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We are now more than halfway through the 90 day legislative session which means floor sessions are getting longer and we are reaching key decision points on many significant issues. Last week, for example, the House of Delegates passed two bills related to the issue of cannabis legalization (and accompanying regulation).
HB 1 puts on the ballot the following question: Do you favor the legalization of adult–use cannabis in the State of Maryland? HB 837 addresses immediate issues if the voter answer "yes," to that question. Those issues are in the three buckets of criminal law, health, and regulatory structure. The bill does leave many issues for a future General Assembly, such as taxes and licensing but here is, broadly, what it would do: Criminal Effective January 1, 2023
Transportation Update Josiah Henson was a slave in Montgomery County who wrote a slave narrative that helped inspire Uncle Tom's Cabin. The County Planning Board recently voted to rename Montrose Parkway after him. In addition to being a tribute to Josiah Henson, it will also reduce confusion with the nearby Montrose Road. ----- There have been significant problems with EZ Pass on Maryland's toll roads, bridges, and tunnels lately. As a result, the Maryland Transportation Authority has announced a few efforts to try and ameliorate the challenges, including a civil penalty waiver for late tolls and increasing the customer service agent workforce to reduce wait times. You can read more about this here: https://mdta.maryland.gov/blog-category/mdta-news-releases/mdta-board-members-approve-customer-assistance-plan The Subcommittee I serve on had a hearing a few weeks ago regarding the challenges with EZPass, which you can view here. The issue will come up again when we hear the Authority's budget. Legislative Update Since my last newsletter, there has been great progress on the legislation I am advancing this session. The Health and Government Operations Committee unanimously voted to support the Maryland State Agency Transparency Act of 2022, which requires quasi-state agencies to video stream their meetings and post their materials publicly. Senator Cheryl Kagan is the lead in the Senate. The Appropriations Committee voted in favor of the The Independent Agency Health Insurance Option Act, which would allow a few quasi-governmental agencies to buy into the state's health insurance plan. The Ways & Means Committee voted unanimously in support of the Young Readers Program Expansion Act (ttps://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB0383?ys=2022RS). All three bills will be on the House floor this week. Community News
Before COVID-19, on President's Day a member of the House of Delegates would give a speech honoring George Washington. Similar speeches were offered on another night for Abraham Lincoln, always by a member of the Republican Party, and for Martin Luther King, Jr., always by a member of the Legislative Black Caucus. In 2018 I had the honor of giving the Washington Day address which I was reflecting on as we observed President's Day this week. You can click to hear my 2018 address on YouTube (it pre-dates video streaming in the House Chamber).  As always, you can keep up with what I am doing by following me at @mkorman on Twitter or by clicking "Like" on Delegate Marc Korman on Facebook.
Transportation Update The proposed addition of two new lanes in each direction on a portion of I-495 and I-270 continues to be an issue of concern in District 16. While I have yet to meet a constituent who enjoys traffic, many have raised environmental and fiscal concerns with the Governor's proposal. For the past three years, the House of Delegates has passed legislation to reform or reign in the project and, each year, the Senate has failed to act on any legislation even slightly related to this project (our own senator, Senator Susan Lee, has been a stalwart supporter of reform and oversight). Although the legislative process has run aground, there has been some recent action by the courts. Last week, a judge ruled that a losing bidder's protest had to be substantively considered by the Maryland Department of Transportation which had attempted to throw out the protest for timing reasons. I have no insight into the losing bidder's protest but the issues they have raised--that the winning bidder's proposal is not financially feasible and that it must have a construction partner--seem worthy of consideration and are of concern. Legislative Update Since my last newsletter, I had a marathon day of bill hearings with four hearings in one day. The Health and Government Operations Committee heard the Maryland State Agency Transparency Act of 2022, which requires quasi-state agencies to video stream their meetings and post their materials publicly. Senator Cheryl Kagan is the lead in the Senate. You can view that hearing here. In the Appropriations Committee, I presented three of my bills: The WMATA Dedicated Funding Amendments Act revises the dedicated funding inflation escalator for the regional transit system, contingent on the other jurisdictions doing the same. You can watch that hearing here. HB 458 is a bill to reform our collective bargaining law for state employees to including binding arbitration. That hearing can be found here. The Independent Agency Health Insurance Option Act would allow a few quasi-governmental agencies to buy into the state's health insurance plan. That hearing is available here. ----- A few weeks ago, I mentioned some of the broader priorities for the Maryland General Assembly in 2022. One of those was Helping Families Afford Basic Needs. Democratic Delegates recently announced a package of bills expanding sales tax exemptions to baby products and diapers, oral hygiene products, and certain medical products, as well as a broader bill to incentivize hiring through tax benefits. Another broader priority was Protecting Women's Reproductive Health. Democratic Delegates also announced a legislative package on that topic including enshrining Roe v. Wade's holding into the Maryland constitution (it is already in state statute), removing cost barriers for reproductive health care, and expanding providers. A big shout-out to Delegate Ariana Kelly, who is leading the way on these issues. Community Events
Last Thursday was the deadline to introduce legislation to be guaranteed a hearing date, one of the rules that governs the legislative process at the state level that helps us function.  I am the primary sponsor of 12 pieces of legislation, many of which I have discussed in prior emails. Since my last update, I introduced two bills.
