Category: End of Session

April 20, 2022

Dear Neighbor,

Thank you for the privilege of representing you as your District 16 Delegate to Maryland’s General Assembly. I’m absolutely thrilled with all that we accomplished on behalf of Marylanders this year.

Topping the list is passage of two of my long-standing priorities:  establishing a state-sponsored paid family leave insurance program and protecting equitable access to reproductive choices in the state.  The General Assembly also passed groundbreaking legislation to address our climate crisis, provided tax relief for families and seniors, and continued our efforts to address inequality and social justice.

As Chair of the Health Occupations & Long Term Care Subcommittee and a leader on the Health and Government Operations Committee, I spent much of the session advancing policies that help our healthcare workforce. I personally had three overarching legislative goals this session:  protecting women’s health, improving care for seniors, and supporting our healthcare workforce. In addition to the paid family and medical leave and abortion access bills, 11 more of my legislative priorities passed.

In recognition of my work and leadership, the Speaker appointed me as the Vice Chair of the Health and Government Operations Committee.  It’s an honor to serve Marylanders in this capacity and I look forward to new challenges and opportunities to serve alongside my dear friend, Chairman Joseline Pena-Melnyk.

Here are some highlights of the recently concluded 2022 legislative session.

STATE BUDGET

This year, we worked with the Governor to pass a balanced budget that leaves funding in reserves and restores the rainy day fund that was depleted during the pandemic.  Federal pandemic relief funding, fiscal responsibility, and a strong economy in Maryland left us with a surplus to put towards priorities such as retiree tax cuts and increased funding for education and the arts.  I am particularly pleased that we increased funding for providers serving vulnerable populations including 1,350 youth on the Autism Waiver waiting list.  We also invested over $100 million in childcare to improve facility infrastructure, fund retention and hiring bonuses to attract and secure quality providers and established a grant program for providers who care for students with developmental disabilities.  We also fully funded the Blueprint for the Future and secured a long-term funding stream for public education.

PROTECTING WOMEN’S HEALTH

I was so proud to sponsor HB 937, the Abortion Care Access Act, which represents the most comprehensive state action in the nation in response to the Supreme Court’s potential overturn of  Roe v. Wade.  The legislation solves the critical shortage of abortion providers in the state by removing an outdated physician-only restriction that prevents Advanced Practice Clinicians from providing abortion care.  It also invests in clinical training opportunities for reproductive healthcare providers ensuring that Marylanders will have adequate access to care no matter what happens on the national level.   The legislation also makes access to care more affordable by prohibiting insurance carriers from charging co-pays and deductibles and also makes Medicaid coverage for abortion care permanent.

The Healthy Babies Equity Act (HB 1080) guarantees prenatal and postpartum care to undocumented pregnant women and automatically enrolls their babies into Maryland Medicaid for the first year of their lives. Maryland can apply for matching federal funding and will likely see fiscal savings due to expected decreases in pregnancy complications and adverse fetal outcomes.

HB 970, which I sponsored, removes barriers to critical care for sexual assault survivors by prohibiting insurance carriers from requiring pre-authorization for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) medications to guard against HIV infection.

My legislation, HB 219, expands access to oral hygiene treatments for pregnant women during regular prenatal checkups. Research shows 56% of pregnant women receive no other dental care throughout their pregnancy.

HB 109 improves the newborn screening program by requiring that babies in Maryland be screened for each condition listed in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’  Recommended Uniform Screening Panel. More comprehensive screening can help families identify critical conditions and access life-saving treatment for their children more quickly.

SUPPORTING SENIORS

The Retirement Tax Elimination Act (SB 405) is provided for individual seniors 65 and older with up to $100,000 in income, and married couples making up to $150,000. Under this relief, 80% of Maryland retirees will get substantial tax relief or pay no state income taxes at all.

Aging in Place

We know that the majority of seniors wish to age in place and remain at home for as long as possible and I have long sought to reduce the state’s bias towards institutionalized care.  Currently, there is an 8-year wait and over 20,000 seniors on the waitlist for services utilizing the Home and Community Based Services Waiver.  I am so pleased that this year we finally passed legislation to maximize opportunities for seniors to stay home and receive the help they need with daily tasks.  SB 28 requires the Department of Health to maximize the number of slots available and open slots more frequently.  I was also proud to sponsor two bills that will support innovative living options for seniors: HB 972  promotes programs that allow seniors to age in place at home with support services and guaranteed placement in assisted living or nursing homes if necessary in the future.  HB 1051 establishes an adult day health care service pilot program in Howard and Montgomery Counties. This increases care to our elderly population by providing services under the Maryland Medical Assistance Program.

HB 166/SB 27 – Dementia Services Act of 2022 – establishes a Director of Dementia Services and Brain Health in the Maryland Department of Health to coordinate dementia services in the state and directs the issuance of the State Plan for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders by September 2022 and to update it every five years.

HB 1073 – Accessibility of Electronic Advance Care Planning Documents – implements the recommendations of a workgroup tasked with increasing the awareness and use of advance care planning documents for end of life care.

To ensure Marylanders can afford insulin, HB 1397 requires insurers that provide coverage for prescription insulin to do so at no more than $30 for a 30 day supply.

HEALTHCARE HEROES WORKFORCE SUPPORTS

As we entered the second year of the COVID pandemic, I gathered healthcare stakeholders to discuss legislative action we could take to address the severe healthcare workforce crisis. I championed five bills as a result of those discussions:

• HB 1208 addresses the critical nursing shortage by establishing a tax credit for nursing education preceptors and creates a certification pathway for 2000+ caregivers who worked in our long-term care facilities during the pandemic on an emergency basis.
• HB 625 establishes a two-year commission to identify our healthcare workforce needs across all health occupations and in all settings including schools and behavioral health facilities; to examine our educational institutions’ capacity to train this workforce, and to study licensure barriers faced by refugees and immigrants with professional healthcare training in other countries.
• HB 218– Health Occupations-Nursing- Dialysis Technicians repeals an unnecessary requirement that a Dialysis Technician must be a Certified Nursing Assistant which will help dialysis centers care for their patients.
• SB 696– establishes a student loan repayment fund for nurses, nurse assistants and other nursing support staff similar to one that already exists for physicians.
• SB 518– Career Pathways for Health Care Workers Program is a $1 million matching grant program to incentivize health care employers to cover costs for training programs for their employees at one of Maryland’s community colleges or HBCU’s. This will allow these workers to increase their skills and earn higher salaries.

GENERAL HEALTHCARE

The End the Wait Act (HB 1403) requires the Department of Health to make a plan to eliminate the waitlists for eight waiver programs that provide the elderly and the disabled with the support they need to live in their communities instead of in large institutional settings.

After years of advocacy, we finally expanded access to basic dental care for approximately 800,000 Marylanders with passage of HB 6 – Dental Coverage for Adults on Medicaid.

HB 97 establishes a workgroup to study the shortage of behavioral health professionals in the State who are Black, Latino, Asian American Pacific Islander, or otherwise underrepresented in the behavioral health profession. The workgroup must also assess and make recommendations on incentives or other methods to increase the number who provide behavioral health services in the State, especially in underserved communities.

I am very pleased by our growing investment in behavioral health supports.  HB 48/SB 94 establishes the Maryland Suicide Fatality Review Committee to identify and address the factors contributing to suicide deaths and facilitate systemic changes to prevent suicide death. HB 129 requires that local government crisis teams minimize the role of law enforcement in crisis interactions and that call centers that handle emergency calls develop a written policy for calls involving an individual suffering an active mental health crisis.

And HB 912 requires that health insurance carriers ensure that an out of network mental health of substance use disorder service received is provided at no greater cost to the individual than if the covered benefit were provided by an in-network provider.  Given the shortage of behavioral health professionals who participate in insurance, this provision will help Marylanders afford the care they need​​.

HELPING FAMILIES

Paid Family and Medical Leave 

I am thrilled that we finally passed paid family and medical leave legislation, which I have worked on for more than a decade. The Time to Care Act creates a much-needed safety net for people with serious illnesses, caregiving responsibilities, military deployment, or a new baby.  This social insurance program covers almost all employees and is modeled after Social Security, Medicare, and Unemployment Insurance. Benefits are provided through an insurance pool that all employers and employees fund and can be accessed for up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave.  This frees up employer funds to pay for temporary replacement workers if necessary. Maryland will be the tenth state to enact this family-friendly social safety net program. Decades of research from these states have found these programs that benefit the economy and small businesses, and prevent families from falling into poverty during times of need.

Tax Cuts on Essentials

In late March, we agreed with the Governor to pass HB 1486/SB 1010 saving consumers up to 36 cents per gallon of gas for 30 days through April 16.  We also eased financial burdens on families by eliminating the state sales tax on diapers, baby bottles, infant car seats, and other baby-related essentials (HB 282, HB 288),  medical products such as blood pressure monitors, diabetic care products such as testing strips and insulin pumps and everyday essentials for oral health care such as toothbrushes and dental floss. (HB 364, HB 1151, HB 492).

Making College More Affordable

By increasing funding to the State’s financial aid programs, HB 734 makes college more affordable for Maryland students. It also improves the State’s need-based grants by allowing the use of a sliding scale when family income status changes during the student’s time in post-secondary education.

ENVIRONMENT AND TRANSPORTATION

Addressing the climate crisis has long been a priority for me and a top one for D16 residents.  This year, we passed first in the nation legislation that will make Maryland carbon-free by 2045. The most aggressive climate action of any state, the Climate Solutions Now Act of 2022 (SB 528), requires the state to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through a variety of solutions including electrifying state-owned vehicles, establishing energy conservation requirements for buildings, modernizing our electricity grid, and providing funding for at least one net-zero school in each county.

We also required the state pension system to invest sustainably and consider climate change as an investment risk (HB 740) and established a 3-year electric school bus pilot program (HB 696).  HB 1391 extends the tax credit for electric vehicle purchases under $50k while HB 15 reduces the number of invasive plants entering the state and harming native plants   The Great Maryland Outdoors Act (SB 541) makes significant investments in Maryland State Parks.

