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Thank you again to the voters of District 16 for re-nominating me--as well as my teammates Senator Susan Lee, Delegate Ariana Kelly, and Delegate Sara Love--for another term during the June primary. I appreciate the support and confidence. Even in an election year, the legislative process continues. The Montgomery County Delegation's annual fall meetings have been scheduled. These meetings include a presentation by the state Department of Transportation, a priorities hearing at which any County resident can tell us what they care about, and two nights of hearings on any local (Montgomery County only) bills that are introduced. More information is on the calendar page of the Delegation's website.  As always, you can keep up with what I am doing by following me at @mkorman on Twitter or Delegate Marc Korman on Facebook. And you can support my political work by contributing here.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE The Department of Legislate Services has released its quadrennial Major Issues Review describing the General Assembly's work over the four year term. Four years is a long time and there are many highlights from an impactful term like the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, the Built to Learn Act, the Climate Solutions Now Act, the Clean Energy Jobs Act, and so much more. ----- I am pleased to have been named a "Green Champion" by the Maryland League of Conservation Voters and for scoring 100% on this year's legislative scorecard. You can read what issues and bills they scored legislators on here. BUDGET NEWS The Maryland Board of Revenue Estimates is an important but under-known part of state government that tracks how our economy is doing and it’s impact on the state budget. Thanks to legislation I cosponsored in 2021, it now has its own website at https://www.mdbre.gov/ The 2021 bill also reformed BRE’s hiring process and makes it more transparent with posted reports and a regular meeting schedule. TRANSPORTATION UPDATE There has been a lot in the news lately regarding the federally led environmental review of the Governor's proposed private toll road expansion on I-495 and I-270. I joined a group of lawmakers from Montgomery County that requested the Federal Highway Administration extend the time to review the Final Environmental Impact Statement, which is available here. Governor Hogan issued a press release attacking the federal government for not rubber stamping the environmental review of his private toll road widening project. Buried in the press release, Governor Hogan also conceded he would be asking those same federal officials for money: "As a result, I have directed state transportation officials to initiate the process of applying for a federal bridge grant to mitigate these federally-driven cost increases." The Governor tries to explain it is the federal government's fault he needs a taxpayer subsidy for his supposedly tax-free project, but this is a distortion of reality. Almost every road way Public Private Partnership (P3) in the United States has required taxpayer contributions. Do not take the word of a project skeptic like me. Take the word of project supporters at the Reason Foundation who in a review of all road way P3s found the following: "All but two of the 17 projects involved some investment by the state DOT, in addition to the private sector’s investment of equity and its legal obligation to pay off revenue bonds." (Source) It is also interesting to note that the consortium tasked with building the project does not have a construction partner to actually do the work at this time. ----- I am a supporter (and rider) of transit and recognize its traffic, economic and environmental benefits. But its challenges are real. I recently spoke to a streaming news service called Newsy about some of the national challenges facing transit. You can watch the segment here. Closer to home, I spoke to Governing Magazine about some of the particular shortcomings of our regional Metro system. ----- The state has issued its draft State Rail Plan. As a leader in the Maryland Transit Caucus, I helped draft our comments, which you can review online as well. ----- With the new construction contractor for the Purple Line in place, I joined with the Chair of the House Appropriations Committee to call on Maryland to abide by its statements that the project would include a Project Labor Agreement. Our letter is here. As the construction contractor steps in, work will ramp up on the corridor. One recent announcement was that a lane of auto traffic and the sidewalk on 355 between Elm and Hampden will be closed. Although the public notice referenced the need for vehicles to access the construction site, the need for the closure is more complicated than this and includes building a temporary structure to support a crane. I have met with the contractor to discuss potential mitigation and to understand if this long-term closure is truly necessary. We placed a requirement in the budget that the Maryland Transit Administration submit a report every other month on project process. You can read the first bimonthly report here. COMMUNITY NEWS