The Maryland Rail Investment Act (HB 1324) would create a new, independent authority to build and manage rail projects in Maryland, funded by existing tolls on roads, bridges, and tunnels similar to the approach in several other states. The Children With Disabilities-Costs of Teacher Salaries bill (HB 1301) builds on work Senator Zucker and I did last year to ensure that teachers at special needs schools, which are dominated by students placed there by the public school system, are adequately compensated. As always, you can keep up with what I am doing by following me at @mkorman on Twitter or by clicking "Like" on Delegate Marc Korman on Facebook. Subcommittee Update As chair of the Transportation and Environment Subcommittee on Appropriations, I get to oversee several state agencies involved in transportation and environmental issues. Our non-partisan budget staff, the Department of Legislative Services, prepares a brief on each agency before we consider their budget. Last week, the Subcommittee heard several budgets including the budget for Maryland's contribution to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). You can watch that hearing here starting at minute 17 and read the Department of Legislative Services analysis here. My subcommittee also held an oversight briefing on the Purple Line, a project I support but that has been deeply troubled. You can watch that hearing here. One of the reasons I appreciate serving on the Appropriations Committee is because it offers a real opportunity for legislative oversight of the executive branch. Legislative Update Since my last newsletter, several pieces of legislation I sponsored had hearings. Before the Environment and Transportation Committee, I presented a bill brought to me by a constituent--the Motor Vehicle Registration Clarification Act (HB 368) that clarifies the timing of when the Motor Vehicle Administration can issue penalties for turned in licensed plates with canceled insurance. You can watch the hearing here. During a Ways & Means Committee hearing on an employee-owned business tax bill (HB 403), I was stuck in a budget hearing but my aide, Joseph Swit, pinch hit for me and did a great job. You can watch that hearing here. Finally, before the Ways & Means Committee, I presented the Young Readers Program Expansion Act (HB 383), a bill to expand a non-profit program that sends a book a month to kids under 5. Watch that hearing here. ----- On Monday, the Maryland Transit Caucus heard from the head of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and the head of the Maryland Transit Administration. You can watch that briefing here on the Caucus' YouTube page. ----- A few weeks ago, I mentioned some of the broader priorities for the Maryland General Assembly in 2022. One of those was expanding access to affordable childcare and you can watch a press briefing on the package of bills to support that effort here. Election Update As is to now be expected, the recent Congressional and legislative redistricting has led to a round of litigation. As a result, the Maryland Court of Appeals has delayed the candidate filing deadline from February 22 to March 22. ----- I am pleased to announce that my re-election has been endorsed by two advocacy groups. The Maryland State Education Association (MSEA) and CASA In Action both recently announced that they would support me for another term. Community Events
Prior to the pandemic, every February, members of the Legislative Black Caucus would share short Maryland historical speeches during Black History Month. As we are in Black History Month, I thought I would share a little bit of Black History in the Maryland General Assembly. 1954 was the breakthrough year for African Americans, as three were elected to the General Assembly for the first time. In the House, Emory Cole and Truly Hatchett were elected. In the Senate, Harry Cole was elected. In 1958, Verda Welcome was elected the first female African American Delegate and then the first female African American State Senator four years later. Senator Welcome's portrait now hangs in the Senate chamber.  As always, you can keep up with what I am doing by following me at @mkorman on Twitter or by clicking "Like" on Delegate Marc Korman on Facebook.
