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It has now been about one month since the 2023 legislative session came to a close. Join your District 16 legislators on Wednesday, May 17 at 7pm for our virtual town hall. You can register here.  And if you appreciate the work I am doing, don't forget you can join Comptroller Brooke Lierman and Speaker Adrienne Jones at an event in support of me on Saturday, June 10th at 1:00pm. You can contribute here. LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Governor Moore has been considering the legislation passed by the General Assembly during the month of May. You can see what bills he has signed by clicking here or if you have a question about a bill just hit reply and ask. I am pleased that the Governor has signed several bills I sponsored related to education, clean energy and the environment, transportation, and government transparency.  -----
The most comprehensive summary of the legislative session is prepared by the Department of Legislative Services in the 90 Day Report. You can review that document here. ----- For the real wonks out there, the Joint Chairs Report (JCR) accompanies the state budget and summarizes all of the legislative actions on the budget. The JCR is one of our major executive branch oversight tools, as it contains various requested reports from the executive branch. These requested reports help provide the legislative branch information on executive branch operations and ensure the laws are being executed as intended. TRANSPORTATION UPDATE Because of language in the state budget, the Maryland Transit Administration has to submit bimonthly reports to the General Assembly on Purple Line progress. You can read the May report here. ----- Many of you have written to me about the changes on Little Falls Parkway. Last year, Montgomery County Parks put in a pilot project to convert Little Falls between Dorset Avenue and Arlington Road to a two-lane configuration all on one side of the median. Last month, the Montgomery County Planning Commission voted to make this configuration permanent. The Montgomery County Council, however, voted to halt any funding for permanent changes until plans are submitted to the County Council.----- Earlier this year, Montgomery County's Department of Transportation proposed a road diet pilot on Tuckerman Lane between Old Georgetown Road and Wisconsin Avenue. After a public meeting and further consideration, the County has instead decided to make other improvements to try and make the bicycle and pedestrian crossings of Tuckerman Lane on that segment safer. These improvements include: Raised Crosswalks/Speed Humps - Tuckerman Lane at Bethesda Trolley Trail and Tuckerman Lane at Valerian Lane crossings
Additional Lighting and enhancements - Tuckerman Lane at BTT
Tuckerman Lane at Valerian Lane
The Gaithersburg Book Festival is on Saturday, May 20th, 10am-6pm at Bohrer Park in Gaithersburg. Now I know what you are thinking, Gaithersburg is not in District 16. True enough, but if you come to the festival you can see me interview Gabriel Debenedetti, author of The Long Alliance: The Imperfect Union of Joe Biden and Barack Obama. ---- On Wednesday, June 14 at 7:30am, the Bethesda Chevy Chase Democratic Breakfast Club will hear from Senator Brian Feldman. Email keller.johnw@gmail.com if you would like a link to the breakfast. ---- On Sunday, June 11 at 3:00pm, the Friendship Heights Neighbors Network will hold an event featuring Councilmember Andrew Friedson, Delegate Sarah Wolek, and me. Learn more about the event here. COMMUNITY NEWS A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to go on the Politics Hour with Kojo Nnamdi on WAMU. You can hear the interview here. ------ Over the years I have worked with my colleagues to establish a grant program for non-profits focused on aging in place. I am excited to report that a local non-profit, Little Falls Village, was one of the grant program's first recipients. Funding is now available for next year and more information is available here. ----- Senator Ben Cardin recently announced that he will retire at the conclusion of his Senate term. Thank you to Senator Cardin for your lifetime of service to the State of Maryland. ----- Two of our District 16 municipalities recently held elections. In the Village of Friendship Heights, Mayor Melanie White, Councilmember Paula Durbin, and Councilmember Michael Mezey were all re-elected. And Cheryl Tyler, Bobby Pestronk, Mathoa Solt, and Roy Schaeffer were all elected for the first time. In the Town of Glen Echo, Councilmember Julia Wilson was re-elected and Dawn Tanner was elected for the first time. Congratulations one and all. ----- Some of our District 16 neighbors have been appointed to Montgomery County boards. Congratulations to:
Congratulations to Former White House staffer and District 16 resident Jeff Nussbaum on his new position with Bully Pulpit Interactive (https://www.axios.com/2023/04/19/jeff-nussbaum-bpi-biden). ----- We celebrate the birth of Hazel Rosenthal, granddaughter of long-serving District 16 precinct official Beth Rosenthal! ----- Several Friendship Heights residents recently received Community Service Awards:Joe Bucherer David Churchill William Corey Sheila Footer William Lewis Cameron Moody Ken Niles Ethel Pacheco Sandra Schwarzbart Evan Smith ----- Congratulations to District 16's Stephen Rockower on his appointment to the Prescription Drug Affordability Board and Stakeholder Council. And congratulations to former District 16 Delegate Bill Frick to the Montgomery County Trial Courts Judicial Nominating Commission. At midnight, the House of Delegates adjourned the 2023 legislative session. For the next nine months, my newsletter will return to its monthly format. Below is an update on some of what occurred during the legislative session. Your District 16 legislators will also host a town hall soon and I will share that information as soon as it is available.  It has been an exciting and historic session with the inauguration of a new Governor. The District 16 Delegation also changed as State Senator Susan Lee joined the Moore Administration and Senator Ariana Kelly succeeded her. As a result, Delegate Sara Love and I were recently joined in the House by your newest legislator, Delegate Sarah Wolek. I also took on a new role as House Majority Leader, a part of the leadership team of the House of Delegates. I continued to chair the Transportation and Environment Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee and served as a member of the Capital Budget Subcommittee and the Oversight Committee on Personnel.
