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Record of Results.

Thank you for allowing me to represent the 25th Legislative District as a delegate in the Maryland General Assembly. It is an honor and a privilege to work for the citizens of Prince George’s County. I am proud to serve as your advocate for education, the economy, our community, healthcare, energy and the environment.

Here is a summary of recent legislation on these issues:

EDUCATION

  • The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future
    Enhancing State aid to local school systems by $251.6 million in fiscal 2020, consistent with recommendations of
    the Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education (Kirwan Commission). It also extends the term of the
    commission and establishes The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future as a policy to transform Maryland’s education
    system and align it with the recommendations in the commission’s January 2019 interim report
     

  • Local School Calendar Choice
    Allowing each local board of education to set start and end dates each year for public schools in their county.
    Local boards of education now have discretion to set school calendars better aligned with the specific needs of
    their jurisdiction.
     

ECONOMY

  • Civilian Employees – Federal Shutdown Paycheck Protection
    Ensuring that all civilian federal employees, who are required to report to work and are not receiving pay due to a
    federal shutdown, are eligible to receive an interest-free loan from the Maryland Department of Labor.
     

  • Fight for $15 – Raising the Minimum Wage
    Raising the State minimum wage from the current $10.10 per hour to $15 per hour by January 1, 2025 for larger
    employers and by July 1, 2026 for smaller employers. Estimates are 22% of our State’s workforce will benefit
    from increased family income. This increase is expected to affect 573,000 working Marylanders and nearly
    273,000 children.
     

  • Expansion of Childcare Tax Credits
    Expanding the childcare tax credit for single parents ($92,000 federal adjusted gross income) and married parents
    ($143,000 federal adjusted gross income). This expansion is necessary to offset rising childcare costs.
     

COMMUNITY

  • Alcohol and Tobacco Commission
    Establishing the Alcohol and Tobacco Commission to license and regulate alcoholic beverages manufacturers and
    distributors, as well as the tobacco and related products industries in the State. The establishment of this
    commission comes from recommendations of a task force which studied the regulation of alcohol and tobacco
    products and their effects on public health.
     

  • Tax Sales Protections
    Reforming the tax sale process to protect low-income homeowners from losing their homes assessed at $300,000
    or less. It also creates an Ombudsman to explain the process to homeowners and help them apply for tax credits
    and other beneficial programs.
     

HEALTHCARE

  • Tobacco Use by Minors
    Raising the minimum age from 18 to 21 for an individual to purchase tobacco products. The Food and Drug
    Administration and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services report that, between 2017 and 2018, use
    of tobacco products by high school and middle school students in the United States increased by 27.1% and 7.2%,
    respectively.
     

  • Preserving the Affordable Care Act
    Protecting Marylanders with pre-existing conditions in the event that the Supreme Court overturns protections
    provided in the Affordable Care Act. House Bill 697 of 2019 also renews The Maryland Health Insurance
    Protection Commission for an additional three years to continue working closely with the evolving healthcare
    landscape.
     

  • Title X Family Planning
    Enacting legislation to remove Maryland from the Federal Title X program in response to proposed changes by
    the Trump Administration. This legislation creates a Maryland family planning program which will be funded
    entirely with state funds and include providers like Planned Parenthood who provide comprehensive health
    services for women. Maryland will be the first state in the nation to ensure continued access to these services.
     

  • State Prescription Drug Benefits - Retiree Benefits
    Establishing prescription drug out-of-pocket reimbursement or catastrophic coverage programs for certain State
    retirees and their dependents, or surviving dependents, who are enrolled in a Medicare prescription drug benefit
    plan. Legislation delays implementation of the three plans while litigation regarding the State’s changes to retiree
    prescription drug benefits is pending and requires that there be at least nine months before open enrollment before
    the bill is implemented.
     

ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY

  • Clean Energy Jobs
    Increasing the State’s Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard goal from 25% by 2020 to 50% by 2030. This
    legislation will preserve and create jobs in the clean energy sector while reducing Maryland reliance on fossil
    fuels (oil, coal, and natural gas).
     

  • Protecting the Chesapeake Bay
    Enacting legislation to protect and restore 5 oyster sanctuaries. Significant public investments have been made in
    support of these large-scale restoration projects and this legislation protects those investment by making them off
    limits to oyster harvesting in perpetuity.

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