Dear Friend,

Thank you for contacting me to express your views during the 2025 Legislative Session of the Maryland General Assembly. Hearing from my constituents is an invaluable part of serving as your Delegate, and I truly appreciate engaging in the legislative process with you. 

Balancing our priorities this year was extremely challenging given an imposing structural deficit, and an unpredictable federal policy landscape; despite these challenges, I am proud to share that we passed a strong package of legislation that will greatly benefit our District by putting consumers and businesses first, retaining federal protections in state law, and creating stable fiscal landscape that can weather uncertainty from Washington. Your participation, whether through testimony, meetings, or simply sharing your thoughts with me informed my decisions in every step along the legislative process.

This session, I served my seventh year on the Health and Government Operations Committee (HGO). I served my third session as Chair of the Public Health and Minority Health Disparities Subcommittee, where we evaluated complex bills to improve health outcomes across Maryland. This year, we tackled a wide variety of issues related to prescription drug affordability, substance use treatment, services for those with developmental disabilities, and many others. I also continue to serve on the Women’s Caucus legislative review panel, where a small group of delegates meet to identify which bills will be a priority for the Caucus from session to session; we were proud to pass a broad range of bills to support Womens’ health and childcare options this session. I also serve as an associate member of the Latino Caucus, Veterans Caucus, LGBTQ+ Caucus, and Transit Caucus.

I continue to serve on several commissions to guide policy decisions at our state and county agencies, and I have contributed to recommendations from the Commission on Public Health, the Medicaid Advisory Commission, and the Crownsville Advisory Committee, the latter of which released its master plan for developing the Crownsville Hospital Memorial Park in February. I am very excited that the county has a long-term plan for revitalising the campus, and hope that the greater District 33 community will be able to enjoy its services in due time. You can read those recommendations on the Anne Arundel County website.

Serving as your representative is the honor of a lifetime. Below is a summary of major legislation I supported and other work for public office I completed during the 2025 Legislative Session. For a complete list of all the bills introduced this session, and how I voted, please visit the Maryland General Assembly Home Page: http://mgaleg.maryland.gov. Please reach out to my office if you have any questions about navigating the website.

Constituent Connections

As your Delegate, I always hold my constituents as my highest priority. If you are experiencing issues with a state agency, if you have questions or concerns about legislation in the General Assembly, or if you need any general assistance with government-related work, my office is available to help. In the last 90 days, we responded to over 350 questions and concerns raised by constituents,  and shaped state policy based on those concerns. 

Watching our community grow is one of the highlights of my job. I regularly attend ribbon cuttings and ceremonies to recognize grand openings, anniversaries, and other milestones made by businesses and residents across Severna Park, Arnold, Cape St. Claire, and the entire Broadneck Peninsula. In the past year, I attended 35 ceremonies to honor businesses and individuals celebrating their successes. It is my honor to celebrate with you and to recognize the achievements of our community. Please reach out to my office if you would like us to participate in a ribbon cutting or other ceremony in the District.

This year, my colleagues Senator Dawn Gile, Delegate Andrew Pruski, Delegate Stuart Schmidt, and I  organized District 33's third annual District Night. District Nights are opportunities hosted by members of the General Assembly to invite constituents to the Capital to meet their representatives and engage first-hand with the legislative process. Over 80  people from across the District joined us during the session in the House Office Building right next to the State House. We encourage you to join next year - attendance is free, and it is a great opportunity to connect with us over in Annapolis.

