2024 Legislative Summary

Economic Opportunity for All

I was proud to sponsor SB525, Wage Range Transparency, to empower Maryland’s workers and give them all the information they need while applying for employment. Beginning in October, all Maryland employers will post a salary or wage range with their job postings. I worked in partnership with the National Women’s Law Center, the Maryland Center for Economic Policy, the Executive Alliance, and the Department of Labor, as well as colleague and House sponsor, Delegate Jennifer White Holland on this critical update to Marylands Equal Pay for Equal Work law.

We also passed HB602 which prevents employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. This codifies into law that a Marylander, in addition to not being able to be denied a job on the basis of sex and gender identity, cannot be denied a job due to who they love. This bill was necessary because of a Maryland Court decision that identified a loophole in our existing employment discrimination laws. The legislature intended to enact these protections years ago, and this statutory update makes that clear.

Environmental Issues

During this session, many community members reached out to voice their support for a variety of environmental proposals. I am happy to report that the General Assembly passed a comprehensive package of environmental priorities. My districtmate, Delegate Love, championed the Whole Watershed Act (HB1165/SB969) which promotes watershed restoration by streamlining funding sources and approval procedures for such projects. Delegate Love also led the charge for the Clean Water Justice Act of 2024 (HB1101/SB653) which grants legal standing in state courts to empower communities in combating water pollution and assists state agencies in enforcing related regulations.

The General Assembly also passed The EmPOWER Reform Bill (HB 864) which aims to modernize Maryland’s energy efficiency program by establishing explicit targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and introducing incentives for the adoption of efficient electric appliances and heating systems. Additionally, the WARMTH Act (HB 397/SB570) initiates a pilot initiative to implement networked geothermal projects in select neighborhoods statewide, with a particular emphasis on those lacking adequate services.

Sustainable infrastructure is critical to advancing our climate change initiatives in the great state of Maryland. That’s why I partnered with Delegate Korman to sponsor the Electric Vehicle Recharging Act of 2024 (SB465/HB159) which encourages the use of electric vehicles by facilitating the installation of charging stations for both electric vehicles and electric bicycles in housing co-ops. 

Transportation & Infrastructure 

As we have all seen, tragedy struck Baltimore when the cargo ship, Dali, crashed into the legendary Francis Scott Key Bridge. In the last few days of the legislative session, we passed HB1526/SB1188: Maryland Protecting Opportunities and Regional Trade (PORT) Act. In a time of uncertainty, our state leaders demonstrated strength, conviction, and heart in offering prompt support to affected communities.

In August 2022, tragedy struck our district when Sarah Debbink Langenkamp was hit by a vehicle while riding her bicycle home in Bethesda. Sarah was a loving mother and wife, a D16 constituent, and a U.S. diplomat. In honor of Sarah and to prevent such tragedies from happening in the future, Delegate Love and I sponsored the Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Memorial Act (SB315/HB337). This law will strengthen protections for cyclists by increasing the penalties for drivers who do not yield to cyclists riding in designated bicycle lanes.

Many Marylanders rely on buses to get to work, school, and other places around their homes. I sponsored the Better Bus Service Act of 2024 (SB943) with Delegate Lewis to allow transit agencies operating in Maryland to deploy bus-mounted cameras to enforce parking violations. This law will help prevent delays in bus services, allowing Marylanders to be on time when they ride the bus and help the disabled community avoid hazards that may be in bus lanes. 

Consumer Protections 

Marylanders deserve privacy and transparency when engaging in digital activities and purchases. The Maryland Online Data Privacy Act of 2024 (SB541/HB567), sponsored by Senator Gile and District 16’s own Delegate Love, sets a new standard for data privacy, giving consumers more control over their personal information and holding companies accountable for data protection, reflecting our commitment to safeguarding digital rights.

The Maryland General Assembly also passed legislation that put guardrails around the residential retail energy market as 370,000 Maryland families paid $178M more than necessary on energy costs in 2022 alone (SB01).