The Maryland Primary Election Day is Tuesday, July 19. But for those who requested vote by mail, your ballots have already started to arrive. And according to statistics from the Board of Elections, District 16 far surpasses any other legislative districts with the volume of vote by mail ballots requested, almost 14,000. If you still want to receive your ballot in the mail, you can fill out this form and send it to the local Board of Elections by Tuesday, July 12: If you do not want to mail your ballot back, you can use any convenient drop box around the county between now and 8pm on July 19. The complete list is available here. Some of the most convenient for District 16 residents are the boxes at Walt Whitman High School, Walter Johnson High School, the Montgomery County Conference Center (Marriott Bethesda North), and the Friendship Heights Village Center, And just outside of the district. there are drop boxes at Winston Churchill High School, the Potomac Community Center, the Lawton Center, and Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School. Early voting is also available from July 7 to July 14 between 7am and 8pm and you can vote at any of the 14 sites in Montgomery County. Those most convenient to District 16 are the Lawton Center in Chevy Chase, the Potomac Community Center, and the Executive Office Building in Rockville. More information is available here. On Election Day (July 19), you can vote at your local polling place between 7am and 8pm. You can click here to find your local polling place. Yes, after being unavailable during COVID-19, your local polling place will be open on Election Day. If you have any questions about where or how to vote, please reply to this email and we are happy to direct you to resources. THE DISTRICT 16 TEAM    -----
I serve on the Joint Committee on Fair Practices and State Personnel Oversight which today released its Final Report on Maryland Environmental Service Personnel and Board Practices, which involved the Governor's former chief of staff. You can read it here: https://tinyurl.com/hbn3b4fx This particular situation is now in the hands of the professionals (the State Prosecutor and U.S. Attorney), but the experience demonstrates that legislative oversight can work. You can read about the issues in the Baltimore Sun. BUDGET NEWS Maryland State Treasurer Derek Davis recently shared the good news that Maryland has retained its AAA bond rating. The bond rating agencies are certainly fallible, but these decisions help determine how far the dollars of our construction budget can go so this is positive news. You can read the detailed reports of the rating agencies assessing Maryland on the Treasurer's website. TRANSPORTATION UPDATE Our community received another heartbreak when a student was killed on his bicycle along Old Georgetown Road, a sadly familiar event in Bethesda. When a similar event occurred a few years ago, the State Highway Administration painted bike lanes that provide some separation and buffer between pedestrians and bicyclists and motorists on a short portion of Old Georgetown Road. They also conducted a Needs Analysis, which you can read here. The District 16 Team and our local member of the County Council, Andrew Friedson, have met with the State Highway Administration and their will be further announcements about further improvements and a public process soon. ----- As I noted in last month's update, Metro recently announced a failure to re-certify its rail operators. Combined with other recent safety lapses including a wheelset problem that has put most of the rail car fleet out of service and power restorations to the third track that are endangering workers' lives, the issues with Metro are disappointing to say the least. The Subcommittee I chair held an oversight hearing on the issues with Metro last month, which you can watch here. Some press outlets covered the hearing including Maryland Matters and WTOP. ----- The Maryland Department of Transportation recently announced an initiative to encourage safer driving around construction sites. This builds on work my Appropriations Subcommittee did to require the State Highway Administration to study this issue, a report you can read here. ----- Two years ago, Senator Craig Zucker and I sponsored legislation to transition Maryland's municipal bus fleet to zero emissions. I led a bipartisan letter of my colleagues in the House of Delegates in support of a federal grant application to help support that transition. You can read the letter here. COMMUNITY NEWS
With the 2022 legislative session now in the rear view mirror, I have been spending a lot of time talking to people about the work we did and what constituents want us to continue to make progress on in the future. If you missed the recent District 16 town hall, you can watch it online by clicking here.  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.
