Halfway Through

We are now more than halfway through the 90 day legislative session which means floor sessions are getting longer and committees are voting out more bills.  Over the past few weeks, significant public hearings have been held on legislation related to the legalization of cannabis, placing a constitutional amendment on the ballot in support of reproductive rights, responding to the Supreme Court's Bruen decision on firearms legislation, the Governor's proposal to raise the minimum wage and peg it to inflation and more.  If there is a legislative issue or bill you are interested in, please just click the reply and I am happy to let you know the status of that particular one.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
 
Each of my bills has now had a hearing and several of them are moving through the process.  The Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority Sunset Act (mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb0161?ys=2023RS) would require a sunset review of this forty year old authority created to build incinerators and was unanimously voted out of the Environment & Transportation Committee. The Maryland State Agency Transparency Act (mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb0058?ys=2023RS), which would expand certain Open Meetings Act requirements--including web streaming of meetings--to the State Ethics Commission, was voted out of subcommittee.  The Young Readers Program Expansion Act (https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb0243?ys=2023RS), which would build on a program created last year to support county-based programs that send books to young Marylanders, also passed out of subcommittee.  I expect further progress on bills I am working on over the next few weeks.
 
COMMUNITY NEWS
 
State legislators have the opportunity to award scholarships to our constituents for their higher education.  If you are interested in a scholarship, please visit https://www.marckorman.com/scholarship.html for further information about how to apply.
 
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 Congratulations to two District 16 residents recently appointed to county positions:

• Marc Dominianni, Historic Preservation Commission
• Grant Shmelzer, Workforce Development Board

 
UPCOMING EVENTS

• The Montgomery County Department of Transportation will hold a virtual meeting on March 1 at 7pm (TONIGHT) to discuss proposed construction of sidewalks on several streets in Bethesda's Kenwood Park community: Durbin Road, Lenox Road, Millwood Road, Kenhill Road, and Highboro Drive.   Online registration is required to attend the virtual meeting. On the morning of March 1, an invitation and link will be sent via email to those who registered. The public is encouraged to review the proposal files on the project website prior to the meeting. 
• On Monday, March 6 at 7:30am, the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Democratic Breakfast Club will hear from our local County Councilman, Andrew Friedson.  Email keller.johnw@gmail.com for more information.
• Montgomery Parks is holding two meetings on the proposed Bethesda Market Park (https://montgomeryparks.org/projects/directory/bethesda-market-park/).  On Wednesday, March 15 from 6:30-8:30, the meeting will be held at the Jane E Lawton Community Recreation Center social hall, 4301 Willow Lane, Chevy Chase, MD 20815.  On Thursday, March 16 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm, the meeting will be held at the Bethesda Elementary School all-purpose room, 7600 Arlington Road, Bethesda, MD 20814.
• On March 16 at 7:30pm, the District 16 Democratic Club will host a virtual forum with the candidates to the District 16 Delegate vacancy.  Register here: https://bit.ly/d16-03-16
• On March 21 at 6:30pm, the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee will hold a special meeting to appoint a new District 16 Delegate.   Register here: https://bit.ly/mcdcc-03-21 

If you know of an upcoming District 16 event or a District 16 resident who merits recognition or condolences, please email marc@marckorman.com.