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End of Session NewsLetter
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2016 Session: Delegate Trent Kittleman - District 9A
January 13 -- April 11
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To my Constituents, friends and colleagues,
THANK YOU, once again, for the opportunity to be here in Annapolis to serve as your representative. I appreciate your email correspondence and feedback, and hope I have represented your interests accurately and fairly. In this End-of-Year letter, I've summarized the major activities of General Assembly so that you can judge for yourself
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| Please forward this email to your family and friends, and encourage them to sign up to receive the weekly News from Annapolis by sending me an email at TrentKittleman@verizon.net. |
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In My Committee: Judiciary
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Justice Reinvestment
* Noah's Law
* Warrant Intercept
* Police Reform
* Re-criminalizing marijuana
* Guns on Campus
* MANDATED Spending
* Governor's Fee Cut Bill
* Healthy Working Families Act
* Equal Pay Act
* School Choice Success
* Community Colleges: Unionization
* Home-schooling - participation.
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* IEP -- Mediation Required
* Howard County v. Superintendent
* Carroll County term-limits Bd. of Ed.
* No-Fault Birth Injury Fund fails
* Freedom to Treat
* Protecting Disabled Parents
* End-of-Life option
* Healthy Vending Machine Act
* "Open" Transportation Act
* Senate Power Grab effort
* Motorcycle Profiling outlawed
* Fake airbags outlawed
* Harry W. Nice bridge mandate
Miscellaneous
* Governor's Redistricting Plan
* Freedom to Vote Act
* My Bill: Reviving Civics
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This was a tough year in the Legislature, with over 3,000 bills introduced between the House and Senate. This year, the "new" delegates, with a full year of seasoning, proposed numerous bills, many of them suggesting radical new proposals and programs. The primary job of the Republican minority has been to defeat the worst of these bills.
Why? Because right now, the Democrat-controlled legislature can pass any bill it wants to, and override a gubernatorial veto!
The session began with the Democratic majority over-riding all of Governor Hogan's six vetoes from last session, despite the Governor's efforts to reach a compromise. And they've already over-ridden the Governor's two vetoes thus far this year.
To sustain a veto, it takes 40% of the members of just one chamber - that's 57 votes in the House, or 19 votes in the Senate. Today, Republicans have only 50 votes in the House, and 14 votes in the Senate.
Occasionally, for the political sake of his members, the Democrat Leadership will "let" certain Democrats vote with the Governor -- but never enough to change the vote. For example, 4 Senate Democrats voted to sustain Governor Hogan's veto of the bill allowing felons to vote . . . leaving us one vote short!
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Nonetheless, the 50 Republicans in the House (7 more than ever before) fought valiantly against bad legislation, and some good, bi-partisan legislation did manage to pass.
The best effort of the session was passage of the landmark criminal justice reform bill (p.2).
Other good bills that passed are Noah's Law, mandating the ignition interlock system for drunk drivers; the Warrant intercept program; a bill outlawing fake airbags; and one outlawing motorcycle profiling. Good bills also passed for Howard and Carroll counties (
see Education)
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And some of the worst bills failed, including the "sick and safe" bill, the bill to authorize collective bargaining on college campuses, and the effort by the Senate to require their approval of all MDOT administrators.
And even though the Senate couldn't finalize an agreement, for the first time in decades, the legislature ended its session arguing not about a tax
increase but
about a tax cut!
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In My Committee: Judiciary
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The Judiciary Committee handles some of the most intense issues in the legislature: child sexual abuse, rape, human trafficking, guardianship, adoption, divorce, firearms, public safety, law enforcement officer issues, courts and proceedings, the public information act, and even tort law.
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Reforming the Criminal Justice System [HB 1312] -- PASSED BOTH HOUSES!
The biggest issue before our committee this year was the bi-partisan, Justice Reinvestment Act. The State of Maryland spends over $1.2 billion incarcerating criminals. Unfortunately, when they get out - which almost all of them do, eventually-- the recidivism rate is between 50-70%.
The Justice Reinvestment Initiative ("JRI") is a nation-wide effort to encourage states to review their sentencing and correctional policies to promote a more efficient and cost-effective spending of taxpayer funds.
The essence of the Initiative is to reduce the number of people in high-cost prison beds and use the savings to create a robust system of release and reentry practices for non-violent offenders.
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Getting Tough on Drunk Driving [HB 1342] - PASSED BOTH HOUSES!