Thanks to the leadership of District 16’s Delegate Sara Love, we passed legislation that bans the use, manufacture or sale of products that contain toxic PFAS chemicals (HB 275), and legislation that will improve our water pollution inspection process and end expired “zombie” permits. D16’s Delegate Marc Korman continued his great work to convert the state’s bus fleet to zero-emission buses with HB 10 which requires the administration to report on the implementation of the transition.

The Vision Zero Implementation Act (HB 254) requires the State Highway Administration (SHA) to conduct a review of each pedestrian or bicyclist fatality that occurs on a State highway or intersection within six months of the accident and publish the review on the SHA website.

HB 778, the Maryland Regional Rail Transformation Act, requires the Transit Authority (MTA)  to advance service operation plans for projects including a third track on the Brunswick line from Rockville to Germantown and expansion of Penn line service south to Alexandria and north to Newark, Delaware.  This bill allows the MTA to leverage the federal funding coming to the state from the federal infrastructure legislation.

Animal Protection

Maryland’s cats are protected from declawing by the passage of HB 22 and Delegate Love’s HB 52 bans the sale of products and parts from endangered species such as elephants, hippos, and giraffes.  HB 1062 allows officials to require the owner of an animal that has been seized due to cruelty to pay for the costs of caring for the animal.

PUBLIC SAFETY/SOCIAL JUSTICE

Gun Safety

HB 425/SB 387 – Sponsored in the Senate by D16’s Senator Susan Lee, this legislation bans unregistered, untraceable ‘ghost guns’ and creates a plan for a system to register guns that can be sold in kits of loose parts and do not have a serial number, therefore, making it easier for law enforcement to trace guns used in illegal activity.  HB 1021 increases safety at licensed firearms dealerships by requiring security features such as video cameras, burglary systems, and safes. Senate Bill 861 establishes and funds the Maryland State Police Gun Center with the responsibility for statewide tracking, screening, and vetting of all firearm crimes committed in the State.

Protecting Minors 

Building on the police reform efforts we enacted in 2021, we passed several bills to address how minors interact with the judicial system.  The Child Interrogation Protection Act (SB 53) protects minors from self-incrimination by allowing minors to consult with an attorney and contact a legal guardian before a police interrogation. SB 691 implements the recommendations of the Juvenile Justice Reform Council and limits the circumstances under which a child under 13 will be subject to charges in juvenile court.  It also places limits on terms of probation, the use of detention, and out-of-home placements.

Legalizing Adult Use of Cannabis

HB 1 – Legal Cannabis Constitutional Amendment – puts a referendum on the 2022 General Election ballot for Marylanders to decide whether to allow individuals 21 or older to use and possess cannabis. HB 837 – addresses criminal justice and public health issues facing legalization while building the necessary foundation to create social equity in the recreational cannabis industry. It allows Marylanders to possess up to 1.5 ounces of recreational cannabis without penalty and automatically expunges the conviction of anyone previously found guilty of simple possession of marijuana. HB 837 goes into effect if voters pass the referendum.

CYBERSECURITY

In response to the cyberattack on state government agencies in December, we passed a package of bills to strengthen our defenses against these attacks.  HB 1202 – Local Cybersecurity Support Act of 2022 – will assist local governments to be prepared for and responding to security hacks and other incidents.  HB 1205 – Modernize Maryland Act of 2022 creates an oversight commission of experts and a grant program for local governments to assess their cyberinfrastructure and requires an audit of state cybersecurity infrastructure at least every three years.  HB 1346 – Improving State Cybersecurity centralizes state cybersecurity operations under the Department of Information Technology.  It also establishes a special unit to coordinate local efforts and support services to improve local, regional, and statewide cyber security readiness and response.

VOTING RIGHTS

SB 158 – Protecting voting rights – This emergency legislation requires the State Board of Elections and local boards of elections to provide at least the same number of in-person precinct polling locations  as in the 2018 election, ensuring that Maryland will continue to be a leader and ensure equal access to the ballot and expand voting opportunities.  SB 163 establishes a clear process to cure mail-in ballots if a voter forgets to sign the ballot and creates clear timelines to process ballots.

While it was a very productive session, our work is far from over and I look forward to continuing to fight for you and our families for the remainder of the year. Once again, thank you for putting your trust in me to be your voice in Annapolis.  During the interim, please reach out anytime via email at ariana.kelly@house.state.md.us.

Have a wonderful spring and summer.

Delegate Ariana Kelly

Dear Neighbor,

Thank you for the privilege of representing you as your District 16 Delegate to Maryland’s General Assembly. This year marked my 10th year in Annapolis and it both began and ended by making history.  In January, my friend and the first female and first African American, Adrienne Jones was sworn in as Speaker of the House of Delegates. She joined new Senate President Bill Ferguson in the decision to end the session early for the first time since the Civil War.  Despite the challenges presented by the outbreak of Coronavirus, I am so proud of the work we undertook this session, and believe it is a shining example of our shared hopes for Maryland.

In particular, we took immediate steps to empower Governor Hogan and state agencies to support families and businesses facing the COVID-19 crisis. We also acted to strengthen our healthcare system as it faces this unprecedented challenge. We passed emergency legislation to expand the ability of medical providers to use telehealth, prevent price gouging, and extend eligibility for unemployment benefits. We also appropriated $50 Million in emergency funding to support small business supports and other necessary emergency spending. My office will remain a resource for constituents as we face this situation together.  A full report on the steps we took to address the pandemic and important links to resources and information can be found here (link) 

In addition to the measures above, I am proud to have passed 5 bills in this truncated session:

• HB 1615: Senior Referral Agencies – With support from the Maryland Senior Citizens Action Network, Baltimore Jewish Council, Catholic Charities and Area Agencies on Aging, I sponsored this bill to protect seniors from unscrupulous referral agencies. The law requires referral agencies to register with the state, prohibits referrals to unlicensed facilities, requires the disclosure of any financial arrangements a referrer may have with a facility and also gives the Attorney General’s office more power to shut down unlicensed facilities.  
• HB 455: Mental Health Benefits and Substance Use Disorder Benefits Reports:  Requires insurance carriers to submit a comprehensive set of reports to the Maryland Insurance Administration which will give us the data necessary to make sure that insurers adequately provide care for mental health and substance abuse. 
• HB 1120:  Anti-discrimination in Healthcare:  Bans discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.  These protections currently exist in the federal Affordable Care Act but should it be repealed, Marylanders can be assured of continued protection in our state.  
• HB 781:  IVF Treatment Revisions – Updates Maryland statutes regarding insurance coverage for in-vitro fertilization treatment, by allowing IVF to begin when a woman is a year younger, improving success rates, thus reducing overall costs while improving success rates, as well as expanding coverage to unmarried women. 
• HB 978:  Pharmacy Services Administration Organizations: Creates transparency in the pharmaceutical pricing chain and helps independent pharmacies negotiate better contract terms for drugs which will lower costs for consumers.
• Funding for Local Projects – WIth the help of my D16 colleagues Delegates Korman, Love and Senator Lee, I am proud to have secured $100,000 in funding for for Charles E Smith Life Communities for building upgrades and improvements to security, $300,00 for Imagination Stage for a new storage facility, $400,000 for Willet Branch Greenway for improvements to the site’s grounds and the installation of landscaping, and $325,000 for the YMCA Bethesda-Chevy Chase for renovations and site improvements.

Here are highlights from some of the other bills we passed this year: 

Investing in Education

Education reform was a top priority for legislators in 2020. Early in the session, we passed the Built to Learn Act of 2020  to provide school districts across the state with $2.2 billion to address critical construction needs. We also passed The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. This landmark legislation increases funding for special education and teacher salaries (including school counselors and psychologists), expands access to all-day pre-k programs, and provides funding for health and behavioral health coordinators in schools. 

Protecting the Environment 

We passed SB 300/HB 229 which bans the use of chlorpyrifos, a toxic pesticide with known negative health effects.  We also passed HB 299, the Maryland Sustainable Buildings Act which will establish more climate-friendly standards for state-owned buildings.   Additionally, we overturned the Governor’s veto on HB 720, which created an oyster fisheries management program to protect an important ecosystem in Maryland. 

The truncated session halted progress on some important environmental measures.  I am hopeful that we will come back later in the year and complete work on these key bills: 

• HB 209 – Plastic Ban Reduction Act
• HB 1425 – Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions Act
• HB 772 –  Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Maryland Food Purchases
• HB 561 – Community choice aggregators
• HB 432 – Changing Maryland Transit Administration’s bus fleet to zero-emission electric buses.

Improving Public Health

As I mentioned in my coronavirus update, I shepherded passage of critical telehealth bills through my subcommittee giving healthcare providers the ability to use telemedicine technology in more flexible ways  (HB 448, HB 1208) 

Additionally, we passed legislation that: 

• Assures Marylanders cannot be denied insurance coverage for pre-existing conditions (HB 929)
• Improves insurance coverage for prostate cancer screenings (HB 852)
• Provides treatment for children with pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders (SB 475)
• Increases taxes on cigarettes (HB 732)
• Improves the maternal mortality review program (HB 286)
• Requires implicit bias training for healthcare workers (HB 837)

Preventing Gun Violence

My colleagues and I have made many efforts to manage the access to guns in Maryland. The passage of HB 4 requires a background check for private sales or transfers of long guns. We also passed HB 1343, legislation to overturn the Governor’s veto of a bill to abolish the handgun review board and  HB 1629 which requires a statewide audit of firearm crimes to analyze where the breakdown occurs in our criminal justice system, from 911 call to disposition. Tracking this information will help the state pinpoint at-risk communities and implement more effective solutions for preventing these crimes.