As always, you can keep up with what I am doing by following me at @mkorman on Twitter or by clicking "Like" on Delegate Marc Korman on Facebook. CAMPAIGN UPDATE Since my last email update, I am proud to say that my campaign for re-election has been endorsed by the Sierra Club, the League of Conservation Voters, SEIU Local 500, and the Montgomery County Career Firefighters. I was also named a Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate. As a reminder, State and Congressional legislative lines have now been finalized. You can search your address here: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Search/Redistricting If you would like to support my campaign, you can contribute here: https://www.marckorman.com/contribute.html LEGISLATIVE UPDATE The Governor is making his final decisions on legislation. You can see what bills he has already signed by visiting his website (https://governor.maryland.gov/2022-bill-signings/). There is currently one more bill signing scheduled for May 26, 2022. Of the bills I sponsored, the Governor has signed either the House or Senate version of the following legislation:
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 exec branch operations and ensure the laws are being executed as intended. METRO UPDATE Metro has made a few major announcements recently. On the potentially positive side, the Metro board announced that the head of Austin's transit system (CapMetro), Randy Clarke, will be taking over as the new General Manager. You can watch that press conference here. But that news is over shadowed by Metro's other recent announcement that it has failed to recertify its rail operators, a total failure they announced in a weekend press release. COMMUNITY NEWS
Last night, the 2022 legislative session came to a close. Just before the midnight adjournment, District 16 and Montgomery County got some exciting news when my district-mate, Delegate Ariana Kelly, was appointed Vice Chair of the Health & Government Operations Committee. You can learn about that and more at our District 16 zoom town hall on Wednesday, May 11 at 7pm. You can register for the event here.  During the 2022 session, 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. I was also proud to continue to chair the 24-member Montgomery County House Delegation, a role which allowed me to advance our County’s statewide priorities while also working on local legislation that only affects Montgomery County.
Below is a synopsis of some key highlights from the legislative session. 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 while maintaining projected surpluses through fiscal year 2027. The budget includes:
A top priority during the 2022 legislative session was continuing to provide much needed economic relief for families, particularly families struggling with costs of living increases. This year, the General Assembly passed the Child Care Scholarship Program - Alterations (HB 995), which grants individuals on the edge of eligibility automatic enrollment for the Child Care Scholarship Program. We also passed bills that support child care providers such as the Bonuses for Child Care Providers and Employees (HB 1100), which provides $16 million for employee retention and new hire bonuses. In addition, after years of advocacy, the General Assembly passed the Time to Care Act (SB 275) which is a paid parental leave program that allows Marylanders to have partially paid leave for up to 12 weeks to care for a family member with a medical issue and up to 24 weeks after becoming a parent. It is now law after we overrode the Governor’s veto. The General Assembly voted to permanently eliminate the sales tax on certain medical equipment (HB 364), as well as several basic child care necessities such as diapers, car seats and other essential baby products. The General Assembly also passed the Retirement Tax Elimination Act of 2022 (SB 405). The bill provides an income tax credit for those 65 years old and older that make up to $100,000 and couples making up to $150,000. Expanding Women's Reproductive Health While women’s reproductive rights have come under fire in other states and may soon be threatened by the Supreme Court, Maryland has made great strides to protect a woman’s right to choose. The General Assembly passed the Abortion Care Access Act (HB 937) which removes unnecessary and outdated barriers to accessing reproductive health care. It also expands training for providers and allows different types of medical professionals to perform abortions. The General Assembly also passed the Healthy Baby Equity Act (HB 1080), requiring the Maryland Medical Assistance Program to provide medical care to non-citizen pregnant women. Both bills are now law. Improving Infrastructure The federal infrastructure bill has created significant opportunities to invest in our transportation infrastructure in Maryland, an issue I am involved in heavily as Chair of the Transportation and Environment Subcommittee of Appropriations. Additionally, I am an officer and co-founder of the bipartisan Transit Caucus. The General Assembly has passed HB 1187 to increase local road and