zip and your phone number) for the Witness Sign-in Sheet to Jennifer Levy, Legislative Affairs Director for MBBWL, at jlevy@mbbwl.org by 12pm on Thurs, March 2.  All persons planning to testify in person should plan to be in Annapolis no later than 11:30 AM and should plan to be outside the Committee by noon. Lastly, please DO NOT READ from your written testimony if providing it in addition to your oral testimony.  Witnesses are given only 3 minutes to testify before the Committee and with so many bills being heard and so many people testifying, the Committee will cut you off if you run over the 3 minute window.  You should paraphrase your written testimony and rehearse to ensure you stay within the 3 minute parameter.  Like written testimony, please convey both a general statement and personalized story about how direct shipping will positively impact you as a consumer, retailer, restauranteur, etc…

 

Parking and Security

 

We would suggest for those of you driving to park in either the Gotts Court Parking Garage or the Whitmore Garage located across the street from Gotts.  For both Garages, you will want to follow exit at Rowe Blvd off Rt 50 toward the State House and continue straight on Rowe until it becomes Bladen Street and dead ends in front of the State House.  You will then make a right onto College Avenue and remaining in the right lane will follow the circle to the second traffic light, West Street, where you will turn left.  For Gotts parking garage, turn right at the first light, Calvert Street.  Gotts will be on the right hand side.  Please see link for additional parking information:  http://www.ci.annapolis.md.us/info.asp?page=8305 

 

Once parked, you will want to head back to where you came in from Rowe Blvd.  The House Office Building is located on Bladen Street (on the left side if you are looking at the State House).  It will take you approximately 10 minutes to get from the garage to the building.  Upon entering the building, you will be asked to present valid State Identification (Drivers License or State ID) and will need to go through security requiring you to place all materials on a conveyer belt for viewing, while you walk through a metal detector.  It’s much like airport security and depending on the number of visitors that day can also result in delay getting into the building.

 

Additional Information

 

Please contact Jennifer Levy via phone 410-241-3053 or email jlevy@mbbwl.org, with any additional questions regarding your testimony and/or appearance for the hearing.