Kumar P. Barve
Encyclopedia
Kumar P. Barve is an American
politician. He is a member of the Maryland House of Delegates
, representing district 17 in Montgomery County
.
Barve introduced and helped enact the Patient Access Act—the first bill in the nation to regulate HMOs. A similar bill has become legislation in 34 states. The Act permits patients to see doctors outside of their HMO network, prohibited "gag" rules on health-care providers that jeopardized patient care, and prohibited financial incentives that curtailed and compromised care.
Barve was, also, a co-sponsor of the Maryland law that banned insurance companies from using pre-existing conditions to deny coverage.
Additionally, Barve authored Maryland's version of the Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act (UCITA). The Act both affirms the intellectual-property rights of software developers and provides unprecedented consumer protections to purchasers of computer equipment.
In 1999, Barve's bill to define the powers of corporations in making certain gifts passed both houses and was signed by the governor.
Barve sponsored a bill to ban marriages between first cousins in 2000. The bill passed the House easily but died in the Senate.
Barve created the Technology Development Corporation of Maryland, which has become the central focal point for fostering high-technology development in Maryland.
In the United States presidential election, 2008
, Barve endorsed Barack Obama
for President.
with a B.S.
in Accounting. First elected in 1990, and re-elected four times — in 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2006, Barve is the Majority Leader
in the House of Delegates, and was the first Indian-American in U.S. history elected to a state legislative body.
On December 23, 2008, the Associated Press
reported that Barve and his wife were receiving a Homestead Property Tax Credit on two properties. Barve and his wife each originally claimed a different home as their primary residence prior to their marriage in 2004. Three years after their marriage, both Barve and his wife indicated that his Gaithersburg residence would be the couple's primary residence. The AP indicated that the tax credits over three years were worth about $5,800 on his Annapolis property, where Barve lives during the annual legislative session, and about $3,570 on his primary residence in Gaithersburg. Barve indicated that he assumed Anne Arundel County would delete the exemption, but the county did not receive a copy of the declaration signed by both Barve and his wife in 2007. Having co-sponsored a bill last year to prevent people from illegally claiming the credit on multiple properties, he engaged in the same type of behavior he sought to stop in the legislation he once supported. However, Mr. Barve is not the first politician to double dip on tax credits, the Baltimore Sun reported Democratic Congressman Pete Stark engaged in a similar double dipping practice as the Maryland House Majority Leader.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician. He is a member of the Maryland House of Delegates
Maryland House of Delegates
The Maryland House of Delegates is the lower house of the General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland, and is composed of 141 Delegates elected from 47 districts. The House chamber is located in the state capitol building on State Circle in Annapolis...
, representing district 17 in Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Maryland
Montgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Maryland, situated just to the north of Washington, D.C., and southwest of the city of Baltimore. It is one of the most affluent counties in the United States, and has the highest percentage of residents over 25 years of age who hold post-graduate...
.
Legislative career
In the Maryland legislature, Barve is the Majority Leader and a member of the House Ways and Means Committee. He previously chaired the Science & Technology Sub-Committee of the House Committee on Economic Matters.Barve introduced and helped enact the Patient Access Act—the first bill in the nation to regulate HMOs. A similar bill has become legislation in 34 states. The Act permits patients to see doctors outside of their HMO network, prohibited "gag" rules on health-care providers that jeopardized patient care, and prohibited financial incentives that curtailed and compromised care.
Barve was, also, a co-sponsor of the Maryland law that banned insurance companies from using pre-existing conditions to deny coverage.
Additionally, Barve authored Maryland's version of the Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act (UCITA). The Act both affirms the intellectual-property rights of software developers and provides unprecedented consumer protections to purchasers of computer equipment.
In 1999, Barve's bill to define the powers of corporations in making certain gifts passed both houses and was signed by the governor.
Barve sponsored a bill to ban marriages between first cousins in 2000. The bill passed the House easily but died in the Senate.
Barve created the Technology Development Corporation of Maryland, which has become the central focal point for fostering high-technology development in Maryland.
In the United States presidential election, 2008
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
, Barve endorsed Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
for President.
Legislative notes
- voted for the Healthy Air Act in 2006 (SB154) http://mlis.state.md.us/2006rs/votes/house/0942.htm
- voted against slots in 2005 (HB1361) http://mlis.state.md.us/2005rs/votes/house/0152.htm
- voted to ban first-cousin marriage in 2000 (HB459)http://mlis.state.md.us/2000rs/billfile/hb0459.htm
- voted for electric deregulationMaryland Electric DeregulationMaryland Electric Deregulation is the result of a bill passed in 1999 by the Maryland General Assembly. This bill changed the entire face of the Maryland utility industry.The past several years have seen a flurry of changes in the energy industry in Maryland...
in 1999 (HB703) http://mlis.state.md.us/1999rs/votes/house/0870.htm - voted for income tax reduction in 1998 (SB750) http://mlis.state.md.us/1998rs/votes/house/1229.htm
2007
- voted for the Clean Indoor Air Act of 2007 (HB359) http://mlis.state.md.us/2007rs/billfile/HB0359.htm
- voted in favor of in-state tuition for the children of illegal immigrants in 2007 (HB6) who could prove they fully paid state taxes http://mlis.state.md.us/2007RS/votes/house/0690.htm
- voted in favor of the Tax Reform Act of 2007 (HB2) http://www.mdchamber.org/docs/ss_hb2.pdf
- voted in favor of Slots (HB4) in the 2007 Special session
Achievements, Endorsements, and awards
- Majority Leader, past Chairman of the Montgomery County delegation
- Legislator of the Year Award from the Montgomery County Medical Society an unprecedented four times.
- The Washington Post and the Baltimore Sun have endorsed Barve in past races.
- Won his last election for one of three delegate seats with 23.9% of the vote, or 6,439 of the 26,979 votes cast.
- 2010 Most Influential Maryland Legislators (Top 20)
Personal life
Kumar Barve graduated from Georgetown UniversityGeorgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
with a B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Accounting. First elected in 1990, and re-elected four times — in 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2006, Barve is the Majority Leader
Majority leader
In U.S. politics, the majority floor leader is a partisan position in a legislative body.In the federal Congress, the role differs slightly in the two houses. In the House of Representatives, which chooses its own presiding officer, the leader of the majority party is elected the Speaker of the...
in the House of Delegates, and was the first Indian-American in U.S. history elected to a state legislative body.
Controversies
In November 2007, Barve was cited by Gaithersburg Police for driving under the influence of alcohol while operating a vehicle. On July 17, 2008, Barve pleaded guilty and received a probation before judgement, and suspension of all but $200 of a $1,000 fine.On December 23, 2008, the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
reported that Barve and his wife were receiving a Homestead Property Tax Credit on two properties. Barve and his wife each originally claimed a different home as their primary residence prior to their marriage in 2004. Three years after their marriage, both Barve and his wife indicated that his Gaithersburg residence would be the couple's primary residence. The AP indicated that the tax credits over three years were worth about $5,800 on his Annapolis property, where Barve lives during the annual legislative session, and about $3,570 on his primary residence in Gaithersburg. Barve indicated that he assumed Anne Arundel County would delete the exemption, but the county did not receive a copy of the declaration signed by both Barve and his wife in 2007. Having co-sponsored a bill last year to prevent people from illegally claiming the credit on multiple properties, he engaged in the same type of behavior he sought to stop in the legislation he once supported. However, Mr. Barve is not the first politician to double dip on tax credits, the Baltimore Sun reported Democratic Congressman Pete Stark engaged in a similar double dipping practice as the Maryland House Majority Leader.