Named after a police officer killed in the line of duty by a drunk driver, "Noah's Law" expands the use of the ignition interlock system.
Ignition interlocks require a driver to blow into a breathalyzer before the engine will start. Currently, these devices are only required for repeat offenders or first-time offenders who register above a .15 blood alcohol level (BAC).
Under Noah's Law, first time offenders who register at the lower BAC (.08) are now required to use the ignition interlock for one year.
It's clear that warnings, fines and even suspending the driver's license do not stop people from driving while drunk.
The ignition interlock does. I voted for this bill.
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Getting Tough on Tax Evaders; Warrant Intercept Program [SB 425]
- PASSED BOTH HOUSES!
This bill authorizes all counties to participate in the warrant intercept program if the Sheriff of the county notifies the Comptroller that the county intends to participate in the program.
An official of the federal, State, or local government charged with serving a criminal arrest warrant may certify to the Comptroller that an individual has an outstanding warrant and request that the Comptroller withhold the individual's income tax refund.
I voted for this bill.
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Public Safety and Policing Workgroup - Recommendations [HB 1016]
- PASSED BOTH HOUSES
The provisions of this 34-page bill arose as a response to the riots in Baltimore City last summer. After reading through its far-reaching provisions, I concluded that this would be better as a Baltimore City bill. As is frequently the case, urban issues differ widely from issues in our more rural counties, and this bill would not help the majority of jurisdictions in the State. Indeed, it would have the opposite effect in many cases, siphoning off tax dollars from current law enforcement activities that work.
The original bill violated the separation of powers provision of the State Constitution by moving a reconstituted Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission out of the Executive Department, eliminating any control by the Governor, and including members of the Legislature on the Commission. The amended bill made the legislators non-voting members. The bill also includes a spending mandate of $500,000 annually. For all of these reasons, I voted
against the bill.
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Re-criminalizing Marijuana in Cars and in Public
[HB 777] - PASSED IN HOUSE; FAILED IN SENATE
After overriding the Governor's veto of a bill that de-criminalized smoking in cars and in public, the House passed legislation re-criminalizing both actions in separate bills. HB 777 dealt with smoking marijuana in public, and was a hard-fought victory that included bi-partisan support. Unfortunately, the Senate dropped the ball on this one.
I voted
for
these two bills.
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Guns on Campus [HB 1002] -- PASSED BY HOUSE -- FAILED IN SENATE !
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The Senate redeemed itself by killing this bill, for this year, at least.
There are two major problems with this bill.
The first is the scope of the bill. Rather than ban guns on college campuses, this bill bans "carrying or possessing specified firearms on the property of public institutions of higher education." The University of Maryland alone owns property all over the state, including roadways in and around campus property, making the potential for accidentally violating the law fairly high. And that creates a serious problem because the law is misdemeanor crime carrying a sentence of up to three years in prison and
d a fine of $1,000. Anyone who violates this law, even if not sentenced to any jail time, will be forever banned from gun ownership in the state of Maryland!
The second issue is not just the 2nd amendment, but the whole issue of campus safety, particularly for young women. It is currently estimated that one in five female students will be raped while in college. This bill deprives young women of at least one source of self-protection - and stories like that of
Amanda Collins argue strongly against this policy.
Amanda was raped at gunpoint in a garage on the campus of the University of Nevada, just feet away from the campus police office.
Amanda had a carry permit, b
ut was not allowed to have her gun on campus. The rapist went on to rape two more women before being caught. All three rapes could have been avoided if Amanda hadn't been forcibly disarmed - not by the criminal, but by the college.
I voted
against this bill.
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NO NEW TAXES! [SB 190: The Budget Bill] - PASSED BOTH HOUSES
The General Assembly approved Governor Hogan's $42 billion operating budget with unusual speed and bipartisan support. House members from both parties praised the Governor's efforts, and few changes were made by either chamber. For the second time in two years, the budget passed without any tax increases and without any need to rob money from "special funds."
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MANDATED Spending Increased Dramatically - $290 MILLION for Baltimore City Package - ALL BILLS PASSED.
Over the first 45 days of session, 85 new mandates were proposed, for a total of $3.7 billion over the next four years- spending equivalent to $80 million per day!
Not only did these bills disregard the Governor's request to limit new spending, they flew in the face of what voters want, as clearly expressed in the last election.
This
is not the time to be creating huge new programs. The practice of creating ne
w programs every time revenues go up is exactly why we wind up in crises that allow the majority party to say "We MUST RAISE TAXES!"