bridge funding, known as Highway User Revenue. I was also proud to support the Maryland Regional Rail Transformation Act (HB 778), which funds improvements and expansion of the MARC commuter rail system, including the Brunswick Line in Montgomery County. We overrode the Governor’s veto of HB 778 with bipartisan support. I also supported several bills that will improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists. HB 254 requires the State Highway Administration (SHA) to conduct an infrastructure review of each pedestrian or bicyclist fatality that occurs on a State highway to help improve safety. The Safe Access for All Roads ACT (HB 656) would have required the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) to direct more money for pedestrian and bicycle safety projects, but unfortunately did not make it through the legislative process. Additionally, as Chair of the Montgomery County Delegation, I worked to obtain a $27 million per year continuous funding source for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems, in addition to the one year capital infusion of over $63 million referenced above. BRT is a major component of Montgomery County’s transportation network and economic development plan. Protecting Our Environment Reducing greenhouse gas emissions has been a top priority of mine since I took office. I was proud to support the Climate Solutions Now Act (SB 528), a groundbreaking bill that establishes a plan to reduce Maryland’s greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by the year 2045. The bill advances our efforts to address climate change by increasing our greenhouse gas reduction goals, and also establishes specific policies around zero-emission school buses, zero-emission government vehicle fleets, healthy soil, and more to actually meet our ambitious goals. It includes a policy I was particularly involved in to increase incentives for local school systems to construct net-zero school buildings. The Zero-Emission Bus Transition Act Revisions (HB 10), which I sponsored, builds on legislation of mine that was passed last session to transition the state bus fleet to zero emission. This year’s bill provides training and a just transition for workers so that no employee is adversely impacted by the move from diesel buses to zero emission. I was also proud to support other bills that addressed dangerous chemicals and pollutants in our environment. For example, the George “Walter” Taylor Act (HB 275) prohibits manufacturing or distributing certain materials with added per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS). PFAS are a family of carcinogenic chemicals found in many common products such as carpets and food packaging. The bill was sponsored by my seatmate, Delegate Sara Love and has been sent to the Governor’s desk. Gun Safety Gun safety continues to be a top legislative priority for the General Assembly and I was proud to support several bills to address this issue. Among the most pressing issues around gun safety is the manufacture of untraceable firearms, often referred to as “ghost guns.” My District 16 colleague Senator Susan Lee introduced SB 387 to tighten restrictions around ghost guns, requiring that unfinished gun frames and receivers be made traceable through serialization. The bill will decrease the number of untraceable guns in circulation, and further prevent people who should not have a gun from getting a gun. I voted in favor of the bill, which is now law. I also supported another important bill (HB 1021) which requires licensed firearms dealers to take precautions for securing their inventory, including locking firearms after business hours and equipping the dealership premises with a security system. Such precautions will ensure guns cannot be stolen from firearms dealerships, and fall into the wrong hands. I introduced a version of this bill in a prior session, and am grateful that both the House and Senate have passed this vital bill over the Governor’s veto to improve public safety. Cannabis Legalization The 2022 session marked a strong step forward for cannabis legalization and criminal justice reform. Bills were introduced to seek justice for those incarcerated by the war on drugs, and to pave a path for equitable legalization. The Legal Cannabis Constitutional Amendment (HB 1) puts a voter referendum on the ballot regarding recreational cannabis legalization. The Cannabis Reform Act (HB 837) also passed both chambers and is now law. In the event that cannabis is legalized for adult use by the voters, HB 837 requires a series of studies and standards regarding cannabis and its usage, lessens civil and criminal penalties for its consumption, and expunges convictions of people charged with simple possession or usage of cannabis. Reforms such as these are necessary in order to equitably implement legal cannabis policies across the State. Other Legislative Victories Several other bills that I introduced have passed and been sent to the Governor or incorporated into other legislation:
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 email, 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. Or you can just reply to this email, which will switch to its monthly format until January 2023. Last week was the so-called "presentment" deadline. Under the Maryland Constitution, the Governor has six days to veto or sign bills passed by the General Assembly during the legislative session, otherwise they become law without his signature. If a bill is presented later than that, the Governor will have 30 days after presentment to act on the bill (long after the legislature adjourns). Moreover, because we are at the end of a four year term, any veto cannot be overridden. Much of our work in Annapolis is bipartisan and collaborative, but we typically expect the majority Democratic legislature to have some disagreements with the Republican Governor. Therefore, some bills were passed and presented last week so the General Assembly can override any vetoes it chooses to. Among the major bills that were passed and presented are:
Cannabis Reform: Voters will decide in November whether cannabis should be legal for recreational use in Maryland, but the companion bill would establish some of the criminal law rules around cannabis should the voters decide to make it legal. Issues around licensing and taxing would be determined next year. Climate Solutions Now Act: The bill would advance our efforts to address climate change by increasing our greenhouse gas reduction goals, but also establishing policies around zero emission school buses, zero emission government vehicle fleets, healthy soils, and more to actually meet our ambitious goals. It includes a policy I was particularly involved in to increase incentives for local school systems to construct net zero school buildings. Untraceable Firearms: The bill would address so-called "ghost guns" by banning these weapons, which are growing in use. Time To Care Act: This is a paid parental leave program that would allow Marylanders to have partially paid leave for up to 12 weeks to care for a family member with a medical issue and up to 24 weeks after becoming a parent. Abortion Care Access Act: Sponsored by my seatmate, Delegate Ariana Kelly, this legislation would support the training of more reproductive service professionals and clarify who can offer the services. The bill is necessary to give a woman's right to choose true meaning in the state of Maryland. Maryland Regional Rail Transformation Act: I was heavily involved in this legislation to require the Maryland Transit Administration to advance many key commuter rail investments, including improvements on the Brunswick Line which runs through Montgomery County. Even as we await the Governor's final decisions on those bills, the General Assembly is in the final one week sprint before the end of the legislative session. That means multiple floor sessions each day and weekend sessions as we march to midnight on Monday, April 11. As always, you can keep up with what I am doing by following me at @mkorman on Twitter or by clicking "Like" on Delegate Marc Korman on Facebook. Legislative Update During the final rush to adjournment, bills move through the process quickly. Three of my bills are heading to the Governor's desk already:
Election Update Congressional redistricting has concluded, with the Governor and those who challenged a prior map in court accepting the lines the General Assembly redrew last week. You can view the final map and check your district here. My legislative district is now entirely within the eighth Congressional District, currently represented by Congressman Jamie Raskin. Still in litigation are the maps for the state legislative districts. Earlier this week, a Special Master assigned by the Court of Appeals issued a report on the state map earlier this week and recommended rejecting challenges to it. The Court of Appeals will consider the report next week. Community News and Events
During the last few days, the House of Delegates, State Senate, and Governor all agreed to a budget deal that includes additional funds for our state operating and capital budget for shared priorities, as well as targeted tax relief for Maryland retirees. Like any broad and bipartisan agreement, this one involves give and take and is not necessarily what I would do if I were king for a day. But overall, it represents positive progress for our state. Among the provisions of the agreement are:
-Retirees filing tax returns as individuals earning up to $100,000 per year or joint filers earning up to $150,000 will be eligible for an income tax credit of between $1,000 to $1,750 per year. -Diapers, car seats, baby bottles, dental hygiene, pulse oximeters, and medical-grade face masks will be made tax free. -$800 million will be deposited in the Blueprint for Maryland's Future education fund to pay for future year public education costs. -Several healthcare and childcare programs will be funded, including expanding dental coverage for Medicaid beneficiaries. The agreement will be before the House and the Senate later this week. As always, you can keep up with what I am doing by following me at @mkorman on Twitter or by clicking "Like" on Delegate Marc Korman on Facebook. Legislative