Pension Update The state pension is a niche issue I am sometimes asked about, often as a proxy for the state's overall fiscal health and responsibility. A recent update from the Joint Committee on Pensions and the annual budget analysis of the State Retirement Agency provide a good and current lay of the land. The pension is 76.2% funded and projected to reach 80% funding (a strong benchmark the rating agencies look at) in fiscal year 2025. That is after many years of difficult decisions around the pension including changing impacts on employees, shifting some burdens to the counties, and increasing the state taxpayer contribution. The state tax dollar contribution to the pension fund for fiscal year 23 is $1.8b, with $373m from local school boards. You can read a lot more in the annual budget analysis and Joint Pensions Committee Report. Legislative Update Since my last newsletter, I had a hearing on my bill related to the Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund (MAIF). The legislation (HB 377) will allow the state's auto-insurer of last result to offer more flexible and affordable installment plans instead of forcing drivers to choose between paying interest rates for insurance premiums or driving without insurance. You can watch the hearing here. The bill has since been voted favorably out of the Economic Matters Committee. I also had the bill hearing on the Green School Construction Act (HB 365), legislation to encourage more environmentally responsible school construction projects in the state. You can watch that hearing here. ----- Last week, the Maryland Transit Caucus heard from the Department of Legislative Services and the American Public Transportation Association about the federal infrastructure bill. You can watch the briefing here, on the Transit Caucus's YouTube page. ----- A few years ago, I worked with several colleagues to create a state matching funds program for local government to establish summer Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) programs. The latest report on the program recently arrived. Six jurisdictions (including Montgomery County) have been awarded state taxpayer funds to match their own local taxpayer funds to feed 3,996 students during the summer months. But there is still unbelievable need. Governor Hogan included over $4 million in his budget request to radically increase the size of the program--which began with a $200,000 mandated appropriation. You can read the report here. Community News Condolences to the family of Carl Leventhal. Dr. Leventhal was an active District 16 constituent and father of former Councilmember George Leventhal. ----- Congratulations to two Bethesda residents on their nominations to the Montgomery County Library Board: James Montgomery and Marilyn Schiff ----- Congratulations to District 16's Leni Preston, who was appointed to the Policy Committee for the Maryland Commission on Health Equity. Community Events
I often get caught up in these emails discussing the legislation I introduce or the work of my committee (Appropriations) and subcommittee (Transportation & Environment). This week I want to step back and discuss some of the broader agenda items the House of Delegates will be taking up during the legislative session.  In no particular order, some of the issues are: Climate Solutions: We have made a lot of incremental progress on climate policy in the state of Maryland but this year we are poised for major legislative gains with an increased greenhouse gas reduction goal, regulation of methane emissions from landfills, promotion of just transition for workers in the fossil fuel economy, and much more. Expanding Family and Medical Leave: The House of Delegates is poised to pass this expanded leave program for workers this year. I want to give particular credit to my seatmate, Delegate Ariana Kelly, for leading the way on this issue. Helping Families Afford Basic Needs: The House Ways & Means Committee will promote legislation to expand the categories of goods that are not subject to the sales tax, such as diapers. Banning Ghost Guns: Under the leadership of Attorney General Brian Frosh and District 16's own Senator Susan Lee, the legislature will take on the growing threat of self-assembling and untraceable ghost guns. Greater Judicial Transparency: There will be a robust discussion over what visibility there is into the judicial system and judicial decision-making, as the General Assembly seeks to strike the right balance between judicial independence and adequate oversight by the legislature and the public of the judicial system. Legalizing Cannabis: The General Assembly plans to send to the voters a ballot question regarding whether or not the state should legalize recreational cannabis. It will likely be up for a vote this November. Expanding Women's Reproductive Health: Regardless of Supreme Court politics or decisions, Maryland has codified the right for a woman to choose an abortion into law. Legislation this year will work to ensure that right has practical meaning by clarifying who can perform procedures and their costs. Expanding Childcare: Even prior to the pandemic there was a shortage of childcare providers and the costs were too high, challenges only heightened by COVID-19. A legislative package this year will work to expand the provider base and cost assistance. Improving Infrastructure: The federal infrastructure bill has created a once in a generation opportunity to invest in our infrastructure and the House of Delegates will provide necessary oversight of this process. Of course, there will be over 3000 bills introduced during the legislative session and many other issues to tackle. But these represent some significant priorities. As always, you can keep up with what I am doing by following me at @mkorman on Twitter or by clicking "Like" on Delegate Marc Korman on Facebook. Administration Update Sticking with my theme, a few people wrote back last week to note that my discussion of the Governor's budget did not include his tax proposals. As I serve on the Appropriations Committee, and not the Ways & Means Committee that deals with taxes, I sometimes gloss over that side of the ledger but it is important.  The Governor has proposed three basic tax changes: (1) Phase out of income taxes on all retiree income; (2) Elimination of the business filing fee for online filers; and (3) Extension of the Earned Income Tax Credit the General Assembly passed--and the Governor signed--last year. There are a few things to keep in mind about these proposals, which will be considered as part of budget negotiations. Regarding retiree income, the annual cost of the Governor's proposal rises to $730 million a year by 2027 and there are no restrictions based on the amount of income or tax bracket of the beneficiary. As to the Earned Income Tax Credit, it does not need to be extended until next year and the Governor excluded certain taxpayers the General Assembly previously included. Finally, tax reductions are not "free" but represent foregone revenue. Unlike the federal government, the state has to have a balanced budget each year. We are in a moment of budget surplus, but a lot of it represents "one time" money which will be spent over time and we will end up with projected deficits again.
