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As I write this, the federal shutdown has stretched over two weeks. The impacts of the shutdown are significant but in an area like ours--so closely tied to the federal government--the effects can be deeply felt. If you are being adversely affected, here are some important resources: State of Maryland: Maryland Workers Impacted by the Federal Government Shutdown Montgomery County: Resources for Workers Impacted by Recent Federal Government Actions Pepco: Pepco Providing Expanded Customer Support Measures Amid Government Shutdown | Pepco - An Exelon Company WSSC: WSSC Water Expands Customer Assistance Programs to Offer Greater Relief Amid Financial Uncertainty | WSSC Water What is the shutdown all about? I think it can be fairly complicated to consider how we got to the point where Democrats decided to use a shutdown to achieve policy ends when for about 30 years it has been considered a Democratic Party red line and why trust between the majority and minority parties is so low. But in its simplest form, it is all about healthcare. I did a brief explanation of this with my daughter that you can watch here. Congressional Democrats are asking for is an expansion of "Premium Tax Credits," a tax benefit that has been in place since 2021 to make Obamacare (also known as healthcare from the Affordable Care Act) more affordable. Without extending these tax credits, the cost of healthcare will rise for many Marylanders. Obamacare has been successful in Maryland. Prior to Obamacare, 12% of the population was uninsured. Today it is 6%. That means many people now have access to healthcare for themselves and their families beyond the emergency room. The two major access points for expanding access to insurance were (1) Medicaid expansion, for some of the neediest families, and (2) Access to obtain insurance through the Obamacare exchanges, which have varying levels of subsidies depending on income. And, in case you were wondering, neither Medicaid or exchange subsidies are available to undocumented immigrants. The President and Republican Majority in Congress made changes to Medicaid through legislation--called reconciliation--that I have discussed before. Now they are allowing the premium tax credits to expire. If the premium tax credits expire, many more Marylanders will not be able to afford healthcare and will drop out. But that does not just affect them, shrinking the pool of insured will increase health insurance premiums on all of those still buying healthcare. In Maryland, that means an average increase of 13.4% for insurance premiums. In the years the premiums applied, increases were between 2.1% and 6.2%. Still a challenge for many but much better than a 13.4% increase. Maryland has done what it can on its own. The Maryland Insurance Administration approved increases by the Maryland providers that were 3.7% lower than what the insurance companies requested (absent that action, the increase would have been 17.1%). And we passed HB 1082, which would create state-level subsidies for three years to help mitigate the impacts. But the real long-term solution lies in Congress and now--as Marylanders are starting to get insurance premium notices in the mail and making their end of year decisions about healthcare enrollment--is the time for Congress to act. I will just share one more observation about the shutdown. The current president is the first I am aware of who does not even aspire to or pretend to lead and represent all of the people. He has openly stated that he is weaponizing the shutdown against blue states and what he calls "Democrat Programs" (perhaps he means programs created under Democratic Presidents like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid). And this is after months of non-shutdown-related similar talk and action. For those who say the harm he is inflicting is so great that the Democrats should simply fold, I am reminded of an episode of The West Wing (a common thought process for Democratic politicians of a certain age). In the fifth season premiere of that show, President Bartlet (played by Martin Sheen) has relinquished the presidency to the Speaker of the House (played by John Goodman) because his daughter has been kidnapped. In the Situation Room, the Chief of Staff is advising against a certain military operation because, he says, if the U.S. does it, the kidnappers will kill the First Daughter. John Goodman responses calmly, "They're going to kill her anyway." That is how I feel about the President's threats to blue states, government programs, and federal employees. Whatever he is doing or threatening to do during the shutdown is on his to do list anyway and if healthcare affordability is worth fighting for, now is the time to do it. DELEGATION UPDATE Last month, I shared the dates of the Montgomery County Delegations fall hearings. One of those hearings, the Joint Priorities Hearing, has been rescheduled to November 17th at 7pm. Learn more at www.montgomerycountydelegation.com.  LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Great news for economic development in Maryland. In response to a bill I sponsored in 2025, the Attorney General is creating a fast-track review pilot program for existing franchisors they have already reviewed to help them continue to expand their business concept to more franchisees. This balances business friendly policies with consumer protection for franchisees. And it is also worth noting that my work on this issue came entirely from constituent feedback and concerns.  ----- Last legislative session, the General Assembly passed a local bill I cosponsored to try and improve the oversight and performance of the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC). I received this update from WSSC on some of the bill’s requirements. Although I have some questions about implementation, I think the stress testing provision will help us understand future potential costs and challenges from the water utility: https://tinyurl.com/3hsjxe5h  ----- At the beginning of October, the Washington Post highlighted several new bills taking effect. The new tiered fines for automated speed enforcement described in the article will ensure that the worst actors pay the most. There remains no charge for going 11 mph over the limit, the fine remains $40 for 12-15 mph over, and then the fine escalates from there in tiers. Don’t want to pay over $100 for speeding in Maryland? Don’t go 20 mph or more over the speed limit. In addition to saving money, you are reducing safety risk to yourself and others around you. Eric’s ID law was brought to us by an advocate and allows those who choose to have their state licenses or identifications indicate certain, often hidden differences (like autism). Late rental fee changes ensure that renters are charged based on what they actually owe, not the total rent if they partially paid. And the Organized Retail Theft Act did not go through my committee, but I heard about it from local retailers trying to deal with shoplifting/retail theft rings that are often reselling in dark corners of the Internet. BUDGET UPDATE The Maryland Board of Revenue Estimates met just before the government shutdown to update its revenue forecast. The good news is fiscal year 2025 revenue ended stronger than expected and the economy has had a lot of resiliency in the face of federal changes. The reduction in the estimate for fiscal year 2026 of $19 million is largely attributed to changes in federal law. Read all of the materials here. TRANSPORTATION UPDATE Because of a provision of the state budget, the Maryland Transit Administration has to submit a bimonthly report on the Purple Line's progress. Below are the key charts from this month's report. There are no changes to the overall schedule at this point.   ----- After a cyclist, Sarah Langenkamp, was killed riding her bike along River Road, the State Highway Administration prepared a Needs Analysis for the roadway, which you can read here. They are now undertaking some of the initial recommendations from the analysis to enhance the existing bike lane. As I write this, a person is in critical condition after being struck on the roadway, apparently while crossing under the Capital Crescent Trail overpass. The Needs Analysis included recommendations to improve that crossing. ----- On Old Georgetown Road, the bike lanes installed after the deaths of two young people along the roadway have been quite controversial. A provision in the state budget requires reporting on the bike lanes in response to some of the concern. You can read the most recent report here. ---- Mark your calendar for next summer’s District 16 Metro closures (July 6-September 6). Metro is leveraging Purple Line tie-in work at Bethesda Metro Center to do significant maintenance across Grosvenor, Medical Center and Bethesda stations. It will be a long two months for those—like me—who commute via Metro or otherwise rely on it.  POLITICAL NEWS I am excited to announce that the Montgomery County Career Fire Fighters have endorsed my campaign for re-election and have also endorsed my seatmate, Senator Sara Love.  COMMUNITY NEWSEvery year, the Maryland General Assembly receives a report on the County Hotel and Conference Center (located in District 16). The fiscal year 2024 report is in. Things are on a better path than recent reports. Functions, room nights, total covers, spending, output, and total jobs are still down from FY 2019 (pre-COVID) but up from FY 2022. Total covers are actually up from FY 2019.
