March 10, 2024 - "Virtual Catholic Advocacy Day" continued

On February 15, 2024, the Maryland Catholic Conference picked six issues for their virtual Catholic Advocacy Day.  Last week I summarized three of these items as presented on the Maryland Catholic Conference Website.  This week I will present the other three items.  But before I do that, I want to give you an update on one of the items mentioned last week.
 
In my Flocknote on Saturday I reported the news that the Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson announced on Friday, March 1, 2024, that the Maryland State Senate would not be taking a vote on the End of Life Options Act—the physician’s assisted suicide bill—because it did not appear that they had the votes to pass it in the Senate.  For that reason, they would not be moving forward on it. Because of this, the physician’s assisted suicide bill appears to be off the table for this year, though the legislative session won’t close until April 8, 2024.  I thank everyone who sent letters through Voter Voice and acted to help defeat this bill.  Let’s stay vigilant on this issue and other issues impacting Catholic Social Teaching.  Let me discuss three others singled out by the Maryland Catholic Conference.
 
OPPOSE SB 1028 | HB 1168: Prevent Composting Human Remains 
Human composting, a process of turning a human body into 400 pounds of dirt mixed with human remains through month-long composting (often in a metal box in a warehouse), violates Catholic teaching and basic respect for the human body. Some groups are trying to impose this in our state.
 
Here are some Quick Facts about this measure:
· Human composting, also called natural organic reduction (NOR), reduces the human body to a disposable commodity.
· The deceased person is placed in a container, usually metal and in a warehouse, with dirt, fungi and other materials, for weeks, resulting in about 400 pounds of dirt with the person’s remains mixed in.
· Human compost could be discarded in public locations with no notice that you are treading over human remains. You could be walking on or eating produce grown in soil with human remains, or your kids could be playing in it.
· Human composting is not affordable, nor environmentally sensitive (unlike “green” burials).
· As Catholics, we call for deceased persons, as temples of the Holy Spirit, to be buried intact or as cremains in a cemetery.
 
SUPPORT SB 528 | HB 537: Empower Catholic School Parents with Bus Tax Credit
This measure, if passed, would empower Catholic School Parents with a Bus Tax Credit. 
 
Here are some Quick Facts about this measure:
· Maryland’s Catholic schools serve tens of thousands of lower and middle-income families who are not provided busing through the State of Maryland, as in many other states.
 

SUPPORT SB 528 | HB 537: Empower Catholic School Parents with Bus Tax Credit Quick Facts (continued)
· The bill would give a refundable tax credit to parents of $1,500 per student — approximately the average per-child cost to parents for chartering school buses for the school year.
· This would be environmentally friendly by expanding bus transportation and lessening the carbon footprint of potentially thousands of extra vehicles statewide every day.
 
SUPPORT SB 722 | HB 543: Improved Nutrition for Low-Income Seniors
This measure, if passed, would support expanded nutrition for low-income seniors.
 
Here are some Quick Facts about this measure:
· It would allow the State to provide a supplement to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), increasing the total benefit for those who are at least 62, from $40 to $75 per month.
· The elderly are among the most vulnerable members of our society, particularly those living on fixed incomes or facing health challenges who face challenges in affording basic necessities like food.
· Ensuring older Marylanders have access to adequate nutrition will help prevent health complications and demand on healthcare systems.
· Better nutrition supports older adults in remaining in their homes and communities for as long as possible, preserving their independence and quality of life.
 
Until next week….Fr. John