April 2005

Greetings from Annapolis,

Thank you for your interest in the 2005 legislative session and for the privilege of representing you in the Maryland Senate. Your phone calls, letters, e-mails, and nearly 1,000 questionnaire responses were appreciated and helped me make tough decisions. Delegates Kumar Barve, Mike Gordon, and Luiz Simmons and I shared these results with our colleagues. We needed a "magic wand" for some of these requests, but I am pleased when we can help solve your problems. Several ideas for this year’s legislation came from concerns expressed by constituents.

This session started with "Slots" looming over us as the Governor’s solution to our fiscal issues. Fortunately, once again we were able to say "NO" to this means of financing the $26 billion budget. While Maryland’s fiscal outlook is brighter than it was two years ago, Project Open Space and local transportation funds were cut in a budget scenario of "robbing Peter to pay Paul." Next year we expect surplus funds to continue to protect Maryland’s AAA bond rating.

Some interesting legislation this year includes:

My Victim and Witness Intimidation bill makes intimidating or threatening a victim a felony. It will make our communities safer by protecting those who witness a crime as well as victims who are afraid of retaliation if they talk to police or testify in court against the criminal.

Maryland’s "Advance Directives – Health Care Decisions / Living Will" forms have been "best sellers" lately as we heard that if Terri Shiavo had signed a "living will," her wishes would have been known. My bill updates these forms to include the HIPPA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability) privacy requirements. If your current "living will" does not include this, you should consider adding this provision and write your initials beside it.

Another bill, Expungement of False Criminal Record, could have assisted victims of identity theft to "clear their credit ratings." This idea will be added to a task force report about preventing Identity Fraud and helping victims of this crime.

Maryland has had an alarming increase in the number of fatalities involving teen-age drivers. In order to fight this trend, several bills placing restrictions on inexperienced teen drivers were passed: My bill, prohibits the use of cell phones by teens while driving, and is a secondary offense with penalties. Another limits teen drivers to carrying family members only, for 6 months after getting a driver’s license. Other legislation increased the number of hours of "behind the wheel training" for new drivers. These ideas came from parents and students at meetings to discuss the disturbing rate of accidents by inexperienced drivers. There will be increased penalties for those who purchase and/or serve alcoholic beverages to minors.

This year the Montgomery County Delegation and I sponsored local legislation that will permit speed cameras in school and residential zones in an attempt to discourage speeding. While my statewide version of this bill was vetoed in the past, we are hopeful this County bill will be signed.

Other successful legislation requires the Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC) to have members from all regions of the state. As a former member of the Montgomery Health Planning Commission, I was outraged that the MHCC was finalizing the long range "health facilities plan" for the Metro Washington area, yet had no members from Montgomery or Prince Georges County. This legislation will correct that!

We are proud of Maryland’s biotech industry and know there is a need for greater funding. Delegate Feldman (Potomac) and I both filed the Biotechnology Incentive Investment Act that will provide future tax credits for this important research. Del. Feldman’s bill passed. While I was a co-sponsor of the Maryland Stem Cell Research Act of 2005, the threat of a filibuster killed this bill in the final hours of our session.

Montgomery County will receive $30 million for school construction, which the County has to match. We are hopeful that the Board of Education will use these funds on projects for Richard Montgomery HS and Gaithersburg HS. New legislation will prevent the Board of Public Works (Governor, Comptroller & Treasurer) from approving the sale or transfer of any state owned-lands without approval of the House and Senate.

I co-sponsored legislation requiring voting systems to produce a paper record of each vote cast which would be useful if needed for a recount. This failed, but will be studied next year, probably too late for the 2006 elections.

This is my 11th year representing you in the Senate, and my seniority has been valuable in once again getting support for the needs of our District and County:

• Rockville Arts Place: $200,000

• Adventist Health Care: $600,000

• City of Rockville: $ 1.5 million for Rockville Town Center

• Gaithersburg Olde Towne Community Center: $400,000

• Rockville Community Baseball Stadium @ Montgomery College: $25,000

Let us know if we can help you, or if you have ideas for needed legislation. Best wishes!