My office offers an annual Scholarship to eligible students across the District. Last year, our office awarded 45 Scholarships to students in District 33C, totalling over $63,000. Scholarship applications for this year are available until April 30th, 2024 at 11:59pm. Please contact our office and complete the following form if you are interested in applying:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScoeIDyDNsSvlwGnueAgDcjXh3hKHiCDpLF9oIKWMyLSsdYpQ/viewform?usp=header 

Federal Worker Protections and Resources 

Reductions in the federal workforce loomed large over the 2025 legislative session. With nearly 150,000 federal workers, and the nation's highest concentration of federal employees, Maryland is uniquely vulnerable to federal actions. As mass layoffs materialize, the Comptroller estimates more than 28,000 Marylanders could lose their jobs - destabilizing families,  disrupting economies, and straining social services across the state. In response, the General Assembly passed the Protect our Federal Workers Act to expand services available to affected workers, and appropriated funds to the Office of the Attorney General to challenge the legality of these actions. This issue reaches our entire state, and I am closely following developments that will affect those in the district. If you or someone you know needs assistance, I have provided information on state and local resources below. If at any time you need help accessing these resources, do not hesitate to contact my office.


Maryland’s Budget

Maryland is required under the State Constitution to pass a balanced budget each year and this session was marked by difficult but necessary fiscal discussions. When the General Assembly convened in January, Maryland faced a $3 billion structural deficit, looming reductions in the federal workforce, and threats to essential match dollars for healthcare, education, and public services. Despite these challenges, the General Assembly passed a $67.3 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2026 that maintains Maryland's commitment to providing services and serves as a meaningful step toward fiscal stability. Below are some of the highlights and major appropriations in this year's budget:

  • Nearly $1.9 billion in cuts to general and special fund spending.

  • Rainy Day and Cash reserve funds totaling more than $4.5 billion, and a $317 million projected surplus.

  • Aid to local school systems increased by $572.5 million, with $9.7 billion in state support for public schools. 

  • Raises $500 million for the Transportation Trust Fund, ensuring resources to address long-term infrastructure needs.

  • Provides an additional $181.5 million in services for developmentally disabled Marylanders.

  • Invests $121.8 million in police aid, $65.5 million in victim and juvenile services, and $5 million in parole and probation staffing.

Though I voted for the budget, and support the priorities it outlined, I voted against the Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act (BRFA). Residents of District 33C made clear they do not support tax increases proposed in the BRFA, and while I believe that the Committee did a commendable job, it is evident that many wanted us to find a different way, and preferred a less regressive tax plan overall. This was a difficult vote, but it demonstrates the balance I hope to strike between making your voices heard, and keeping our district at the table.

Capital Budget


The Maryland General Assembly passes the capital budget to fund infrastructure and public investments across the state. This year the Anne Arundel County Delegation managed to secure nearly $1.2 million in funding for projects and organizations throughout the county. I’m proud to have worked closely with my colleagues in both the House and Senate to secure critical investments in our community.


Anne Arundel County Capital Budget Grants

  • American Legion Post No.7: $50,000

  • BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport: $50,000

  • Chesapeake High School Field House: $100,000

  • Crofton Spay-Neuter Clinic: $29,000

  • Earleigh Heights Volunteer Fire Company Station: $50,000

  • GORC Park Scoreboard: $50,000

  • Gaudenzia Crownsville Campus: $50,000

  • Zero Waste to Zero Hunger Facility: $20,000

  • Glen Burnie Center Medicine and Behavioral Health: $250,000

  • Children's Theater of Annapolis: $100,000

  • Kiwanis Club of Commodore Mayo: $50,000

  • Maryland City Volunteer Fire Department: $6,000

  • Severna Park BPOE 2482: $120,000

  • Stoney Beach Living Shoreline: $120,000

  • Summit School Building Expansion: $150,000

TOTAL: $1,195,000

My Primary Legislation

As a member of the Health and Government Operations Committee and Chair of the Public Health and Minority Health Disparities Subcommittee, my first priority has been to protect our state’s investment in our health and behavioral health systems and to ensure equal access to healthcare. This session, I also took on a broader legislative slate, adopting bills to give more flexibility to our school system and protect consumers. Given the state’s fiscal climate, every bill I have sponsored this session introduces a new idea for low-cost or no-cost improvement to our state’s operations.

HB 3 - State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners: Updates outdated regulations governing the Board of Physical Therapy Examiners by requiring electronic rather than paper renewal notices, and by increasing membership from 8 to 9 to match the Board’s workload need, allowing the Board to operate more efficiently, offering greater convenience to therapists and their clients.