Legislative Update I have introduced several more bills since my last newsletter that will soon be assigned for hearings:
The General Assembly has adopted the constitutionally required maps for state legislative district redistricting, something we must do every decade in response to the new census. For District 16, the only change is shifting precinct 04-32--the neighborhoods around Cabin John Mall and the Ivymount School--to District 15, which was their district before the 2010 census redistricting. You can browse the new map--which is subject to litigation--here. Community News District 16's Lily Freeman was front-and-center last week as Moms Demand Action came to Annapolis to advocate against ghost guns. You can watch her speak here. Lily was one of my high school interns last year! ----- Congratulations to another student in District 16, Zayn Bandukwalia, on being appointed to the Montgomery County Alcohol and Drug Abuse Advisory Advisory Council. Community Events
As I noted last week, the Governor's budget proposal has been released. The budget is the one bill the Maryland General Assembly is constitutionally required to pass each year and it has two major components:
On Monday, the General Assembly received the annual overview of the budget known as the fiscal briefing. You can watch the full briefing here. Or read the presentation here. As always, you can keep up with what I am doing by following me at @mkorman on Twitter or by clicking "Like" on Delegate Marc Korman on Facebook. Legislative Update Last week, my first bill hearing took place on the Zero Emission Bus Transition Revision Act (HB 10), legislation that modifies the zero emissions bus transition bill from last year to assist the workforce. You can watch the hearing online. I have introduced several more bills since my last newsletter that will soon be assigned for hearings:
Metro's General Manager, Paul Wiedefeld, has announced his departure later this year. Mr. Wiedefeld has a history of service in the transportation sector in Maryland, having run both the Maryland Transit Administration and BWI Airport before leading Metro. Running Metro is a difficult job and I think Mr. Wiedefeld brought needed credibility to the role when he began and helped secure dedicated funding for the system which is critical to maintaining its capital. Unfortunately, two events have clouded the end of Mr. Wiedefeld's tenure: COVID-19, which is obviously beyond Metro's control, and the issues with the 7000 series of railcars that are not currently running. ----- The Governor's final six year Consolidated Transportation Program was released with the budget last week. There is a lot to digest and, as noted above, the budget includes dedicated funding for Metro and a projected extension of Highway User Revenue. But one area of interest is how the budget deals with the proposed expansion of I-270 and I-495. Last year, the Governor's political action committee ran attack ads against me and others, claiming that five specific transportation projects (four roads and one transit line) would be cancelled unless the Governor's road expansion plans advanced. The plan have advanced, yet in this final budget of Governor Hogan's tenure, four of the five projects (three roads and one transit line) still receive zero funding. Moreover, the Governor's draft transportation budget had no funds set aside for the project Montgomery County Councilmembers said they had secured last summer. After the Department of Transportation was asked about this at multiple meetings and hearings, Page MTA-54 of the final budget sets aside $400,000 to begin developing a project. Community News Montgomery County is beginning to plan the North Bethesda Bus Rapid Transit line, a proposed connection from Montgomery Mall to either Grosvenor or White Flint Metro Stations. Click here to apply for the corridor advisory committee. Click here to sign-up for updates. ----- The Comptroller has announced a three month extension of the state income tax due date. The filing and payment deadline will be Friday, July 15, 2022.----- Shout-out to District 16's Zoe Weiss, who testified in support of HB 49, Public Health - Emergency and Allergy Treatment - Nurse Practitioners legislation last week. You can watch Zoe's testimony starting at about nine minutes in of this video. ----- Congratulations to Bethesda's Laura Coyle on her reappointment to the Citizens Review Panel for Children. ----- Congratulations to Joan Kleinman, the long-serving District Director for Senator Van Hollen recently announced her retirement. Joan has been an incredible bridge between state officials and Senator Van Hollen. Speaking of which, Senator Van Hollen spoke at the Montgomery County Delegation last week, including about Joan. You can watch his remarks here, starting about 29 minutes into the meeting. Community Events
If you know of an upcoming District 16 event or a District 16 resident who merits recognition or condolences, please email marc@marckorman.com. The legislative session is off to a fast start in committees. In a normal legislative year we begin with short floor sessions--because no legislation has been passed by committees at this early date--and committee briefings. This year, because of COVID, we are skipping the short, largely ceremonial floor sessions and also quickly commencing bill hearings. The Appropriations Committee and the Subcommittee on Transportation and the Environment that I chair is in the process of holding a series of relevant early briefings. And more are in planning on the Maryland Transportation Authority--the agency that handles EZPass--and its recent troubles as well as the Purple Line. You can view the first oversight briefing on Maryland's commuter rail system here. It was also covered in a media story.  You can view the first oversight briefing on Maryland's commuter rail system here. It was also covered in a media story.
