Overriding the veto and enacting the Clean Energy Jobs Act of 2016

Today the Maryland general assembly overrode Governor Larry Hogan’s veto of the Clean Energy Jobs act of 2016, making it the law of the land in Maryland. You can read about it here. We’ve taken a long and winding path to get to this point, so here’s a brief history refresher.

The Original Bill

The Clean Energy Jobs Act, a bill ensuring that Maryland would get 25% of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2020, was passed during the 2016 General Assembly legislative session.

The Veto

Governor Hogan vetoed the bill in May of 2016, citing ratepayer tax increases as his reason for the veto. Each home would be paying only around fifty cents more per month while saving lives and creating jobs.

The Pushback

Following the veto, there was a large pushback from climate activists in Maryland. Activists spoke out via protests, press conferences, and the Ride for the Override across the state of Maryland.

The Override

On January 31st, the House voted 88-51 to override the veto. Today, the Senate voted 32-13 to override the vote, pushing it through the General Assembly and into effect. This lifesaving law will become official next month.

Congrats to the state of Maryland on Overriding the veto! Now, we go bigger and better: Our bill proposes 50% renewable energy by the year 2030, funding for women and minority owned businesses, and expansion of clean energy jobs and training.