Below is a synopsis of some key highlights from the legislative session. We work on thousands of bills each legislative session so if an issue you care about is not addressed here, please email me about it at marc.korman@house.state.md.us. Budget Highlights The one piece of legislation that we are constitutionally required to pass each year is a balanced budget. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I worked throughout the session on fiscal issues and was pleased to see the passage of a robust and bipartisan budget that funds our legislative priorities. The budget includes: Full funding for K-12 and community college formulas. This includes $8.7 billion for public school support, with more than $940 million allocated to Montgomery County Public Schools. $900 million for the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future fund, which sets aside dollars for future year public education expenditures. $100 million in additional transportation funding, beyond the state’s Transportation Trust Fund, targeted to support significant transit projects around the state. Support for colleges and universities to cap in-state student tuition increases at 2%. The full actuarially required contribution to the state’s pension fund plus an additional payment above and beyond the requirement. In District 16 and across Montgomery County, the capital–or construction–budget as passed includes: $84 million for Montgomery County school construction. $800,000 to replace and upgrade the irrigation system at Povich Field (home of the Bethesda Big Train). $1 million for the Bethesda Market Park project adjacent to the Bethesda Farm Women’s Market. $2.6 million for the White Flint/North Bethesda Metro Station second entrance. $2 million for the new Institute for Health Computing in North Bethesda. $27 million for Montgomery County Bus Rapid Transit. $5 million to purchase zero-emission buses. $1 million for Round House Theatre renovations. $500,000 for improvements to the Maplewood Alta-Vista Local Park. $1 million to modernize the Glen Echo Fire Department. $900,000 for capital improvements for the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington’s headquarters. $271,000 to construct a Respiratory Isolation Suite at the National Institutes of Health’s Children’s Inn. Protecting Reproductive Rights In the wake of the United States Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, Maryland is taking bold steps to protect a woman’s right to choose and make her own medical decisions. I was proud to support and co-sponsor the Right to Reproductive Freedom (HB 705), which will place a constitutional amendment on the ballot in the November 2024 general election where voters can decide whether to enshrine protections for reproductive health care in the state constitution. The General Assembly also passed legislation to provide legal protections from civil and criminal consequences for medical providers and others who help an out-of-state resident access reproductive health care in Maryland through the Reproductive Health Protection Act (HB 808), to prevent the disclosure of sensitive medical information (HB 812), and to improve access by directing public higher education institutions to develop a plan for the provision of reproductive health care services to students (HB 477). Improving Education Supporting Maryland students at every age and ensuring that they have access to a quality education is one of my top priorities, and this session, the Maryland General Assembly took many steps to strengthen Maryland’s education system. As described above, the state budget fully funds our public education formulas in the coming year. Teachers are the backbone of our schools, and the Maryland Educator Shortage Act of 2023 (HB 1219) provides funding for and improves teacher recruitment and retention efforts in the state to address high vacancy rates and attract educators from underrepresented communities. One of the major issues for Maryland students and families is the affordability of college, especially given the missteps of the Maryland 529 Program as it relates to their pre-paid trust program (not their investment account program). The General Assembly moved quickly to pass legislation to reform the program and provide relief for affected families (SB 959). I also supported alterations to the state’s student loan debt relief tax credit to increase student loan debt relief for state workers (HB 680). Several of my own enacted bills dealt with education. I introduced the Teacher Pay Parity Act (HB 448), which requires the state and counties to provide teachers in special education placement programs with a salary that is equivalent to salaries received by special education teachers in public schools. The program is for public-school funded students who are placed in a non-public facility to better meet their unique educational needs. As an avid reader, I am particularly excited about another bill I sponsored, entitled the Young Readers Program Expansion Act of 2023 (HB 243). The legislation builds on a bill of mine that was passed last year to support nonprofits that provide free books to children under five. Expanding Economic Opportunity During the legislative session, I supported several bills that make it possible for individuals and families to thrive in Maryland. The Fair Wage Act (SB 555) sets the minimum wage for all employers at $15 per hour beginning on January 1, 2024 instead of 2025. The Family Prosperity Act of 2023 (HB 547) moves the state closer to its goal of eliminating childhood poverty by making permanent expansions to the state Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit that were originally enacted during the pandemic. Building off of last year’s work establishing a paid parental and medical leave program in the state, HB 988 alters the implementation date to allow time for the Department of Labor to build out the necessary infrastructure, sets the cost share for employers and employees, requires the state to cover certain contributions, and makes other changes to strengthen this important program that will provide economic stability for so many. I was also proud to support the Serving Every Region Through Vocational Exploration Act of 2023 (SB 551), one of the pillars of the Governor’s agenda, which creates a service-year option for high school graduates to work for community organizations and nonprofits. The General Assembly also passed legislation to protect and support renters in Maryland by requiring landlords to notify tenants about upcoming rent