Importantly, in fiscal year 2024, the state contribution to the hotel and conference center is a debt service contribution of $1.6m and was more than offset by tax revenue to the state. That was not the case in fiscal year 2022 and other COVID-impacted years. ----- District 16’s Little Flower school is one of the state’s Blue Ribbon schools, declared by Governor Moore at the state level after the national program was shutdown. Congratulations! Learn more here. ----- Condolences to the family of diplomat Sandra Vogelsang, a long-time District 16 resident who recently passed away. ----- Congratulations to two District residents on joining the Montgomery County Library Board, Marilyn Schiff and Kavita Mohan. Each fall, state legislators are busy preparing for the next legislative session by researching and drafting legislation, participating in committee site visits and oversight briefings, and participating in lots of meetings. Some of those meetings are hosted by our Montgomery County Delegation, the group of legislators that represents Montgomery County. As occurs each year, the Delegation will have four public meetings this fall: a presentation by the Maryland Department of Transportation; a Joint Priorities Hearing--sometimes called Open Mic Night--where residents can tell us their priorities; and two nights of bill hearings on legislation with a local impact. More details can be found at www.montgomerycountydelegation.com.  LEGISLATIVE UPDATE There are a lot of questions swirling about vaccine access. Governor Moore issued a helpful press release recently that discusses the lay of the land in Maryland. The key point is excerpted in the picture. But you can read the full release here: https://tinyurl.com/2pmn8phb And here are links to the two key bills he signed to preserve access and insurance coverage for vaccines, including for Covid. HB 1315: https://tinyurl.com/yjehstu8 HB 974: https://tinyurl.com/mw2hpyj8  BUDGET UPDATE The Comptroller recently issued the annual close-out report for the previous fiscal year (which ended on June 30). You can read the full report here: https://tinyurl.com/yneyhufm The highlights are: -Both the sales tax and the withholding income tax increased at a faster rate than in the prior fiscal year. In total, revenues exceeded the March Board of Revenue Estimates by $520.7 million or 2.1%. That means more tax revenue came in than expected. -Several years ago we created a "revenue volatility cap" so that we did not budget non-withholding income tax revenue that may not materialize. Because non-withholding income tax revenue exceeded the cap this year by $382.3 million, those dollars are split between the state's Rainy Day Fund (reserve) and one time education-related capital construction costs. -There is a remaining general fund balance of around $460 million. This includes dollars designated for the balance (we budget dollars for general fund balance to absorb unexpected changes) plus a $189 million surplus. These dollars will rollover to help with the next year's budget (and beyond). TRANSPORTATION UPDATE In early September, the Maryland Department of Transportation released the draft fiscal year 2027 Consolidated Draft Transportation Program (CTP) a six-year projection of transportation capital projects. This is a prelude to the statewide tour the Department does. The Montgomery County presentation is October 27th at 7pm at the County Council office building. After several years of overly ambitious (as in, not realistic) CTPs from the prior Governor and two extremely challenging CTPs from this Governor, this is a more status quo proposal. And I mean that positively. The last two years, we made some difficult revenue raising decisions that are tough for many Marylanders but necessary to maintain our infrastructure. This CTP puts that money exactly where the Department said they would including road safety projects in Western Maryland and Frederick County, a road safety project on Georgia Avenue in Montgomery County, light rail modernization for the Baltimore City, continued investments in the Purple Line and Metro, and so on. Our long-term challenges remain. Metro will face a capital funding cliff because our dedicated capital does not grow. There's no money for any work on the American Legion Bridge--whether that is a new bridge or major rehabilitation of the current one. The county and city share of the state motor fuel tax declines soon and maintaining the current levels is not provided for. And so forth. But the short-term project needs are being met in this proposal. Read it here. And you can learn more by listening to me on the I Hate Politics podcast.  ----- Because of the expiration of the federal program allowing zero emission vehicles to use High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) (carpool) lanes, Maryland is forced to sunset its own program at the end of the month.  ----- A piece of legislation I worked on during the 2025 legislative session evolved into a workgroup on the organization of the Maryland Transit Administration, which in additional to important Baltimore-area work is in charge of the Purple Line and MARC rail system. I am serving on the workgroup which has started meeting. Follow the work here. POLITICAL NEWS A big thank you to SEIU Local 500 on endorsing my re-election campaign.  I am excited to announce that I have a new campaign team member, Lexi. You can meet Lexi in this video I made with one of my kids, part of the "Hey Dad" series we have been doing. COMMUNITY NEWS On Saturday, October 4th from 11am-2pm, join the Glen Echo Fire Department for their annual Open House at 5920 Massachusetts Avenue.  -----
Join the District 16 Democratic Club for a screening of Ain't No Back to a Merry-go-round about Glen Echo Park. Saturday, September 27 | 2:30–4:30 PM Carderock Springs Swim and Tennis Club 8200 Hamilton Spring Court, Bethesda, MD 20817 Parking is limited. Please be respectful when parking your car and follow signage. Watch Video: https://vimeo.com/927163039?share=copy This powerful documentary tells the story of the 1960 civil rights protests at Glen Echo Amusement Park — a pivotal moment in U.S. history. With never-before-seen footage and interviews, it offers deep insight into the roots of activism and strategies we can learn from today. CLICK HERE TO RSVP ----- Congratulations to several appointed and re-appointed Montgomery County board members: Tiffany Boiman, Commission on Women Jodi Danis, Commission on Women Surinder Juneja, Commission on Common Ownership Communities Christina Rodousakis, Bethesda Urban Partnership Board of Directors I often remark in this email and my day-to-day conversations with people that I try to stay in my lane as a state elected official. But so much of what the current federal Administration does makes my blood boil and disproportionately impacts Maryland. Many District 16 residents go in and out of DC almost every day. The Nation's Capital has never been a perfect utopia, but the dystopian "Mad Max" caricature the White House has used to justify militarizing the streets to distract from other scandals and unpopular decisions is a complete mischaracterization. And it is true that DC's Home Rule Act gives a president unusual powers there, but this president has made clear time and again that he sees no limits for himself and has already name checked future expansions of his police state, including in Maryland. But of course, this is just another outrage on top of firing a federal statistician for delivering bad but accurate news, demanding paid tributes by private businesses that scoff when any other president suggests they should pay their lawful taxes, requiring a review of the Smithsonian's exhibits to make sure they are consistent with a nostalgic 1950s America that never truly was, and more then I can fit in this paragraph. You can see some of my views on all of this in comments I made at the Good Trouble rally in Friendship Heights a few weeks ago, which you can watch here. So with that therapeutic introduction out of the way, let me turn more directly to District 16. One of the most enjoyable parts of serving here has been participating in ribbon cuttings for new businesses in District 16. My kids are always amused when we eat somewhere, buy something at a store, or even just walk by a place and I recount having been there for the ribbon cutting. But the real stories are the incredible entrepreneurs investing in their concepts and their community. With the disruptive change brought by Washington, we need these economic risk takers investing in us more than ever. And it has been a busy summer of them. The two most recent ribbon cuttings were The Cordell, a new event place in downtown Bethesda and The Sleep-In-Mind Clinic, which provides pediatric and young adult sleep medicine.  LEGISLATIVE UPDATE I serve on the General Assembly's Joint Federal Oversight Action Committee, along with other members of the House and Senate leadership. Our most recent briefing was an update from the Comptroller's office on the economic impact of federal actions and an update on immigration issues from the Governor's office and Attorney General's office. Watch the briefing here. Read the briefing materials here. ----- Last month I shared a high level update on the effect of the federal budget reconciliation law on Maryland. Read a deeper dive from the Department of Legislative Services on the impact of the federal reconciliation bill on Maryland, focusing on healthcare, food assistance, and taxes. ---- I also had the chance to share my views on some of the impact the federal changes are having on the I Hate Politics Podcast recently. Listen here.  HIGHER EDUCATION UPDATE Here are some reminders from the Maryland Higher Education Commission on the state’s student loan relief tax credit. More information can be found here.   