In this extraordinary time for Maryland, my office remains a resource for information,  please reach out anytime via email ariana.kelly@house.state.md.us.  Please follow the preventative recommendations put out by the CDC, reach out to your neighbors (from a safe distance), check in on the elderly, and wash your hands!

Best regards,

Dear Neighbor,

Thank you for the privilege of representing you in my third term as your District 16 Delegate to Maryland’s General Assembly.

It is with a heavy heart that I remember my friend and the Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates, Michael Busch, who passed away last week. We honor his memory by continuing the important work in Annapolis fighting for education, justice, and opportunity for all. I am proud of the work we undertook this session, and believe it is a shining example of our shared hopes for Maryland.

I serve as a member of the Health and Government Operations Committee, the Insurance and Pharmaceuticals Subcommittee, and Chair of the Health Occupations & Long Term Care Subcommittee. I also serve as House Chair of the Joint Committee on Children, Youth and Families and Chair of the Montgomery County Economic Development Committee.

I passed into law eight pieces of legislation this year to promote economic opportunity, strengthen our community, and improve public health. As a whole, the legislature passed over 800 bills this year; here is an overview of the recently concluded 2019 legislative session:

Economic Opportunity and Working Families

Did you know that Maryland has some of the highest child care costs in the country? For the last four years as Chair of the Joint Committee on Children, Youth and Families, I have been working on ways to reduce child and elder care costs in Maryland. Last year, we saw a 20 million dollar increase in childcare subsidies for low-income families, and this year we successfully fought for significant tax credits for middle-income families. I sponsored legislation HB 810: Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit – Alterations to increase the current $50,000 income threshold for this tax credit with a limit of $92,000 for individuals and $143,000 for married couples. The income cap will now also be indexed annually to account for inflation. This legislation also helps low-income families by making the credit refundable. This law will improve access to high-quality child care for hardworking families, reduce stress for young families, and help kids get off to a good start in life.

The Federal Government shutdown this winter led to huge revenue losses for Maryland and significantly impacted our local economy and many families in our area. It also left many District 16 residents working without pay and wondering how to meet their financial obligations. In response, we passed HB 336: Federal Shutdown Paycheck Protection Act. This legislation allows federal employees required to work without pay as a result of a Federal Government shutdown to access unemployment benefits or no-interest loans.

This session, Maryland became a national leader in passing “Fight for 15” legislation. My colleagues and I overrode the Governor’s veto to ensure that all Marylanders receive a living wage by July 2026. The Montgomery County Council already raised the minimum wage to $15 an hour in our county. The county law will be fully implemented by 2024, and the new state minimum wage will not roll back the county law.

I have written to you previously about my work in Annapolis pursuing Paid Family and Medical Leave so that all Maryland families have the time and resources they need to care for their loved ones. This session I sponsored The Time to Care Act of 2019 based on the recommendations of the 2016 Task Force to Study Family and Medical Leave Insurance, which I co-chaired with Senator Brian Feldman. While the legislation did not pass in its first year, we did make significant progress towards building support for this important policy. When enacted, this legislation will create a public insurance fund (similar to unemployment insurance) to allow Marylanders to take up to 12 weeks paid leave to care for an aging relative, new child, or a serious health condition. With the birth of a child or an illness among the leading causes of poverty spells, this legislation is designed to protect family economic security across the lifespan.

Like with the Fight for Fifteen, and the Paid Sick Leave law, the Time To Care Act will be a multi-year legislative initiative. Major economic legislation like this takes years of education, advocacy, and public mobilization to pass. In its first year, our coalition of advocacy groups included AARP, Catholic Charities, and Maryland Family Network, as well as numerous labor unions and small business advocates who are looking for proactive solutions to make our economy more family friendly.

Education

 Maryland is nationally recognized as a leader in K-12 education. However, our rankings have been slipping over the last few years. The Kirwan Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education published a January 2019 Interim Report which provided recommendations for improving education systems in Maryland. The Commission recommended increasing Maryland’s education funding, expanding pre-kindergarten programs, financial incentives for well-performing students to become teachers, and highlighted the need for increased mental health services in our schools.

With these recommendations in mind, my colleagues and I passed The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future (SB 1030). This landmark legislation increases funding for special education and teacher salaries (including school counselors and psychologists), expands access to all day pre-k programs, and provides funding for health and behavioral health coordinators in schools. The policies and funding laid out in this bill will help us transform Maryland’s early childhood, primary, and secondary education systems over the next decade in order to help our children succeed in school and beyond.

After years of advocacy from parents of children with Dyslexia, we passed the Ready to Read Act of 2019 (SB 734). Many children in Maryland fall behind in reading comprehension unnecessarily and by the time a problem is recognized, invaluable time has already been lost. This legislation takes a proactive approach to reading difficulties. Local school boards will now be required to screen students at risk for reading difficulties and, if necessary, provide supplemental reading instruction and notify the student’s parents.

In response to concerns from parents about a shrinking spring break and rising summer camp costs, this legislative session we passed the Community Control of School Calendars Act (SB 128).  This law gives power back to local jurisdictions to set their school calendars. Counties can now choose what start date works best for their specific school system, and have the option to extend the school year 5 days past June 15th. This will give counties the flexibility to adjust their school calendars based on local needs.

Gun Violence Prevention

This session, I was visited in my Annapolis office by the mother of one of my son Leo’s best friends from preschool. Tragically, her brother-in-law was one of the victims of the Capital Gazette shooting. I am infuriated that my son’s friend had to grieve the loss of her uncle from senseless gun violence. A myriad of bills were introduced this session to address the epidemic of gun violence and while we made progress, there is still a long way to go.

This year we passed SB 622: Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention – Crime Firearms – Study which requires the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention to gather and report information about guns used to commit crimes in Maryland. The report is due by December 1, 2020 and will give us crucial data and information that will help us write more effective gun laws.

Additionally, we eliminated the handgun review board (HB 1343) which was a board of political appointees that was able to overturn concealed carry permit decisions. In its place, we established that any appeal of rejected concealed carry permits will go to the Office of Administrative Hearings.

Two bills that I was proud to co-sponsor this session were HB 740  and HB 786. These bills would have banned 3D printed guns and “ghost guns” (those without a serial number) and closed the long gun loophole, respectively, that exempted long guns like rifles or shotguns, from criminal background checks before purchasing. I am proud that the House passed both of these bills but unfortunately, they failed in the Senate and will not become law this year.

Public Health and Access to Care

Pharmaceutical prices are a rapidly growing percentage of our healthcare spending. Maryland made history this legislative session as the first state in the country to create a Prescription Drug Affordability Board (HB 768). This creates a group to study the ways we as a state can lower drug prices and prevent unreasonable price gouging for life-saving medications. The panel will spend a year looking at innovative ideas to reduce drug prices.

With support from our community physicians and nurses, the Multiple Sclerosis Society, and the American Cancer Society I sponsored HB 435: Prescription Drugs – Formulary Changes which protects patients when insurance companies change drug formularies in the middle of a plan year by providing exceptions for people on maintenance prescriptions. I also passed legislation to expand access to prenatal care for pregnant women. HB 127: Special Enrollment Period for Pregnancy adds pregnancy to the list of qualifying life events that allow for enrollment in health insurance outside of the open enrollment period. This bill helps to ensure the best possible birth outcomes for pregnant women and their children by expanding access to prenatal care and insurance coverage for labor and delivery. We also passed legislation to prevent non-consensual pelvic and rectal exams on unconscious patients (HB 364).

Maryland also took a crucial step in protecting access to scientifically-based family planning services by passing HB 1272: Family Planning Program Funding in response to federal rule changes targeting Planned Parenthood and other reproductive health care providers. This legislation protects Marylanders from federal changes to Title X, the long-standing federal grant program for family planning services for low-income families. This legislation stipulates that if these new rules are enacted, Maryland will leave the Federal Title X program and in its place create a Maryland family planning program that includes all providers who provide comprehensive health services for women and their families.

In an effort to improve public health and decrease youth tobacco use, we passed legislation to raise the minimum age to buy tobacco products to 21 (HB 1169). Research shows that teen smoking is on the rise, and this is a meaningful step towards lowering tobacco use rates. We also passed legislation to prohibit the use of tanning beds by minors (HB 124). The dangerous link between tanning bed use and skin cancer is well established and this bill will decrease early exposure in teens and adolescents.

In response to recent measles outbreaks, I also sponsored  HB 316: Public Health – ImmuNet which requires all healthcare providers report vaccines administered into a secure state database. This will give both patients and providers a more complete picture of a person’s health record, prevent over-vaccination, and collect crucial public health data. It also makes tracking vaccines easier for parents and school nurses as we register our kids for school and summer programs.

Additionally, my colleagues and I passed HB 814: Maryland Easy Enrollment Health Insurance Program. This bipartisan legislation establishes Maryland’s Easy Enrollment Health Program (MEEHP). This new system adds a checkbox on state income tax returns to allow the state health exchange to determine a person’s eligibility for free or low-cost health insurance. It allows those who qualify to be automatically enrolled in Medicaid and offers information to those who are uninsured but do not qualify for Medicaid on health plans and possible federal tax credits to alleviate cost barriers. This legislation is the first of its kind to allow families to use tax information to qualify for health programs, and takes advantage of existing infrastructure to help as many Marylanders gain coverage as possible.

The Health and Government Operations committee heard many hours of incredibly moving testimony on the End-of-Life Option Act (HB 399). End-of-life decisions are incredibly personal and often difficult for both individuals and their family members. This bill passed the House by an 8 vote margin but failed in the Senate on a 23-23-1 vote.

Environment & Transportation

I heard from many of you over the session about promoting clean energy in Maryland. I was proud to co-sponsor SB 516: Clean Energy Jobs Act of 2019 which aims to increase Maryland’s renewable energy portfolio standards (the amount of energy required to come from renewable energy sources) to 50% by 2030. This bill passed both the House and the Senate. This is a historic moment as we take the next step to combat climate change and secure our children’s futures.

