NEWS
Governor Martin O'Malley Endorses
Senator Jennie Forehand
Annapolis, MD, July 26, 2010--Citing her support of the high tech and biotechnology industries and her common sense approach to addressing the State's fiscal issues, Governor Martin O'Malley enthusiastically announced today his endorsement of Senator Jennie Forehand in the District 17 Senate race.
"Given the current economic downturn, Jennie understands that we must combine fiscal responsibility with common sense while making every effort to maintain our excellent education system," said Governor O'Malley. "Her legislation to develop the high tech and biotech industries has brought high paying jobs to Maryland and ensured that they stay here".
"The Governor and I both share the priority to cut costs," said Senator Forehand. "We worked together to push through my bill streamlining the state's traffic courts." This new law will dramatically reduce overtime costs for local police departments and put more officers back on the street. For Montgomery County police alone, this change will save $1 million in overtime costs."
Senator Forehand has served four terms in the State Senate representing Rockville, Gaithersburg, and Garrett Park. She has been endorsed by the Montgomery County Teachers' Association (the Apple ballot), the Montgomery County National Organization for Women (NOW), the AFL-CIO, the Montgomery County Public Schools Retirees' Association, and the Maryland Democratic Women's PAC.
She was recently named Senate Chair of Maryland's Task Force on Nanobiotechnology. Year in and year out, Senator Forehand has initiated and sponsored significant legislation which has heightened the efficiency of State and local government, as well as improved the live of maryland citizens. She was the leader in creating a "smoke-free" Maryland and repealing the tax on computer services.
"I am happy to have the backing of the O'Malley administration and for their support of my public safety initiatives increasing penalties for human trafficking and my bills to protect victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and identity theft," state Senator Forehand.
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MARYLAND DEMOCRATIC WOMEN’S PAC
GIVES EARLY ENDORSEMENT TO FOREHAND RE-ELECTION
ROCKVILLE, MD, June 24, 2010—The Maryland Democratic Women’s PAC (DWPAC) has chosen State Senator Jennie Forehand as their endorsed candidate for the District 17 Senate race. The political action committee works to elect viable, Democratic women to office with direct financial and technical support and will be supporting Senator Forehand’s 2010 re-election campaign.
In making the announcement, DWPAC stated that the organization took an early stance in some races, particularly with their support of incumbent Senator Jennie Forehand.
“We work very closely with women legislators in the General Assembly to raise other women up and support 1st time candidates. When one of them is challenged, we will absolutely turn our attention to making sure they retain their seat. It’s not simply about blindly supporting incumbents. It’s about making sure we maintain and grow the list of elected women in Maryland,” said DWPAC Chair Kathy Reiner Martin.
Stated Senator Forehand, “I am particularly gratified to be recognized by the Democratic Women’s PAC not only because they recognize my ongoing efforts recruiting and mentoring women in public office but because we share the same priorities on healthcare, choice, education, smart growth, the environment and energy sustainability."
Also this month, the Montgomery County Education Association endorsed Senator Forehand and will list her as their choice on their “Apple Ballot”.
Senator Forehand is running for her fifth term in the Maryland Senate representing the 17th legislative district encompassing Rockville, Gaithersburg, and Garrett Park.
She is also a past president of both the Women Legislators of Maryland and the Women’s Legislative Network of the National Conference of State Legislatures.
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GOVERNOR TO SIGN FOREHAND HUMAN TRAFFICKING BILL
New law increases penalties, goes after peripheral players
ANNAPOLIS, MD, May 19—On Thursday, May 20, Governor Martin O’Malley will sign legislation sponsored by Senator Jennie Forehand that toughens Maryland’s law against human trafficking, making it harder for these criminals to operate their human slave trade in the state.
The new law will make it a felony penalty to force an adult into commercial sex, making the crime a higher priority for prosecution. Both forced stripping and confiscation of a victim’s identity documents have also been added to the law’s prohibitions, as well as language to allow the prosecution of peripheral players like doormen, drivers and others who benefit from the trade.
“Maryland is a hub for human trafficking partially because of its access to international airports and its location on the I-95 corridor. You can see human trafficking in the ads on Craigslist and the raids on massage parlors and brothels,” stated Jennie Forehand, sponsor of the Senate bill. “Based on the recommendations from the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, these new provisions in the law will give local police the tools to target this human slave trade and put these criminals in prison.“
In 2007, Senator Forehand sponsored the legislation creating Maryland’s first human trafficking law. This led to the creation of the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, a working group of law enforcement, victims' advocacy groups, federal and state agencies, legislators and others to look at how to address the growing crime of human trafficking.