TRANSPORTATION UPDATE Recently, the Maryland Department of Transportation posted a federal grant application narrative on their website for a Large Bridge Investment Program grant to support work on the American Legion Bridge. You can find the page where they share federal grant requests here: MDOT Transportation Discretionary Grants - MDOT. You can get directly to the narrative here. If this feels like Groundhog Day, it is because this is not the first time Maryland has applied for this grant. It has happened several times under the current and prior Governor. In the fall of 2023, I wrote at length about the (unsuccessful) grant application submitted then and the Governor's announcement around that. Following a flurry of public meetings, the issue has been largely quiet. Many of my September 2023 comments remain in case someone is interested in a deep dive. For example, the announcement then talked about the Brunswick Line and improvements, where virtually nothing has happened. It also says the environmental process would start on 270--I believe to address the northern bottleneck--but nothing has occurred. I also wrote then about some of what I would like to see, including much more corridor level community engagement that has not occurred. But I will make a few specific observations regarding this new application and then some broader points below. "While structurally safe, the bridge will require extensive repairs within the next decade, including rehabilitation of the deck." This is a sample of the safety-related language in the application and it is crucial. We need a safe bridge. I think that is something everyone can agree on. "The project corridor is approximately 6.5 miles of interstate and begins south of the George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP) on I-495 and extends north of Westlake Terrace on the I-270 West Spur." This is the current project scope, which is useful for people to understand. It does not go further north on 270--although the environmental approval for that still exists up to where 370 meets 270. "Contract A will include the Large BIP limits within the section from the George Washington Memorial Parkway to south of Seven Locks Road. It will be advertised in July 2026 with contract award/notice to proceed issued in July 2027 to begin final design and construction. Contract B will run from south of Seven Locks Road to the project terminus north of Westlake Terrace. It will be advertised in April 2027, with the respective contract award/notice to proceed to be issued in April 2028. Based on the outlined scheduled, it is estimated that both contracts will be open to traffic by 2034." This is the dream schedule the state has for the project. "The total cost for the eight bridges and necessary approach interstate (1.66 miles) in this BIP application is $1,728,074,000. ... For this Large BIP grant application, SHA is requesting $864 million for the eight bridges and approach interstate, which is 50% of the total cost." The funding request only covers Contract A above. The rest of the funding is envisioned to come from a state match and other federal sources. "SHA will therefore maintain the same number of free, general-purpose lanes as exist today throughout the study limits that are open to all users." This statement is as misleading today for any normal reader as when the prior Administration used the same talking point. The plan is to convert an existing High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane on 270's western spur into a High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lane. The HOV lane is currently restricted to carpool traffic for three hours today, which means for 21 hours a day it acts as a general-purpose lane and that will change as a result of the proposal. I will charitably say that the HOV lane is still not considered a "general-purpose" lane in transportation wonk speak so this statement is technically correct, but it is unfortunate to see the continued use of this talking point that would mislead any non-transportation wonk reader. "MDOT successfully issued $750 million in GARVEE bonds on the Intercounty Connector, which have all been repaid, and MDOT currently has no outstanding GARVEE bonds." GARVEE is a form of financing that issues bonds backed by the formula funding Maryland gets from the federal government. It is a useful tool, but MDOT is now advancing GARVEE for an important light rail vehicle safety project so this information is, at best, outdated. On to some broader points. This application does not tell us if the state will pursue a Public Private Partnership or not. And it does not update the transit commitments made to the Montgomery County government previously. It also does not tell us how Maryland can meet its contribution given recent transportation funding challenges. We made tough decisions to climb out of a hole over the past two years, but that does not seem like adequate revenue to support this type of mega project. Especially given our state of good repair needs on existing roadways--including the American Legion Bridge as it is today, without more lanes--and transit systems. ----- There are a series of upcoming Sunday closures at the Medical Center Metro station bus loop. This is to accommodate Metro work to replace transformers, as well as AC and DC gears inside the Traction Power Substation.  POLITICAL NEWS Our area is extremely active nationally and an area fundraiser is being held on Tuesday, September 16th at 5:30pm in support of Janelle Stelson, a Democratic candidate for the United States House of Representatives in Pennsylvania's 10th district. You can learn more here.  COMMUNITY NEWS
The Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center is polling residents about a possible recreation center in downtown Bethesda. Take the survey here. ----- And speaking of surveys, Montgomery County Planning is seeking further input on their Friendship Heights Sector Plan. Take the survey here. ----- The Washington Post wrote an uplifting story about District 16 resident and BCC Fire and Rescue Squad volunteer Ed Levien. Read it here. ----- Washington Jewish Week ran a profile of Dr. Stephen Rockower, who has long been active in our state's medical society. ----- Congratulations to Jeffrey Hains on his re-appointment to the Montgomery County Preservation Commission. Since my last email, Congress has passed and the President has signed a large "budget reconciliation" bill. This legislation is a ticking time bomb for Maryland. As a member of the Joint Federal Action Oversight Committee, we were briefed on the bill in late June. Although what ultimately passed was not identical to what was discussed then, it still presents a useful picture of the bill and you can watch the hearing here. Below are a few key points about its impact on Maryland. The bill has other changes that will help many Marylanders, such as changes to the state and local tax (SALT) deduction. But overall, the top 5% of earners get the most benefit from the income tax changes on a percentage basis.  NEW EMAIL ADDRESS If you are reading this, the easiest way to reach me is to just click reply and it goes right to my inbox. But if you prefer to use my official email address, it is now [email protected]. The old address ([email protected]) will auto-forward until April 2026. LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Many of the bills we pass each legislative session become effective on July 1st. You can see a list of newly effective laws here. ----- I am pleased to share that I received 100% on the 2025 Maryland Humane Scorecard. I am particularly proud because many of these bills went through my committee. All of the details are here. WSSC UPDATE We often receive constituent inquiries regarding WSSC and our water bills. One area of great confusion is that WSSC does not use fixed period (e.g., monthly) billing, so it is challenging to compare current and prior bills. We took a step towards progress this year by passing my legislation that states our intent that billing should use a fixed time period. But another common issue is an undetected leak driving up bills. WSSC sent out a helpful reminder about these and has provided more information here.  TRANSPORTATION UPDATE Thank you to outgoing Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld for his decades of service to Maryland and the region in multiple roles. I was quoted in a Washington Post story about his departure that you can read here. ----- The Maryland Transit Administration released the MARC Growth and Transportation plan to chart the next 25 years of our state's commuter rail service. You can read the plan here. Below is what it would mean for the three commuter rail lines, including the Brunswick Line that serves Montgomery County. I was quoted about the plan in the Washington Post. But this is not the first MARC rail plan and I look forward to seeing how the Governor's next Consolidated Transportation Program works to implement this plan.  A provision in the state budget requires a bimonthly report on the Purple Line’s progress. The May report is available here. Two key charts below show overall progress by category and the project milestones. The Live Track Testing Beyond Test Track milestone is new, replacing the now in progress milestone of “Test track Complete for Local Testing & Operator Training.”   COMMUNITY NEWS -I am participating in an event to support our federal workers in Bethesda on July 22nd. More information is here. -Congratulations to Jane Callen on her reappointment to the Montgomery County Volunteer Fire-Rescue Association. -The Bethesda-Chevy Chase Democratic Breakfast Club has announced two upcoming meetings. On Thursday, July 24th at 7:30am, the guest will be State's Attorney John McCarthy. On Monday, September 15th at 7:30am, the guest will be Senator Chris Van Hollen. Email [email protected] for more information and the meeting link. -July 4th is always a lot of fun around District 16. This year, I attended three parades (Edgemoor, Cabin John, and Wood Acres), a picnic (Somerset), and a party (Friendship Heights).  Dear Friend: Over the past month, I have had some exciting opportunities to talk about my work in the Maryland General Assembly. First, the District 16 legislators held our annual post-session town hall in May. If you were not able to join us, you can watch the town hall here. A few weeks ago, I joined Kojo Nnamdi and Tom Sherwood in studio for WAMU's The Politics Hour. You can listen to the discussion here.  And for a wonkier take, you can listen to a deep dive discussion about the Environment & Transportation Committee I chair on the Conduit Street Podcast, the podcast for the Maryland Association of Counties You can listen to the podcast here.  I also got to interview author Casey Burghat regarding his book "We Hold These Truths: How to Spot the Myths That Are Holding America Back" at the Gaithersburg Book Festival. You can watch our discussion on CSPAN here.  Of course, my favorite opportunities to talk about my work are with groups in District 16. For example, last week the District 16 legislators joined the Friendship Heights Neighborhood Network for a town hall. In May, we visited with the Greater Farmland Civic Association. A few weeks ago, I addressed a group of District 16 weed warriors and then got to chip in to cut away invasive vines from our trees. And I joined Sara Love at the KID Museum in downtown Bethesda in giving awards to young inventors. If your neighborhood, building, or other group is interested in hearing about the work of state government, please let me know. KEEPING UP WITH MY ACTIVITIES If you are reading this, you already know how to find me. But here are some other ways to keep up with my work for District 16. You can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, or Bluesky. I also still share some limited information on Twitter/X.  