Oyster populations in the Chesapeake Bay are at an all-time low, at roughly just 2% of historic levels. Oysters are a keystone species for the Bay, and are invaluable in their ability to filter the Bay as well as in their commercial value. HB 298 and 720 seek to protect the Chesapeake Bay oyster populations by protecting and restoring 5 oyster sanctuaries by making them off limits to oyster harvesting, and establishing a workgroup that will take into account the needs of both industry watermen and conservation advocacy groups as we move forward on a Fisheries Management Plan for Oysters.

HB 109: Styrofoam Ban prohibits the use of Styrofoam food or drink containers. Styrofoam is petroleum-based and as a result, does not biodegrade. There are many safer, biodegradable or recyclable options many of which stores and restaurants already use, including in Montgomery County where this policy already exists. This ban is an important step towards reducing Maryland’s environmental impact.

Prior to the start of the legislative session, Governor Hogan released a pre-solicitation report for a public-private partnership to add express toll lanes to the Beltway and I-270. In response, my colleague Delegate Jared Solomon introduced the HB 1091: Public-Private Partnerships – Reforms which would require that environmental impact statements and independent credit assessments are complete prior to the beginning of a privatized infrastructure project. This legislation passed the House but the Senate did not pass the bill. The General Assembly did include language in the state budget that the Administration should withdraw the pre-solicitation report until the environmental impact statement is complete.

Last session, we passed legislation, sponsored by my teammate Delegate Marc Korman, to create a dedicated funding source for the Washington Area Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMATA) and the first portion of that funding was included in this year’s budget. This is an exciting step in our continued efforts to expand access to public transit and provide Marylanders with convenient and affordable alternatives to car travel.

Civil Rights & Justice

My District 16 teammate Delegate Sara Love introduced HB 421: Vehicle Laws – Licenses- Indication of Applicant’s Sex which allows people to choose a gender-neutral designation on their driver’s licenses. This bill is a step forward for LGBTQ rights in Maryland, and makes Maryland a national leader on this issue as one of 6 states to allow gender-neutral designations on driver’s licenses.

Hate crimes are on the rise across our country and instances of violence against marginalized groups continues to threaten the safety of our communities. In an effort to respond to this we passed HB 240: Hate Crimes – Threats which prohibits a person from threatening to commit hate crimes.

We also passed overwhelmingly bipartisan legislation to reduce the use of solitary confinement. HB 1001: Correctional Services – Restrictive Housing – Reporting by Correctional Units and Requirements limits the circumstances that would allow for a person under 18 to be placed in solitary confinement, and stipulates that if solitary confinement is used, that person will be guaranteed daily mental health assessments and other important rights such as phone calls, mail, visitations, and recreation. Legislation to expand pre-release programs for female inmates to make them comparable to services received by male inmates did not move forward, but will remain a priority of the Women’s Legislative Caucus.

This session I introduced HB 423: Election Law – Voter Registration – High Schools on behalf of student activists in Montgomery County. This legislation would have required public high schools to host at least one voter registration drive per school year. After hearing compelling testimony from high school student leaders about the importance of increasing awareness and access to voting, this bill passed in the House but unfortunately did not pass in the Senate. I am excited to continue working with students in our county to expand access to voter registration and strengthen our democracy.

The State Budget

The Maryland General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a bipartisan and balanced budget. Despite a General Fund shortfall of $269 million, partially due to the Federal Government shutdown, my colleagues and I were able to fund our priorities to help working families without raising taxes.  This includes $255 million in funding for the Kirwan Commission recommendations to support our teachers and students, and $500 million for school construction. In total, this year’s budget includes $7 billion for public schools with crucial funding for special education, teacher salaries, and full-day pre-kindergarten programs. We also secured a 7% increase in funding for Maryland’s public universities while capping tuition increases at 2%.

 This year’s budget also invests critical dollars in improving public health across the state with $11.2 billion in the state’s Medicaid Program, which serves over 1.4 million Marylanders. It also allocates additional funding to help fight the opioid crisis and provide communities with the tools and resources necessary to take care of those struggling with addiction. We also re-elected District 16’s own Nancy Kopp to another term as State Treasurer. Maryland maintained its AAA Bond rating, and the budget expands the Rainy Day Fund to include 6% of General Fund revenues.

Together with Senator Lee, Delegate Korman, and Delegate Love, we obtained money for various District 16 local projects and programs. Among these were bond initiatives including $550,000 for the YMCA Bethesda Chevy Chase, $100,000 for building upgrades and improvements for Cornerstone Montgomery, and $250,000 for North Bethesda’s Josiah Henson Park which is the former plantation property where author, abolitionist, and minister Josiah Henson was enslaved for thirty years. Henson is also the inspiration for Harriet Beecher Stowe’s book “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”. The funds will be used to build a museum and modern visitors center to tell the story of Henson’s inspiring life and the realities of slavery in Montgomery County. We also preserved $1.5 million in funding for Cornerstone Montgomery in the budget and the $300,000 grant for the KID Museum in the Davis library. Lastly, we increased the budget appropriation for Imagination Stage to $550,000. I am proud of our District team for securing much-needed funding for programs and spaces that we all utilize and look forward to seeing these organizations continue to grow and thrive in D16.

While it was a very productive session, our work is far from over and I look forward to continuing to fight for you and our families in the remainder of the year. Once again, thank you for putting your trust in me to be your voice in Annapolis. If you have any questions about the legislation I mentioned, or anything else, please do not hesitate to call my office at (301) 858-3642 or email me at ariana.kelly@house.state.md.us. I look forward to seeing many of you in and around District 16 in the coming months.

Have a wonderful spring and summer.

Sincerely,

Delegate Ariana Kelly

Dear Neighbor,

Thank you for the privilege of representing you as your District 16 Delegate to Maryland’s General Assembly. It has been a busy but productive session. I am proud of the progress we made to advance a strong economy, secure a healthy environment, and keep our schools safe and successful.

This year, I served as a Subcommittee Chair on the Health and Government Operations Committee and Chair of the Health Occupations & Long Term Care Subcommittee. I also served as President of the Women Legislators of Maryland, the bipartisan group of sixty women in both the House and Senate. We had an incredibly successful year passing 10 pieces of priority legislation. In addition, I served as House Chair of the Joint Committee on Children, Youth and Families where we finally saw a significant investment in our state child care subsidy program. And lastly, I served as Chair of the Montgomery County Economic Development Committee in which we made great strides promoting economic opportunity in Montgomery County.

Here is an overview of the recently concluded 2018 legislative session:

The State Budget

The Maryland General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a balanced budget that adequately funds our education formulas and includes an additional $200 million in a reserve fund for new education programs. My colleagues and I blocked Governor Hogan’s proposed cuts to support services for people who are disabled and to behavioral health services, and fully funded the State Retirement and Pension System by requiring an additional payment of $75 million. Maryland maintained its AAA Bond rating, making our state one of only fifteen states with this coveted endorsement.

Our budget includes a $500,000 grant for A Wider Circle so they can renovate their Community Service Center in Bethesda and final investments in the construction of the Biomedical Sciences and Engineering Education Building at the Universities at Shady Grove. Together with Senator Lee, Delegate Korman, and Delegate Frick, we obtained money for various District 16 local programs. Among these projects were $75,000 for the National Center for Children and Families, $75,000 for security upgrades at the Bender Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington, and $200,000 for North Bethesda’s Josiah Henson Park.

For eight years, I have worked to strengthen Maryland’s child care subsidy program. HB 430: Education – Child Care Subsidies – Mandatory Funding Levels, is the work product of three years of hearings by the Joint Committee on Children, Youth and Families, which I chair. It helps achieve our goals by requiring annual funding for the child care subsidy program every year. At approximately $14,000 per year, Maryland’s child care costs are the fifth highest in the country, and this bill will improve access to child care for hardworking families and parents.

Education

The Kirwan Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education has been meeting since late 2016. The Commission published recommendations including updating Maryland’s education funding, ensuring universal access to public and private preschool, financial incentives for well-performing students to become teachers, new plans and pathways for Maryland students, and establishing an independent organization to implement the proposals. The result of some of these recommendations was HB 1415: Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education, which includes several pilot programs to better our education system.

This session I was proud to reintroduce HB 251: Education – Family Life and Human Sexuality Curriculum – Boundaries and Consent, legislation providing that age-appropriate instruction on consent and personal boundaries be taught in our schools’ sex education classes. Education about consent is a method of sexual assault and sexual harassment prevention. After hearing heartfelt testimony from numerous middle and high school student leaders about the importance of consent education, this bill passed, making Maryland a national leader.

In 2008, when the State approved casino gambling, the State’s share of gambling revenue was promised to our students to improve our schools. However, it was never required by law. This session, I proudly co-sponsored HB 1697: Education – Commercial Gaming Revenues – Constitutional Amendment, which amends Maryland’s Constitution to ensure that the state’s share of gambling revenue is used for our public schools.. This bill, unanimously passed by the Senate and approved by the House, will provide $500 million for our schools, and put us on the path to ensuring all students have a great public school no matter where they live.

In this legislative session we have had great success with HB 679: Public Schools – School Year – Completion Date. This bill, which I proudly co-sponsored, changes the requirement for all Maryland public schools to complete their school year on or before the third Friday of June, instead of June 15. This gives Montgomery County and other jurisdictions more flexibility with their school calendars.

Gun Violence Prevention

In the wake of the Parkland school shooting and the ensuing grassroots movement in support of commonsense gun safety legislation, we passed a number of important pieces of legislation to help reduce gun violence. HB 1646: Criminal Procedure – Firearms – Transfer, which establishes a procedure for ensuring that convicted domestic abusers must turn in their guns, passed overwhelmingly through the House and Senate. I was proud to support this legislation and will continue fighting to make sure domestic violence survivors are protected from gun violence.

