Just over a week ago, we celebrated and honored the men and women who lost their lives defending our country, a sacrifice that those of us celebrating the joyful beginning of summer should be deeply humbled by. Memorial Day is a solemn day, one that calls on each of us to appreciate the high cost of freedom.
As a society, we must honor that sacrifice and service through more than words. That’s why I’m proud of the legislation we passed this year to make a strategic and historic investment in Maryland’s veteran community. The Keep Our Heroes Home Act represents the most significant tax cut for Maryland’s veterans in a generation. Maryland residents earning military retirement income will now be able to exempt up to $20,000 of that income from state taxes if they are age 55 or older and up to $12,500 if they are younger than 55.
The Health Care for Heroes Act establishes a program to reimburse Maryland National Guard members up to $60 per month for premiums paid under health care and dental plans for its members. Another new law requires the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs to provide free burial services to a veteran’s spouse or eligible dependent, including a child or parent.
It is my hope that our veterans and their families know that Maryland supports them, and that it is working to create a climate in which they feel encouraged to live, work, and retire in a state that appreciates their service.
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Common Sense Gun Reform Signed into Law |
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This spring, I was alarmed to learn that a 20-year-old man opposed to gun legislation in Maryland routinely showed up at school bus stops with a semi-automatic AR-15-style rifle as a means of protest. Although I wholeheartedly support the First Amendment right for all individuals to have their voices heard, doing so in a way that terrorizes children and families should not be accepted as normal.
As I’ve said since the Supreme Court’s Bruen decision last summer, I firmly believe that a proliferation of guns in public is not the answer. I am convinced we can preserve citizens’ Second Amendment rights while also recognizing the need to regulate guns to protect citizens from rampant gun violence and fear of a stranger with a gun near their children.
- Prohibit most permit holders from carrying a concealed handgun to schools, colleges, health care facilities, government buildings, polling places, power plants, places that sell cannabis or alcohol (including bars and restaurants), stadiums, museums, racetracks, and casinos;
- Increase the maximum penalty for illegally wearing or carrying a firearm from three years’ incarceration to five years;
- Ban people from applying for a concealed carry permit if they’re on probation for a conviction of a crime (1) that carries a jail sentence of one year, (2) of violating a protective order, or (3) for driving under the influence or while intoxicated;
- Increase the concealed carry permit fee from $75 to $125, as well as increase the renewal fee from $50 to $75;
- Raise the age for applying for a concealed carry permit to 21, except for military service members; and
- Expand the training requirements to obtain a handgun permit.
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Blueprint Implementation and Funding Updates |
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At the same time, I remain concerned about the ongoing challenges in coordination between State agencies responsible for implementing the Blueprint. Fortunately, we’re still in the beginning stages of this transformational policy and funding rolling out to schools, but it is absolutely vital that we get this right. Communication and a clear delineation of responsibility will undergird the plan’s fidelity and I hope to see both improve moving forward to ensure long term sustainability of the Blueprint.
That sustainability is not only reliant on policy, but funding to make those improvements possible. I supported the proposed first-in-the-nation tax on digital advertising on the largest tech platforms when it was approved by the legislature in 2020 to help bridge that funding gap. Fundamentally, these massive corporations must contribute to our civic system as they benefit from user’s private data to sell ads. Although the legislation we passed in 2020 remains under litigation, I was glad to see the Maryland Supreme Court order a lower court to dismiss the suit brought by these companies until all administrative remedies are exhausted. The hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue to the State from this tax on giant tech corporations would be transformational for our State’s public schools.
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Changes at the State Board of Elections |
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I’m deeply grateful for Linda Lamone’s leadership of the State Board of Elections (SBE) and appreciate her steady hand through the upcoming transition before she retires in September. Her retirement means that, for the first time in over 20 years, the SBE is undergoing a search for a new administrator to oversee our elections. Applications for the post were due on May 19 as part of its national search for a new administrator and the SBE has narrowed the pool to three finalists. The SBE has been conducting interviews with those finalists and is expected to announce Ms. Lamone’s successor in a meeting later this week.
The SBE is fortunate to have a new voice, Jake Weissmann, as part of its membership after his appointment in May. Mr. Weissmann was chief of staff to Senate President Mike Miller and me, where he was the primary staff person on election policy for the Senate of Maryland. I was glad to see Governor Moore move quickly to ensure Mr. Weissmann was seated on the Board in time to participate in interviews and look forward to his confirmation hearing in the Senate Executive Nominations Committee during the 2024 Legislative Session.
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Out and About in the Fightin' 46th |
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It’s been a pleasure to bounce around community events throughout the 46th Legislative District over the last month. The beautiful spring weather always brings out Baltimore City’s vibrancy as events like the annual Mount Vernon Place Flower Mart take over swaths of the City. Although I’ve been to Flower Mart in the past, this was the first year that I’ve had the pleasure of representing Mount Vernon, its host neighborhood, after the last redistricting cycle. It was amazing to see a full schedule of music, educational opportunities for kids and adults alike, and vendors highlighting local small businesses.
I was also able to join two community gatherings in Fells Point and Riverside in recent weeks. In Fells Point, a number of elected officials and organizations came together to discuss each of our respective roles, and what we’re doing to support this incredible neighborhood. In Riverside, I joined the Riverside Neighborhood Association to talk about our accomplishments in the 2023 Legislative Session. Delegates Clippinger, Edelson, Lewis and I are continuing to support the renovations to Riverside Park and the Riverside Park Pool.
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Marylanders who are eligible for Medicaid must now re-enroll to continue to receive important health insurance benefits. Applicants should make sure their contact information and mailing addresses are updated with the State to ensure they receive renewal notices and can complete the necessary paperwork on time. Those who qualify but do not re-enroll will be at risk of losing coverage and those who are found to be ineligible can find health care coverage through Maryland Health Connection.
A technique now being employed in City schools, Restorative Circles, allows students in conflict to solve issues together through a lens of “compassion, empathy, and understanding” rather than through punitive measures like suspensions or detentions. A 2018 study by researchers at JHU examined 14 restorative schools in the City and found that suspensions decreased by 44% over one year.
A preliminary design for the final phase of the mixed use Harbor Point development, situated between Harbor East and Fells Point, was unveiled last week. Three towers—among the tallest in Maryland—will rise on podiums connected by public spaces and an extension of the waterfront promenade. The towers will house residences, office space, a hotel, and retail space. The timeline calls for construction to be complete by the end of 2027.
Mayor Scott announced last week that the owner-occupied homes saved from the City’s annual tax sale will be limited to properties worth $250,000 or less. Over 1,800 properties will be removed from tax sale this year and those homeowners will have at least a year to catch up on any past-due taxes or bills.
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If there is anything we can do to help, please do not hesitate to contact my office via email, bill.ferguson@senate.state.md.us, or by phone, 410-841-3600.
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