Update One of the major bills being taken up this week is the Climate Solutions Now Act. The bill contains a number of provisions including converting the state's vehicle fleet to zero emissions, increases programs to assist farmers with climate change issues, commences a transition of school buses to zero emissions, establishes a state "green bank," requiring increased energy performance standards, and further studies on electrification. ----- The bills I sponsored which passed out of the House are now going through the same process in the Senate. Because many of the bills are identical to ones passed by the Senate, they will not require hearings. However, my legislation regarding Motor Vehicle Administration penalties had no Senate counterpart and a brief hearing on the bill occurred in the Judicial Proceedings Committee last week. You can watch the hearing online. Budget Update Last week I gave an overview of the operating budget proceeding through the legislative process. This week, the House will vote on the capital budget, which is essentially our state's construction budget. The overall budget includes approximately one billion dollars for school construction, higher education institutions, hospitals, state parks and more. In our community, some of the funded projects include: -$2.5 million for a new park at the Farm Women's Cooperative Market. -$1.35 million for school system playground repairs. -$6.8 million for Montgomery County's zero emission bus transition for RideOn. -Over $60 million to support the County's Bus Rapid Transit implementation. -$12 million for the Bethesda Metro South Entrance being constructed in conjunction with the Purple Line. -$500,000 for Round House Theatre's renovations. -$130,000 for Glen Echo Park's parking lot rehabilitation project. -$600,000 for Little Falls Stream Valley Park maintenance. -$1.250 million for the Housing Opportunities Commission and Montgomery County project at the Metropolitan to stop the chronic flooding there, which keeps damaging the parking lot elevator. Election Update A state court has voided the Congressional map the legislature passed late last year. You can read the ruling here. The legal action will continue, but in the short term the court has ordered the legislature to redraw the lines in compliance with the ruling. The new proposed map which will be submitted to the court is still under debate this week, but you can review it here. Last week, there was also a trial on the state legislative lines but no decision has been issued on those lines yet. Community News and Events
This past Monday was the so-called crossover deadline, the date by which bills have to pass one chamber to be guaranteed a chamber in the other. Back in early February, I shared a graphic of 2022 legislative priorities from the House of Delegates, which I have again pasted below. Each of these has made progress prior to crossover.  Expanding Childcare: The House has passed a package of bills to expand the base of childcare providers while also adding resources to make childcare more accessible for the middle class.
Improving Infrastructure: The federal infrastructure bill has created vast opportunities to invest in our infrastructure. Thus far, the House has passed legislation on local road and bridge funding (known as Highway User Revenue), funding expansion of the MARC commuter rail system, funding our area's Metro system, and investing in road safety programs for pedestrians and bicyclists. Climate Solutions: Thus far, the House has held hearings on legislation to reduce greenhouse gas reductions. The Senate has passed a broad bill and the House will now be taking up the issue. Expanding Family and Medical Leave: The House of Delegates passed an implementation task force bill to advance paid family and medical leave. The Senate passed a version of the program and the two chambers will now work together to reconcile differences. Helping Families Afford Basic Needs: The House has passed legislation related to taxes on gasoline, medical equipment, diapers, and a few other basic necessities. The budget passing through the chambers also reserves several hundred million for further tax changes. Banning Ghost Guns: The House has passed legislation regarding the appropriate registration of "untraceable firearms," also known as ghost guns. Greater Judicial Transparency: Although debate of how to strike the right balance between judicial independence and adequacy continues, the budget that is passing through the chambers reserves funds to implement a judicial transparency program. Legalizing Cannabis: The House of Delegates has passed legislation to let the voters decide if recreational cannabis should be legal, as well as an initial implementation bill. Expanding Women's Reproductive Health: The House has passed a bill to let the voters decide if reproductive choice should be enshrined in the state Constitution. Other legislation the House passed will expand the base of available providers. There is more work to do on each of these priorities, as well as thousands of other bills, during the last few weeks of the legislative