HB 100 - Insurance Pooling - Public Entity Definition: Authorizes a resilience authority, incorporated by one or more local governments to support resiliency infrastructure projects, to pool together with other public entities to purchase casualty insurance, property insurance, or health insurance or to self-insure against casualty, property, or health risks. As Anne Arundel county operates one of the first resilience authorities in the state, allowing them to pool their insurance will reduce county insurance costs.

HB 226 - Anne Arundel County – Public Schools – School Schedule Options: Authorizes the Anne Arundel County Board of Education to choose an alternative scheduling model, allowing them to reduce the number of early dismissal days when they have met the minimum number of required hours rather than the minimum required days. If the school is not open for 180 days, school hourly employees are provided an opportunity to make up for lost wages. Several county residents have reached out to my office to express frustrations with planning around school half-days, and this bill will give the county flexibility to consider alternatives.

HB 265 - Dental Services - Qualification for Maryland Dent-Care Program: Expands eligibility for Higher Education Loan Assistance Grants under the Maryland Dent-Care Program to include part-time dentists and dental hygienists. By expanding eligibility for the Loan Repayment program, we are allowing a growing percentage of part-time dental professionals the opportunity to continue working in this field without so much financial strain from student loans.

HB 871 - Health Services Cost Review Commission - Community Benefits - Community Health Worker Workforce Program: Community Health Workers (CHWs) are professionals who connect people with opportunities for healthcare. This bill clarifies that community-based organizations (CBOs) which employ them are eligible for hospital community benefit spending (a federal requirement for nonprofit status), which will increase hospital support of CHWs. The bill also includes an MOU framework for hospital/CBO partnerships to better support the work of CHWs.

HB 1046 - Mechanical Repair Contracts - Technical Service Bulletins: This is a consumer protection bill, which is part of a larger effort to curb unfair practices related to vehicle technical service bulletins (TSBs). Some vehicle service contract service providers (like CarShield) use the existence of technical service bulletins for an issue with a car as justification for not honoring a service contract; this is improper, as unlike a recall, a TSB is not an admission of responsibility for a manufacturer to fix an issue. HB1046 bans this practice, ensuring continuity of coverage under these contracts.

HB 1142 - Public Health - Maryland Interested Parties Advisory Group - Establishment: Establishes an Advisory Group to ensure adequate access to applicable home- and community-based services in the state. Through this group, direct care workers and other interested parties will advise and consult Maryland Medicaid on payment rates paid for personal care, home health aide, homemaker, and habilitation services. Recommendations from this group will ensure reimbursement rates are set to draw a sufficient workforce and avoid a workforce shortage as our population ages and demand for home care increases.  

HB 1143 - Maryland Collaborative to Improve Children's Oral Health Through School-Based Programs - Establishment: This bill establishes a collaborative to  make recommendations on ways to improve school-based dental programs. Many children in Maryland are unable to access dental care; childcare dental screenings are incredibly important for long-term oral healthcare, and school based services could provide a new access point for those services.  


Anne Arundel County

HB 453 - Anne Arundel County - Development Impact Fees: Expands the Anne Arundel County Council authority to grant exemptions to companies from paying development impact fees for affordable housing and workforce housing, incentivizing development of more affordable housing across the county.

HB 571 - Anne Arundel County - Alcoholic Beverages - Class C Licenses - Events: Allows our county’s nonprofits with social clubs (Elks and Moose lodges, primarily) to operate their own bar for which they rent out their venue. Previously, a third-party bartender would have to be hired for such events; this bill offers less hassle and more opportunities to produce revenue for these organizations.

HB 598 - Anne Arundel County - Property Tax Credit - Supermarkets: Authorizes the county to grant a property tax credit against the personal property tax on personal property of a supermarket that completes certain construction and is located in a certain food desert retail incentive area, providing the county with another tool to incentivize grocers to construct stores in food deserts. 