The first hearing on one of my bills is also scheduled for tomorrow. The Zero-Emission Bus Transition Act Revisions (HB 10) will be heard by the Environment and Transportation Committee. As always, you can keep up with what I am doing by following me at @mkorman on Twitter or by clicking "Like" on Delegate Marc Korman on Facebook. The Budget By the time you read this, the Governor's fiscal year 2023 budget proposal will be made publicly available. The budget will be available here and I will have more to say about it next week. But for those interested, the non-partisan Department of Legislative Services will hold its annual fiscal briefing on January 24 at 3pm to provide insight into the budget request. TransportationOne of my great frustrations with state government is the mismanagement of the Purple Line construction. I support the project and believe a suburb to suburb transit connection running from Bethesda through Silver Spring and College Park to New Carrollton will, in the long term, be beneficial to the region. But the path to getting there has been disappointing. I have been concerned about the Public Private Partnership (P3) used for the Purple Line from the time it was entered into. As a rank-and-file member five years ago, I joined with colleagues from Montgomery and Prince George's County to question the then-Transportation Secretary on some of the provisions. When I became chair of the Transportation & Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, I requested that the P3 vendor attend the Maryland Transit Administration's budget hearing in 2020, which the Administration rejected. I have been in close contact with Department of Transportation officials since the construction contractor walked away and was pleased that the P3 vendor finally attended the Maryland Transit Administration budget hearing in 2021, where I had the opportunity to question them on the progress of the project. The budget last year included language I drafted requiring status reports from the Maryland Transit Administration on the progress of replacing the construction contractor and the most recent submission is informative. As you can read in the submission, the good news is the new construction contractor has been identified, the Board of Public Works will consider the award at its next meeting--the documentation for which is here--and the construction contractor will ramp up their work in the spring . But the awful news is that the total cost of the P3 has seen 66% growth since 2016 including almost 75% growth in the construction phase. The Administration tries to place the blame for this on inflation and COVID, but the truth is they accepted an unreasonably low bid in what looks like an effort to hide costs and we are paying for it. First with a departed construction contractor who has delayed the project and now with these increased costs and other changes to the project that increase the risk to the state. My subcommittee plans to hold a briefing on the project soon. ---- Maryland has a series of alternative fuel corridors that have been federally designed and, thus, eligible for federal funding for electric vehicle charging stations under the new federal infrastructure law. The entire Montgomery County House Delegation sent a letter to the Maryland Department of Transportation seeking the designation of additional corridors in the County. Read the letter here. You can read the response from the Department here. Community News
If you know of an upcoming District 16 event or a District 16 resident who merits recognition or condolences, please email marc@marckorman.com. The Maryland General Assembly convenes for its 90 day session today. Once again, we will be operating in a challenging public health environment and you can read about some of the protocols impacting the public here. The one silver lining is all of our floor sessions, committee meetings, and committee voting sessions now stream online and are accessible. You can visit the Maryland General Assembly website to keep track of all of our meetings or just reply to this email with any questions.  The office staff for the 2022 legislative session. As always, you can keep up with what I am doing by following me at @mkorman on Twitter or by clicking "Like" on Delegate Marc Korman on Facebook. 