The Budget Is Coming - Weekly Update

Later today, the Governor will introduce his annual balanced budget. As regular readers know, the fiscal year that is the subject of these budget negotiations has a large projected deficit and addressing that will be a significant task this legislative session. I will have a lot more to say about the Governor's proposed budget in future emails.
COMMITTEE UPDATEFor the second session in a row, I am chairing the Environment & Transportation Committee. Despite the name, the committee's jurisdiction covers not only environment and transportation but also housing, land, use, agriculture, ethics, and local government. You can watch the organizational meeting I led for the committee here.
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Each year, the committees commence the session with legislative briefings. The Environment & Transportation Committee has numerous briefings scheduled including these meetings on housing and transportation issues.
The State of Housing briefing already occurred and can be viewed here.

LEGISLATION UPDATE
​I have begun to introduce the bills that I previewed last week. Thus far, I have introduced two bills:
School Board Member Antibias Training Act: Last year, the General Assembly passed Ways and Means Chair Vanessa Atterbeary’s bill requiring school employees to undergo anti-bias training, including training related to anti-semitism. I was surprised to learn that school board members are not considered school employees and, therefore, were not included. This legislation closes that loophole and requires school board members around the state to go through the same training. I understand that our school board in Montgomery County is doing some voluntary training, but this sets the law for all to follow. Chair Feldman is also cross-filing this legislation.
 
Specially Designed Vintage Reproduction Registration Plates: If you ever see me driving, you know I do not even use my special General Assembly plates to say nothing of the plates you can buy with a Baltimore Oriole logo or a nice picture to support the state Agricultural Trust or Bay Foundation. But I believe Marylanders who want to pay extra should have these options and am partnering with Senator Folden to allow Marylanders to purchase a vintage plate design that was in use over 100 years ago and is quite popular with some of our neighbors.
DELEGATION NEWS
The 26 member Montgomery County House Delegation is the largest in the Maryland General Assembly. We typically meet weekly on Fridays during the legislative session. Our first meeting included updates from the County Executive and County Council President and can be watched here.
COMMUNITY NEWS
The Federal government has awarded $24.8m in federal funding for the new North Bethesda Metro station entrance. This is in addition to millions of dollars in state and local funding awarded over the years to put together the funding necessary for this project.

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Former District 16 Delegate and long-time State Treasurer Nancy Kopp was honored with her official portrait unveiling last week. It is a lovely tribute to a tremendous public servant.

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Congratulations to my seatmate, Senator Love, on her elevation to Chair of the Chesapeake Bay Commission. Read more about it here.

OFFICE CORNERThis year I plan to share an item from my office in my weekly emails. Because this week's update includes the organizational meeting of the Environment & Transportation Committee--known as E&T--I am sharing a few "ET" items in my office to remind me of the committee I chair. I have shared these as handouts--at my expense--with each of my committeemembers in the years I have chaired the "ET" Committee.