HB 921 - Anne Arundel County Crownsville Hospital Memorial Park Advisory Committee: This Advisory Committee has been established for the past two years. HB921 puts the Committee in state law to ensure that there will be continuing guidance to enact the county’s current master plan for the Crownsville Memorial Hospital Park.

HB 1296 - Environment - Managed Aquifer Recharge Pilot Program - Establishment:  Authorizes the Maryland Department of Environment (MDE) to regulate and evaluate the Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) Pilot Program to add safe, purified, reclaimed water to the aquifer from which residents of Anne Arundel county get their drinking water. Recent studies have determined that water from the aquifer is being used at a rate faster than it can be replaced (recharged) and will lead to its eventual collapse. This program is a step toward ensuring long-term water sustainability and affordability for county residents. 

Notable General Assembly Legislation

Public Health

HB 962 - Public Health - Pediatric Hospital Overstay Patients and Workgroup on Children in Unlicensed Settings and Pediatric Overstays: Pediatric overstays are instances where a minor patient remains in custody of a hospital for a significant period after being discharged; vulnerable youth in the foster care system are the most common group who meet this status. This bill significantly improves Maryland’s ability to ensure those minors have a safe place to go with appropriate care.

HB 46 - Public Health - Cannabis Public Health Advisory Council - Membership: Adds the Administrator of the Motor Vehicle Administration to the advisory council membership, ensuring public safety concerns, such as impaired driving, are considered during cannabis policy discussions. 

HB 718 - Maryland Health Insurance Coverage Commission: Creates a commission to monitor and assess the impact of federal changes to programs such as the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, and Medicaid. The Commission will provide recommendations tailored to ensure long-term healthcare affordability across the state, and minimize disruptions to our state healthcare delivery as a result of changes to federal policy and funding. 

HB 996 - Public Health - Phenibut Consumer Protection Act (JT Alvey Phenibut Consumer Protection Act): Phenibut is  an unregulated synthetic derivative of GABA marketed as a supplement to improve sleep, reduce anxiety, and enhance cognitive performance. HB 996 requires retailers that sell a Phenibut product accurately portray the nature of Phenibut, prohibits the sale of Phenibut to those under the age of 21, and creates civil penalties for violating these rules.

HB 170 - Health - Maternal and Child Health Population Health Improvement Fund - Use:  Extends the term in which the state can use previously allocated funds to support a suite of priority maternal and child health initiatives. Not only has the Maternal and Child Health Population Health Improvement fund improved outcomes across the state, it also allows the state to access $8 million in federal match dollars, leveraging state funding to maintain critical Maternal and Child Health initiatives.  

HB 297 - Maryland Health Benefit Exchange - State-Based Young Adult Health Insurance Subsidies Pilot Program - Sunset Repeal: Makes Maryland’s State-Based Young Adult Health Insurance Subsidies Program permanent by repealing its pilot status and ending date to expand the pool of healthy adults in the program, and reduce rates.


Disability Services

HB 1481 - Disability Services - Adapted Vehicle Access Pilot Program - Established:  Establishes the Adapted Vehicle Access Pilot Program in the Maryland Department of Disabilities (MDOD) to provide adapted vehicles to eligible individuals who do not qualify for other programs offered by MDOD.

HB 1244 - Maryland Developmental Disabilities Administration Waiver Advisory Council - Establishment: Codifies the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) Waiver Advisory Council in state law. The Council is composed primarily of those receiving services, and will advise the DDA on how they might improve transparency and service delivery in the Medicaid waiver. 

Health Access and Affordability

HB 424 - Prescription Drug Affordability Board - Authority for upper payment limits (Lowering prescription Drug Costs for All Marylanders Now Act): Authorizes upper payment limits for prescription reimbursements, allowing the Prescription Drug Affordability Board to leverage the full weight of Maryland’s pharmaceutical market when they negotiate prescription prices. Upper payment limits set a payment maximum that insurers can pay for a prescription; this is done as a bargaining tool to lower the cost of prescription drugs statewide. Under this law, the Board is allowed to reconsider a payment limit if it is found to lead to a shortage.