Sale and Resale of Tickets (SB539) aims to bring fairness and transparency to the ticketing market, ensuring that fans have equitable access to entertainment and are protected from exorbitant prices and deceptive practices, fostering a more consumer-friendly ticketing landscape.

Housing

Recognizing the critical importance of safe housing, I was proud to sponsor the Tenant Safety Act (HB1117) along with Delegate Vaughn Stewart. This act sets higher standards for rental properties, ensuring that landlords maintain safe and habitable environments, thereby protecting the health and well-being of renters. 

In partnership with Governor Moore’s Administration, the MGA passed legislation to establish a Maryland Community Investment Corporation to provide financial incentives to build housing in low-income communities (HB599), and remove zoning and density restrictions for transit-oriented developments assuming strict criteria are met (HB538). Additionally, we advanced the Renters’ Rights and Stabilization Act of 2024 (HB693) to raise the filing fees for eviction proceedings to disincentivize frivolous cases and establish an Office of Tenant and Landlord Affairs within the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, which will be tasked with developing a Tenants’ Bill of Rights.

The FY25 State budget also includes significant funding for affordable housing, including:

• $138.5M for rental housing programs;
• $50M for Project CORE to address vacant housing; and
• $21M for homeownership incentive programs.

Gender Equity

I partnered with Women’s Caucus President Edith Patterson on SJ01: Affirming the Federal Equal Rights Amendment. This resolution calls on Congress and the Biden administration to immediately publish the Equal Rights Amendment as the 28th amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

While Maryland already includes the language of the Equal Rights Amendment in our State Constitution, this resolution acknowledges that we do not have the same protections under federal law, or within our nation’s foundational documents.

While many of us remember the ERA push in the 1970’s and early 1980’s, it is inspiring to see a whole new generation of activists who have taken up the charge. I was honored to participate in this multigenerational and intersectional coalition of advocates who believe that “equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged on account of sex.” Period. This resolution passed with bi-partisan support in the Senate, and with a party-line vote in the House.

FY2025 Budget

The Maryland General Assembly collaborated with Governor Moore to pass a balanced budget that makes critical investments in education, transportation, and behavioral health without broad-based tax increases to maintain our State’s economic competitiveness. We ultimately enacted a $63 billion budget (SB360/SB362) that invests heavily in Maryland values, including:

• $14.4B in Medicaid funding to provide healthcare coverage to 1.6 million residents;
• $9.1B for Maryland public pre-k to 12 schools, an increase of $457M (5.3%), to fully fund the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future;
• $488M in new funding for the child care scholarship program to address previous shortfalls while fully funding the FY25 budget to support more than 31,300 children;
• $257M in new revenue to address the State’s transportation needs until the Maryland Commission on Transportation Revenue and Infrastructure Needs can complete its work this year;
• Nearly $105M of new revenue dedicated to emergency medical services beginning in FY25 including about $46M to support the Emergency Medical Systems Operations Fund, $41M for shock trauma, and $18M to expand reimbursements to the Maryland Trauma Services Fund;
• $121.4M for police aid, which is $46M above the statutorily required amount, in addition to $8M in new funding for violence intervention and prevention programming and $10.3M for community-based services for juveniles and services to families residing in communities with high crime rates; and
• $2.4B in cash reserves, including $2.3B in the Rainy Day Fund and $128M in the General Fund.

District 16 Investments 

Finally, I’d like to highlight local projects that will receive funding beginning in July 2025:

• $150,000 – Restoration of the Bethesda Meeting House. 
• $150,000 – Glen Echo Stormwater Restoration Project
• $100,000 – Jewish Social Services Agency Mobile Mental Health Unit
• $150,000 – Renovation of the Merrimac Neighborhood Park 
• $440,000 – Disabilities Access for The Diener School 
• $3 Million- New Entrance to the North Bethesda Metro Station 
• $3 Million – Institute for Health Computing in North Bethesda
• $2.7 Million – Walt Whitman High School upgrades

Thank you for the privilege of a lifetime in representing my hometown in the Maryland General Assembly for the last 14 years.