Bill Introduction Date - Weekly Update

The Maryland General Assembly runs on a tight schedule with strict deadlines. One of the most significant is the bill introduction date, the date by which bills must be introduced to be guaranteed a hearing. For the House of Delegates, that deadline was last Thursday (it was last Monday for the State Senate). As of now, there are over 1,400 bills in the House, with 341 assigned to the Environment and Transportation Committee--the most of any House Committee.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATEHere is the complete list of bills I am sponsoring.
Electric Vehicle Recharging Equipment Act of 2024 (HB 159): Senator Ariana Kelly is cross-filing this bill, which updates a law we passed several years ago on access to electric vehicle charging equipment in buildings governed by homeowners associations and condo boards. Specifically, the bill adds co-ops to the existing law, expands the definition of vehicles to include charging equipment for e-bikes, and puts in place a process for the state's Department of Housing and Community Development to implement the law and serve as a point of contact for individuals who need assistance with the law. The bill is on the House floor for consideration this week.
Maryland Metro Funding Act of 2024 (HB 198): I am working on this bill with Senator Brian Feldman, as well as Senator Malcolm Augustine and Delegate Jazz Lewis and it is part of a regional negotiation over Metro.  As you may know, our local Metro system is facing an operating funding short-fall.  The Moore Administration has stepped up with additional funds but this requires a change to our state law capping the operating fund increases to Metro. The bill has already had its hearing in the Appropriations Committee. 
The Washington Suburban Transit Commission Reform Act (HB 1023): This is a local bill already introduced for which the local hearings were previously held. The bill reforms the Montgomery and Prince George's bi-county commission that oversees our state's Metro commitment by clarifying how the state Transportation Secretary's designee can serve on the Metro board, revises how the other Metro board seat can shift back and forth, and alters what budgetary actions the commission can take independently.  The Montgomery and Prince George's County House Delegations have already voted to support the bill.
The Open-Source Phonics Matching Grant Program Act (HB 475): This legislation came from my work with a constituent and will put some state support into free reading materials to help support literacy in and out of schools.
The Transportation Funding Act of 2024 (HB 1215): Through my work on a state transportation revenue and investment commission (more on that below) and the Administration's recently announced transportation cuts (which I have discussed in prior emails), it is clear that more support is needed for the type of infrastructure I often hear constituents want: less trash on the roads, fewer potholes, well-functioning mass transit, roadway improvements, and so on.  Given the federal government's current historic investment in infrastructure, it is also an important time for our state to step up. For that reason, I am sponsoring a bill to increase revenue for transportation infrastructure by charging low fees on transportation network company (Uber, Lyft, etc.) trips and certain home deliveries. I do not do this lightly and will explain more of my thinking in future newsletters, but safe, reliable, and efficient infrastructure costs money.
Maryland Toll Rate Reform Act of 2024 (HB 1070): As with the prior bill, this legislation is designed to address the severe transportation budget challenges. It would follow the pattern of other states such as Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York to use toll revenue not just for the toll facility but for our broader transportation challenges.
Montgomery County Public Schools - School Personnel Training - Religious Discrimination Prevention (HB 1379): This is another local bill I am working on which would mandate training related to anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and other forms of religious discrimination for Montgomery County Public Schools personnel.
Port of Baltimore - Renaming (HB 375): I am sponsoring a bill to place in statute the current name of the Port of Baltimore (Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore). When the Port was named after former Congresswoman Delich Bentley it was done via an executive order and not in law.
ADMINISTRATION UPDATEGovernor Moore recently released a state plan.  The plan sets out ten areas of focus for the state along with objectives, core strategies, and key performance indicators.
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A week ago the Governor was in the chamber of the House of Delegates to deliver the State of the State address. You can read a transcript of his speech here.

BUDGET UPDATEI no longer serve on the Appropriations Committee but for those interested in state government, I still recommend the annual budget hearings and budget analysis for each state agency.  You can see them all as they occur here.
COMMUNITY NEWSThe Bethesda Chevy Chase Democratic Breakfast Club has a series of upcoming meetings. To obtain links for any of the below, please email [email protected]:
-March 4, at 7:30am: Lisa Taylor, Chair of the Montgomery County Committee Against Hate/Violence
-April 10, at 7:30am: District 18 state legislators
BOOK CORNERAs February is Black History Month, I will mention a book my colleague Senator Cory McCray recommended to me years ago: They Call Me Little Willie: The Life Story of William L. Adams by Mark R. Cheshire. Adams was a civic and political force in Baltimore City but also ran a significant illegal gambling operation. He was involved in many de-segregation efforts in the city and state.