FEDERAL THOUGHTS As I was finishing this email, I could not help but comment on what is happening in Los Angeles--where I went to college--in response to all of the breaking news alerts on our phones. Protest is a legitimate exercise of our constitutional rights but such protesters should be peaceful. When they are not, there can be a legitimate need for a law enforcement response. Perhaps in extreme cases, that response has to become more militarized to keep the peace, although I am skeptical that this is one of those extreme cases if you cut through a lot of the media fog and see how limited the situation actually is. All that said, and as usual for the current presidential administration, their response is completely disproportionate, driven by an ideological and vengeful agenda, and a total smashing of U.S. laws and norms. I think back to the Jade Helm 15 "controversy" of 2015 where basic military training that happened to overlap with the Obama presidency was viewed by far right conspiracy theorists as an attempt at a military takeover. Now we have a president who has actually activated a state's national guard, as well as our U.S. military, against people on American soil in contravention of laws and norms and is simply cheered on by virtually every Republican who can get near a microphone. It is a disturbing and disheartening situation. But one that I fear could have significant downstream consequences in our country. LEGISLATIVE UPDATE When I sent out my last monthly newsletter, Governor Moore was still working through the output of the legislative session and considering what bills to sign, veto, or allow to become law without his signature. He has now finished making his decisions. What has received the most attention are the bills the Governor vetoed, a complete list of which can be found here. The list includes a study on reparations, a study on greenhouse gas impacts on Maryland, a study on data centers, the creation of a new energy planning function for the state, a prioritization of pedestrian and bicycle facilities, and a technology and social media guide for youth. In Maryland, veto overrides are not taken up until the next time we convene so there is plenty of time for consideration of potential action. The Governor also allowed several bills to become law without his signature, which can be found here. And the final bills the Governor signed after my May newsletter can be reviewed here. BUDGET UPDATE Maryland has long maintained a AAA bond rating from all three major credit rating agencies. Ever since I was elected, I have shared these bond ratings reports. Unfortunately, one of the three major bond rating agencies (Moody’s) lowered Maryland’s bond rating one notch from AAA to Aa1 for the first time in decades. The good news is that Fitch and S&P maintained Maryland's historic AAA bond rating. As I have always explained when the ratings agency reports come out, “[in] many ways, the bond rating agencies make us bow at false gods, but it does allow the state to borrow for construction projects at more favorable rates.” Remember, unlike our federal friends, Maryland does not deficit spend on operating. Debt financing is for capital/construction projects only. Therefore, this change has the potential to either increase the cost of state construction in Maryland and/or require us to pull back on capital dollars we spend to build schools, parks, hospitals, and more. In my view, Moody's made this decision for one reason. Our state is a “company town” and that company is the federal government. Unfortunately, the current owner of the company hired his now departed tech bro as factory foreman and lit the factory on fire. As I have said in many settings around District 16, however you voted in November, the federal administration’s actions have an immediate negative impact on Maryland and this is an outgrowth of that. Why am I so comfortable pointing at Washington? Because not much else has changed in Maryland. The factors Moody’s looks at have not really changed. My Republican colleagues are, frankly, crowing about those other factors. We are a high spending state (predominantly on public education, healthcare, and public safety); we do need to do better with our pension; we should become economically less reliant on the federal government and increase economic growth; and so forth. But all of that was true many prior times Moody’s affirmed the AAA bond rating. What has changed is what is happening in Washington. And that’s why DC also received a similar downgrade. You can read the current (FY25) rating agencies reports--as well as historic reports--on the Treasurer's website. MONTGOMERY COUNTY DELEGATION UPDATE As the former chair of the now 26-member strong Montgomery County House Delegation, I am always eager to share information about our work. Last month, we re-elected our current chair and vice chair for another year at the helm. You can watch the organizational meeting here. COMMUNITY NEWS As a reminder, Metro’s “Better Bus Network” is coming on June 29th. A lot of the changes impacting District 16 are really just line name changes and frequency improvements. But check out the images below for more details or visit this site. A few bus stops in District 16 are also being eliminated/consolidated. See the full list of stop changes here.   ----- The Maryland Department of Labor has set up the small loan program we established in law a few months ago to support former federal workers who have been impacted by the chaos created by the White House. Learn more here. ----- Although technically just outside of District 16, I was pleased to be on hand for the announcement of the next stage of joint development at the North Bethesda Metro Station: the announcement of a master developer. The work at North Bethesda is a partnership of Metro, Montgomery County, the state and the University of Maryland. The General Assembly has secured funds for site preparation, a second Metro entrance, and operating dollars for the Institute of Health Computing now established in North Bethesda.  ----- Congratulations to District 16's Devang Shah on his re-appointment to the Board of Directors of the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation and Aruna Nathan on her appointment to the Montgomery County Commission on Health. ----- Congratulations to District 16's Karen Keating, winner of the Friend of Glen Echo Park Award. ----- Montgomery County Councilmember Andrew Friedson was presented the inaugural JCRC Community Champion Award. Congratulations Andrew! ----- Congratulations to the newly elected members of the Friendship Heights Village Council: Francine Klein, Victor Basile, Allyson Alt, John Conlow. And congratulations to the re-elected councilmembers: Roy Schaeffer (now Mayor) and Martha Solt (now Council Chair). And, finally, congratulations to Al Muller on his return to the council. ----- District 16's Lawrence Halloran is the new Montgomery County Board of Elections substitute member. Congratulations to him. ----- District 16's Little Falls Watershed Alliance has been named Montgomery Serves Volunteer Group of the Year. ----- The District 16 Delegation was on hand to congratulate the Luxmanor Citizens Association on winning the Montgomery County Civic Federation's Sentinel Award.  With the 2025 legislative session complete, my email newsletter is back to its monthly format, but there is still a lot to share. ANNUAL EVENT As a reminder, my annual District 16 political event is on Saturday, May 31st at 2pm. You can RSVP and contribute here. Thank you for your support!  TOWN HALL The annual District 16 legislators town hall will be virtual this year. It will be a chance for us to report back to you, respond to your questions, and hear your feedback. The town hall will be on Tuesday, May 20th at 6:30pm. RSVP by clicking here.  LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Governor Moore is still working through the output of the legislative session and considering what bills to sign, veto, or allow to become law without his signature. The bill signing page of his website shows what bills he has signed so far: Bill Signings - News - Office of Governor Wes Moore. I am proud that nine bills for which I was the primary sponsor have been or will be signed by the Governor.  ----- Among the bills I authored that have already been signed is an update to our state conflict of interest laws for Governors. You can read the bill here. Governor Moore made some comments about the bill when signing it, which you can watch here. You can read about the bill in a recent Time Magazine article as well. ----- The 90 Day Report—prepared annually by the non-partisan Department of Legislative Services staff—is now available online and summarizes the legislative and budgetary output of the General Assembly session. ----- The Joint Chairs’ Report of the state budget summarizes all of the budget actions taken by the Maryland General Assembly. But it is also an important oversight tool, as it contains all of the budget restrictions and reporting requirements the General Assembly put in place during the budget process. A few that I worked with my colleagues to include are: -Language restricting $150,000 for implementation of HB 517, my legislation to review the structure of the Maryland Transit Administration and eventually improve the service of the MARC commuter rail and other transit. -An updated study of the Old Georgetown Road bike lanes requested by community members. -A study suggested by a constituent to expand adopt-a-road programs to help with the removal of invasive vines and weeds. -The continuation of bimonthly reports on the Purple Line’s progress. -A report on backyard poultry flock registration improvements, extremely important in an era of bird flu. -Quarterly reports of the State Board of Elections regarding major information technology projects. There is a lot more in the full document, which you can read here. COMMITTEE UPDATE The Environment and Transportation Committee, on which I serve as chair, had the heaviest workload of any House committee this year when it comes to the volume of legislation we considered. Here are some highlights of the bills we passed.  