02/11/2025 01:30 PM Senate COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS

         SB  50-MUNICIPAL COMPREHENSIVE PLANS: HOUSING                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:31:08 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MERRICK announced  the consideration of SENATE  BILL NO. 50                                                               
"An Act relating  to the comprehensive plans of  first and second                                                               
class boroughs."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  MERRICK said  this is  the second  hearing on  SB 50.  She                                                               
invited the bill sponsor to give a brief recap of the bill.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:31:18 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR DUNBAR  gave a recap  of SB 50,  stating the bill  adds a                                                               
housing plan element that may  be included in comprehensive plans                                                               
for  municipal  governments.  He  said SB  50  does  not  require                                                               
existing plans  to be updated; rather,  it applies prospectively,                                                               
meaning the  State asks that  future comprehensive  plans include                                                               
housing.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:31:54 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR DUNBAR moved  to adopt the committee  substitute (CS) for                                                               
SB 50, work order 34-LS0356\N, as the working document.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:32:05 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MERRICK objected for purposes of discussion.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  DUNBAR presented  the summary  of changes.  He explained                                                               
that Legislative Legal Services made  a technical change to clean                                                               
up  statutory  language. Although  the  technical  change had  no                                                               
legal  effect,  it  caused   confusion  among  stakeholders.  For                                                               
clarity,  this CS  reverses the  technical change,  restoring the                                                               
original statutory language.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:32:40 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MERRICK removed her objection.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MERRICK found no further  objection and CSSB 50 was adopted                                                               
as the working document.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:32:51 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MERRICK  opened public  testimony on  SB 50;  finding none,                                                               
she closed public testimony.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:33:14 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MERRICK solicited the will of the committee.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:33:16 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR DUNBAR moved  to report CSSB 50,  work order 34-LS0356\N,                                                               
from committee  with individual recommendations,  attached fiscal                                                               
note(s),  and authorization  for  Legislative  Legal Services  to                                                               
make conforming changes.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:33:32 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MERRICK  found no objection  and CSSB 50(CRA)  was reported                                                               
from  the   Senate  Community   and  Regional   Affairs  Standing                                                               
Committee.