increases (HB 151) and establishing a Statewide Rental Assistance Voucher Program to provide assistance for low-income families on the waiting list for federal housing vouchers (SB 848). Increasing Access to Health Care Expanding access to health care has been a critical priority for the Maryland General Assembly. I supported HB 279, an emergency bill that removes the termination date on Maryland’s Prescription Drug Affordability Board and allows it to continue doing its important work to lower the cost of prescription drugs in Maryland. While gender-affirming care has been under fire in other states, Maryland has been making strides to protect access to the necessary care. I am proud that the General Assembly passed the Trans Health Equity Act (HB 283), which requires Maryland Medicaid to cover the same gender-affirming care for low-income Marylanders in the transgender community that is offered to those with private insurance. Environment and Energy Since I was elected to the House of Delegates, I have worked to make Maryland a leader in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and making us a greener state. This year, the General Assembly passed the Clean Transportation and Energy Act (HB 550) and the Clean Trucks Act of 2023 (HB 230), which increase funds to help make transportation in Maryland cleaner and to expand the network of electric vehicle recharging stations in the state and require the establishment of new regulations for the sale of zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty trucks. We also passed legislation to protect Maryland’s natural resources and land by establishing the Environmental and Natural Resources Crimes Unit in the Office of the Attorney General to prosecute those that violate state environmental protection laws (HB 874) and updating state forest preservation and retention laws (HB 723). In addition to strengthening environmental protections and expanding our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, I have been committed to ensuring that Marylanders have the option of transitioning their own homes to green energy. That is why I was proud to support legislation which makes the Community Solar Program permanent and the distribution of generated energy more equitable (HB 908). We also passed legislation to establish a state goal of generating 3000 megawatts of energy storage by 2033 and to grant the Public Service Commission (PSC) the authority to accomplish this goal in a cost-effective manner (HB 910). I have worked on energy storage legislation in previous sessions and was proud to support this bill. I also introduced the Net Metering Flexibility Act, which makes net metering for home solar panels more consumer friendly by giving consumers greater options for how to redeem the energy credits they generate. The Senate version of the bill (SB 143) has been sent to the Governor. I previously served as a member of the State Transparency and Reform Commission to provide oversight to the state’s quasi-governmental agencies and ensure that they are carrying out their duties effectively. As a result of this work, I learned about the Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority, which is a 40-plus year old agency set up to support incineration in the state. In order to ensure that we have a forward-looking waste policy, I sponsored the Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority Sunset Act (HB 161) to require a sunset review of that agency to determine whether its functions could best be performed instead by the Maryland Environmental Service. Cannabis Legalization and Public Safety In 2022, Maryland voters approved a referendum to legalize recreational cannabis use for those over 21. As a result, the General Assembly was tasked with creating a regulatory framework that establishes cannabis business licensing, taxation, and enforcement. Using lessons and best practices from other states, HB 556 sets up the new legal cannabis industry with a focus on keeping tax rates competitive to diminish the illicit market as well as developing an equitable licensing process and market through support for applicants from communities disproportionately impacted by the enforcement of cannabis laws. The legalization of recreational cannabis requires associated reforms to the state’s criminal laws. The General Assembly passed legislation to prohibit a law enforcement officer from initiating a stop and search of a person or motor vehicle based solely on the odor of cannabis and other factors (HB 1071). The bill treats cannabis like alcohol by restricting the area of a vehicle that may be searched if the individual is under suspicion of driving impaired or under the influence of cannabis. Ensuring the safety of Marylanders is one of the most important duties of the General Assembly, and I am proud to have supported many efforts this year to improve public safety. Gun violence remains a serious problem facing our state and our nation, and Maryland has taken steps to protect our communities. I supported HB 824, which makes the process for purchasing a firearm in Maryland more comprehensive and improves training requirements, as well as (SB 858) which updates firearm storage requirements. In addition, the Gun Safety Act of 2023 (SB 1) strengthens restrictions on where a person can carry a firearm. After being stalled for a number of sessions, the General Assembly finally passed HB 4, which repeals the spousal defense for rape. Transportation I am heavily involved in transportation issues as Chair of the Transportation and Environment Subcommittee of Appropriations. Additionally, I am a co-founder of the bipartisan Transit Caucus. This year the General Assembly made progress on several bills to improve transportation funding. The legislature passed the Senate version of my bill, the State and Federal Transportation Funding Act (SB 24). The bill allows for Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicles (GARVEE) bonds to be used to fund critical transportation projects in Maryland. The legislature also passed HB 524 to establish a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Fund, of which Montgomery County will receive at least $20 million of funding to support the vital BRT system in the county. Although not legislative, there have also been recent developments regarding former Governor Hogan’s plan to widen I-495 and I-270 with toll lanes as part of a public-private partnership. Last month, the private contractor Transurban exited the project. Whether any aspect of the project will continue and in what