COMMUNITY NEWS Metro’s “Better Bus Network” is coming on June 29th. A lot of the changes impacting District 16 are really just line name changes and frequency improvements, but see the images below for more details or visit this site. A few bus stops in District 16 are also being eliminated/consolidated. See the full list of stop changes here.   ----- Congratulations to Glen Echo municipal officials on their re-election including Mayor Dia Costello and Councilmembers Dan Spealman and Matt Stiglitz. ----- Congratulations to former Congressman David Trone and his wife June on being awarded the Jewish Community Relations Council Breslau-Goldman Award. ----- Several District 16 residents have recently been appointed or re-appointed to county boards and commissions, including: -Montgomery County Commission on Aging: Chiquita Battle -Commission on Landlord-Tenant Affairs: Alan Rosenberg -Western Montgomery County Citizens Advisory Board: Robert Kelley, Mark Rittenberg, Tazeen Ahmad, Cynthia Bell, Michael Chiswick Patterson, Lee Keiser, Susan Klees, Janet Shatz, and Sean Xie. ----- Guilia McPherson has been named chair of the Nourishing Bethesda board. Congratulations Giulia! ----- Congratulations to new C&O Canal Trust board member, Judy Harrison. ----- Congratulations to Anne W. Coventry on being included on The Daily Record Living Trust & Estate Planning Power List. LEGISLATIVE SCHOLARSHIP As a reminder, state legislators award higher education scholarships for those attending Maryland institutions or non-Maryland institutions with unique majors (not available in Maryland). Learn more about my office's program at https://www.marckorman.com/scholarship.html.  Dear Friend: The 2025 Maryland Legislative session has now concluded. Every session I have represented you in the Maryland General Assembly has had its share of challenges, but this may have been the most difficult in light of state budget shortfalls, which are being severely exacerbated by devastating actions of the federal government. Despite these difficulties, it is still an incredible privilege to represent you alongside the rest of the District 16 Delegation: Senator Sara Love, Delegate Sarah Wolek, and Delegate Teresa Woorman. In 2025, I continued my service as chair of the House Environment & Transportation Committee, one of just six standing committees in the House with jurisdiction over not just the topics in the committee title but also ethics, housing, agriculture, local government, and more. 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 [email protected] or just reply to this message.   BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS
The one piece of legislation that we are constitutionally required to pass each year is a balanced budget. This year, we faced a large projected deficit when we convened, and the problem has grown more severe with the federal government both cutting direct assistance to all states and also making changes that are particularly impactful to Maryland, where we have so many federal employees, federal contractors, and federal agencies. Despite these fiscal challenges, the General Assembly passed a comprehensive and balanced budget that funds our shared priorities and ensures essential services, improves our state’s financial condition moving forward, and makes significant cuts to ensure we are fiscally responsible. The budget includes: $1.6 billion in general fund budget reductions (cuts) overall. However, significant cuts that had been proposed for critical services provided by the Developmental Disabilities Administration were largely avoided. Over $2.4 billion dedicated to offset and protect against federal actions negatively impacting Maryland residents. This includes $ 2.1 billion for the state’s Rainy Day Fund. Funding for the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future and pre-kindergarten through 12th grade public education programs, including over $1 billion allocated for Montgomery County Public Schools. Fully funds the Governor’s transportation budget, ensuring funding for programs and projects across the state. To help pay for our state budget, the General Assembly worked with the Governor on difficult but necessary tax and revenue proposals, including: A higher income tax rate for individuals earning over $500,000 through the creation of two new tax brackets at 6.25% and 6.5% for those high earners. A capital gains surcharge on those with incomes over $350,000 per year. Phasing out of itemization for those making over $200,000 per year and an increase in the standard deduction. A new 3% sales tax on broad-based services provided by data and IT companies. Several tax proposals put forth by the Governor were not adopted, including a lowering of the estate tax exemption, elimination of the inheritance tax, full elimination of itemization, a corporate tax reduction, and a retail delivery service fee. It is never easy to cut vital programs or raise people’s taxes, but that is what is required to meet our balanced budget requirements. The state’s capital (construction) budget also included tens of millions for Montgomery County school construction and local District 16 projects, including support for: The Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health New Second Entrance at the North Bethesda Metro Station Bannockburn Nursery School. Imagination Stage The National Center for Children and Family PROTECTING MARYLANDERS Maryland is feeling the impacts of the irresponsible decisions of the new presidential administration. Federal workers, in particular, have been hit hard by reckless cuts and layoffs. With more than 60 federal agencies hosting major operations within the state, Maryland has lost tens of thousands of federal jobs. District 16 has seen its own share of these problems as the National Institute of Health’s main headquarters is located in Bethesda and will let go of an estimated 3,400 employees as a result of presidential decisions. These reckless decisions are forcing Maryland to make some difficult decisions. The Maryland General Assembly has taken action to mitigate and reverse harm inflicted upon both our federal workers and the people who rely on their services. One important action we took was to fund the Attorney General’s requested budget increase to fight the federal administration in court. The House also passed the Protect Our Federal Workers Act (HB 1424). The bill is a response to the recent uncertainty in federal employment status and authorizes the Maryland Department of Labor to issue interest-free loans to affected federal employees in the event of a government shutdown or mass layoff. The bill also provides an additional $1.5 million to the Office of the Attorney General to hire more attorneys to protect affected federal employees and streamlines the state hiring process for former federal employees who can put their talents to use in state government. This bill aims to provide stability to the almost 143,000 federal employees in Maryland. The federal administration is taking actions to repeal and undermine the Affordable Care Act. The Maryland General Assembly has taken several actions to put protections in place. We passed HB 930, which establishes the Public Health Abortion Grant Program from unspent insurance premiums for abortion coverage to support those who are uninsured and underinsured. The legislature is also preserving insurance carrier coverage with HB 974, requiring coverage of preventative services with zero cost sharing. Investing in preventative care reduces the costs of overall care. HB 1045 builds upon legislation we passed in 2017 that made Maryland the first state in the nation to guarantee funding for family planning and women’s health services if the Federal Government decides to defund clinics. Given the national landscape, funding these protections is vital for families. In the wake of several federal actions indiscriminately increasing enforcement and the detaining of immigrants, the General Assembly is taking steps to protect our immigrant communities. We passed the Maryland Values Act (HB 1222), which designates public schools, public libraries, state funded or operated health and care facilities, and state governmental buildings as sensitive locations where immigration enforcement and detaining efforts are limited and or restricted. I was proud to cosponsor the House version of the bill. What this ultimately did not include is a prohibition I voted for in the House to prohibit state and local agencies from participating in what are known as 287(g) immigration enforcement agreements, which use local law enforcement for routine federal immigration enforcement. Those provisions would have ensured state and local cooperation for certain types of dangerous activity, but not put local law enforcement on the frontlines of regular immigration enforcement. EDUCATION As the Trump Administration is attempting to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education, guaranteeing that Maryland’s students have access to quality education has remained one of our top priorities. The Maryland General Assembly took steps to fund and reinforce Maryland’s education system. We passed the Excellence in Maryland Public Schools Act (HB 504) to retain essential public education funding for community schools (those with significant economically disadvantaged populations), students from low-income families, multilingual learner services, special education, and teacher collaborative time. Additionally, the bill makes targeted investments in teacher recruitment, retention, and professional development. This bill is essential as harmful cuts are made at the federal level, so we can ensure every Maryland student gets a quality education. As noted above, the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future was fully funded in this budget. The Blueprint is often in the news for its costs, but it is not just about money but what we are getting for that money. Its five pillars include early childhood education, quality teachers, college and career readiness, investing in those with the most needs, and oversight. The investments made so far have been fruitful as there has been a 53% increase in students enrolled in full-day pre-k. Maryland is ranked first for the number of teachers becoming National Board Certified. We have over 300 career coaches across the state who are providing career counseling to students. There has been a 110% increase in the number of community schools that provide wrap-around services to ensure students