After the Las Vegas shooting, the federal government failed to pass any meaningful legislation. Thankfully, here in Maryland, we enacted HB 888: Criminal Law – Firearm Crimes – Rapid Fire Trigger Activator, legislation banning rapid fire trigger activators such as bump stocks. These devices are intended to rapidly increase the firing of semiautomatic weapons and to injure and kill large numbers of people. The tragic shooting in Las Vegas is an example of the carnage that these weapons can inflict; they have no place on our streets.

Additionally, I supported HB 819: Public Safety – Handgun Permit Review Board – Appeals, which will repeal the Handgun Permit Review Board, a Board made of several political appointees which determines whether to overrule the Maryland State Police when they deny gun-carrying permits. Many have worried over the Board members’ greater interest in their own pro-gun philosophies, rather than enforcing Maryland’s existing laws and statutes. Repealing this board will allow competent judges to evaluate these cases.

Finally the Assembly passed HB 1302: Public Safety – Extreme Risk Prevention Orders. This bill allows certain individuals to petition for extreme risk prevention orders in the courts, and for courts to grant them after careful consideration. People who have been determined to be an extreme risk and subject to these orders must surrender any guns in their possession. Numerous gun violence survivors have testified that laws like this could have prevented mass shootings. I support keeping guns out of the hands of those who pose a danger to themselves and to others.

Public Health & Working Families

This year I sponsored HB 1312: Health Insurance – Medicaid Buy-in Task Force. As health care costs in Maryland continue to rise and the federal health care laws remain unstable, it is vital that we explore all possible options to provide affordable health care coverage for Marylanders. Health insurance premiums in the individual market are increasing at an alarming rate, making it difficult for those who do not qualify for subsidized premiums to remain insured. One potential solution would be to offer an option for individuals and families to purchase a plan within our existing Medicaid program. The Task Force will provide valuable information on the feasibility of this project. This important legislation was included in the larger HB 1782: Maryland Health Care Access Act of 2018.

I have written to you many times about my work in Annapolis pursing Paid Family and Medical Leave. In December, as Chair of the Task Force to Study Family and Medical Leave Insurance, we published recommendations on how Maryland can implement and manage a state-run, employee-funded insurance fund. This session, I sponsored HB 775: State Employees – Parental Leave, which will provide state employees 12 weeks of paid parental leave. Maryland will lead by example as an employer as we continue to push for paid family and medical leave for all Marylanders.

This year I introduced legislation for Planned Parenthood to help prevent unintended pregnancies. HB 1283: Health Insurance – Prescription Contraceptives – Coverage for Single Dispensing, legislation I sponsored, expands my 2016 Contraceptive Equity Act to require insurance to allow women to receive up to 12 months of birth control pills at a time. The research shows that when women have a full year’s supply of birth control, unintended pregnancy rates drop by 30%.

To protect our disabled working constituents, HB 1280: Maryland Department of Health – Enrollees in the Employed Individuals With Disabilities Program – Demonstration Program was introduced by my team members Senator Susan Lee and Delegate Marc Korman. The bill will allow folks enrolled in the Employed Individuals with Disabilities Program, would otherwise qualify for the Rare and Expensive Case Management Program, to receive private nursing care while holding outside employment.

Environment & Transportation

During this session, there were many proposals aimed at cleaning up our environment and strengthening Maryland’s environmental protections. The Forest Conservation Act could be one of Maryland’s best tools for protecting our state’s forests, but as currently written, it is not strong enough. SB 610: Task Force on the Forest Conservation Act Offset Policy, establishes a task force to study the impact of development on forest lands and make recommendations for legislation to preserve forest land and offset forest loss.

Many of you wrote to me over the session about promoting clean energy in Maryland. Two bills were introduced into the Maryland Legislature this session. HB 1453: Clean Energy Jobs Act of 2018, introduced by my seatmate Delegate Bill Frick, would have increased Maryland’s renewable energy portfolio standards (the amount of energy required to come from renewable energy sources) to 50% by 2030, and the HB 878: 100% Clean Renewable Energy Equity Act of 2018, which would have required 100% clean energy by 2035. Unfortunately both bills were unfavorably reported by the House Economic Matters Committee and did not reach the House floor. I look forward to working on renewable energy legislation next year.

In combating the Trump Administration’s attacks on our environment, Maryland took steps to make sure, on the state level, we are still making progress. HB 3: Environment – U.S. Climate Alliance – Membership requires the Governor to include Maryland as a member of the U.S. Climate Alliance, which was formed by a bipartisan group of Governors and pledges support for the Paris Climate Accord. HB 1456: Offshore Drilling Liability Act, makes companies drilling for oil and gas off  Maryland’s coast liable for any offshore spills.

On Metro funding, this legislative session saw great accomplishments. My teammate Delegate Marc Korman introduced HB 372: Maryland Metro/Transit Funding Act, and worked tirelessly for its passage through both the House and Senate. The bill establishes a permanent, dedicated funding stream of $167 million for Metro from the Maryland Transportation Trust Fund, which will be used to perform maintenance, improve service, and upgrade the transit system. I was very pleased to support the bill and work by his side.

Civil Rights & Justice

This session as President of the Women’s Caucus, I introduced and we passed landmark legislation addressing sexual harassment. In February, we issued a report with recommendations seeking to strengthen accountability mechanisms, create culture change, and make our reporting process more accessible and confidential. HB 1342: State Government – Harassment and Discrimination enacts the Women’s Caucus recommendations including requiring the use of an independent investigator when sexual harassment or retaliation complaints are made against a legislator, prohibiting a lobbyist from engaging in sexual harassment, and banning the use of state funds for sexual harassment settlements. The legislation also includes comprehensive data tracking and another piece of legislation which I also sponsored, HB 1228: Equal Employment Opportunity Program – Sexual Harassment Reporting ensures greater detail in reporting from State agencies.

We also finally passed HB 301: Repeat Sexual Predator Prevention Act which allows, in some cases, prior sexual predatory behavior to be used in criminal prosecutions of alleged sex offenders. After 15 years, we will join 37 other states in allowing this kind of evidence.

I was pleased to have had the opportunity to cast my vote in favor of SB 1028: Youth Mental Health Protection Act, which prohibits the practice of conversion therapy for minors who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, or transgender. Conversion therapy is a pseudoscience that tries to change an individual’s sexual orientation and gender identity, usually through harmful and abusive methods. It has no basis in actual therapy or medicine, and existing medical and mental health professionals condemn it. These practices do nothing but harm young LGBTQ people, negatively impact their health, and promote depression, drug and alcohol abuse, psychological harm, and even suicidal behavior. No one should be subjected to this practice, least of all minors.

One exciting piece of legislation that passed this session, HB 797: Correctional Services – Inmates – Menstrual Hygiene Products, requires that correctional facilities provide free sanitary products for inmates. I was a proud cosponsor and voted in favor of this bill. This bill is about dignity; no woman deserves to go without the essential products she needs.

This session, I also voted for SB 1048: Secure and Accessible Registration Act, which was approved by both chambers and allows individuals to register to vote at their polling places on Election Day. This proposed amendment to the Maryland Constitution will promote higher voter turnout and greater participation in our democracy. The constitutional amendment must be approved by the voters before it will go into effect, and I hope that Marylanders will endorse this measure.

While it was a very productive session, I look forward to continuing this work during the summer. Once again, thank you for putting your trust in me to be your voice in Annapolis. I appreciate each phone call and email you send throughout the year. If you have any questions about the legislation I mentioned, other policy ideas, or my legislative scholarship, please do not hesitate to call my office at (301) 858-3642 or email me at ariana.kelly@house.state.md.us.

Have a wonderful spring and summer.

All the best,

Delegate Ariana Kelly
District 16

Dear Neighbor,

Thank you for the privilege of representing you as your District 16 Delegate to Maryland’s General Assembly. It has been a busy but productive session. We have tackled many issues amid a new and constantly changing political climate.

This year, I was appointed by the Speaker of the House to Chair the Health Occupations and Long Term Care Subcommittee. In this capacity I oversee all legislation related to long term care for seniors and people with disabilities. I also oversee legislation related to the scope of practice and professional licensing for all healthcare professionals. In addition, I was elected President of the Women Legislators of Maryland, the bipartisan group of sixty women from both the House and Senate.

Here is an overview of the recently concluded 2017 legislative session:

The State Budget

The Maryland General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a balanced budget that increased funds for school construction, rejected the Governor’s cuts to workers in the disabled community, and fully funded the state pension program. We won an additional $22 million for school districts with high enrollment growth and $10 million of that sum will go to Montgomery County. Maryland maintained its AAA Bond rating, making our state one of only eleven states with this coveted endorsement.

Closer to home, I co-signed a letter with my District 16 House colleagues encouraging Governor Hogan to speak out against proposed funding cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the upcoming federal budget. Located here in Bethesda, NIH provides groundbreaking medical research that has saved and continues to save millions of lives in the U.S. and around the world. The cuts to NIH would have a direct negative effect on the 20,000 NIH employees who work in Bethesda, many of whom are our neighbors here in District 16.

Additionally in our district, $100,000 was allocated toward the renovation of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase YMCA facility through a bond bill that I sponsored, HB 297. These funds will provide much needed accessibility improvement for the aging facility and our essential community center.

Education

The General Assembly also passed the Protect Our Schools Act, sponsored by Delegate Eric Luedtke, which ensures that a school’s accountability score will include not only standardized testing but factors such as class size, absenteeism, access to effective teachers, and college-ready coursework. It further prevents the use of vouchers and charters as interventions to fix schools, bars the creation of a state-run school district, and requires districts and the state to negotiate any school improvement plan with teachers. While the governor did veto this legislation, the legislature successfully overrode the veto. This bill will give Maryland a strong accountability system through which we can ensure schools benefit their students and close the achievement gap.

This session I was proud to present HB 1560, legislation providing that the Family Life and Human Sexuality Curriculum in our public schools include age-appropriate instruction on consent. Education about consent is a method of sexual assault prevention.The bill received strong bipartisan support in the House and while it did not pass the Senate, Montgomery County Public Schools is still moving forward voluntarily with plans to update their curriculum.