form is now in the hands of the Governor. Government Transparency This session, I was proud to pass two bills expanding on my previous efforts to increase government transparency in Maryland. The Board of Public Works Comment Act (HB 498) requires the Board of Public Works to allow members of the public to submit public comments electronically and requires the comments to be included in meeting materials and posted online. My other bill, the Maryland State Agency Transparency Act of 2023 (HB 58), builds on prior work I have done with Senator Cheryl Kagan to make various agencies’ governing boards more transparent. This bill applies web streaming and agenda posting requirements under the Open Meetings Act to the State Ethics Commission. My Office Outside of Session Thank you for contacting me during the legislative session. I strongly value the input of my constituents on the issues before the General Assembly. While the state legislature only meets for 90 days each year in Annapolis, I am working for you 365 days a year. As we progress throughout the year, my office will continue to be a resource to help connect you to state and local officials. If you have any questions about the material in this letter, other questions about the recently concluded legislative session, ideas regarding policy issues, issues with a state agency that require constituent services, or are interested in my office’s legislative scholarship, please contact me any time. I can be reached by phone at 301-858-3649, or by email at marc.korman@house.state.md.us. Earlier this week Delegate Sarah Wolek was sworn in to the House of Delegates representing District 16 alongside Delegate Sara Love and me. Delegate Wolek fills the term of now-Senator Ariana Kelly, who was appointed to fill the term of Susan Lee who joined the Moore Administration. For those who are interested, the process for filling vacancies in the Maryland General Assembly is enshrined in the State Constitution at Article III, Section 13. Congratulations Delegate Wolek!  We are now just a few days from adjournment of the 2023 legislative session and I wanted to offer a brief update on some of the major issues we have been addressing this legislative session. This certainly does not encompass every issue or bill we have worked on so if you have a question about something not included here, please click reply.
Reproductive Health: Because of the Supreme Court's decision overturning Roe v. Wade (in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health), the General Assembly has been considering a package of bill's related to the right to choose this year. Chief among them is a measure to enshrine the right to choose in Maryland's constitution, which will be on the ballot in 2024. Both the House and the Senate have also passed versions of the Reproductive Health Act, which ensures that those who come to Maryland for reproductive health services and their medical providers are protected. HB 812 has passed both the House and the Senate and enhances certain privacy protections related to reproductive health. Finally, HB 477 addresses access to reproductive health at our institutions of higher education. Cannabis Reform: Last year, the voters passed a constitutional amendment legalizing recreational cannabis in Maryland. The House and the Senate continue to negotiate the precise final language of the legislation that would establish the regulations, taxation, and licensing of recreational cannabis. Differences still to be resolved include the tax rate, whether an independent agency or an expanded Alcohol and Tobacco Commission will regulate, and how on-site consumption will work. Family Prosperity Act: The proposal from Governor Moore extends and expands the state's earned income tax credit and the state child tax credit. It should be heading to the Governor's desk by the time you read this. Minimum Wage: Governor Moore proposed a faster implementation of the $15.00/hour minimum wage and the Senate sent it over to the House making the wage effective January 1, 2024 instead of January 1, 2025. The bill passed the House on Tuesday and now awaits the Governor's signature. 529 College Pre-Paid Trust: There have been heavily reported problems with the Maryland 529 College Pre-Paid Trust plan (separate from the savings accounts known as Maryland College Investment Plans). As a result, the House and the Senate have been considering legislation to reform the program but negotiations on the details are still under way. Firearm Safety: The Supreme Court's New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen decision has caused some reconsideration of the state's firearm safety laws, including permits to wear, carry, and transport a handgun; handgun permit fees; who can obtain a handgun permit; altering the locations of where a firearm can be carried; and so forth. The House and Senate have passed different bills and whether no bill, both bills, or one bill passes will need to be determined this week. Transgender Health Equity: Many private insurers in Maryland provide coverage for gender affirming care that our state's Medicaid program for low-income residents does not cover. The Trans Health Equity Act would create parity and is already on its way to the Governor's office. Paid Family and Medical Leave: Last year, we passed legislation to create a Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program that is still being implemented. Legislation being worked on by the House and Senate would make certain modifications to assist with program implementation, such as clarifying the employer/employee contribution percentages and delaying the timeline for program enactment. BUDGET UPDATE Earlier this week, the House and Senate passed the conference report on the Fiscal Year 2024 state operating budget. As always, the budget is balanced, sets aside 10% of General Fund revenue in the state's Rainy Day fund, pays our actuarially required contribution to the state pension fund, and projects a structural balance in the next fiscal year. It does all of this while fully funding our state's public education K-12 and community college formulas, provides funding to keep higher education tuition increases to 2%, and makes investments in our state workforce, parks, and transportation network. The budget passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. Yesterday, the House also passed the state's capital (construction) budget. It includes significant investments in and around District 16 that I will share more about following Senate action on the budget. Roads