have all the resources they need to be successful. Additionally, all 24 school systems across the state are being held accountable for their implementation plans. I also sponsored the County School Board Member Anti-Bias Training Act (HB 324), which expands anti-bias–including anti-Semitism–training requirements to county school board members. This legislation builds upon legislation I worked on last year that required the training for public school employees. More than ever, it is important that there is an understanding of the complexity and diversity of our community, especially by those tasked with governance. TRANSPORTATION As many of you know, investing in our transportation network is a significant focus of mine. This session, I sponsored the Metro Funding Modification Act of 2025 (HB 467), which modifies Maryland’s contribution of dedicated capital funding to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), our local transit system. The bill would have increased the regional dedicated capital contribution Maryland would make to Metro to maintain service and safety, contingent on Virginia and D.C. doing the same. The bill passed the House but did not proceed in the Senate. We also passed HB 527, legislation to provide some limited relief to residents and businesses along the Purple Line construction corridor, with limited free ridership and advertising. In addition, we sent to the Governor HB 517, legislation I sponsored to review the structure of the Maryland Transit Administration, including the Purple Line and our MARC commuter rail system. The Environment and Transportation Committee took a serious look at ways we can meet our state’s Vision Zero goal, our aspirational effort to reduce roadway deaths and serious injuries for drivers, passengers, cyclists, and pedestrians to zero. We heard approximately 20 bills that focused on addressing speeding on our roadways. We passed HB 1173, which authorizes the placement and use of speed monitoring systems in Montgomery County on roads that are at high risk for crashes. HB 182 increases the civil penalty fees charged for speed monitoring system violations, specifically levying higher fees for those going at higher speeds (remember, no speed camera penalty sets in until you are going 12 miles per hour over the limit). The Sergeant Patrick Kepp Act (HB 744) alters penalties for reckless and aggressive driving. The bill is named after Sergeant Patrick Kepp, who is a Montgomery County police officer who was severely injured by a reckless driver. These bills all aim to make drivers think more carefully before driving recklessly and endangering lives. Although automated enforcement can be a useful safety tool, it must also be used appropriately. This year, I sponsored the Automated Enforcement Privacy Act (HB 516), which prohibits agencies from accessing or using a recorded image or associated data without a warrant, subpoena, or court order unless the access or use is for an appropriate traffic enforcement purpose. This bill will protect the privacy of citizens while ensuring our statewide systems can continue to protect and enforce necessary safety and traffic standards across the state. Senator Love has been a great leader on this issue and sponsored the Senate version of the bill. ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY In this session, we worked on a package of bills aimed at advancing clean energy, improving water quality, and supporting our agricultural partners. The House worked closely with the Senate to pass the Next Generation Energy Act (HB 1035) to help Maryland achieve its energy priorities and provide much-needed rate relief. Among the bill’s provisions is a major increase in the deployment of energy storage (150 megawatts of distribution-connected energy storage), altering how multi-year rate plans by utilities can be undertaken, and requiring a fast-track procurement of new energy generation, excluding coal and oil options. Candidly, the approach does leave the possibility of natural gas, but this cannot be a long-term solution given Maryland's climate goals. The Next Generation Energy Act also strengthens the oversight of Maryland’s gas utilities by reforming the STRIDE program. Companies must now demonstrate that infrastructure upgrades prioritize safety, provide value to customers, and are better than lower-cost alternatives like leak repair. Communities must also be notified well in advance of construction. Finally, utilities may propose multi-year rate plans—but only if they serve the public interest by improving predictability, maintaining quality, and preventing retroactive charges. The goal is a system that better serves people, not just providers. Moreover, we passed the Renewable Energy Certainty Act (HB 1036), to make the siting of solar and other renewables easier to manage. HB 49 alters Maryland’s Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS) from the Climate Solutions Now Act that was passed in 2022. BEPS is a policy to reduce emissions from the building sector. We have been working with stakeholders to ensure that Montgomery County buildings only need to comply with Montgomery County’s more flexible local law, and I am pleased that was part of the final bill. Coal ash pollution poses a serious threat to Maryland’s communities and waterways. New data has revealed a widespread presence of legacy coal ash sites in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Coal ash contains toxic metals that can contaminate water and air, putting nearby communities at risk. SB 425 strengthens oversight of coal ash storage and cleanup by aligning with federal rules, expanding monitoring, creating a coordination committee, and updating fees to fund enforcement. It’s a key step to safeguarding public health, drinking water, and our beloved Chesapeake Bay. We also took a step toward holding major polluters financially accountable. SB 149–previously called the RENEW Act–directs the Comptroller, in coordination with key state agencies, to study and report the full cost of greenhouse gas emissions in Maryland. The study will quantify the economic and environmental damage caused by climate change—including impacts to public health, infrastructure, and agriculture—and assess the costs already borne by the state and its residents. We also passed the Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act (HB 506), landmark legislation establishing the Maryland Leaders in Environmentally Engaged Farming (LEEF) Program. This bill takes a major step forward in protecting our waterways that feed the Chesapeake Bay by promoting regenerative farming on public lands—farming practices that restore soil health, reduce nutrient pollution, and sequester carbon. The bill also establishes a comprehensive Water Quality Monitoring Program within the Department of Natural Resources, ensuring our Bay cleanup efforts are guided by strong science and transparent data. We also worked on the Maryland Bottle Bill (HB 232) this session. While it did not cross the finish line this year, it represents important steps toward a cleaner and more sustainable Maryland. To reduce litter and promote recycling, HB 232 proposed a statewide beverage container deposit system—a proven strategy in other states to cut down on waste and increase recycling rates. However, we did pass SB 901, which puts more responsibility on producers of packaging and paper products to submit a framework to minimize the environmental and human health impacts of packaging, conserving resources by increasing recycling rates and content, modernizing waste and recycling systems across the state, and making producers financially responsible for investing in the needed recycling and waste infrastructure. These efforts are part of our long-term waste diversion goals. HOUSING This session, I supported legislation to expand access to safe, affordable housing and strengthen Maryland communities. For example, working with our County’s leadership, I sponsored the Affordable Housing Payment in Lieu of Taxes Expansion Act (HB 390), to incentivize property owners of naturally occurring affordable housing to maintain that affordable housing instead of upgrading to market (more expensive) rates. On the tenant side, I supported the Tenant Possession Recovery Act (HB 767), which requires landlords to provide an additional notice of eviction to tenants and provide a specific notice to safeguard tenant possessions. The Moore Administration submitted two significant housing bills, and I worked to ensure that they both maximized housing and maintained our local communities. HB 80, a bill on Transit-Oriented Development, supports targeting housing and mixed-use development near public transit. Frankly, Montgomery County has already done quite a bit of this work, but the bill would have ensured other areas with rail transit are following our lead. The Housing Development Act (HB 503), previously referred to as the Housing for Jobs Act, was heavily amended based on feedback I received from many of you. As amended, the bill would have set non-binding housing production targets, established a new commission to study and promote housing, and put in place clear rules so that the policies in place at the time a housing application is approved continue to govern that project. Ultimately, however, these bills did not pass the State Senate. My seatmate, Delegate Wolek, sponsored the Maryland Housing Data Transparency Act (HB 1193), supporting housing development efforts across the state’s largest counties and Baltimore City by establishing a framework for the quarterly collection and reporting of housing data to the Maryland Department of Planning. All information will be stored and readily accessible on an interactive online site to help address the housing crisis in a factual, data-driven manner. We also worked toward the successful passage of SB 63, a bill regarding Funding of Reserve Accounts and Preparation of Funding Plans. Those of you living in common ownership communities– such as a condo or co-op community–are aware of the important rules we have put in place to ensure a building is maintaining adequate reserves to invest in important safety measures. The legislation places additional flexibility in these reserve study and account requirements to maximize safety while maintaining affordability for residents. TRANSPARENCY AND REFORM I am proud to once again sponsor