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BumRushDaShow

(157,784 posts)
58. Google is helpful
Sat Jul 5, 2025, 09:53 PM
Jul 5

As an example, MD has apparently been working on theirs since March -

Deadbeat feds: State lawmakers draw up bills to respond if White House withholds payments

By: Jack Bowman - March 6, 2025 1:32 am

(snip)

“Essentially, we’re preparing for the possibility of the federal government acting as a deadbeat debtor and needing to find ways to collect congressionally approved funding,” Moon said Wednesday.

Moon said that the first of his two bills, HB1545, would authorize Comptroller Brooke Lierman, in consultation with the BPW, to withhold funds owed to the federal government in an amount equivalent to funds being withheld from Maryland. The bill defines the federal government as being delinquent in the case of “noncompliance with court decisions” related to federal spending. A spokesperson for the comptroller said the office was still reviewing the bills and was not able to immediately comment.

The second bill, HB1546, would direct Attorney General Anthony Brown to work with the Central Collections Unit to put liens on federal property in Maryland until the state is able to “resolve the payment obligations from the federal government.”

The bill states that Maryland would reserve jurisdiction with respect to any land that the federal government leases or holds in the state if they are found delinquent in their payments.

(snip)


So for example, here is their draft textf for HB1545 (PDF) - https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/hb/hb1545f.pdf

HOUSE BILL 1545
P1, P3 EMERGENCY BILL 5lr3639
By: Delegates Moon, J. Lewis, Atterbeary, Barnes, Clippinger, Korman,
Pena–Melnyk, and Wilson

Introduced and read first time: February 25, 2025
Assigned to: Rules and Executive Nominations

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning1

Board of Public Works – Comptroller – Delinquent Federal Funds2


FOR the purpose of authorizing the Comptroller, in consultation with the Board of Public3
Works, to withhold up to a certain amount of State payments to the federal4
government under certain conditions; authorizing the Board of Public Works to5
determine the federal government to be delinquent in federal funds owed to the State6
under certain circumstances; and generally relating to delinquent federal funds.7


BY adding to8
Article – State Finance and Procurement9
Section 2–109 and 10–20810
Annotated Code of Maryland11
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement)12


BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments,13
Article – State Finance and Procurement14
Section 10–10115
Annotated Code of Maryland16
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement)17


BY adding to18
Article – State Government19
Section 4–11520
Annotated Code of Maryland21
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement)22


SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,23

That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:24

Article – State Finance and Procurement25


2–109.1

WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS FOUND NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH2
COURT DECISIONS UPHOLDING FEDERAL CONGRESSIONALLY APPROVED SPENDING3
AS PROVIDED IN § 10–208 OF THIS ARTICLE AND § 4–115 OF THE STATE4
GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, THE COMPTROLLER MAY WITHHOLD STATE PAYMENTS TO5
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN AN AMOUNT UP TO THE TOTAL OF DELINQUENT6
FEDERAL FUNDS.7

10–101.8

In this title, “Board” means the Board of Public Works.9

10–208.10

THE BOARD MAY DETERMINE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO BE11
DELINQUENT IN FEDERAL FUNDS OWED TO THE STATE IN THE EVENT OF FEDERAL12
NONCOMPLIANCE WITH COURT DECISIONS UPHOLDING CONGRESSIONALLY13
APPROVED SPENDING.14

Article – State Government15


4–115.16

FOR DELINQUENT FEDERAL FUNDS AS DETERMINED UNDER § 10–208 OF THE17
STATE FINANCE AND PROCUREMENT ARTICLE, THE COMPTROLLER, IN18
CONSULTATION WITH THE BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS, MAY WITHHOLD DELINQUENT19
FEDERAL FUNDS IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–109 OF THE STATE FINANCE AND20
PROCUREMENT ARTICLE.21


SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That, if any provision of this Act or22
the application of any provision of this Act to any person or circumstance is held invalid for23
any reason in a court of competent jurisdiction, the invalidity does not affect other24
provisions or any other application of this Act that can be given effect without the invalid25
provision or application, and for this purpose the provisions of this Act are declared26
severable.27

SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act is an emergency28
measure, is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health or safety, has29
been passed by a yea and nay vote supported by three–fifths of all the members elected to30
each of the two Houses of the General Assembly, and shall take effect from the date it is31
enacted.


The above has citations that specifically reference financial sections of the MD state code (if you want to take the time to look up the MD state laws and regulations).