Marylan
d still has financial issues
. The debt service on our bonds is significantly more than the funds specially set aside to pay for it -- primarily because of the bonds Governor O'Malley sold to fund operating costs. Our pension system is still actuarially underfunded.
And taxpayers are due a TAX CUT.
Unfortunately, the Democrat majority feels otherwise. All of the $290 MILLION package of programs for Baltimore City passed both chambers. And even if the Governor were to veto each bill, it is unlikely that the Democrat-controlled legislature will allow the veto to stand.
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Governor's Fee Cut Bill Gutted by Legislature [HB 459] - PASSED BOTH HOUSES
The House Ways & Means and Appropriations Committees and their counterparts in the Senate made a joke out of HB 459 -- "The Fee, Surcharge and Tax Reduction Act of 2016." Originally, this bill provided for over 27 fee reductions, in business regulation, transportation, public safety, courts and judicial proceedings, and agriculture, in addition to redirecting funds into the Environmental Trust Fund. The bill that passed out of committee has been renamed the "Birth and Death Certificates -- Fee Reduction."
The total effect of the bill, now, is to reduce 1 fee: the $24 birth certificate fee is reduced to $12.
Nonetheless, I voted for the bill.
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Business Promotion & Regulation
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"Healthy Working Families Act" [HB 580] - PASSED HOUSE -- FAILED IN SENATE
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I've covered this bill extensively in my Newsletters (see
"Why Bad Bills? The Story of HB 580").
This bill requires all employers to provide sick leave to their employees: paid sick leave to businesses with 15 or more employees.
It also
created a new brand new right requiring that employers offer paid sick leave to part-time, temporary and seasonal employees. For industries such as retail or hospitality, this requirement would be both an economic and an operational disaster. Last year, the bill
was defeated in the House Economic Matters Committee; this year, it got out of committee with a favorable vote and was ultimately approved by a vote of the whole House (84-54). If failed in the Senate, but will no doubt be back next year, and likely to pass.
Almost every employer offers some kind of personal leave. Businesses that are too small to have a formal sick leave policy generally know their employees, and find a way to accommodate individual needs.
The problem with this particular bill is that the bill imposes burdensome
record-keeping and reporting requirements that take days to prepare, and often penalty provisions that require a full-time lawyer to monitor
. I am frequently amazed by how little some of my liberal colleagues seem to know about running a business. Their limited understanding of "business" seems to be based solely on the negative headlines that arise from the bad behavior of a number of major corporations. They do not seem to know or care that more than half the jobs in the country are created by small businesses: businesses that can't afford a stable of professional lawyers, accountants and HR personnel; businesses whose owners often work 20 hours a day, and for whom TIME is their single most important asset; businesses with a profit-margin of one or two cents on the dollar, where every extra set of records and reports they must keep means they must, (1) charge higher prices, (2) employ fewer workers; or (3) make no profit.
During my testimony on the floor of the House, I read off a list of some of the laws already on the books relating to employee & leave policies that Maryland employers must follow; there are at least 21 of them.
The bill has been sold to the public as "let's give everyone sick leave." When asked if this is something they would like, a large percentage of the people say yes. Heck, we ALL would like to have good things -- especially if they are free.
But when the survey asks if people want sick leave,
if . . . followed by the potential for some of the effects of the law, the majority flips. Even if it's just "increased prices" that would follow, 51% of the people say, no.
There are ways to remedy the problems that this bill focuses upon - but this bill is NOT the way to do it. I voted against this bill.
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Equal Pay Act [HB 1003] - PASSED BOTH HOUSES
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This bill
expands the Equal Pay for Equal Work law to prohibit wage discrimination based on gender identity, among other provisions
relating to the Equal Pay for Equal Work law. Additionally, an employer may not provide less favorable employment opportunities based on sex or gender identity. "Providing less favorable employment opportunities" means (1) assigning or directing the employee into a less favorable career track, if career tracks are offered, or position; (2) failing to provide information about promotions or advancement in the full range of career tracks offered by the employer; or (3) limiting or depriving an employee of employment opportunities that would otherwise be available to the employee but for the employee's sex or gender identity.
Moreover,
an employer may not prohibit an employee from inquiring about, discussing, or disclosing his or her own wages
in the workplace
or with another employee, or requesting that the employer provide a reason for why the employee's wages are a condition of employment.
I voted against this bill for many of the same reasons I voted against the bill discussed above.