Update As I have shared in prior emails, we have received significant communication regarding Little Falls Parkway and Old Georgetown Road. Little Falls Parkway: The Montgomery County Planning Board has authority over Little Falls Parkway and recently held a public hearing on the proposed linear park and lengthy road diet on the Parkway. The Planning Board will take up the issue at their April 13th Planning Board Meeting. Old Georgetown Road: As regular readers are aware, the State Highway Administration (SHA) installed bicycle lanes along Old Georgetown Road (MD 187) between Tilden Lane and Ryland Drive late last year (bicycle lanes were previously installed between Ryland Drive and Cedar Lane in 2020). As you also know, there has been some loss of life and serious injury along the road in recent years and SHA installed the bike lanes on Old Georgetown Road in an effort to create a buffer between the road and sidewalk and accommodate many uses. As background, you can read SHA’s Corridor Needs Analysis regarding Old Georgetown Road here. And here is a presentation regarding the Tilden to Ryland stretch.Since the bike lanes were installed, my office has relayed many implementation questions and concerns from the public to SHA. As a result of the feedback received, SHA agreed to perform an Interim Analysis to examine the impact of the bike lanes on traffic times and safety. It is available here. Some of you may have received this directly from SHA late last week. Because SHA is still adding features to the bicycle lanes (mostly paint that was challenging to apply during the winter months), the agency has committed to conducting a “post-installation analysis” later this summer. Once SHA sent out the Interim Analysis, the District 16 state legislators met with them to get answers to some immediate questions we thought constituents would have. For example, we confirmed that all data collected for the Interim Analysis was done during the middle of the week (Tuesday to Thursday) in line with traffic analysis standards. No data was collected on a public holiday, school break, school early release, or during any inclement weather period or special event that would impact normal traffic times in the area. The crash data provided in the analysis also seemed flawed, because it was not comparing the period with the bicycle lanes to comparable periods in prior years. SHA has agreed to provide a comparison of crash data on Old Georgetown Road between December 15, 2022 and March 15, 2023 and the same prior two year period, which we will share when available. The Interim Analysis also does not include data regarding usage of the bike lanes themselves, which SHA has now agreed to provide for the post-installation analysis this summer. My office will continue to relay constituent feedback to the State Highway Administration. That said, SHA’s contact information is also included at the end of the analysis document if you prefer to reach out to them directly. UPCOMING EVENTS
If you know of an upcoming District 16 event or a District 16 resident who merits recognition or condolences, please email marc@marckorman.com. I spend a lot of time in this weekly newsletter talking about the work of the House of Delegates. No surprise there. I am a Delegate after all and, these days, House Majority Leader. But this is the time of the year that members of the House and members of the Senator quickly remember that like 48 other state legislatures--all but Nebraska--Maryland has a bicameral legislature. The story goes that George Washington said that the U.S. Senate's purpose was to "cool" U.S. House legislation just as a saucer is used to cool hot tea. I do not think it works quite the same way in Maryland where the Senators and House members represent the same constituencies and serve the same overlapping terms, but each chamber does bring different perspectives to bills.
This is the time of year we are all reminded of the other body because members from each are marching across the hall (really between our separate legislative buildings) to present our bills that passed our own chamber to the other. For example, last week I presented the Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority Sunset Act to the Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee. Unlike most of my other bills, this one had no "Senate cross-file"--an identical bill introduced by a Senator--so it was the first time any Senator was really hearing or thinking about my bill. And earlier this week I presented the Teacher Pay Parity Act to the Senate Budget & Taxation Committee. BUDGET UPDATE Earlier this week, the Governor sent down a supplemental budget making various changes to the proposed operating and capital budgets. You can review it here. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I am also part of the "conference committee" on the budget when the House and Senate budget leaders get together to sort out differences. As I draft this, I am between meetings of the conference committee. COMMUNITY NEWS Condolences to the Temple Beth El community on the passing of Rabbi Emeritus William Rudolph. ----- Three District 16 residents were recently nominated to state boards and commissions by Governor Moore:
Two District 16 residents were also nominated to County Boards and Commissions by the County Executive:
District 16's Dr. Kevin Cullen has been added to the Baltimore Sun's Business and Civic Hall of Fame for his work on cancer care. UPCOMING EVENTS
If you know of an upcoming District 16 event or a District 16 resident who merits recognition or condolences, please email marc@marckorman.com. Just before I finalized this weekly newsletter, the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee selected Sarah Wolek to fill now Senator Kelly's unexpired term as Delegate for District 16. Sarah's name now goes to Governor Moore for appointment to join Delegate Sara Love and me in representing you in the House of Delegates. Congratulations to Sarah! Monday was the so-called "crossover deadline," the date by which bills need to move from one chamber of the Maryland General Assembly to the other to avoid being sent to the Rules Committee (significantly harming the chance of final passage).  The Maryland General Assembly deals with thousands of bills each year and as House Majority Leader, I am proud to be in the mix on many of them related to choice, healthcare, firearm safety, the environment, the economy and more. But the crossover deadline is a good time to assess the status of the ten bills of which I am the primary author.