Working Families

I sponsored two bills that will strengthen Maryland’s child care subsidy program. Both pieces of legislation passed and will help us begin to understand the costs of child care across Maryland and increase the state’s investment in expanding child care subsidies.

Last year I wrote to you about legislation that created the Task Force to Study Family and Medical Leave Insurance. I have been chairing the task force for the past year and by December 2017 the task force will publish recommendations on how Maryland can implement and manage a state-run, employee-funded insurance fund. A program like this would provide limited salary support for workers due to a serious medical condition, a family member’s military deployment, the birth or adoption of a child, or to care for a family member with a serious health condition.

I was also pleased that HB 752 – Department of Human Resources – Public Assistance Eligibility – Financial Records, legislation I sponsored, was unanimously passed by both Houses. This legislation will make it easier for adult children to help their parents qualify for Medicaid coverage of nursing home care by making the Department of Human Resources an advocate on their behalf in obtaining financial records.

Public Health

Here in Maryland, we have worked to keep health care affordable and accessible. In Annapolis, we are working to ensure that the federal government does not reverse the progress we have made. With the uncertainty in Washington, D.C., the Maryland General Assembly passed HJ 9 –The Protection of the Federal Affordable Care Act which calls on Maryland’s Congressional Delegation and Governor to resist the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. HB 909 – the Maryland Health Insurance Coverage Protection Act was also passed, creating a commission to monitor federal changes on healthcare and prepare Maryland should Congress and the President take away health insurance from over 400,000 Marylanders. I was proud to advocate for HB 1083 which passed and will prevent Planned Parenthood from being defunded here in Maryland.

I sponsored HB 775 – Maternal Mental Health, which passed both houses unanimously, and will address the emotional and mental health needs of pregnant and postpartum women through the development of informational resources, training for healthcare professionals and expanding a health department program to treat maternal mental health.

I was a proud cosponsor and advocate for HB 613 –  Pharmacists – Contraceptives – Prescribing and Dispensing which will enable a pharmacist, who meets the State Board of Pharmacy regulations, to prescribe and dispense contraceptives. This bill will expand the pharmacy practice to increase access to reproductive health care and to meet the needs of women in Maryland.

Environment & Transportation

During this session we made great strides in protecting our environment and promoting clean energy. Many constituents reached out to me with their concerns about hydraulic fracturing and the damage it would likely cause. I was a proud supporter and cosponsor of HB 1325, which established a permanent ban on fracking in our state. Maryland is fortunate enough to have beautiful mountains, forests, and shores, and a vibrant Chesapeake Bay. Allowing fracking would threaten our environment and pose many health and safety risks, and all for meager economic benefits. I was pleased that the fracking ban was passed with sweeping majorities in both the House and Senate and was signed into law. This new law will help protect our land, water, and air for future generations. This session I also cosponsored, HB 602 – Keep Antibiotics Effective Act, restricting the overuse of antibiotics in farm animals that are not ill, decreasing the rise of antibiotic resistant infections.

This session we also passed HB 924, sponsored by my colleague Delegate Jim Gilchrist. This legislation prohibits Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources from shrinking or changing specific oyster sanctuaries until the Department crafts a plan to manage the oyster population after they have completed a study and certain reports. Oysters are vital to the long-term health of the Chesapeake Bay; their conservation and growth will greatly improve water quality and the Bay ecosystem. The Legislature further passed and I supported HB 211, sponsored by Delegate Shane Robinson, prohibiting cownose ray fishing contests until 2019 and creating a plan for the conservation of the cownose ray. Cownose rays are a near threatened species and it is important to prevent overfishing of their population.

Delegate Korman sponsored and successfully passed HB 285 – Washington Metrorail Safety Commission Membership Act, requiring that specified Board members of the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission be appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. Additionally, one member of the Board of Directors appointed by the Governor must be a resident of Montgomery or Prince George’s County. I was proud to be a cosponsor of the bill, which passed the House and Senate unanimously. Metro impacts District 16 and the entire Washington D.C. metropolitan area and Marylanders deserve a say in its operations and governance.

Civil Rights & Justice

The House of Delegates passed HB 1362 in response to the threats of a Muslim registry and the xenophobic anti-immigrant rhetoric in the news. The Maryland Trust Act, clarifies what law enforcement should do in enforcing federal immigration enforcement efforts. Unfortunately, this legislation failed to pass out of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee in time.

This session, we also passed the Maryland Defense Act of 2017 which empowers Attorney General Brian Frosh to sue the federal government, as needed, to protect the environment, protect access to healthcare, and protect civil rights. With the new federal administration determined to dismantle civil rights law, environmental rules, and health care programs, our State Attorney General requires additional resources to protect Marylanders and ensure liberty and justice for all. This legislation will help Attorney General Frosh stand up for all Marylanders and defend their rights.

While it was a very productive session, I look forward to continuing this work during the summer and next session. Once again, thank you for putting your trust in me to be your voice in Annapolis. If you have any questions about the legislation I mentioned, or anything else, please don’t hesitate to call my office at (301) 858-3642 or email me at ariana.kelly@house.state.md.us.

Have a wonderful spring and summer.

Sincerely,

Delegate Ariana Kelly

Dear Neighbor,

Thank you for the privilege of representing you in the Maryland General Assembly as your District 16 Delegate. I am pleased and proud to report that we made significant progress this legislative session that will help strengthen our economy, our schools, and our families, as well as foster a safer and healthier environment. In addition to passing eleven of my own bills this session, I was also appointed to serve on the Public Health Sub-Committee, appointed to Co-Chair the Joint Committee on Children Youth and Families, elected President-elect of the Women Legislators of Maryland, and appointed by the Speaker of the House to serve as Deputy Majority Whip. Here is an overview of the recently concluded 2016 legislative session:

The State Budget

The General Assembly passed a $42 billion budget that is fiscally responsible and balanced, meeting the priorities of Marylanders without raising taxes. The operating budget fully funds all of Maryland’s spending formulas for healthcare, public safety, and transportation programs, as well as, the state pension system.

Strengthening Our Families

During this session, I sponsored and worked with a broad coalition of support, including Planned Parenthood, Maryland Women’s Coalition for Health Reform and the National Association of Social Workers to pass HB 1005 – Contraceptive Equity Act, which expands contraception coverage in insurance plans and ensures that all Marylanders have access to the contraception method that works best for them. It requires Medicaid and private insurers to fill birth control prescriptions for six months at a time, requires vasectomy coverage, and requires insurance coverage for over-the-counter pharmaceutical access.

I have long advocated for measures to keep families intact and secure, especially in times of great need. During this session, joined by 73 co-sponsors from across the state, I passed HB 740 – Task Force to Study Establishment of a Family and Medical Leave Program which will bring together national and local experts to develop an implementation plan for a state-run, employee-funded insurance plan that will provide limited salary replacement for workers for up to 12 weeks of leave due to a serious medical condition; a family member’s military deployment; or, to care for a new child or a family member with a serious health condition. The U.S. is still the only industrialized country in the world without paid family leave! In Maryland, we hope to soon join California, New Jersey, Rhode Island (and soon New York!) in making sure our workforce has these protections.

A related bill, the paid sick days bill, HB 580 – Maryland Healthy Working Families Act, sponsored by Delegate Luke Clippinger would have required employees statewide to earn accrued sick leave. (This law has already passed in Montgomery County). While the legislation passed in the House, it did not pass in the Senate. However, I am pleased that Senator Lee’s SB 481 – Equal Pay for Equal Work, did pass and prevents employers from banning the discussion of salary among their employees.

The cost of a college education has risen dramatically in recent years and much of the burden has fallen on our young professionals in the form of serious debt. This is a national problem and in an effort to ease some of this financial burden, on the students and their families, we passed Delegate Adrienne Jones’ HB 1014– College Affordability Act of 2016 which provides a matching state contribution to eligible college savings accounts and a tax credit of up to $5,000 for undergraduate student loan debt.

Supporting Local Businesses

I sponsored HB 1291 – Limited License – Hair Services – Blow Drying which establishes a new license for blow drying which will help blow-out only salons like our Bethesda’s Dry Bar ensure they have access to a professional workforce. I am pleased to report that HB 639 – Payment by Credit Card or Electronic Funds Transfer Payment also passed to help ensure that physicians receive full payment for services provided when “virtual credit cards” are used by insurance companies. And I passed local legislation to ensure True Respite Brewing Company can open its doors in downtown Bethesda.

Public Health

I was proud to serve as the lead sponsor and work with the Women’s Coalition for Heath Care Reform, the Mental Health Association of Maryland, and Maryland Occupational Therapy Association on a very important bill for Maryland families HB 1318 – Network Access Standards and Provider Network Directories, which requires the Maryland Insurance Administration to work with interested stakeholders to develop network adequacy regulations, and enables them to hold insurers accountable for meeting quantitative standards and maintaining accurate provider directories. Insurers will be required to periodically audit their directories and feature new information in the listings, including participating health facilities, provider gender and languages spoken, and whether new patients are beings accepted. They will have 45 days to correct any provider directory errors identified by members through a new electronic link on the directory, and they must provide information on how members may seek an out-of-network referral at in-network cost-sharing when the network is inadequate. I was also pleased to sponsor and passed SB 297 (HB 539) – Habilitative Services ensuring that all children in Maryland with a developmental disability have access to vital services by establishing a standardized definition of habilitative services.

I was a proud co-sponsor of HB 431– Maryland Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Programwhich requires that the College Savings Plans of Maryland establish the Maryland Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE). The ABLE program is a tax advantaged savings plan for individuals with disabilities, similar to 529 college savings plans, to pay for future expenses such a medical care, education, and housing. In order to help fund these accounts, I sponsored and passed HB 960– Authority to Fund Certain Trusts and Accounts that authorizes court appointed guardians and custodians to move assets for public benefit purposes such as for Special Needs Trusts and ABLE accounts, without specific court authorization.  In addition, in order to fix inconsistencies with state guardianship services, I also sponsored and we passed HB 981 -Maryland Medical Assistance Program – Guardianship Fees – Income Deduction.