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The "Fair Scheduling, Wages, and Benefits" [HB 1175] - UNFAVORABLE IN COMMITTEE
This bill strictly regulated how private employers were allowed to schedule their employees. For example, (1) t
he employer must post a written schedule 21 days before the start of a work week; (2) if a change is to be made to that schedule after it is posted, the employer must pay the employee 1 hour of Predictability Pay" for each shift that is changed; (3) if the employer must notify the employee that a shift has been canceled less than 24 hours in advance and if the employee chooses to show up, he or she must be paid for four hours of work, regardless of the actual hours worked by that employee.
In addition, (4) an employer must offer additional hours of work to current employees before hiring new employees, subcontractors, or temporary employees; AND must post a notice for at least two days prior (there is no provision regarding how or if overtime pay is relevant); and (5) provides for liquidated damages.
Although the bill failed this year, there is a tendency for such bills to come back year after year until they pass.
As written, this was probably the most business oppressive bill introduced this year.
I voted
against this bill.
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School Choice Makes Progress [HB 190: the Budget Bill] PASSED!
This year's budget includes $5 million for the program known as BOOST - Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today. It funds approved private-school scholarships for low-income students.
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Community Colleges - Collective Bargaining [HB 27] - Passed House; FAILED IN SENATE
In what has become all too common, t
he large, urban jurisdictions in the state imposed their will on the 19 suburban and rural counties all of whom objected.
In this case, Baltimore City, Montgomery, Prince Georges, and Baltimore counties decided to require the rest of the counties to allow for collective bargaining at all of their Community Colleges.
The makers of the bill acknowledged that there had been NO request for this bill from any individual or organization.
There had been no complaints from any individual or organization from any of the 19 jurisdictions being affected.
The Association of Community Colleges, which includes members from the four jurisdictions whose community colleges are already unionized opposed the bill, and Delegates from county after county offered amendments requesting that their county be exempted from the bill.
Each of these amendments was voted down generally along party line votes. Fortunately, although the bill passed the House, it failed (this year) in the Senate. I voted against this bill.
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Home-Schooled Kids Eligible for Extra-Curricular Activities [HB 251] - FAILED
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This was an excellent bill that would have allowed students being home-schooled to participate in certain extra-curricular activities in their neighborhood public school. Unfortunately, this bill failed.
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"IEP" Mediation Requirement Notification [HB 551]
This bill requires that, if a parent disagrees with the IEP or the specialized services developed for their child, the IEP team must provide the parent with a written explanation of their right to request mediation and where and how to get more information about mediation, and about pro bono representation.
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Howard County School Superintendent & School Board Controversy [HB 1105] - PASSED BOTH HOUSES
Over the past year or two, Howard County parents have expressed an increasing unhappiness with their inability to get information from the public school system -- information that should, they believe, be available under the Public Information Act. Repeated reports of being ignored, being told documents don't exist, or receiving documents so redacted as to be meaningless, led
Delegate Warren Miller to draft a bill to strengthen the Public Information Act as it would apply to Howard County.
The local bill passed unanimously. After the vote, members of the delegation asked the two members of the School Board who were in attendance about constituent reports that they had been turned away from the last meeting in which the School Board voted on renewing Superintendent Foose's contract. The conversation left the delegation members even more frustrated with the seeming inability of the School Board and the Superintendent to be sensitive to the needs and rights of the community. I voted
for this bill.
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Carroll County Bill Limits School Board Members to Two Terms [
HB 1147] - PASSED BOTH HOUSES
In a much less contentious fashion, Carroll County passed a bill term-limiting its School Board members to two terms. The delegation also included an automatic referendum that will give the public an opportunity to vote this November on this significant change.
I voted
for this bill.
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No-Fault Birth Injury Fund bill [HB377] - WITHDRAWN
This bi-partisan bill would have established a No-Fault Birth Injury Fund to adjudicate and provide compensation of claims arising from birth-related neurological injuries so that: (1) all families could be fairly compensated, rather than only those who win the lawsuit lottery, (2) the compensation would be based on the actual needs of the infant throughout his or her life, and thereafter, and initial compensation to enable the parents to prepare to live with the tragedy, and (3) the family would be compensated generally in less than a year, rather than after four to seven years of litigation
This is a wonderful, well-thought-out bill with bi-partisan support. Unfortunately, all efforts to reform "tort law" meets with strong resistance from the trial lawyers lobby, which has been very successful in killing such legislation. I voted
for
this bill, and hope it comes back next year, and ultimately passes.