The State and Federal Transportation Funding Act (HB 51) allows so-called GARVEE and GAN financing for certain transportation mega projects. It has passed the House. The Maryland State Agency Transparency Act (HB 58) applies certain Open Meetings Act requirements including web streaming of meetings to the State Ethics Commission. It has passed the House and the Senate version has passed that body. The Net Metering Flexibility Act (HB 68) makes net metering for home solar panels more consumer friendly. It is still in committee but the Senate version has passed. The Maryland Rail Investment Act (HB 74) to create a state rail authority funded by tolls on existing tolled facilities is stuck in committee. The Board of Public Works Public Comment Act (HB 498) will bring more transparency to that unique body. The House and Senate version have each passed. The Teacher Pay Parity Act (HB 448) reforms special needs school teacher pay. The bill has passed the House. The Arbitration Reform for State Employees Act (HB 380) would allow binding arbitration for our collectively bargaining state employees. It is stalled in committee. The Young Readers Program Act (HB 243) expands a program created last year to support books for those under 5 years old. It has passed the House and the Senate version has passed that body. The Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority Sunset Act (HB 161) requires a sunset review of that quasi-governmental agency. It has passed the House. HB 377 is a Montgomery County Delegation bill I am championing with Senator Ariana Kelly and Delegate Sara Love to reform procurement policies for the Village of Friendship Heights in District 16. COMMUNITY NEWS District 16's Anna Palmisano is the recipient of the Robert Wears Award for National Leadership in Patient Safety in the volunteer category. I have seen Anna up close advocating for patients' rights and improved healthcare in Annapolis. ----- Congratulations to District 16's Robert Chanin and Judith Rivlin on their reappointment and appointment, respectively, to the Maryland Public School Labor Relations Board. ----- Congratulations to District 16's Judith Hallett, whose book Ancient Women Writers of Greece and Rome, has been selected to receive the 2023 Bochazy Pedagogy Award from the Classical Association of the Middle West and South. ----- Condolences to the family of Norman Knopf on his passing. Norm was an attorney who had long been active in county land use issues. ----- State legislators have the opportunity to award scholarships to our constituents for their higher education. If you are interested in a scholarship, please visit https://www.marckorman.com/scholarship.html for further information about how to apply. UPCOMING EVENTS
If you know of an upcoming District 16 event or a District 16 resident who merits recognition or condolences, please email marc@marckorman.com. The one piece of business the General Assembly is required to address each year is the annual budget. This year's budget originates in the House of Delegates. As I have shared before, the Appropriations Committee, on which I serve, considers the budget through different subject matter subcommittees. I chair the Subcommittee on Transportation and the Environment. Last week, each subcommittee made its recommendations to the full Appropriations Committee which passed the budget on a bipartisan basis. You can read the reports of each subcommittee here:
As I have shared before, this year's budget fully funds the various statutory formulas in law for public education (including $1.1 billion in aid for Montgomery County Public Schools); is balanced, as required by Maryland laws; holds tuition increases at the University System of Maryland to 2% and fully funds the state's community college funding formula; and more. Combined with the state capital budget, it also funds school construction, parks infrastructure, and transportation projects. This action on the budget comes just after our state's Board of Revenue Estimates made some revisions to the current and next fiscal year provisions. They expect less growth in both the income and sales taxes and noted that the state's economic strength was a little weaker than the country as a whole. It's a $477m reduction across both fiscal years (out of an almost $25b general fund). Of course, we have to balance our budget every year so we adjusted the budget described above to account for this. The slide deck from the BRE's meeting is available here. LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Three more of my bills passed the House of Delegates last week: The Maryland State Agency Transparency Act, which would expand certain Open Meetings Act requirements--including web streaming of meetings--to the State Ethics Commission; The Young Readers Program Expansion Act, which would build on a program created last year to support county-based programs that send books to young Marylanders; and the Board of Public Works Public Comment Act, which would bring new transparency to items voted on by the Board of Public Works. This week, the House will take up my legislation, the State and Federal Transportation Funding Act. The bill authorizes grant anticipation financing (known as GARVEE or GAN) for some of the state's largest transportation projects. ----- Several major initiatives passed the House of Delegates last week: -Family Prosperity Act: Tax legislation that permanently extends the state's Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit. -Reproductive Freedom Constitutional Amendment: This will place on the ballot next year a constitutional amendment regarding reproductive freedom. -Cannabis Reform: The bill puts in place the licensing, regulatory, and taxation framework for the recreational cannabis market authorized by the voters last year. And this week we will be taking up firearm safety legislation as the state responds to the Bruen Supreme Court decision. The bill modifies the qualifications for a wear and carry permit in Maryland. TREASURER UPDATE Earlier this week, State Treasurer Davis announced that Maryland had retained its AAA bond rating from all three major ratings agencies. Although these bond rating agencies do not always get it right, their view does impact the cost Maryland pays to borrow for