Senator Forehand is the State Senator for Maryland’s 17th legislative district including Rockville, Gaithersburg and Garrett Park.
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See "Why Mike likes Jennie"
News Releases
UNANIMOUS SENATE VOTE FOR FOREHAND BILL
SAVING MILLIONS IN POLICE OVERTIME
ANNAPOLIS, MD, March 24, 2010 -- A bill sponsored by Senator Jennie Forehand that will save millions of dollars in police overtime for cities, counties and towns passed unanimously in the Senate today.
Overwhelmingly supported by police agencies throughout the State, the bill will stop the practice of automatically scheduling a co urt hearing for violators who have not responded to their traffic tickets.
"With our local police facing cuts in State aid, hiring freezes and manpower shortages, it is truly intolerable that the State continue to force police officers to wait in court for "no show" cases, which is about 28% of the time," said Senator Forehand. "If we are serious about crime, then we need these officers on the street not wasting time waiting for traffic violators who don't resopnd to a traffic citation."
In testimony during the bill hearing, Gaithersburg police said that they spend $250,000 a year on police overtime for court and that they currently have two vacant positions which due to budget cuts cannot be filled. Montgomery County estimates that passage of this bill will save County Police $1 million in police overtime costs.
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FOREHAND TO RUN FOR SENATE RE-ELECTION
ANNAPOLIS, MD, July 16, 2009 -- Senator Jennie Forehand, who represents Rockville, Gaithersburg and Garrett Park, today announced her run for re-election to the Maryland State Senate in 2010, having filed her candidacy with the State Board of Elections.
An influential member of the Maryland Senate and the Montgomery County Delegation, Forehand points to her success in pushing through local transportation solutions, bringing high-paying jobs to the area through support of the biotech industry, and securing funding for civic development projects.
Newsletters
Forehand Named Champion of Traffic Safety
Newsclips
Forehand to Seek Fifth Term, Gazette, July 2009
District 17 State Sen. Jennie M. Forehand is seeking a fifth term . "[A] good many of my constituents encouraged me to run, and my colleagues did as well,"....
County Police Force Joins Frontlines in Mental Health, Gazette, Feb. 2009
The emergency petition law was loosened in 2003, dropping language that required an individual present an "imminent" danger. State Sen. Jennie M. Forehand (D-Dist. 17) of Rockville said the change was made at the request of families...
Forehand – Genetics legislation is needed, Gazette, Jan. 2009
Del. Roger Manno and Sen. Jennie M. Forehand are asking lawmakers to spell out who owns a person's DNA.
Privacy concerns are target of DNA bill, Gazette, Jan. 2009
"I think that some of these issues, as the research goes on, we need to get them clarified," said Forehand (D-Dist. 17) of Rockville.
NIH awards Forehand for bio-safety efforts, Gazette, Dec. 2008
The National Institutes of Health recognized State Sen. Jennie M. Forehand ... for her "leadership and commitment to bio-safety oversight of biomedical research
Health and safety are the focus of new state laws, Gazette, July 2008
Protecting children in automobiles is the aim of a safety seat bill that takes effect June 30, allowing the state to draw on a federal incentive grant program during the current federal fiscal year....
Maryland tech companies savor hard-earned repeal, Gazette, April 2008
Sen. Jennie M. Forehand (D-Dist. 17) of Rockville, an Annapolis veteran who sponsored the repeal bill, said she had never seen such a successful turnaround on a major tax bill.
Senate: Genetic data are private, Gazette, April 2008
Bill passes prohibiting insurers, employers from misusing test results
CMR hoping for $1M from state for new health center, Gazette, March 2008
Senate and House bond bills have been filed, sponsored respectively by Sen. Jennie M. Forehand and Del. James W. Gilchrist asking the state to issue a matching grant of $1 million.
Compromise bill ‘strikes a balance’ in limits to genetic tests by insurers, Gazette, March 2008
Lawmakers want to prohibit long-term care insurers from using genetic tests to determine coverage... Sen. Jennie M. Forehand (D-Dist. 17) of Rockville said she introduced the legislation to build on her 1995 bill to prohibit genetic discrimination in health insurance, which is now law.
ICC is a go, judge says, Gazette, Nov. 2007
Longtime ICC proponent Sen. Jennie Forehand (D-Dist. 17) of Rockville said it has been a long-hard fight to rescue the road since Gov. Parris N. Glendening (D) pulled his support almost 10 years ago. Forehand and other proponents contend the ICC will alleviate congestion and make traveling safer.
