“In these days of difficulty, we Americans everywhere must and shall choose the path of social justice…..the path of faith, the path of hope, and the path of love toward our fellow man.”
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, October 1932
Dear Friends,

The Maryland General Assembly convenes for its 442nd Session on Wednesday, January 13, 2021 under unprecedented circumstances. The global pandemic has upended all aspects of our lives and laid bare many inequities in our society.
 
Last week we witnessed a shocking and unlawful attack at the US Capitol. Together we must address the divisiveness that led us to this volatile point and resolve to find a peaceful way forward. Now is the time to acknowledge the pain of so many, to talk openly and calmly to each other and to work to solve our many pressing problems through fair and just public policy.
 
There is crucial work ahead this session including work on pandemic relief, a review of the state’s unemployment process, evaluating tax reform, reviewing juvenile justice, education funding, and implementing changes to our law enforcement and justice systems to instill confidence and eradicate systemic racism. Our great Prince George’s County has the highest number of children living in poverty and accessing free and reduced lunch, as well as a population that has experienced the greatest disparity in access to quality and affordable health care. Our Prince George’s Delegation will be faced with working to bring back assistance for education, assisting those on the verge of homelessness and resources for the many businesses and employees who have been devastated. Our challenges will be many, but I am confident that our passion and collective legislative talents are up to the tasks ahead. 
 
I encourage you to participate in the Session despite the pandemic limitations. In person access to the Maryland General Assembly (MGA) Campus will be drastically limited. However please see the guidelines and helpful links listed at the bottom of this page for information about how to engage with your state elected officials and to have a voice in your government.

I have been asked many questions about the vaccine roll out. I anticipate that we will receive more detail in the coming week, but for now please see the below information on how best to follow the vaccine process and register for alerts. 

In the coming weeks, I will provide details on my legislative priorities and the status of the budget. As always, please contact me with your thoughts and concerns at Geraldine.Valentino@house.state.md.us.

Sincerely, 
Geraldine 
Geraldine Valentino-Smith
Delegate, Maryland House of Delegates, District 23A
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Maryland General Assembly 2021 Session
  • House of Delegates Re-opening Guidelines can be found here.

  • House of Delegate Committee Process Guidelines and Details on Testifying can be found here.

  • MGA Video Tutorials: There are several helpful videos on the MGA website which include how to “CREATE A MY MGA ACCOUNT” and “HOW TO SIGN UP AS A WITNESS”. Please find those here. 

  • View House Proceedings: For the first time you are now able to watch video live streaming of the House floor proceedings. Previously, only the audio portion of the floor sessions was available online. That meant that the only way for the public to watch floor debates was to watch in person from the floor viewing gallery. To view and listen to proceedings go to the General Assembly Website and follow the information on the first page to click on “view floor proceedings”.

  • Archives of video from prior legislative days are available on the General Assembly Website. In addition, meetings of most committees are available online, as in past years.

  • The House Committee lists can be found here.

  • The Senate Committee list can be found here.

Vaccine Roll Out
As many of you already know, the roll out of the COVID19 vaccine has been much slower than expected across the nation. The steps of the roll out and phases for the vaccine in our state and county are detailed on the Prince George’s County Department of Health Website which has comprehensive list of FAQs.

Residents of Maryland who are signed up for the state’s emergency text alerts will get a text message each time the state starts vaccinating a new group. To sign up, send a text message to 898211 with the phrase “MdReady.”

By Authority of Friends For Geraldine Valentino-Smith, Elizabeth Ryan, Treasurer