and support legislation to promote government transparency in Maryland. I was the primary lead on three bills that addressed this topic. The Local Boards of Elections Transparency Act (HB 412) builds upon work I did in prior legislative sessions to increase the transparency of our state board of elections by requiring the advance posting of certain documents and video streaming of meetings. This successful bill expands these requirements to county boards of elections across the state, although I am proud to note that Montgomery County largely did this without a legal requirement. HB 932 addresses potential conflicts of interest by a Governor by expanding the use of blind trusts and non-participation agreements to ensure that a Governor is focused on the best interests of the state. It strengthens Maryland’s public ethics framework by limiting the Governor’s ability to influence decisions for personal gain. The WSSC Planning and Reporting Act (HB 1195) provides better oversight of the Washington Suburban Sanitation Commission (WSSC). My office has received numerous constituent complaints related to WSSC and this legislation puts a new subject matter expert on the Commission, requires the public posting of more information, and requires WSSC, WSSC’s Inspector General, and the Department of Legislative Services to review various aspects of WSSC’s operation and governance to improve outcomes. CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM Maryland has made great progress during the past few years on criminal justice reform. This session, the General Assembly passed the Maryland Second Look Act (HB 853) authorizing certain individuals to file a motion for a reduced sentence if the individual was convicted between the ages of at least 18 and under 25, was not sentenced to life, is not a sex offender, and has served at least 20 years of the sentence. The legislation will further state efforts to promote rehabilitation and restorative justice. GOING FORWARD Thank you for keeping in touch 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 410-841-3649 or by email at [email protected]. There are just a handful of days left during this legislative session and my next email will be a comprehensive summary of everything that has taken place. Over the next few days, we will finalize the budget, address energy and other environmental legislation, and, hopefully, finalize immigration and criminal justice bills among other issues. During this last minute crush of activity, I am often asked if it would make more sense to have a longer annual session or even a full time legislature. It is a complicated question and there are pros and cons. But I do think attention is focused and compromise is hatched when a deadline hangs over you. If we had a 100 day legislative session, I believe we would still have this crush of last minute activity but it would be close to the 100th day and not the 90th. BUDGET UPDATE Last week, I shared an update on the balanced budget deal agreed to by the House and Senate leadership and the Governor. That compromise is still working its way through the legislative process. We had two lengthy days of debate on it in the House, which is appropriate given the scale of the budget deficit, the size of the budget cuts being discussed, and the potential impact of taxes and other revenue. Not surprisingly, my role in the debate was focused primarily on transportation issues and you can view part of that discussion here. The budget has also passed the Senate and is now in a conference committee between the two chambers, ----- There is another element of the annual budget that focuses on the state's construction program (the capital budget). This funds school construction, healthcare facilities, public safety buildings and more. This year's capital budget includes over $900 million in school construction investment, including over $50 million for an enrollment-based program that disproportionately benefits Montgomery County. Under the leadership of the Montgomery County Delegation Chair, we also secured additional school construction funding for Montgomery County not included in the Governor's original request. Other District 16 projects that are receiving funding include: -Children's Inn at NIH -The Glen Echo Park Spanish Ballroom -Imagination Stage -The Bannockburn Nursery School -The National Center for Children and Families -The North Bethesda Metro Station second entrance -And more.... LEGISLATIVE UPDATE The bills of which I am the primary sponsor continue to work their way through the legislative process. As of the time I am writing this, six of my bills have passed the Senate and are heading to the Governor's desk for signature including the County School Board Anti-Bias Act, the Local Boards of Election Transparency Act, privacy protections for automated enforcement data, the Conflicts of Interest Act, legislation expanding the availability of vintage plates, and the State Mineral Act. I expect a few additional bills to make it through the process as well. LEGISLATIVE SCHOLARSHIP State legislators award higher education scholarships for those attending Maryland institutions or non-Maryland institutions with unique majors (not available in Maryland). Learn more about my office's program at https://www.marckorman.com/scholarship.html.  COMMUNITY NEWS Preserve Cast is a Maryland-based history podcast I enjoy. This week's guest was District 16's own Hank Levine, who is a leader on the Bethesda Meeting House Preservation project. Listen here. ----- Several District 16 residents have been appointed or re-appointed to County boards: -Citizens Review Panel for Children: Jane Yamaykin -Commission on Landlord Tenant Affairs: Michael Rosenzweig, Stefanie Milovic, and Thomas Jackson COMMUNITY EVENTS On Thursday, May 8th at 6pm, the Maryland Transit Administration will host the latest Bethesda Chevy Chase Purple Line Community Action Team meeting. The meeting is virtual and can be accessed here. OFFICE CORNER As we approach the end of the legislative session, the next stop for many bills will be the Governor's desk where he can sign a bill into law, let it become law without his signature, or veto it. I have two framed pens from bill signings in my office to share here including from my first bill (a Metro ridership study requirement for Maryland, whose next installment is due this year) and the 2018 dedicated funding for Metro bill. I hope you enjoyed this fun segment of my newsletter this year and I hope to have a new topic to keep your interest in the 2026 legislative session!  The one piece of legislation that we have to pass each year is a budget. And unlike what legislators at the federal level deal with, our budget must be balanced. Early in the legislative session, my weekly email provided a primer on the budget and some history as to how we got to this current moment. That email was sent two days after the current president was sworn in and the challenges have mounted from there with both direct federal funding and the economic impacts of federal actions causing us severe harm. Some of you have written to me asking for a cuts only approach to balancing our budget. Others have suggested much more in taxes to address the current deficit and prepare for future federal actions, such as significant rollbacks to Medicaid (healthcare for those in need). My own view is that the best approach is a combination of both and I was pleased to see the House, Senate, and Governor announce a compromise balanced budget plan last week. I provided a brief summary of this budget deal via video a few days ago which you can watch here. That video focused on specific budget elements I have heard from you about and what is in and what is out of the final budget deal. To summarize: Out -Significant cuts to the Developmental Disabilities Administration. -Lowering the estate tax exemption from $5 million to $2 million and eliminating the inheritance tax. -Lowering the corporate tax rate from 8.25% to 7.99%. -Online retail delivery fee. -Entirely eliminating the itemization of tax deductions. -Broad-based Business-to-Business Services Sales Tax (not proposed in the Governor's budget but discussed). -iGaming, which is online gambling (not proposed in the Governor's budget but discussed). In -$1.6 billion in budget cuts across a wide range of programs (a full list is linked below). -Increase the sports wagering tax rate from 15% to 30%. -Increase the recreational cannabis tax rate from 9% to 15%. -Increase the income tax for income over $500,000 from a tax rate of 5.75% to 6.25% ($500,000-$1,000,000) and 6.50% (excess of $1,000,000) (income thresholds vary for joint filers). -Phase out of itemization for incomes over $200,000. -3% services sales tax on Information Technology, something a wide range of states do including Pennsylvania and Texas. A link to the state budget bill is here. A summary report is here. A link to the bill that accompanies the budget to make statutory changes necessary to balance it--known as the Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act--can be found here. And a summary report is here. The summary includes a list of budget cuts on page 10. The summary reports have a lot more information, but if you have any specific questions please feel free to reply to this email or reach out in other ways. With these actions, the state will have $2.4 billion in reserves including both a cash balance and a Rainy Day Fund and a structural balance next budget year. TRANSPORTATION UPDATE As part of the annual budget, the Maryland Transit Administration has to submit bimonthly reports on Purple Line progress. The most recent report--which does not change the date for the Purple Line opening--can be read here. LEGISLATIVE UPDATE I have shared before that one of the bills I am sponsoring this year is the Local Boards of Elections Transparency Act, sponsored in the Senate by Senator Cheryl Kagan. This legislation requires our local boards of elections to livestream their meetings and post their agendas. One thing I have not mentioned is that Montgomery County has led the way in already doing this work and we want to see other counties' boards follow our county's lead. ----- Bills that have crossed from one chamber to the other will begin to move quickly through the legislative process, particularly when they are identical to other bills that have moved. One of my bills has already moved through the Senate, the Maryland State Mineral Act, which makes chromite the state mineral (an issue brought to me by a constituent). LEGISLATIVE SCHOLARSHIP State legislators award higher education scholarships for those attending Maryland institutions or non-Maryland institutions with unique majors (not available in Maryland). Learn more about my office's program at https://www.marckorman.com/scholarship.html.  