2022 Legislative Session Agenda I am currently sponsoring nine pieces of legislation and the possibility of a few more still under development. That said, there are some significant issues the General Assembly will address that I may not be the sponsor of, but will take up significant time. This includes the annual budget which goes through the committee I serve on (Appropriations); further relief related to the continuing public health crisis; oversight of the public health response; legislation related to the potential legalization of recreational cannabis; and more. Although I am not the primary author of these bills, their development and advancement will be a part of my work these next 90 days. Moreover, there are numerous other issues in which we will be engaged including a comprehensive bill related to climate change and assisting renters facing eviction; the local legislation I help oversee as chair of the 24 member Montgomery County House Delegation; and my work in overseeing the state's transportation and environmental agencies' budgets as the Chair of the Transportation & Environment Subcommittee of Appropriations. It will be a busy legislative session. The legislation I am sponsoring includes: Young Readers Program Expansion Act: As a bibliophile, I may be most excited about this legislation that would support Imagination Library chapters in our state. Imagination Library programs sends a book a month to children under five and the Montgomery County chapter focuses on impoverished communities. The bill would set up a state matching program for local jurisdictions to support Imagination Library chapters. Green School Construction Act of 2022: For schools transitioning the fuel supply for their boilers, transitioning to a fossil fuel would become an ineligible cost for purposes of state matching dollars. There is no reason for state tax dollars to make long-term investments in fossil fuel infrastructure when schools can instead upgrade to greener options. Maryland Rail Investment Act of 2022: Maryland has an independent transportation authority for the construction, maintenance, and management of roads but not for transit. This legislation would create that by establishing a rail authority to support transit projects and funding it with toll revenue in excess of road maintenance needs, an approach also followed in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. WMATA Dedicated Funding Amendment Act of 2022: In 2018, Maryland was part of an historic success that established regional, dedicated funding for the Metro system. Although I continue to have significant concerns about the oversight and management of the system, there is no question that this funding has helped with Metro's capital needs. The legislation makes something of a technical change to the dedicated funding formula, contingent on parallel action in DC and Virginia, to apply a growth formula to the dedicated funding account instead of another capital fund. Senator Brian Feldman is working on the bill with me. Zero-Emission Bus Transition Act Revisions (HB 10): Last year, the Maryland General Assembly passed my legislation with Senator Craig Zucker to transition the state's 800 bus fleet to zero emission. The new bill ensures that the bus workers are treated fairly during the transition. Motor Vehicle Registration Clarification Act: The bill came from a constituent complaint where the Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) was issuing penalties for non-insured cars (which they track by license plates) when the plates have already been turned in. The bill will require the MVA to pause a little longer before assessing the penalties. Arbitration Reform for State Employees Act: The proposed constitutional amendment would alter the system of government employee negotiations in Maryland to binding arbitration, allowing a neutral third party to settle contract disputes between the Governor and state workforce. Senator Ben Kramer is working on the proposed constitutional amendment with me. Maryland State Transparency Act: This legislation builds on prior work I have done with Senator Cheryl Kagan to make various agencies' governing boards more transparent. It applies the same web streaming and agenda posting requirements to all of the state's quasi-governmental agencies, which was the recommendation of a Gubernatorial Commission I served on over the interim. Independent Agency Health Insurance Option Act: This bill allows a few quasi governmental agencies not already covered to buy-in to the state's health insurance program. There is no net cost to the state because the quasi governmental agencies pay for the state's share of the cost, just as they do for their usually more expensive independent health insurance plans today. Senator Brian Feldman is working on the proposed legislation with me. The Maryland General Assembly website has many great resources if you are interested in following our work over the next 90 days. I will highlight just a few:
I also recommend a few different news resources for those of you interested in the legislature. In addition to the Washington Post and Baltimore Sun, there are three websites that specialize in coverage of Annapolis:
Community News
 If you know of an upcoming District 16 event or a District 16 resident who merits recognition or condolences, please email marc@marckorman.com.