HB 930 - Public Health Abortion Grant Program-Establishment: Protects access to abortion care services through a public health grant program. Funding for this program has been mandated since 2010 by federal law from insurers to a special fund that can only be used for abortion care. States need to enact legislation to access those funds, and this bill provides that authority.

HB 974 - Preventative Services Enforcement: Requires insurance carriers in Maryland to continue providing preventative services such as immunizations, annual wellness check and screening at no additional cost to the customer, removing a barrier to preventative health care, while improving personal and public health across the state. 

HB 1045 - Health Insurance and Family Planning Consumer Protections: Codifies in state law the existing federal protections in the Affordable Care Act for family planning services, grandfathered plans, explanation of benefits, summaries of benefits and coverage, medical loss ratios, catastrophic plans, annual limits for cost sharing, prescription drugs, and rescissions.  

HB 1082 - Health Insurance - Individual Market Stabilization - Establishment of the State-Based Health Insurance Subsidies Program: Establishes a program to provide subsidies to individuals if federal tax credits towards buying health insurance in the state health exchange are eliminated or reduced, causing a significant increase in average premiums. If Congress extends the advanced premium tax credits, the state program will end.

HB 869 - Preserve Telehealth Access Act of 2025: Requires Maryland Medical Assistance Program and certain insurers, nonprofit health service plans, and private payers to cover telehealth care, expanding access to an affordable and accessible healthcare venue. 

Energy

HB 1035 - Next Generation Energy Act: Enacts a comprehensive energy platform to increase in-state energy production, address rising energy costs, and modernize our grid. This bill carefully balances affordability with sustainability, and ensures long-term stability in Maryland's energy grid by incentivizing in-state energy generation. The Next Generation Energy Act offers meaningful relief to Maryland ratepayers in the form of direct energy assistance. 

HB 1036 - Public Utilities - Generating Stations - Generation and Siting (Renewable Energy Certainty Act): Establishes State-wide standards for solar and battery storage permitting to ensure the state is well positioned to attract renewable energy providers. 

HB 1037 - Energy Resource Adequacy and Planning Act: Establishes the Strategic Energy Planning Office to work alongside the Public Service Commission, the Maryland Department of Transportation, and the Maryland Energy Administration to forecast Maryland’s energy landscape and implement the state’s clean energy goals. 


Workforce and Small Business Development

HB 500 - Procurement Reform Act of 2025: Modernizes the state's procurement process and prioritizes transparency, efficiency, and inclusion. Key provisions of the bill expand support for small and veteran-owned businesses, prioritize workforce development, reduce costs and increase efficiency in Department procurements, and ensure fair competition in government contracts, saving the state time and money.

HB 502 - Office of Disability Employment Advancement and Policy and Maryland as a Model Employer Initiative - Established: Creates an Office of Disability Employment Advancement and Policy (ODEAP) under the Maryland Department of Disabilities, to improve job accessibility and inclusivity for disabled individuals in state government. 

HB 601 - Economic Development - Small Business Guaranty Fund - Alterations: Eases regulatory burdens on small businesses looking to secure capital by clarifying the terms of the Small Business Guaranty Fund, and expanding eligibility for entrepreneurs who might otherwise be denied. 


Federal Workforce Support

HB 795 - Federal Public Service loan Forgiveness Program - Employee Certification and Awareness Materials:  Expands awareness of the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, a program offering critical loan support to public service workers like teachers, police officers, and healthcare workers. 

HB 723 - Health Occupations - Authorization to Practice for Former Federal Employees and Dental Applicants Licensed or Certified in Another State: Expedites the licensure process for Dental applicants certified in another state, and requires the Department of Health to develop a plan on how to attract and authorize former federal employees in health occupations to practice in the state. 

Consumer Protections

HB 604 - Criminal Law - Financial Exploitation of Vulnerable Senior Adults: Sets additional penalties and criminal liabilities for caregivers who exploit vulnerable Marylanders and Seniors. 

HB 107 - Consumer Protection - Automatic Renewals: Sets clear guidelines regarding automatic contract renewals, and requires companies to provide easy cancellation options and transparent terms, protecting Maryland consumers from exploitative business practices. 