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Patient Safety Early Intervention [HB 606] Passed House; FAILED IN SENATE
This is another bill intended to remedy one of the negative impacts of our system of civil tort litigation.
When someone suffers a "bad outcome," doctors almost never talk to the patient afterward for fear that even saying "I'm sorry," will be used against him/her in a civil lawsuit. However, experience shows that if
a doctor
can
talk to a patient immediately after a bad outcome, the patient's chances of recovering improve significantly.
This bill authorizes a "patient safety early intervention program" to timely investigate an adverse event to determine if the care provided to the patient deviated from the accepted standard of care, and
to allow the doctor or hospital to offer service or support, including financial support, to a patient or the patient's family without it being seen as "admitting guilt."
What gives this program its effectiveness is that any statements made by a party during discussions held in accordance with the program cannot be used as evidence that the doctor or hospital admits liability in any subsequent malpractice claim or civil action. This does NOT, however, affect the right of the patient or the patient's family to fair and reasonable compensation for damages under State law.
I voted
for this bill.
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Prevents "disability" from being sole reason for depriving of parental rights
(HB 976) -- Passed House; FAILED IN SENATE.
Currently, a party in a custody or visitation proceeding, can allege that, because the other party has a disability, it would not be in the "best interests of the child" to award that person custody (or visitation), and the disabled party has the burden of proof to show that their disability would not negatively impact the best interests of the child.
This bill would have shifted that burden of proof to the alleging party. In addition, even if the burden of proof were met, the party who has a disability must have an opportunity to prove that "supportive parenting services" would prevent a finding that the disability affects the best interest of the child. This would be a significant and important change in the law. I voted
for this bill.
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End of life Option [HB 404]
-- WITHDRAWN
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This controversial bill would allow doctors to prescribe medication to a person diagnosed as being within six months of death that would enable them to end their own life. Introduced last year as the "Death with Dignity" bill, the legislation was reintroduced this year, renamed and reworked to provide more controls.
Heart-wrenching testimony from family members who watched their loved ones suffer agonizing pain prior to death, and equally passionate testimony from those whose belief in the sanctity of life rejects any form of suicide filled the five hour hearing. At the end, the sponsors chose to withdraw the bill before any votes were taken.
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Healthy vending machines [HB 1498] -
UNFAVORABLE in Committee
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This bill required that at least 75% of the packaged food and beverage options offered in a "food and beverage vending machine" located on property owned or managed by the State be "healthy food or beverage options."
The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) must enforce the bill (including performing inspections and conducting trainings), period
ically revise and update the requirements for healthy food
and beverage options, and submit required reports.
The bill also established penalty provisions for noncompliant food and beverage vending machine operators. (Half million fiscal note)
This bill will probably return next year.
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Legislature Takes Over Transportation Project Planning [HB 1013] - PASSED - VETOED - VETO OVERRIDDEN
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This bill has probably gotten more press than any other piece of legislation this session - primarily because the original version was so incredibly bad. (See my Newsletter article). The reaction to the initial bill was so negative that extensive amendments were made. But they didn't cure the essential problem with the bill: the Legislature improperly attempts to hijack the process of selecting transportation projects - a complex process that has been in place and working well for 45 years.
The process involves input and approvals from the Maryland Department of Transportation, each local jurisdiction, the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board, WASH Cog (the DC area regional transportation board), the Federal government which funds most of what is built, the state and federal environmental agencies, the federal aviation administration, the maritime commission, and many other relevant players.
The legislature by-passed all of these parties in its haste, passed its bill and sent it to the Governor who vetoed it, with a scathing letter pointing out the numerous flaws in the bill. The legislature then overrode the Governor's veto. For an interesting analysis, see
"Transportation Scoring Sends Officials on Wild Goose Chase" , written by Howard County Delegate, and former Transportation Secretary, Bob Flanagan.
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Heads of Transportation Modes to be Subject to Senate Confirmation [SB 318] - NO-VOTE IN SENATE
Maryland's Department of Transportation is unusual in that every mode of transportation is collected under one department: State Highways (SHA), the Transit Administration (MTA), the Port (MPA), BWI-Marshall Airport (MAA), the Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA), and the Maryland Transportation Authority that runs the toll roads in the State (MdTA).