construction projects. The ratings reports also provide a nice little fiscal check-in. You can read all three of the reports here.There's actually a minor error in the Fitch report, as it says that Maryland "established the nation's first taxes on digital goods and downloads, including advertising." That's only half right, the digital advertising was the first in the nation and currently under litigation but many states preceded Maryland in taxing digital goods and digital downloads. The reports all emphasize their appreciation for Maryland's fiscal management policies and that is a big part of why we get strong ratings. TRANSPORTATION NEWS The vendor for the I-495/I-270 private toll lanes project has announced that they are withdrawing from the project. The current Administration has made clear that they plan to continue the project in some form, relying on the environmental documentation and Record of Decision obtained last year. Because of the method by which the vendor withdrew, the state owes them no funds and the vendor owes no funds to the state. Whatever you think of the project or the use of Public Private Partnerships (P3), let me just suggest that large multi-national companies do not just walk away from multi-billion dollar projects without a fight. But the reality of this project has always been that the P3 could not do what the Hogan Administration said it could do: magically solve traffic at no net cost to the taxpayers. This is something even the Hogan Administration acknowledged late in the game when they sought a federal bridge grant (that MD was not awarded) on their way out the door. As I told the media, “I trust we will now have a more honest and cooperative process.” Read an article about the project change. COMMUNITY NEWS In a prior email, I shared the news that former District 16 Delegate Marilyn Goldwater passed away. The Washington Post recently published an obituary on her passing. ----- State legislators have the opportunity to award scholarships to our constituents for their higher education. If you are interested in a scholarship, please visit https://www.marckorman.com/scholarship.html for further information about how to apply. UPCOMING EVENTS
One of my roles as House Majority Leader is to help lead debate on the House floor. Last week, I participated in the debate on a bill to allow non-citizens honorably discharged from our nation's armed forces to qualify for law enforcement positions in Maryland. You can view my comments here. The bill ultimately passed with bipartisan support.  LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
My first bill of the legislative session passed the House of Delegates unanimously last week. The Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority Sunset Act would require a sunset review of this forty year old authority created to build incinerators and was unanimously voted out of the Environment & Transportation Committee. Three more of my bills are poised to pass the House of Delegates this week: The Maryland State Agency Transparency Act, which would expand certain Open Meetings Act requirements--including web streaming of meetings--to the State Ethics Commission; The Young Readers Program Expansion Act, which would build on a program created last year to support county-based programs that send books to young Marylanders; and the Board of Public Works Public Comment Act, which would bring new transparency to items voted on by the Board of Public Works. ADMINISTRATION UPDATE The Washington Post ran a deep dive over the weekend on most of Governor Wes Moore's cabinet. If you are interested, check it out here. ----- I always try to keep you up to date on the Maryland budget, as that is the one bill we are constitutionally required to pass each year. Governor Moore recently sent down a "supplemental budget" in addition to his January budget request. Supplemental budgets are routinely used as additional needs or unnecessary expenditures are identified and is especially sensible here, when Governor Moore's budget proposal was due two days after he took office. The largest changes in this supplemental relate to education funding and some adjustments now that better tax data is available. We expect further supplemental or changes in the weeks ahead. TRANSPORTATION NEWS Montgomery County Parks has provided an updated schedule regarding their analysis of the Little Falls Parkway pilot project. A briefing and public hearing will occur on March 30 in the evening. More information is available here. Because the Planning Board directly oversees Montgomery County Parks, if you have feedback on the current pilot I would encourage you to contact the Planning Board here. ----- The Maryland state budget requires the Maryland Transit Administration to submit bimonthly reports on Purple Line progress. The report includes the percentage of completion across 10 categories of work. The report also publicly acknowledges the concessionaire's (contractor's) view that the project will not be completed when currently planned, which the state disputes. You can review the report here. COMMUNITY NEWS State legislators have the opportunity to award scholarships to our constituents for their higher education. If you are interested in a scholarship, please visit https://www.marckorman.com/scholarship.html for further information about how to apply. ----- Congratulations to two District 16 residents recently appointed to county positions:
UPCOMING EVENTS
If you know of an upcoming District 16 event or a District 16 resident who merits recognition or condolences, please email marc@marckorman.com. We are now more than halfway through the 90 day legislative session which means floor sessions are getting longer and committees are voting out more bills. Over the past few weeks, significant public hearings have been held on legislation related to the legalization of cannabis, placing a constitutional amendment on the ballot in support of reproductive rights, responding to the Supreme Court's Bruen decision on firearms legislation, the Governor's proposal to raise the minimum wage and peg it to inflation and more. If there is a legislative issue or bill you are interested in, please just click the reply and I am happy to let you know the status of that particular one.  LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