HB 1020 - Consumer Protection - Credit Reporting - Medical Debt (Fair Medical Debt Reporting Act): Prohibits the inclusion of Medical Debt in credit reporting, ensuring that the health or insurance status of an individual does not become determinative of their ability to qualify for a mortgage, loan, or other form of credit. 

HB 428 - Medical Debt - Complaints for Money Judgment and Real Property Liens: Protects primary residences from the placement of a lien for collection of medical debt, ensuring that no one in Maryland will lose their home due to medical costs.

Education

HB 504 - Excellence in Maryland Public Schools Act: Alters certain provisions of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future to give schools more resources for teacher recruitment and retention, and delays implementation of certain provisions of the Blueprint. The Blueprint is now in its fifth year of implementation; the educational landscape has changed in those 5 years, so this bill affords our school system greater flexibility to reach our education goals.

HB 473 - Maryland Community College Promise Scholarship Program - Revisions: Revises the Community College Promise Scholarship Programs to expand scholarship eligibility to part-time students, supporting students who balance their education with work and family obligations, by providing part-time scholarships for up to 6 years. 

HB 325 - Adult Education - High School Diploma by Examination - Requirements and Study: Allows the GED to be taken entirely in Spanish, making it easier for bilingual students to achieve their GED and find meaningful employment in the workforce. Maryland was the last state to allow the GED to be taken in Spanish, and this will bring us in alignment with the rest of the country. 

Government Operations

HB 1253 - Maryland Department of Social and Economic Mobility - Established: Establishes a cabinet-level Department of Social and Economic Mobility to oversee social equity programs across the state. This will ensure efficiency in social equity programs, and maximize the impact of our investments. 

HB 932 - Public Ethics - Conflicts of Interest and Blind Trust - Governor: Requires the Governor to place certain financial assets in a blind trust governed by the state Ethics Commission, minimizing the potential for conflicts of interest. 

Climate and Environment

HB 506 - Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act: Improves the health of the Chesapeake Bay by establishing a comprehensive Water Quality Monitoring Program, and promoting regenerative farming on public land to include practices that restore soil health, reduce nutrient pollution, and sequester carbon.

HB 128 - Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation - Total Assessed Cost of Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Study and Reports: Requires the Comptroller, in coordination with the Department of the Environment and the Department of Commerce, to assess the total cost of Greenhouse gas emissions and release a report of their findings. This quantifies the impact of greenhouse gasses and highlights the importance of sustainability.

HB 731 - Wildlife - Protections and Highway Crossings: Establishes the Maryland Connectivity Coalition to explore the implementation of wildlife crossings and investigate methods to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions.

Housing

HB 80 - Land Use - Transit-Oriented Development - Alterations: Streamlines the regulatory process for transit oriented developments and promotes the construction of dense mixed-use communities near public transit stations. HB80 will increase Maryland's housing stock, decrease housing costs, and create transit accessible communities.   

HB 767 - Real Property - Landlord and Tenant - Procedures for Failure to Pay Rent, Breach of Lease, and Tenant Holding Over (Tenant Possession Recovery Act): Requires landlords to provide tenants with 14 days notice before an eviction and establishes a 10 day window where tenants can recover their items from the property, or a secured location, at no charge to the tenant, bringing Maryland in line with neighboring states and ensure tenants are treated with dignity and grace throughout the eviction process. 

Transportation

HB 744 - Motor Vehicles - Reckless, Negligent, and Aggressive Driving (Sergeant Patrick Kepp Act): Enhances the penalties for reckless and aggressive driving, ensuring drivers think more carefully before endangering the lives of those on Maryland roadways. 

HB 628 - Highways - Sidewalk and Bicycles Pathways - Construction and Reconstruction: Prioritizes funding for bicycle pathways and sidewalk projects adjacent to highways, in response to a staggering rate of pedestrian fatalities. 