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

I have been saying that the states who he moves against should do something like this. OldBaldy1701E Jul 5 #1
I don't know if it's legal but it's worth a try. COL Mustard Jul 5 #21
It definitely doesn't sound legal, but it can at least delay and maybe deny state funds to an asset ancianita Jul 5 #35
They can drag their feet like tfg, tie it up in courts and not comply with the rulings.. What are they gonna do, sue? mitch96 Jul 5 #46
They'll grab him off the street and send him to Justice matters. Jul 5 #51
Exactly. (n/t) OldBaldy1701E Jul 6 #61
I don't see how that would work FBaggins Jul 5 #2
They would just move their assets. Hornedfrog2000 Jul 5 #3
OUR ASSETS! BidenRocks Jul 5 #38
Can the garnish income from the properties? Scrivener7 Jul 5 #6
can't they prevent the government from accessing their properties? LymphocyteLover Jul 5 #7
No. In fact the Biden administration proved this FBaggins Jul 5 #12
The "Liens on their property" is more of an analogy/euphemistic term BumRushDaShow Jul 5 #9
The example given is awful FBaggins Jul 5 #13
"Withholding payroll taxes for state employees screws the employees" BumRushDaShow Jul 5 #17
Not a crime at all. There's no federal statute mandating the process whereby withholding makes its way to the Feds. paleotn Jul 5 #27
Let me clarify - the employees are not screwed Klaus Hergersheimer Jul 5 #31
Welcome to DU LetMyPeopleVote Jul 6 #62
Exactly, good info Farmer-Rick Jul 5 #18
I wrote the following downthread BumRushDaShow Jul 5 #24
Thanks for the info. Farmer-Rick Jul 5 #26
In theory they could foreclose Nasruddin Jul 5 #30
Isnt selling off public lands one of the many problems in the dump bill? quakerboy Jul 5 #55
That part was dropped a few days ago FBaggins Jul 5 #57
Nice idea but Supreme Court will eventually intervene against states. Is K-9 funding mandated by congress? lostnfound Jul 5 #4
The education funding was mandated by Congress, yes LymphocyteLover Jul 5 #8
How would retaliation from pedo Trump actually work? Farmer-Rick Jul 5 #23
How would the states get the employer to give them the money instead of it being sent directly to the US Treasury? MichMan Jul 5 #49
Aside from regular state taxes you mean? Farmer-Rick Jul 5 #50
I didn't see any specifics in the OP about what type of state payments would be held. MichMan Jul 5 #54
Google is helpful BumRushDaShow Jul 5 #58
The "employer" in this case is *THE STATE* BumRushDaShow Jul 5 #53
See paleotn response to that upthread. Dixiegrrrl Jul 5 #29
Turn off utilities. Historic NY Jul 5 #5
This has been tried before, didn't work. DUU Jul 5 #10
Welcome to DU orangecrush Jul 5 #15
Got a link on that? NJCher Jul 5 #19
There is nothing in that article, nor an earlier NBC one, that says anything about "federal property". BumRushDaShow Jul 5 #20
That doesn't sound like the same thing Farmer-Rick Jul 5 #25
Schlump definitely has some form of dementia. ShazzieB Jul 6 #60
Good strategy. You play the game presented to you, and stand tall. /.nt bucolic_frolic Jul 5 #11
YES orangecrush Jul 5 #14
If it's a "secret weapon" why announce it? NoMoreRepugs Jul 5 #16
I think the term "secret" is more "slang" than literal. BumRushDaShow Jul 5 #22
I need a "rhetorical question" emoji. NoMoreRepugs Jul 5 #40
DUer tanyev uses this BumRushDaShow Jul 5 #42
Writers NJCher Jul 5 #37
I say "YES" let's do it!! h2ebits Jul 5 #28
Trump's properties maliaSmith Jul 5 #32
Fight the POWER!!! sunflowerseed Jul 5 #33
Isn't this legally just a series of setoffs? rzemanfl Jul 5 #34
I'm for it hope California does it. republianmushroom Jul 5 #36
The Fed may have the bldg or whatever, BidenRocks Jul 5 #39
I don't think this has to do with what they call "real property" (buildings) BumRushDaShow Jul 5 #41
Please see my post #34 above regarding setoff. rzemanfl Jul 5 #43
I saw it BumRushDaShow Jul 5 #48
Newsom is considering doing something similar... AntiFascist Jul 5 #44
I am glad they are exploring ways to shift money to their own state from the fed mdbl Jul 5 #45
Excelent idea! Josiesdad Jul 5 #47
This is part of what I see as a soft secession Metaphorical Jul 5 #52
This is soveirgn citizen tactics. Jacson6 Jul 5 #56
Problem is BumRushDaShow Jul 5 #59
Right you are BRDS - the executive branch is provoking Blue States into "getting even" as the only option left FakeNoose Jul 6 #63
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