11-16-2020 Mayor Young vetoes two COVID-19 labor bills

MHLA applauds Baltimore City Mayor Jack Young for his veto on two COVID-19 labor bills, 20-0543 and 20-0544.  If a veto override vote is scheduled, it may occur at the next Council Meeting on December 7, 2020.  Four votes are needed to sustain the veto if a vote occurs.  MHLA has been and will continue to lobby for defeat of 20-0544.

Additional Background:
MHLA submitted this letter of opposition in advance of the hearing on July 16, 2020.  While we were successful in getting amendments that made an especially bad bill (20-0544) better, the Association has continued efforts to prevent this union-backed legislation that is overall harmful to the lodging industry from becoming law.  20-0544 was deemed unconstitutional by the City’s own law department and yet was passed by the Baltimore City Council in a 12-3 vote on October 5, 2020.
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Many Baltimore City MHLA Members and the American Hotel & Lodging Association have engaged in advocacy efforts, led by MHLA’s lobbyist, Frank D. Boston, III, to defeat this bill.  Thank you all for your engagement and continued efforts to support MHLA’s advocacy on this and other issues.