Each of my bills has now had a hearing and several of them are moving through the process. The Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority Sunset Act (mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb0161?ys=2023RS) would require a sunset review of this forty year old authority created to build incinerators and was unanimously voted out of the Environment & Transportation Committee. The Maryland State Agency Transparency Act (mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb0058?ys=2023RS), which would expand certain Open Meetings Act requirements--including web streaming of meetings--to the State Ethics Commission, was voted out of subcommittee. The Young Readers Program Expansion Act (https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb0243?ys=2023RS), which would build on a program created last year to support county-based programs that send books to young Marylanders, also passed out of subcommittee. I expect further progress on bills I am working on over the next few weeks. COMMUNITY NEWS State legislators have the opportunity to award scholarships to our constituents for their higher education. If you are interested in a scholarship, please visit https://www.marckorman.com/scholarship.html for further information about how to apply. ----- Congratulations to two District 16 residents recently appointed to county positions:
UPCOMING EVENTS
If you know of an upcoming District 16 event or a District 16 resident who merits recognition or condolences, please email marc@marckorman.com. Yesterday, Governor Moore testified before the House Appropriations Committee regarding the Serving Every Region through Vocational Exploration (SERVE) Act, the Governor's service year initiative. Last week he testified before the Ways & Means Committee regarding the Keep Our Heroes Home Act, the Governor's proposed tax reduction for military retirees. Such testimony used to be routine in Annapolis from Governors of both parties, but the office's prior occupant refused to engage with the legislative branch of government in this way and it was symptomatic of a broader disinterest in the legislative process. I appreciate having a Governor who respects that the legislative branch elected in the same November election that he was also has a role to play as a co-equal branch of government.  LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
The bill hearings for three more of my bills have taken place over the past few days: The Maryland State Agency Transparency Act would expand certain Open Meetings Act requirements--including web streaming of meetings--to the State Ethics Commission. You can watch the hearing here. The Teacher Pay Parity Act would ensure that special education teachers at specialized schools that our public school systems route children to are paid wages comparable to the typical public schools. You can watch the hearing here. The Board of Public Works Transparency Act would establish a transparent public commenting system for the state's unique Board of Public Works, a body made up of the Governor, Comptroller, and Treasurer that approves state contracts, among other functions. You can watch the hearing here (starting at 1:11:10). COMMITTEE NEWS As I have shared before, the Maryland General Assembly is a committee-driven body and I serve on the Appropriations Committee. In addition to regular legislation, our major focus is the budget. As chair of the Transportation & Environment Subcommittee, I spend the most time on agency budgets dealing with those issues including the Maryland Department of Transportation, Public Service Commission, and similar agencies. Thus far, we have had hearings on the Maryland Department of Planning, Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund, Maryland Environmental Service, the Maryland Port Administration, the Maryland Aviation Administration, the Maryland Insurance Administration, the Transportation Secretary's office, the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMATA or Metro), and the Department of Agriculture. You can view the analyses on these and other agencies prepared by our Department of Legislative Services here. COMMUNITY NEWS State legislators have the opportunity to award scholarships to our constituents for their higher education. If you are interested in a scholarship, please visit https://www.marckorman.com/scholarship.html for further information about how to apply. ----- The Governor recently released his so-called "green bag" appointments, which are announcements of nominees to state boards and commissions. If you are interested in these opportunities, further information is available at the Governor's Appointments Office. A particular congratulations to several District 16 residents nominated to positions:
UPCOMING EVENTS
Just as I was completing my weekly email, my teammate Delegate Ariana Kelly was selected to fill the term of our now departed State Senator, Susan Lee. Ariana's name now goes to the Governor for further action. Congratulations Ariana! We are more than one-third of the way through the 2023 legislative session and have passed the bill filing deadline, the date by which legislation must be introduced to be guaranteed a hearing. 1,226 bills have been introduced in the House and 890 in the Senate. You can browse every House bill here. As I have shared previously, I am the primary sponsor of nine bills as well as one piece of local legislation. Six of the bills have already had bill hearings and two more will be heard later today.  LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
The bill hearings for four pieces of legislation I have introduced occurred last week.
COMMUNITY NEWS State legislators have the opportunity to award scholarships to our constituents for their higher education. If you are interested in a scholarship, please visit https://www.marckorman.com/scholarship.html for further information about how to apply. ----- In a prior update, I shared information about the Blueprint for Maryland's Future Accountability and Implementation Board. The Board now has a vacancy and if you are interested in applying, more information is available here. UPCOMING EVENTS
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