session. As always, you can keep up with what I am doing by following me at @mkorman on Twitter or by clicking "Like" on Delegate Marc Korman on Facebook. Legislative Update Crossover is also a good time to provide an update on the legislation I sponsored. -Zero Emission Bus Revisions: Last year we passed legislation to transition the state bus fleet to zero emission. This bill is for worker training related to that transition and has passed both the House and Senate. -Green School Construction Act: This bill removes the state match for fossil fuel burning school energy systems. It is still in committee, but net zero school incentives are in another bill. -MVA Registration Clarification Act: This bill, brought to me by a constituent, closes a loophole whereby the Motor Vehicle Administration has been improperly levying fines for uninsured but turned in license plates. This has passed the House. -State Agency Transparency Act: A bill to require certain state entities to webstream their meetings has passed both chambers. -Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund Installment Payment Plans: Legislation to allow Maryland's auto insurer of last resort to provide more flexible installment payment plans for Maryland consumers. It has passed both chambers. -Independent Agency Health Insurance Option Act: Legislation to allow certain independent state entities to access the state health insurance plan has passed both houses. -Young Readers Program Expansion Act: The bill to expand free book programs for children under 5 beyond Baltimore City has passed both Houses. -Employee Stock Ownership Benefits bill: Legislation to create a tax incentive for conversions of businesses to employee ownership has passed the Senate. -WMATA Dedicated Funding Amendments Act: Legislation contingent on Virginia to move an annual cost escalator from one capital fund to Metro's dedicated funding has passed the House and Senate. -State Employee Binding Arbitration Bill: This bill, whose name says it all, is still in committee. -Maryland Rail Investment Act: This bill is still in committee although other legislation that has passed committee and is on the House floor will advance our state rail projects. The bill would create a new state rail authority, funded by tolls. -Non-Public Placement/Special Needs Teachers: Funding for special needs teachers who teach publicly funded but non-publicly placed students is on the Senate floor on Monday. Budget Update The one piece of legislation we must pass each year is a balanced budget. Last week, the State Senate unanimously passed the budget. On Friday, the House Appropriations Committee on which I served passed the budget out of the committee. The budget as it heads to the House floor contains these highlights: -Balanced budget and projected surpluses for the next few fiscal years. -$2.1 billion added to the Rainy Day Fund. -$350 million set aside for tax changes. -Almost $8 billion for public school support and full funding of the Blueprint for Maryland's future. -Set aside funding for expanding Medicaid--including dental--and Temporary Cash Assistance to those in need, grants to the arts and tourism community still reeling from COVID-19, implementation of cannabis reform, cutting down the Autism Waiver waiting list, implementing the Climate Solutions Now Act, and more. -Support for higher education to hold in-state student tuition at 2% increases. Election Update After the census, the General Assembly redrew Congressional and state legislative district lines. Not surprisingly, those lines are now in litigation and the Maryland Court of Appeals has set some new dates for the primary election. Most significantly, the primary election has been moved to Tuesday, July 19. Community News and Events
We are entering the period of the annual legislative session that is busiest for me. With less than two weeks to go until the cross-over deadline--the date by which bills must pass one legislative chamber to be guaranteed a hearing in the other--committees are sending more bills to the House floor and floor sessions are getting longer. At the same time, our budget process is speeding up as our Appropriations Subcommittees, including the one I chair, prepare to make our final decisions.  Those busy floor sessions have meant progress for many bills I have authored. Last week, the House of Delegates passed three of my bills: The Young Readers Program Expansion Act, the Maryland State Agency Transparency Act, and the Independent Agency Health Insurance Option Act. Later this week, the full House is likely to pass the Zero-Emission Bus Transition Revisions Act, and the Motor Vehicle Registration Clarification Act. A House subcommittee will also be taking up the WMATA Dedicated Funding Amendment Act. Finally, my last two bills will receive hearings in their respective committees: the Maryland Rail Investment Act, which will establish a new authority for rail and transit investment funded by tolls, and HB 1301, which builds on legislation passed last year to make pay more competitive for certain special needs. As always, you can keep up with what I am doing by