As an executive function, the heads of each of these administrations are appointed by the Secretary of Transportation, subject to the approval of the Governor. It has been done this way for the last 45 years. There is no reason or rationale for superimposing Senate approval - other than political. Fortunately, the bill was not voted out of committee.
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Prohibiting Motorcycle Profiling [HB 785] - PASSED BY BOTH HOUSES!
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One bright spot on the transportation front was passage of the bill to add to the police training courses a statement condemning "Motorcycle Profiling." This means the police may not make arbitrary use of the fact that an individual rides a motorcycle or wears motorcycle-related clothing or paraphernalia as a factor in deciding to stop, question, take enforcement action, arrest, or search the individual or vehicle.
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Fake airbags outlawed [HB 1236] - PASSED BY BOTH HOUSES!
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Another positive piece of legislation outlawed the sales and use of counterfeit and nonfunctional airbags. T
he National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that counterfeit air bags that look nearly identical to certified, original equipment parts (including bearing the insignia and branding of major automakers) showed consistent malfunction, ranging from non-deployment to the expulsion of metal shards during deployment.
The use of these fake air bags as replacement parts after a vehicle has been in a crash is made more likely because of the high cost of genuine air bags and their replacement. This bill outlaws any form of involvement, from manufacturing through to and including assisting someone in the use of such product, and carries a penalty of $5,000 and/or five years in jail.
I voted
for this bill.
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Harry W. Nice Bridge Replacement
[HB 672]
Although replacing this bridge is a priority for the Maryland Transportation Authority, this legislative ultimatum, dictating how and when the financing and construction should occur,
will severely impact the bonding capacity of the Authority. Additionally, the Legislature dictating individual projects is a very bad idea! I voted
against this bill.
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Governor's Redistricting Bill Left "In the Drawer" [HB 458]
-- NEVER GOT A VOTE
One of the least controversial and most hoped-for achievements the voters asked of its Governor and Legislature in this past election was to take the politics out of the system by which Congressional and Legislative voting districts are chosen. The current districts have been so gerrymandered that there is no unity of any kind within a district - other than politics!
The Governor's bill was excellent, and would have done what the voters wanted, had it passed. Unfortunately, the leadership never allowed the bill to come up for a vote in committee in either the House or the Senate. This way, the Democrats do not have to go on record 'opposing" the redistricting plan. . . . .
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MY BILL: HB 324
Maryland High School Diploma - Civics Test Requirement --
[No Vote]
Whatever happened to teaching civics in our high schools? I hear that "we DO have civics courses." Maybe so, but then, why do so many of our young people have so little understanding of how this Country came into being; or why the protections created by our Constitution are critical for retaining the democracy that has been the light of the world for over 200 hundred years; or how very uncommon the individual freedom we are blessed with in this Country is.
Here are two examples of what is happening on our college campuses:
- The First Amendment is under attack! Students believe that the speakers invited to their campuses have no right to freedom of speech if what they say deviates even the slightest from the generally far left views of the students.
- Today, as we approach the election of our next president, over 80% of the students on college campuses support an avowed socialist. Socialism might be a thoughtful choice of some, but for the number to be that large bespeaks of a total lack of education and understanding of the system of capitalism that has been the backbone of our country's phenomenal success.
My bill takes one small step toward reintroducing civics as an integral part of our children's education.
Bill HB 324
would require every student graduating from a Maryland high school to have taken and passed the citizenship and naturalization test -- the same test immigrants must pass in order to become citizens of this Country. It can be taken online, or in class, but it is all multiple choice or short answer, so that it would take virtually no teaching time. And because the test is created by the federal government, there is no cost associated with it.
Unfortunately, my bill never received a vote in committee. I will re-introduce it again, next year. Anyone who would like to help get the bill passed next year, please contact me at
trentkittleman@verizon.net
, or call my cell phone at 301-661-3344.
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Place article copy here. Be sure to make the articles short and concise as people tend not to read much more than a couple of paragraphs. Place article copy here.
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Don't forget to VOTE
Maryland's primary elections will be held on Tuesday, April 26 (with early voting beginning on April 14).
Only those affiliated with a political party can vote for President or Congress.
Independents (unaffiliated) can vote in the important SCHOOL BOARD races!
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Delegate Trent Kittleman
District 9A, Western Howard County and Southern Carroll County (Sykesville)
Room 202, Lowe House Office Building
6 Bladen Street, Annapolis, MD 21401
Interim Office
3000 Kittleman Lane, West Friendship, MD 21794
Administrative Aide: Chelsea Leigh Murphy
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