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Gov. Larry Hogan Signs 66 Bills Into Law, The Largest Tax Cut In Maryland's History Among Bills Passed This Year

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) -- Gov. Larry Hogan signed 66 bills into law Tuesday, a day after the Maryland legislative session ended.

Some of the legislation signed into law will preserve and expand telehealth and mental health services across the state, increase access to high-speed Internet and bringing reform to Maryland Environmental Service.

"I want to thank our presiding officers and legislators on both sides of the aisle for their hard work over the past 90 days," Gov. Hogan said. "This has truly been the most successful and bipartisan session since I became governor. Together, we are sending a clear message to Marylanders that we can work in a bipartisan fashion and deliver real results."

Also among the legislation passed this year was the biggest tax cut in state history, according to Gov. Hogan's office.

Enacted in February, the RELIEF Act delivered $1.45 billion in tax relief, including stimulus payments to some Marylanders in need, restaurants and businesses.

"We enacted the largest tax cut in state history, $1.45 million in relief for struggling Maryland families and small businesses," the governor said.

They also passed a mental health bill in honor of Rep. Jamie Raskin's son, Thomas Bloom Raskin.

This bill requires the Maryland Department of Health, in consultation with 2-1-1 Maryland, to establish opt-in mental health services phone call program to connect people to mental health providers in certain circumstances.

"His extraordinary political morality were the truest propositions I ever encountered in my entire life," Ferguson said.

He also said many Marylanders have gone through emotional distress during the last year.

"During this pandemic, we've seen the emotional toll that has been stricken on individuals given the situation," Ferguson said.

Gov. Hogan also signed the Walter Lomax Act, named after a man who spent almost 40 years in prison, only to be exonerated.

The bill will help those wrongfully convicted by setting guidelines for how much money the state can award them.

Lomax himself presented the bill last session. WJZ spoke to him then. He said, "no amount of money will ever be able to deal with that but what we can possibly hope is that the individual doesn't have to worry about anything for the rest of their life because they'll never be the same person again."

After that interview, Lomax suffered a heart attack in the State House, but his position never wavered. Ferguson visited Lomax in the hospital and said, "Lomax was semi-lucid but he did say please get this bill done."

It took another session, but that bill is now law.

Here's a full list of the bills passed by Maryland lawmakers.

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