Criminal Justice

HB 1123 - Correctional Services - Medical and Elder Parole: Removes the Governor from the medical parole board, clarifies the factors the board may consider when making a medical parole determination, and requires the board to consider medical parole for individuals who are 60 or older, and have served sentences longer than 20 years. This ensures compassion and fairness in the medical parole process, without sacrificing public safety. 

HB 929 - Family Law - Permanent Protective Orders - Consent: Expands access to permanent protection orders which enforce “stay away” and “no contact” portions of final protection orders, ensuring survivors of abuse have the safety and protection they deserve. 

HB 309 - Public Safety - Law Enforcement Agencies - Peer Support Program: Streamlines privileged information laws to allow peer support personnel to provide emotional and psychological support services to law enforcement professionals. HB 309 removes a roadblock to care and increases the likelihood that law enforcement personnel will access the behavioral healthcare they need. 

HB 675 - Public Safety - Rape Kit Testing - Tracking Program and Grant Fund: Expands the purpose of the Rape Kit Testing Grant Fund to allow the Office of the Attorney General to assist law enforcement in the investigations of crimes involving sexual assault evidence collection kits. Maryland has a backlog of cases to work through involving sexual assault evidence kits; allowing the Attorney General’s involvement will expedite these kits being processed, leading to faster relief for victims.

Immigration

HB 1222 - Public Safety - Immigration Enforcement (Maryland Values Act): Requires federal immigration authorities to notify local law enforcement of enforcement activity in sensitive areas like schools, churches, and health facilities, and requires state and local governments to implement recommendations from the Attorney General on how to handle immigration enforcement in sensitive areas. Ensuring protections for these sensitive locations provides greater dignity for communities, and less chaos in enforcement.

S.B. 608 - Criminal Procedure - U Nonimmigrant Status Petitions: Improves the laws around U Nonimmigrant Status Petitions, available to victims of a crime with valuable information, and clarifies that the cooperation of a U Nonimmigrant Status petitioner is not subject to the statute of limitation of the crime in which they were victim. This bill passed with bipartisan support, and is an incredibly valuable tool for encouraging residents to report crimes regardless of their citizenship status.

FUTURE LEGISLATION

Every year, I am presented with great new ideas for legislation, including many from my constituents. Some bills take multiple sessions to pass. One of the most important parts of getting a bill across the finish line is the advocates who take their valuable time to work on an issue. There are several potential pieces of legislation that our office will be working on before next session, and we want to hear your input on them to ensure we have a good final product to present to the House of Delegates. Below I have listed a few of these ideas and given a brief description of each. If you would like to testify or have any additional ideas or comments on them, please reach out to my office.

Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact: Enters Maryland into the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact, which will provide mobility between states by accepting uniform licensure standards. Practicing professionals in military families are expected to see the greatest positive impact from this bill, given military travel requirements. 11 other states have already passed this Compact, including neighboring Virginia.

State Employee Whistleblower Protections: Whistleblower laws are critical to increasing accountability and transparency in public institutions. Our office is committed to implementing measures that will support and protect any state employee who comes forward with information regarding fraud, waste, or abuse of power. I introduced a bill last year to strengthen our whistleblowing laws by expanding the scope of banned retaliatory action against whistleblowers. This expansion would offer further protections for those who witness and wish to report wrongdoings by our state agencies. I did not submit this legislation this session, but I intend to keep working on the issue with my colleagues. If you have a personal experience related to whistleblower retaliation, we encourage you to reach out to our office. 

I am so thankful to all of my constituents for the honor to serve as your representative in District 33C.  Your feedback and comments are important to me, and how legislation impacts you is the first thing I consider when deciding my vote.

Should our office be able to provide any assistance, or if you would like to voice your opinion on matters being considered by the General Assembly, please do not hesitate to contact me at Heather.Bagnall@house.state.md.us or 410-841-3406.

I am proud of all that my colleagues and I accomplished this session in the General Assembly. Together, we achieved many bipartisan solutions that will ensure Marylanders have access to care, a strong education, affordable housing, and equal protections under the law. 

Sincerely,

Delegate Heather Bagnall

District 33C