SB 653, sponsored by Senator Astle, proposes to extend the Anne Arundel program whereby any county resident with an outstanding warrant may have his Maryland income tax refund withheld until the warrant is cleared.  Warrants in Maryland may be for anything from failure to appear for a traffic violation to a deadly crime.  (Items in [brackets] are to be removed from existing law, new language is in CAPS.)

A warrant official [may] SHALL:
(1) certify to the Comptroller the existence of an outstanding warrant for an individual who is a resident of Maryland or who receives income from Maryland; and
(2) request the Comptroller to withhold any refund to which the individual is entitled.

(a) This part applies only to individuals who:
(1) are residents of [Anne Arundel County] THE STATE; or
(2) have an outstanding warrant from [Anne Arundel County] ANY  COUNTY IN THE STATE.
(b) This part does not apply to an individual:
(1) who is an active duty member of the armed forces of the United  States; or
(2) who files a joint Maryland income tax return….

This bill also repeals the termination date for the existing Anne Arundel warrant intercept program.

In the Senate, hearing 2/12, 1:00 p.m.

Update: Favorable with Amendments Report by Budget and Taxation

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