MARC KORMAN
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  • About Marc
  • Issues
    • Airplane Noise
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    • Civil Rights & Civil Liberties
    • COVID-19
    • Economic Prosperity
    • Education
    • Energy & Environment
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    • Pepco
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LATEST NEWS

Vaccinations and the Budget

1/26/2021

 
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The frustration with the vaccine roll-out continues.  Ultimately, the state receives approximately 10,000 vaccine doses from the federal government per day and this is insufficient for a state of over six million people.  But we still need to administer the vaccines we do have more efficiently and consistently, with far better communication.  My seatmate, Delegate Ariana Kelly, wrote a great summary of the situation that I would encourage you to read.
I continue to recommend that constituents sign up for the Montgomery County vaccine email distribution list here.  Moreover, for those who are 65 years old or older (Phases 1B and 1C), you can pre-register with Montgomery County for a vaccination appointment here.  The pre-registration process has improved, as email confirmations are now immediately sent so you will know your pre-registration has been received.  For those interested in the data or other information, the state Department of Health maintains this site.

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

The one bill the Maryland General Assembly is constitutionally required to pass each year is the state budget.  The Governor proposed his budget last week and it largely consists of three components: (1) The Operating Budget, the dollars allocated for specific programs; (2) The Capital Budget, the dollars allocated for construction; and (3) The Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act (BRFA), a bill that revises legislative spending requirements to ensure a balanced budget.  The Governor's budget can be found here.  All in all, given expectations a few months ago and the ongoing public health and economic crisis, the budget is in relatively positive shape.  That is a good sign when there are so many people that do need additional help right now.  Some highlights of the budget include:
  • Fully funds K-12 education formulas, uses additional dollars to hold counties harmless for pandemic-related student enrollment drops, and uses some additional education money for tutoring;
  • Provides a 5.5% increase in community college funding and limits University of Maryland System tuition to 2% increases;
  • Fails to provide for raises for most state employees but fully funds the state's actuarially required pension fund payment; and
  • Fully funds the dedicated funding program for our local mass transit system (WMATA or Metro) and provides a 7% increase in local road funding.

The non-partisan Department of Legislative Services provided more highlights in its annual Fiscal Briefing, available here.

As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I will spend the next few months digging into the details of the various department and agency budgets as we work towards a final budget and I will have more to say about it in the future.
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Bill hearings are now in full swing.  My first bill hearing, on the Board of Public Works Budget Reduction Clarification Act, was held last week and reforms the mid-year budget cutting process.  You can watch the hearing and learn more about the bill here.

My second bill hearing, on the Electric Vehicle Recharging Equipment for Multifamily Units Act, was yesterday and you can learn more here.  The bill follows the lead of other states in setting a process for those in Homeowners Association or Condo Board communities to install charging equipment.  If it sounds familiar, it is because it has passed the House each of the past two years but not proceeded in the Senate.
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I am co-chair and co-founder of the Maryland Transit Caucus, a group of bipartisan and bicameral legislators who support transit.  This year we are prioritizing five bills:
  1. P3 Oversight & Reform Act (HB485 / SB361): Strengthens Maryland’s P3 laws to ensure oversight and predictability to protect the financial and environmental health of the state;
  2. Transit Safety and Investment Act (HB114 / SB199): Provides an average annual increase of $175 million for Maryland Transit Administration (MTA)’s capital needs for the next six years;
  3. Zero Emission Bus Transition Act (HB334 / SB137): Requires the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) to transition its approximately 800 bus fleet to all electric over time, as the agency procures replacement buses;
  4. Southern Maryland Rapid Transit Project Funding (HB414 / SB81): Requires the state to pay over the course of several years for the final environmental planning phase of the Southern MD Rapid Transit Project;
  5. Western Maryland MARC Expansion Study: Requires the Maryland Dept. of Transportation to study the feasibility of expanding commuter rail service to Western Maryland via the MARC Train line and/or currently inactive rail lines (not filed yet).

COVID-19

​Montgomery County is decoupled from the statewide changes to what is open and what is not to deal with the public health crisis.  You can track the current rules in Montgomery County here.  The County's COVID-19 data dashboard can be viewed online as well.  There is also a state dashboard online.

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Many of you are trying to navigate the state's unemployment system, which was simply not equipped for the volume or complexity of the current caseload.  The Department of Labor website (https://www.dllr.state.md.us/employment/uibenefits.shtml) is your entryway for unemployment benefits.  If you are having trouble with unemployment and live in District 16, you can fill out our District 16 constituent service Google form for assistance here.  The District 16 Team has been in regular contact with the Department of Labor to try and resolve individual cases.

Community News
  • Over the weekend, Bethesda celebrated its 150 birthday--the 150th anniversary of the day Bethesda's name became Bethesda (renamed from Darcy's Store).  The Bethesda Historical Society helped celebrate the big day with banners in downtown Bethesda and you can learn more about their work here.
  • Congratulations to District 16's Francis Grant-Suttie, the new Vice Chair of the Board of the C&O Canal Trust.

Community Events
  • On Monday, February 1, 2021, the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Democratic Breakfast Club will hear from Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks.  Email John Keller at keller.johnw@gmail.com for further information.
  • On Saturday, February 20, 2021, Imagination Stage will honor its founder, Bonnie Fogel.
  • On Monday, March 1, 2021, the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Democratic Breakfast Club will hear from Montgomery County Councilmember Andrew Friedson.  Email John Keller at keller.johnw@gmail.com for further information.
​
If you know of an upcoming District 16 event or a District 16 resident who merits recognition or condolences, please email marc@marckorman.com.

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