A Week and a Half to Go

There is just a week and a half to go in the General Assembly session and a lot to get done during that time on many important issues and it will be a busy period.  My own legislation is continuing to work its way through the legislative process, with most of the action now on the Senate side.

Last Thursday my committee meeting ended relatively early, so I walked the few blocks from the statehouse to the State Board of Elections and filed for reelection.  I look forward to a spirited campaign, but the primary is not until June 26, 2018 and the general election is on November 6, 2018.  I still have a lot of time this term to advance the interests of District 16.

You can always keep up with what I am doing by following me at @mkorman on Twitter, clicking "Like" on Delegate Marc Korman on Facebook, or visitingwww.marckorman.com.

Legislative News
As the end of the session approaches, my attention is divided between moving my own legislation and working on some of the broader issues still pending before the legislature.

Legislation that has "crossed over" to the Senate side and already passed that chamber usually has an abbreviated hearing.  The Maryland Manual Modernization Act; Leap Day, Leave Day; and The Metrorail Safety Commission Membership Act all fall into that category.  On the other hand, bills that have not yet passed the Senate such as the State Board of Elections Transparency Act and the Energy Storage Study Act will receive much more attention during the Senate process.

Finally, there are many significant issues still awaiting legislative action such as earned sick leave, fracking policy, redistricting reform, gun free college campuses and much more.  There is a lot of work left to do in the next week and a half.

Administration News
My colleague Carol Krimm had an excellent bill last year that required the state Department of Budget and Management to post a document showing every state special fund and its balance.  You can review the document here and get a glimpse at the complex budgeting of the state.

Metro
Many of us in District 16 regularly use the Bethesda Metro station (I commute on it daily the nine months a year we are not in Annapolis).  After years of work, I was pleased to join Metro's General Manager Paul Wiedefeld, Montgomery County Council President Roger Berliner, and Bethesda Metro Station Improvement Task Force Chair Jane Fairweather in "cutting the ribbon" on the final replacement escalator.  This is good news, but in my comments at the event I noted that Metro has a long way to go.
----
Virginia's Governor recently announced that he has appointed former Member of Congress and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to lead a panel on Metro reform.  I welcome this action, although it could have been better coordinated with Maryland and DC.  Secretary LaHood and I have already scheduled a meeting to discuss Metro issues.

Community Events

• Walter Johnson High School's performance of The Phantom of the Opera will be shown from March 24 through April 1.  Tickets are available at https://wj-stage.ticketleap.com/the-phantom-of-the-opera/.
• The Bethesda-Chevy Chase Democratic Breakfast Club will hear from State's Attorney John McCarthy at 7:30am on Monday, April 3 at the Original Pancake House in Bethesda.
• The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) will be closing one right lane and the road shoulder in the northbound direction of MD 355 (Rockville Pike) on April 5 through 7, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. each day, weather permitting. During the closure, MCDOT will install a construction entrance for the Multimodal Crossing Project at the Medical Center Metro Station, which will construct a pedestrian underpass beneath the road. The lane closures will occur between Jones Bridge Road and South Wood Drive, in front of Naval Support Activity Bethesda (NSAB), home of the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.In addition to the pedestrian underpass, the Multimodal Crossing Project will construct deep elevators to the Metrorail mezzanine on the east side of Rockville Pike at the entrance to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and NSAB and make improvements at the nearby intersection of Rockville Pike and Jones Bridge Road. 
  The Crossing Project was conceived following the federal BRAC law enacted in 2005 and implemented in 2011, which mandated an increase of personnel at NSAB by nearly 45 percent and doubled the number of annual campus visits to approximately one million.  Daily pedestrian crossings of Rockville Pike at Walter Reed/NSAB have increased from 3,000 prior to 2011 to 7,000 after 2011.  The Crossing Project will enhance safety for Metrorail passengers, commuter buses, carpools and neighborhood pedestrians, providing safe access to and from the Walter Reed/NSAB campus.
  
• Attend a senior forum sponsored by Montgomery County Councilmember Sidney Katz on spotting elder abuse, avoiding senior scams, and living life to the fullest.  Speakers include John McCarthy, Montgomery County State's Attorney; Eric Friedman, Director of Montgomery County Office of Consumer Protection; and Gretchen Zekiel, Montgomery County Volunteer Center RSVP Program Manager. Friday, April 7, 9:30am - 12:30pm, Rockville Senior Center, 1150 Carnation Drive, Rockville.  Questions? Call 240-777-7817.
• The Davis Library will reopen on April 8 at 10am.
• The NIH Community Orchestra will perform a free "Spring Concert" onSaturday, April 8, 2017 at 4:00pm at Cedar Lane Unitarian Church, 9601 Cedar Lane in Bethesda, Maryland.  The Orchestra will perform Humperdinck’s Overture to Hansel and Gretel, Mussorgsky’s A Night on Bald Mountain, Mozart’s Overture to Così fan Tutte and Brahms’ Serenade No. 1 (mvts. 1, 4, & 6).  For more information, please call 240-277-3480 or visit the following website:  http://www.nihco.org. 
• Adventure Theatre is holding its 65th season gala on Thursday, April 20.  More information is available at http://www.adventuretheatre-mtc.org/givetoatmtc/gala.html.
• From April 21 through April 23, the Bethesda Urban Partnership will be putting on the Bethesda Literary Festival.  Learn more here: http://www.bethesda.org/bethesda/bethesda-literary-festival
• The BCC High School Class of 1977 40th Reunion is on Saturday, April 22from 7pm to 11pm at the Knights of Columbus, 9707 Rosensteel Avenue in Silver Spring.
• Join me on April 24 for a panel discussion with the League of Women Voters regarding the 2017 legislative session.  The event is at the Silver Spring Library from 6:45pm-8:30pm.

• There will be "A Spring Soiree in Support of Montgomery County History"
   on Saturday, April 29 from 6pm-8pm,  More information is at http://montgomeryhistory.org/springsoiree/.
• Save the date for the Coalition for Smarter Growth's walk in Downtown Bethesda on Saturday, June 3 at 10am.

​If you know of an upcoming community event, please email marc@marckorman.com.