Happy holidays from my family to yours. It's been another strange year but I hope you and your loved ones can enjoy the holiday season. As you do so, please continue to be safe and stay healthy. Scroll down for a big event announcement and my usual monthly update.  On January 5 at 7:30pm, the District 16 Team will hold its annual legislative send-off virtually. Go to bit.ly/d16-01-05 to register.  Special Session Wrap-up
As I previewed last month, the Maryland General Assembly met in special session earlier this month and took up three items of business. Veto Overrides: During the special session, the General Assembly voted to override numerous gubernatorial vetoes from the spring. Some of the most significant pieces of legislation removed the Governor from the parole approval process--as most states have done; increased safety investment for the Maryland Transit Administration, set limits on how local law enforcement can interact with federal immigration officials, and my legislation on transparency in the budget reduction process. The complete list is here. Treasurer: The General Assembly had the task of appointing a replacement to our long-time State Treasurer, District 16's own Nancy Kopp. The new Treasurer is long-time delegate Dereck E. Davis. You can watch his swearing-in online. Redistricting: The General Assembly also passed the new Congressional district lines, as required after the decennial census. The new map can be viewed here and will go into effect for the 2022 election. Legislative News I have spent a big part of the last year serving as a Speaker Adrienne Jones appointee to Governor Hogan's State Transparency and Accountability Reform (STAR) Commission, chaired by former State Senator (and Delegate) Andrew Serafini. The final report is here. The STAR Commission was set up to address "quasi-governmental" MD agencies that stand somewhat apart from the normal executive branch, such as the Maryland Stadium Authority, the Maryland Clean Energy Center, the Maryland, Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority, Maryland Environmental Service, and Bainbridge Development Corporation. On the surface, many of these organizations are doing great work under the oversight of their boards of directors. But too often problems emerge in the governance and ethics at these organizations, significantly with the Maryland Environmental Service. The purpose of the Commission and report is to avoid the ongoing whack-a-mole each time a problem crops up and, instead, propose broader and systematic changes to all of these organizations. It is hard to legislate good behavior but many of these recommendations should increase the likelihood that any bad behavior is identified, exposed, and rectified sooner. ----- Each year, the non-partisan Department of Legislative Services releases issue papers that preview the upcoming legislative session. You can read the latest issue papers here. Budget One of my responsibilities is to serve as the House Chair of the Spending Affordability Committee, which meets each year to set the basic guidelines for our upcoming budget process. The Committee met last week and you can read the adopted report. You can also watch the meeting online. We are in a moment of unexpected cash surplus and the Committee recommends bringing the state's Rainy Day Fund up to 9% of revenue, repaying some other unfunded liabilities, and prioritizing some one time construction costs. That leaves what they call the "structural surplus" for ongoing programs or other incurred costs. We also follow the Governor's recommended capital (construction) debt limit while specifying certain funding priorities. ----- The Spending Affordability Committee described above was in the context of the latest Board of Revenue Estimates (BRE) projections, which were recently released. The projection tells us what our state government is capable of doing in the near term regarding services, construction, and so on. The fiscal picture is currently bright. In sum, around a half a billion increase in revenue is expected in both the current and next budget years. The corporate income tax "declines" are from September's estimated increases, not a true decline. Sales tax growth is even stronger than the major increases expected from 2020/COVID. Tobacco tax revenue was surprisingly high, because less were deterred than expected from the tax. The BRE economist emphasized that this is very much a story of federal aide bolstering our economy and working its way through the system. It is positive, but may not be long-lasting. Maryland is also down 90k jobs from pre-COVID (although we were down 400k at the low). You can see his summary in the links below as well: revenue looks strong, federal stimulus helps a lot, inflation is positive for revenue but will also impact expenditures, and this is a good report but likely not sustainable. The video of the meeting is here and the slide deck from the meeting is here. Transportation During the last legislative session, a deal was negotiated with the Governor that included state grants for businesses directly impacted by Purple Line construction. The Department of Commerce has partnered with Montgomery County to facilitate the grants and you can read more about the Council's work with the state grant here. Unfortunately, there is a gap in funding because of a bill vetoed by Governor Hogan (but since overridden). We are working with Prince George's County to fill that gap. Read our letter to the Governor and his team here. Community News
On December 6, the Maryland General Assembly will convene for a Special Session, outside of our annual 90 day January-April meeting. There are three orders of business we expect to take up. First, as required by the Maryland Constitution, the General Assembly will undertake any overrides of the Governor's vetoes from the 2021 legislative session. Second, we will appoint a new Treasurer to replace our own Nancy Kopp. Third, as also required by the Constitution, we will pass a redistricting plan for the Congressional district lines. I discuss each of these in more detail below.  Chairing the recent Montgomery County Joint Priorities Hearing