I was a proud co-sponsor of Delegate Shane Pendergrass’s HB 404 – End-of-Life Option Act (Death with Dignity); unfortunately, the bill did not pass this year but I will continue to support this legislation that provides a terminally ill adult, with no hope for a cure, to voluntarily request medication from their doctor to end their life in peace, without pain but with dignity at home and with their loved ones.

Environment and Energy

This session, I supported a number of renewable energy initiatives, I was pleased to co-sponsor Delegate Bill Frick’s HB 1106 – Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard Revisions. This legislation increases the state’s renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (the amount of energy drawn from renewable sources). We also passed HB 610 – Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Act which increases the state’s goal for greenhouse gas emission reduction.

In addition, I co-sponsored HB 399 – Lyme Disease – Required Notice. This bill requires that the health care provider who draws a patient’s blood for the testing of Lyme disease provide written notice at the time the blood is drawn that includes disclaimers about the accuracy of the test. I also supported HB 211 – The Pollinator Protection Act of 2016, an effort to help reverse the decline of the bee population by prohibiting the use of neonicotinoid pesticides which harm bees and other pollinators.

Civil Rights & Justice

With the help of the Justice Reinvestment Coordinating Council, Speaker Michael Busch sponsored and we passed SB 1005 (HB 1312)- The Justice Reinvestment Act that provides alternatives and treatment options for non-violent offenders, directing more to supervision and treatment options rather than incarceration. This legislation will reduce incarceration mandates for nonviolent offenders, allow offenders options that are intended to help them become productive members of society, and saving the state incarceration and related costs. I was also pleased to support SB 945 (HB 1342) – Noah’s Law, which passed and requires mandatory participation in the Ignition Interlock Program to help reduce drunk driving in our state.

We successfully passed the police reform bill, HB 1016 – Public Safety and Policing Workgroup which requires training and evaluation methods for law enforcement, police review boards, periodic psychological evaluations of officers, and annual reporting of police-involved shootings among other requirements.

Transportation

The General Assembly passed, overriding the Governor’s veto, HB 1013 – The Maryland Open Transportation Investment Decision Act, which requires greater transparency in how the Maryland Department of Transportation ranks projects for state funding. The system that will be implemented, would be useful in measuring and prioritizing each transportation project in Maryland and increase highway capacities.

Montgomery County House Delegation

As the chair of the Montgomery County House Democratic Caucus I worked closely with Delegation Chair Shane Robinson to advocate for Montgomery County priorities in Annapolis. We made important progress on school construction by doubling the amount of state grant funds that will be available for school construction in high growth jurisdictions. The grant funds will increase to $40 million and I’m pleased to report that Montgomery County will receive 25% of these funds, the largest beneficiary of all jurisdictions.

As the sponsor of a local bond bill HB 1275, and in close collaboration with my D16 colleague, Delegate Marc Korman, who serves on the Appropriations Committee, I am pleased that the Friendship Heights Village Center–an important focal point in our community–will receive $100,000 in funding that will go toward much needed renovations.

Let me conclude by saying that while there is much work to be done, we have made some important strides in this very productive session. I want to thank you again for trusting me to be your voice in Annapolis. You can find more information on the legislation I’ve mentioned at: http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact my office at (301) 858-3642 or Ariana.Kelly@house.state.md.us.

Best wishes for a beautiful spring and summer.

Thank you for the privilege of representing you in Annapolis,

Delegate Ariana Brannigan Kelly

Dear Neighbor,

Thank you for the privilege of representing you as your District 16 Delegate to the Maryland General Assembly. I am proud of the progress we made to advance a strong economy, secure families, and a safe and healthy environment. Here is an overview of the recently concluded 2015 legislative session:

Montgomery County House Delegation

This year I was elected by my colleagues to chair the 24 member Montgomery County House Democratic Caucus. I worked very closely with Delegation Chair Shane Robinson (D39) to advocate for Montgomery County’s priorities in Annapolis. Our top priority was increasing the amount of school construction funding the state provides Montgomery County. This will allow us to build additions to our overcrowded schools. Currently, in Montgomery County 16 of the 25 high school clusters are already above 105% capacity.

We successfully passed HB 923/SB 490, sponsored by Delegate Sheila Hixson and Senator Nancy King, which establishes a new permanent fund for allocating school construction money to overcrowded school districts. Montgomery County will be the largest beneficiary of this funding for at least the next four years. Although final numbers for FY16 will not be available until May, the Montgomery County Delegation anticipates at least $46 million to help address overcapacity in the school system.

Economic Development Committee

In my first year as Chair of the Economic Development Committee of the Montgomery County Delegation, we passed ten pieces of legislation to improve the business climate in the county. This legislation includes bills to allow a Silver Spring winery to sell its wine directly to the public, allowing for the sale of refillable wine containers (wine growlers), and aligning Takoma Park liquor licenses with the rest of the county. We also passed a bill that will allow more pinball machines in bars and restaurants, and legislation that allows schools, places of worship and youth centers to get one day liquor licenses for fundraisers and special events. Another law allows for wine auction permits so PTAs and other nonprofits can auction off wine baskets at their fundraisers.

The State Budget

The General Assembly worked to pass a fiscally responsible budget which will meet the priorities of Marylanders without raising taxes, raiding funds, or expanding the structural deficit. Maryland again maintains its Triple A bond rating, one of only 10 states to hold this coveted rating. In addition, it closes 69% of the structural deficit without raising any taxes. The state pension system will achieve 80% funding on schedule by 2023 and full funding before 2040. As passed, the budget restores cuts made to schools, services to pregnant women, and the mentally ill. This funding is earmarked — cannot be reallocated for other purposes — for state employee pay raises and the largest school systems, including Montgomery County. However, the General Assembly cannot force Governor Hogan to use this money, so funding is still up to the discretion of the Governor.

Local Bond Bills

In our district, $150,000 is going towards the demolition and reconstruction of the Graceful Growing Together Community Center on Woodmont Triangle in Bethesda in order to significantly expand community services, including child and senior care services, and homeless lunch programs. On Old Georgetown Road the Josiah Henson Park, where the inspiration for Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin is located, will receive $100,000 for the renovation and reconstruction of this historic site.

Family Economic Security

This year, I sponsored and passed HB 564 which expands family medical leave and parental leave for state employees. The measure eliminates discriminatory limits put in place on access to maternity/paternity leave and medical leave for married couples. It ensures that if both parents work for the state, they both have the same access to parental leave all other employees have. It also protects married state employees who need to utilize family and medical leave to care for themselves or a sick family member.

I was proud to be lead co-sponsor on Delegate Craig Zucker’s important legislation for children with disabilities. HB 1105 – Disabled Individuals – ABLE Program, creates a task force to study the issues related to the Maryland Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) and identify how best to implement the program. The ABLE program is a tax advantaged savings plan for individuals with disabilities similar to 529 college savings plans to pay for future expenses such as medical care, education, and housing.

While there was a lot of momentum behind the paid sick days bill, HB 385 sponsored by Delegate Luke Clippinger did not make out of the House Economic Matters. Unfortunately, Delegate Kriselda Valderrama and Senator Susan Lee’s, HB 1051/SB 424 – Equal Pay for Equal Work, which prevent employers from banning the discussion of wages by employees, did not pass.

Civil Rights

In an effort to reduce campus sexual assaults, Delegate Shelly Hettleman sponsored and passed HB 571 – Institutions of Higher Education – Sexual Assault – Policy and Survey, which mandates compliance with sexual assault surveys and reporting requirements.

In an effort to correct last year’s marijuana decriminalization bill, the General Assembly passed Delegate Curt Anderson’s HB 105 – Drug Paraphernalia and Marijuana – Penalties, which makes the possession of marijuana paraphernalia a civil instead of criminal offense.

Public Health

With the help of a broad coalition of support in the healthcare industry, I was able to pass HB 327 – Ambulatory Surgical Facility, which expands the capacity of Ambulatory Surgical Centers to care for patients. This bill ensures that facilities, like the Massachusetts Avenue Surgical Center, that exclusively provide surgical services can serve patients for a full 24 hours, in line with federal CMS regulations. Now more options will be provided for surgical patients, and keep Maryland a leader in health care access.

After four years of advocacy, I passed HB 9 Licensure of Direct-Entry Midwives Act, making Maryland the 30th state to license Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) under the Board of Nursing. CPMs specialize in birth center and home births and their licensure enables effective collaboration and continuity of care between midwives, nurses, physicians and hospitals. Moreover, the licensure and regulation of CPMs reduces unnecessary risk for Maryland women and babies.  

I am happy to report my bill, HB 739 – Task Force to Study Maternal Mental Health, will be signed by the Governor into law. Up to 20% of women experience clinical depression associated with pregnancy or childbirth. It is estimated that as many as 80% of mothers with depression are not receiving treatment. HB 739 will create a task force to identify at-risk populations, study measures taken in other states, and make recommendations for evidence-based law and policy changes to ensure the health of mothers in Maryland.

Environment & Energy

Among the environmental bills, I am most pleased to support HB 449 – Hydraulic Fracturing – Protect Our Health and Communities, sponsored by Delegate David Fraser-Hidalgo. This measure, which passed, prohibits the Maryland Department of the Environment from approving fracking until 2017.

In order to predict, track, and adapt to the consequences of climate change, Delegate Dana Stein introduced HB 514 – Maryland Commission on Climate Change. The commission will convene working groups to study and recommend policy changes regarding the scientific basis of climate change, methods of mitigating greenhouse gases, appropriate response actions, and public education.

In a win for renewable energy, Delegate Clippinger’s community solar House Bill 1087 passed this year. This legislation establishes a Community Solar Energy Generating System Pilot Program which would provide a solar energy system connected to the electrical grid.