following me at @mkorman on Twitter or by clicking "Like" on Delegate Marc Korman on Facebook. Legislative Update One of the major pieces of legislation being taken up on the House floor this week relates to "untraceable" or "ghost" guns, which are assembled at home, without serial numbers and, therefore, very challenging for law enforcement to deal with. The legislation (1) prohibits a person from purchasing, receiving, selling, offering to sell, or transferring an “unfinished frame or receiver” unless it is required by federal law to be, and has been, imprinted with a serial number, as specified, and (2) beginning January 1, 2023, prohibits a person from possessing a firearm unless the firearm is imprinted with specified information. The bill also (1) requires the Secretary of State Police to suspend or revoke a dealer’s license under specified conditions relating to untraceable firearms; (2) establishes penalties for violations of the bill’s provisions relating to untraceable firearms; and (3) expands the definition of a “firearm” to include an unfinished frame or receiver. Maryland's Attorney General, District 16's own Brian Frosh, and our State Senator, Susan Lee, have been leading voices on this issue. ----- Another major issue the House of Delegates is taking up this week relates to reproductive choice and abortion, as we brace ourselves for the Supreme Court potentially striking down the Roe v. Wade decision. Maryland law already has access to abortion in statute, but two bills that will be before the House this week will (1) Put the protection in the state constitution and (2) Take actions to expand the abortion provider base. District 16's Delegate Ariana Kelly is the sponsor of the latter bill. Transportation Update The District 16 Team--working with the State Highway Administration--saw some progress on a few road safety projects recently. First, the State Highway Administration converted a two way stop to a four way stop at Wilson Lane and Exeter Road. Cars have gone through the pictured fence multiple times in crashes and we have a safety improvement here before a fatality.
Second, at Old Georgetown Road and Cordell Avenue in Bethesda, a totally unprotected crossing now has pedestrian initiated flashing rectangular beacons (known formally as Rectangular Rapid-Flashing Beacons or RRFBs), with further improvements coming such as a pedestrian refuge.
We are now more than halfway through the 90 day legislative session which means floor sessions are getting longer and we are reaching key decision points on many significant issues. Last week, for example, the House of Delegates passed two bills related to the issue of cannabis legalization (and accompanying regulation).
HB 1 puts on the ballot the following question: Do you favor the legalization of adult–use cannabis in the State of Maryland? HB 837 addresses immediate issues if the voter answer "yes," to that question. Those issues are in the three buckets of criminal law, health, and regulatory structure. The bill does leave many issues for a future General Assembly, such as taxes and licensing but here is, broadly, what it would do: Criminal Effective January 1, 2023
Transportation Update Josiah Henson was a slave in Montgomery County who wrote a slave narrative that helped inspire Uncle Tom's Cabin. The County Planning Board recently voted to rename Montrose Parkway after him. In addition to being a tribute to Josiah Henson, it will also reduce confusion with the nearby Montrose Road. ----- There have been significant problems with EZ Pass on Maryland's toll roads, bridges, and tunnels lately. As a result, the Maryland Transportation Authority has announced a few efforts to try and ameliorate the challenges, including a civil penalty waiver for late tolls and increasing the customer service agent workforce to reduce wait times. You can read more about this here: https://mdta.maryland.gov/blog-category/mdta-news-releases/mdta-board-members-approve-customer-assistance-plan The Subcommittee I serve on had a hearing a few weeks ago regarding the challenges with EZPass, which you can view here. The issue will come up again when we hear the Authority's budget. Legislative Update Since my last newsletter, there has been great progress on the legislation I am advancing this session. The Health and Government Operations Committee unanimously voted to support the Maryland State Agency Transparency Act of 2022, which requires quasi-state agencies to video stream their meetings and post their materials publicly. Senator Cheryl Kagan is the lead in the Senate. The Appropriations Committee voted in favor of the The Independent Agency Health Insurance Option Act, which would allow a few quasi-governmental agencies to buy into the state's health insurance plan. The Ways & Means Committee voted unanimously in support of the Young Readers Program Expansion Act (ttps://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB0383?ys=2022RS). All three bills will be on the House floor this week. Community News
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April 2022
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