As always, you can keep up with what I am doing by following me at @mkorman on Twitter or by clicking "Like" on Delegate Marc Korman on Facebook. Legislative News Vetoes: Section 17(d) of Article II of the Maryland Constitution requires the General Assembly to take up veto overrides during the forthcoming special session. A list of the bills the Governor vetoed is available here and includes legislation regarding collective bargaining at community colleges, progressive taxation for the local "piggyback" income tax, investment in the state transit system, marketing for the Purple Line, and my legislation on transparency in the budget cutting process. Treasurer: As I shared in a prior email, after almost 20 years as State Treasurer, Nancy Kopp is stepping down. The General Assembly will appoint her successor. Each Delegate and Senator gets one vote and can cast it as they wish, although a special committee is appointed by the legislature to review candidates for Treasurer. Redistricting: The action that will undoubtedly receive the most attention during the special session is redistricting. Every ten years, following the census, any population-based districts need to change in order to ensure an even distribution of people among districts. In our area, that includes everything from school board and county council districts, to state legislative districts, and up to Congress, the most high profile. Congressional districts will be taken up during the special session and are treated like any other bill: the lines are introduced, voted on, and then subject to Gubernatorial veto. The Maryland General Assembly leadership appointed a Legislative Redistricting Advisory Committee made up of members of the legislature, including a few Republicans, and chaired by the former Executive Director of the Department of Legislative Services. You can review the Committee's work, including its public meetings and proposed map, online. The Governor also appointed a redistricting commission and you can look at their work here. Vaccines We have come a long way from the painfully slow and hectic early days of vaccine distribution. Booster shots are now available and you can learn more here. For those of you with young children, like me, the vaccine is now available for those ages 5 to 11. Further information can be found online.Transportation The Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement regarding the Governor's proposal to widen part of I-495 and I-270 with private toll lanes has been issued. The comment period was recently extended and runs until November 30 at 11:59pm. You can review the document and learn how to provide feedback on the project's website. ----- Each year, the Maryland Department of Transportation visits each county in Maryland to discuss their proposed Consolidated Transportation Program. You can view the Montgomery County meeting on the Delegation's YouTube page. And the budget being discussed is available here on the Department's website. ----- The Hogan Administration recently announced that after almost a year of delays, a new construction contractor has been selected for the Purple Line. Important details about the accompanying costs and delays are still unavailable but at least this is some sign of progress with the project, which has limped along with work overseen directly by the state. You can read about the announcement here. ----- Nationally, an infrastructure bill has finally passed Congress and been signed into law. Here is a preview at some of the direct benefits expected for Maryland. ----- In a prior newsletter, I shared my correspondence with the Maryland Department of Transportation regarding our infrastructure's ability to handle current flooding conditions. The Department of Transportation recently sent a response which is really just a start of the discussion as the Department adjusts to the new normal of more constant flooding in places where it used to be rare. Budget Last year, I was appointed co-chair of the Spending Affordability Committee, which helps set the framework for our annual budget. The first meeting of each fall is an overview of the state's budget and economic conditions. The meeting's briefing materials are here and you can watch the meeting here. Local Bills and Hearings As Chair of the Montgomery County House Delegation to Annapolis, one of my roles is to help shepherd through local legislation that only impacts Montgomery County. Thus far, there are 26 pieces of legislation working through that process and you can review each bill here. There are three upcoming dates for public hearings on these bills, via zoom: November 23 at 7pm: Virtual bill hearing on proposed Montgomery County Board of Education Redistricting legislation to update the electoral lines for Board of Education members in line with the current census. December 13 at 7pm: Bill hearings on MC 1-22, MC 4-22, MC 5-22, MC 13-22, MC 16-22, MC 20-22, PG/MC 100-22, PG/MC 101-22, PG/MC 103-22, PG/MC 105-22, PG/MC 106-22, PG/MC 109-22. Check what these bills are here. December 15 at 7pm: Bill hearings on MC 2-22, MC 3-22, MC 6-22, MC 7-22, MC 8-22, MC 12-22, MC 15-22, MC 18-22, MC 21-22, MC 22-22, MC 23-22, PG/MC 107-22, PG/MC 111-22. Check what these bills are here. To find out how to testify or submit testimony, visit the Delegation's website. ----- The County Delegation recently held its Joint Priorities Hearing, where we hear from members of the public about your priorities. You can watch the meeting here. Community News
-Interagency Coordinating Board for Community Use of Public Facilities: Derek Ross -Domestic Violence Coordinating Council: Lavontte Chatmon -Commission on Child Care: Allison Fialkov -Bethesda Urban Partnership: Jane Fairweather -Commission on Health: Brent Berger -Pedestrian, Bicycle, and Traffic Safety Advisory Committee: Thomas Bridle, John Kellenberg, and Fabiola Yurcisin
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