COMMUNITY NEWS Congratulations to Bethesda's Daniel Schlaff, who has been re-appointed to the Bethesda Urban Partnership Board of Directors. ----- Congratulations to Sue O'Hara (Individual Hero) and the Bethesda Central Farm Market (Community Hero) on their Heroes Against Hunger recognition from Manna Food Center. ----- One of the amazing aspects of our district is the many authors who live there. Today I want to shout out Josh Silver and his new book, Ending Redlining through a Community-Centered Reform of the Community Reinvestment Act. I first learned of the book through a Baltimore Sun op-ed he authored. COMMUNITY EVENTS On Thursday, May 8th at 6pm, the Maryland Transit Administration will host the latest Bethesda Chevy Chase Purple Line Community Action Team meeting. The meeting is virtual and can be accessed here. OFFICE CORNER Tomorrow is Major League Baseball's Opening Day. We live in challenging times, but as former MLB Commissioner Fay Vincent said, "This is not a day for concerns. This is a day for pleasure. There are concerns in baseball but they get dissolved in the bright sunshine." In honor of Opening Day, here is a look at some of the Baltimore Orioles memorabilia in my office. I grew up in Montgomery County in the 1980s and 1990s when the Os were the home team and I have stuck with them through thick and thin--and wow has it been a lot of thin!  We are now past "crossover day," the day by which bills have to pass from one chamber to another. This email includes an update on the bills of which I am the primary sponsor. But we also had significant floor debate on a few other issues that I wanted to share information about. The Maryland Second Look Act (HB 853) allows a subset of incarcerated Marylanders--those who were between 18 and 25 when convicted, were not sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, is not a sex offender, and have been imprisoned for 20 years--to petition a court and consider a sentence reduction if the individual is found not to be a danger to the public and the interest of justice will be better served by a reduced sentence. This provision applies to approximately 350 incarcerated individuals and does not mean that they will be released early, but they will get a process to do so if it is safe. Victims or their representative will be provided notice and can submit victim impact statements and take part in the process. The Maryland Values Act (HB 1222) nullifies Maryland counties' 287(g) agreements with federal immigration officials and sets a statewide policy for when local law enforcement should communicate and cooperate with immigration officials. -The Tenant Possession Recovery Act (HB 767) responds to a Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals decision by setting a 10 day time period for an evicted former tenant to recover their personal property (instead of having it placed right on the street corner). These all involved serious, sober debate and I think it brought out the best of most of my colleagues, even when I disagreed with their views. Early on crossover day, I provided a brief video update that you can view here. BUDGET UPDATE The budget continues to be one of the major issues we are dealing with. The Trump Administration did not cause the original budget deficit but their actions over the past few months have immeasurably exacerbated the challenges to Maryland and our residents. That's not a question of ideology or how you voted, it is just a reality. One issue I have heard from many of you on is concern about broad business-to-business services sales tax one of my colleagues has proposed. Like almost any impactful proposal we consider, this one will certainly not pass in whole or without changes but it is one of the options--at least in part--on the table to help us balance our budget and fund priorities like public education (the largest component of our state transportation budget). Indeed, the Governor has made clear that he does not support the full proposal and will not sign a bill that includes it. There is much more to come on the ongoing budget negotiations and debate. LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Here is an update on the status of legislation I primarily sponsored. County School Board Member Antibias Training Act (HB 324): This bill expands on an existing anti-bias training program, which includes training related to anti-Semitism, for school board members. The bill has passed the House on a bipartisan basis. Senator Brian Feldman is the Senate sponsor and his version has already passed that body. Affordable Housing Payments in Lieu of Taxes Expansion Act (HB 390): This legislation would expand an existing state program that allows housing projects meeting certain affordability requirements to pay no or discounted property taxes. This bill allows that policy to apply, if the County chooses, to projects that maintain affordability for existing naturally occurring affordable housing that would otherwise be redeveloped to higher market rates. Senator Shelly Hettleman is the sponsor in the Senate and both of our versions have passed our respective chambers. Specially Designed Vintage Reproduction Registration Plates (HB 313): This bill has passed the House unanimously and allows Marylanders to purchase vintage plates that were in use 100 years ago. The Senate sponsor is Senator Folden and his version has already passed that chamber. State Mineral Act (HB 411): This legislation is a constituent's initiative to have Chromite declared the state mineral. Chromite was first discovered in the United States in Maryland and is an industrial metal. The bill has passed both chambers. Senator Craig Zucker is the Senate sponsor. You can read more about the bill here. Local Board of Elections Transparency Act (HB 412): For several years, Senator Cheryl Kagan and I have advanced transparency legislation including at the State Board of Elections to require public posting of agendas and live web streaming of meetings. This bill would expand those requirements to local Boards of Elections. It has passed both chambers on a bipartisan basis. Metro Funding Modification Act of 2025 (HB 467): The 2018 regional capital commitment to our regional transit system of $500 million--of which Maryland contributes $167 million--has not grown to keep up with inflation. This bill re-sets the amount to account for inflation and sets a future 3% growth factor, all contingent on Washington, DC and Virginia doing the same. The bill has passed out of the House and is sponsored in the Senate by Senator Malcolm Augustine. Automated Enforcement Privacy Protections (HB 516): This year, I am the House cross-file of Senator Sara Love’s bill to set privacy protections around our automated enforcement programs. The bill has passed the House on a bipartisan basis and Senator Love's bill has also proceeded in the Senate. The MARC Rail Authority Act of 2025 (HB 517): As introduced, the bill would have set up an independent authority for Maryland's commuter rail system. It has been amended in the House into a workgroup to study the restructuring of the Maryland Transit Administration more broadly. The bill has passed out of the House. Senator McCray is the sponsor on the Senate side. Conflicts of Interest Act (HB 932): This legislation would strengthen the state’s rules around blind trusts and non-participation requirements to ensure our governors are acting on behalf of the state and not their private interests. Senator Brian Feldman is sponsoring the Senate version of this bill. The House version has passed the chamber unanimously. Franchise Reform Act (HB 992): Maryland has one of the toughest franchising laws in the country, making it difficult for Franchisors to expand their concepts and for small business owner franchisees to access these concepts. The regulatory regime is well meaning to protect potential franchisees from being taken advantage of, but I believe Maryland can be more friendly to these new business concepts, a concern brought to me by several constituents. The bill would pilot a new system for franchisors to file their paperwork with the state and make other changes to our franchising regulatory regime. It has passed out of the House. WSSC Planning and Reporting Act (HB 1195): This legislation is a Delegation bill that I originally sponsored that makes several reforms to our local water utility including place our county Director of Environmental Protection on the Commission, adding transparency provisions and requiring various reviews and reports to make the Commission more efficient. The legislation has passed out of the House of Delegates. COMMUNITY NEWS Two District 16 residents are recipients of Montgomery County Women Making History Awards. Congratulations to Santi Bhagat and Lavontte Chatmon. ----- Congratulations to two new members of the Friendship Heights Transportation Management District, Julian Mansfield and Efi Pagitsas. ----- I previously shared information about the State Highway Administration's MD 190 (River Road) Corridor Safety Study. The Montgomery County Planning Board will have a briefing on the study this week and you can see their read ahead packet here. COMMUNITY EVENTS On Saturday, March 22nd at 3pm, the NIH Community Orchestra and Chorus will Perform at the Potomac United Methodist Church.  ----- On Thursday, May 8th at 6pm, the Maryland Transit Administration will host the latest Bethesda Chevy Chase Purple Line Community Action Team meeting. The meeting is virtual and can be accessed here. OFFICE CORNERCrossover week is busy and we are in Annapolis for long hours. Because I have relatively young kids, I go home almost every night so I can see my family either at night or in the morning. But when I do miss them, my office is loaded with reminders of them and I am sharing those reminders for my look inside my office this week.    |
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October 2025
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