Unfortunately, we were not able to pass HB 377 – Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard. This legislation, sponsored by Delegate Bill Frick, would have increased the percentage of Maryland’s energy produced by renewable sources.

Transportation

My D16 colleague, Delegate Marc Korman sponsored and I was a proud cosponsor of HB 300 – Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Services – Utilization Study, which passed. This bill aims to optimize the effectiveness and efficiency of public transportation services by requiring the Department of Transportation to study service utilization every five years in order to adapt to changes in Marylanders’ travel patterns.

While there is still work to be done, this has been very productive session. I want to thank you again for trusting me to be your voice in Annapolis. You can find more information on any of these pieces of legislation at: http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact my office at (301) 858-3642 or Ariana.Kelly@house.state.md.us.

Best wishes for a beautiful spring and summer.

Sincerely,

Delegate Ariana Kelly

Best wishes for a beautiful spring and summer.

Ariana

Dear Neighbor,

It is my privilege to represent District 16 in the Maryland General Assembly. We have just completed the 2012 Legislative Session.  I am proud to report we passed major legislation to improve the health, education, safety, and civil rights of Marylanders, protect our natural environment, and support Maryland businesses as they create jobs during the continued economic recovery.

However, our work is not yet done. It is widely expected the Governor will call us back to Annapolis within a few weeks for a special legislative session to make necessary improvements to the fiscal year 2013 budget.

Here are some highlights from this year’s legislative session that I think will be of particular interest you and the communities in Bethesda, Somerset, Friendship Heights, Glen Echo, Rockville, Cabin John, and Potomac:

Our Human Rights

Women’s Health- Access to Midwives and Childbirth Options: Although you might not think of Maryland as leading the “War on Women”, we still do have significant room for improvement on women’s health issues. Currently, childbirth options are extremely limited in Maryland when compared to our neighboring states. In 1978, the state banned all midwives, with the exception of nurse-midwives working together with an obstetrician. As a result, we have only one remaining birth center in Maryland and only five licensed midwives attending home births across the state.  This is nowhere near enough to handle the more than 500 at home deliveries on record in 2012. As a result of this unnecessary ban, Maryland women who choose an out of hospital birth are often forced to use an “underground” unlicensed and unregulated midwife. This article from the Baltimore Sun discusses the issue of midwives in Maryland.

I introduced bi-partisan legislation to license and appropriately regulate Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) who specialize in attending home and birth center births. Licensing CPMs is not a new idea; twenty-six other states have already done this successfully. As a result of my legislation, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene will be convening a workgroup this summer to develop a specific plan for licensing midwives and expanding birth options in Maryland.

The Civil Marriage Protection Act (the Marriage Equality bill) was a major victory for Maryland families. This legislation will end the legal discrimination faced by committed same-sex couples and their children without infringing on the rights of those religious institutions that choose not to endorse same sex marriage. This legislation also sends an important message to our lesbian, gay, and questioning youth that they will have equal rights as citizens of Maryland, regardless of their sexual orientation.

After a ten-hour hearing and an emotional floor debate, the bill passed both chambers and was signed into law by the Governor on March 1^st, making Maryland the 8^th state in the nation (including the District of Columbia) to pass a gay marriage law.  However, this legislation is being petitioned to referendum, and will likely appear on your ballot in the general election on November 6^th2012.  My office will be working diligently to ensure District 16 voters understand what the bill does and why I supported it. If you would like get more involved in this effort, please contact my Legislative Aide Tricia Swanson via email at ariana.kelly@house.state.md.us, or by calling 301-858-3642.

Medical Marijuana legislation was again introduced this year and I was a proud co-sponsor. Unfortunately, this bi-partisan legislation was not supported by the Governor, as he believed the structure of the proposed program posed a risk to state employees who might be put in a position of breaking federal laws. I will be working with the lead sponsor, Delegate Dan Morhaim, to retool and build support for the proposal for next year. If the legislation is successful, Maryland would be the 18^th state (including the District of Columbia) to establish a program for medicinal marijuana, which can provide relief to critically ill patients and those suffering with chronic illnesses. After having witnessed the compelling testimony of the patient-advocates, it is even more important to me that we continue pushing forward on this legislation.

Maryland is Moving Forward with Health Care Reform. The Health Benefit Exchange Act of 2012 is an Administration bill that built on legislation passed last year to create the heath care exchange required by federal health care reform. This second step in the process sets up standards and regulations to run the program. This legislation puts meat on the bones of our exchange and will ensure quality coverage, reduce costs, and will assist Marylanders in choosing the best plan for their family. Maryland’s new Health Enterprise Zones are an innovative way to move Maryland forward in closing health disparities based on race, class, and geography.

Our Children

Maintenance of Effort for Education Funding (MOE) is a state law designed to protect the quality of our children’s education and maintain our first in the nation schools (and high property values) by discouraging local governments from shortchanging the local funding needed for education. This year, we strengthened the MOE provisions ensuring that if a county does not meet education funding requirements the State can redirect revenues to the local School Board. We also strengthened our Compulsory Attendance law, phasing in required attendance for children who are sixteen and seventeen years old.  This means Maryland’s children will no longer be able to drop out of school when they turn sixteen.

Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders:  In a huge victory this year, I was lead sponsor of successful legislation that will expand access to insurance coverage for treatment of Autism. HB1055 requires the establishment of a Technical Advisory Group to guide the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Maryland Insurance Administration in issuing regulations on the appropriate use of habilitative services for children with autism and autism spectrum disorders (ASD’s). This group will consist of clinical experts with experience working with children with ASD’s.  Based on their recommendations, the state will establish requirements for therapies insurance companies must cover for children on the autism spectrum. These regulations must go into effect no later than November 2013. Partners in this effort include Autism Speaks, Autism Society, DHMH Secretary Josh Sharfstein, Delegate Kirill Reznik, Senator Rich Madaleno, Senator Kathy Klausmeier, Health and Government Operations Committee Chairman Pete Hammen, and Maryland House Speaker Mike Busch.

Insurance Coverage for Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy:  HB1055 will also get the Maryland Insurance Administration and the Maryland Department of Education working together to ensure kids with disabilities have access to the therapies they need, and are entitled to under existing state insurance law and federal special education laws. I was the lead sponsor of this successful legislation (cross-filed in the Senate by Sen. Richard Madeleno).  This bill will make sure health insurance companies cover (without excessive complication, confusion, begging, fighting, and threat of lawsuit) the therapies and other services kids need when they have congenital or genetic birth defects. This applies to the many therapies kids need above and beyond what the school system is required to cover for educational purposes.

TLC’s Katherine Thomas School Funding: This year I introduced successful legislation to fund $275,000 in desperately needed capital repairs for this special education school in Rockville. This school educates children with moderate to severe learning and language disabilities. For more information on this school, please visit their website. With the state funding, we can ensure that our special children are learning in a safe and healthy environment. This legislation was championed in the Senate by Senator Jennie Forehand.

Our Environment

Banning Arsenic in Chicken Feed: I was proud to co-sponsor successful legislation championed by my friend Delegate Tom Hucker and Food and Water Watch that made Maryland the first state in the nation to ban this carcinogenic additive. It is already banned in Canada and the European Union. For more information on this legislation, please refer to this article.

The Sustainable Growth and Agricultural Preservation Act of 2012 (sometimes called the Septics Bill) will prevent septic system growth in areas where it hinders the environment and contributes to wasteful land development practices and pollution. We also significantly increased funding for Maryland’s Bay Restoration Fund. This will be used to upgrade the state’s major sewage treatment plants, as well as to upgrade septic systems and plant cover crops to reduce the nitrogen and phosphorus entering the Chesapeake Bay. The Stormwater Management Billrequires local jurisdictions to meet environmental standards and thus bring all the counties in Maryland closer to the standards already met by Montgomery County. In a press release, the Maryland Department of the Environment covered what a successful session this was for the environment.

I was a proud supporter of the Offshore Wind Energy Bill. This legislation would create thousands of new jobs,provide zero-emission power for the state, and reduce health-hazardous and heat-trapping pollution from fossil fuels. Additionally, it would lock in stable electricity rates for 15-20 years as the fuel (wind) is free. Maryland needs to take this important step toward having 20% clean electricity by 2022. Although this legislation passed in the House of Delegates, it did not pass the Maryland Senate.

Our State Budget & Taxes (and unfinished business)

Before session ended, the Senate and the House both passed an operating budget for fiscal year 2013. However, the spending in the operating budget was contingent upon increased revenue from two other pieces of pending legislation, the Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act (BRFA) and the Tax Plan. Neither of those pieces of legislation came up for a final vote in the House during the regular session.

If the Governor calls a special session this spring, we will likely vote on some version of these bills. If the Governor does not call a special session, we will default to a secondary budget, referred to as the “Doomsday Budget” that does not depend on generating new revenues.  This default budget contains significant cuts from fiscal year 2012 levels. The largest cuts are in state education aid, including significant cuts to K-12 education and a 10% cut to higher education and community colleges. Other cuts include across the board agency reductions of 8%. In total, the so-called “Doomsday Budget” would reduce proposed state spending for 2013 by $512 million.

Possible Tax Plans: One of the reasons the House and Senate have not yet reached agreement on a Budget is that we have different philosophical approaches to where the new revenue should come from. The House tax plan generated less new revenue, and increased marginal tax rates only on the higher brackets. It also reduced or eliminated personal exemption amounts for individuals and couples in the higher brackets. The Senate proposal increased tax rates across the board, and reduced personal exemptions for all tax payers. The Senate plan also created a super bracket which amounted to a flat fee on all income earned for those in the highest bracket.

What’s Next?:  I am sorry I cannot offer more complete information on the state budget situation at this point. I am confident we will reach a solution that is workable. Could either plan be improved? Absolutely, and I look forward to working with my colleagues in developing a solid and sensible budget.  To look the factors going into a special session please take a look at this article.

Sincerely,

Delegate Ariana Kelly