December 16, 2021

Dear Neighbor,

Happy Holidays! I hope this season is joyful and brings you closer to family and friends. I was thrilled to spend Thanksgiving with my parents and extended family. I celebrated Hanukkah in New York with my future in-laws, and my 45th birthday in Annapolis during our recent special legislative session.

While I normally do a birthday fundraiser, this year Maryland's special session prevented me from holding an event. If you would like to support my re-election, please DONATE HERE.

Running for Re-election

In September, I joined my D16 colleagues Senator Susan Lee and Delegates Marc Korman and Sara Love to file as a team for re-election in 2022. Our individual strengths and interests combine to give you the most comprehensive representation possible in Annapolis, and I hope we can count on your vote next year.

CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT MY CAMPAIGN

I couldn't do the work that I do in Annapolis without your support and friendship. The legislative session begins in a few weeks, ends in mid-April and is immediately followed by the primary campaign season. Maryland law prohibits legislators from raising funds during the session so I need your help now to be ready for 2022.

You can contribute using the button above or by mailing a check by January 10th to:

Friends of Ariana Kelly

4814 Broad Brook Drive

Bethesda, MD 20814

Thank you for your support!

COVID UPDATE

COVID CASES RISING

I wish I could say that COVID is over and we can resume our normal activities but sadly, that’s not the case. In fact, infection rates and hospitalizations have risen significantly in Montgomery County and across the state in recent weeks.

It is unclear whether the rise in cases can be linked to the newly identified Omicron variant, related to Thanksgiving travel or to more indoor gatherings as the weather turns cold. In the County, cases have increased in the past month from 49.97 per 100k on November 5 and to 98.51 per 100k on December 4. We also know that hospitalizations in Maryland doubled in the last month to the highest number since last April.

Access to COVID case data is limited while the Maryland Department of Health sorts out the aftermath of a cyberattack that occurred on December 5. While MDH assures us that no personal data was accessed, it’s still very concerning that business at the agency was interrupted during this critical time. The General Assembly will be considering additional cybersecurity measures in the coming session.

While we don’t know when the pandemic will be over, we do know that the overwhelming majority of those experiencing serious disease, hospitalization, and death continue to be among those who are unvaccinated. And we also know that the misinformation being driven by some on the right has greatly undermined public health. A recent NPR analysis highlighted a connection between those localities who voted for Donald Trump and significantly higher COVID death rates in those localities. We are lucky to live in an area that believes in science –81% of Montgomery County residents are vaccinated at this point - but given the recent rise in cases, please continue to wear a mask, get boosted and follow the CDC guidelines for safe gatherings this holiday season.

I was honored to advocate on the side of science in a debate with my Republican colleague from Saint Mary's County Delegate Matt Morgan at the University of Maryland School of Public Health class taught by Senator Brian Feldman (D15). We hotly debated the value of vaccines and masking for public health.

Do I Need a Booster?

The short answer is YES! We are learning that the effectiveness of the vaccines against disease prevention is waning even though vaccines still act to mitigate serious illness, hospitalization and death if you get a breakthrough infection.

In order to provide additional protection against breakthrough infections, the FDA has approved and the CDC advises that everyone over age 16 get a booster if you are 6 months out from a Pfizer/Moderna shot or 2 months from a Johnson and Johnson. While 16-17 year olds are only eligible for a Pfizer booster, the FDA approved a mix and match approach for those over 18 so adults can get a booster of their choosing. For more information on boosters, visit the Maryland vaccination website.

Maryland has not set up mass vaccination sites to provide booster shots but there are thousands of locations where boosters are available and supply is more than enough to meet the demand. The easiest way to find a location near you is to visit this link.

FALL ACTIVITIES

Protecting Women's Rights

In the past year, 600+ bills limiting reproductive rights have been introduced in state legislatures across the country and earlier this month, the Supreme Court heard a case that could ultimately result in the overturn of Roe v. Wade. In Maryland, reproductive freedom is enshrined in our state law but just because abortion is legal does not mean that everyone has access to reproductive healthcare. In early October, I participated in an Annapolis event to defend reproductive rights as part of a nationwide rally.

Advocates from across the state gathered at the State Capitol to voice support for reproductive freedom and to urge Maryland to do more to increase access and de-stigmatize abortion.

I outlined the pro-choice legislation I will introduce in the 2022 session towards those goals and you can watch a video of my portion of the rally here. This bill, the Abortion Care Access Act will improve access and affordability of abortion care here in Maryland. You, like me, may remember in 1991 when the Maryland General Assembly passed legislation codifying Roe vs. Wade into state law. The voters of Maryland overwhelmingly supported the ensuing referendum. However, having a legal right to abortion is not the same thing as being able to access abortion. More than 2/3 of Counties in Maryland have no abortion provider. It's time for Maryland to pass legislation ensuring women have access to safe, affordable abortion care.

Joint Committee on Children Youth and Families

In my seventh year as Chair of this important Committee, we focused our meetings on the impact of the pandemic on women in the workforce and as caregivers. The number of women who were forced out of jobs and have yet to return to the workforce is alarming ,and we spent time this fall examining what the state is - and is not - doing to mitigate this trend.

Many women cited increased caregiving responsibilities as the primary reason for leaving the workforce during the pandemic. Low wages in the careers traditionally dominated by women, continued school closures, insufficient and expensive childcare options, and a lack of paid leave were all found to be factors. Our direct caregiving workforce needs increased state investments and the Committee will consider a list of recommendations culled from this fall’s presentations at our final meeting on this afternoon.

You can watch videos of the presentations to the Committee here and click here for a news article on our women in the workforce hearing, here for coverage of our work on elder care, and here for press coverage on the childcare crisis.

Special Legislative Session

Last week the legislature convened in a special session to approve redrawn congressional district boundaries and override 31 of Governor Hogan's vetoes.

Among the vetoes I was proud to override were bills that removed the Governor from the parole process and the Transit Safety and Investment Act.

Addressing the Healthcare Workforce Crisis

We know that the healthcare industry is suffering from workforce shortages. As chair of the Health Occupations and Long Term Care Subcommittee, I convened stakeholders to brainstorm short and long-term ways to address this crisis, and honor our healthcare workforce heroes.

These meetings will continue throughout the legislative session and I expect several pieces of legislation to result from our efforts.

Upcoming 2022 MGA Session

House Leadership recently announced that Delegates will be together on the floor and the public is once again allowed in legislative buildings (masks required!) during the upcoming 2022 legislative session. However, there will not be receptions or large gatherings in the complex. Hearings will remain virtual and you can find details regarding participation here.

My 2022 legislative agenda is robust. In addition to bills on abortion access and healthcare workforce issues, I will also be lead co-sponsor (behind my dear friend Delegate Kris Valderrama from Prince George's County) on the Time to Care Act, Maryland's long overdue Paid Family and Medical Leave legislation. I am hoping after more than a decade of advocacy on this issue, the time has finally come to pass this bill!

I am also working on legislation to support elder care in the county, boost access to early intervention services for children with special needs and increase voter registration among young people.

Thank you for the privilege of representing you in Annapolis. I look forward to our continued work together.

Best,

Out and About And Still Zooming!

Fun at the Potomac Day Parade in October!

At the pro-choice rally with my daughter Maeve, who is also Chair of Maryland

High School Democrats.

The D16 team, proud to work together for you.

Speaking at the Autism Speaks regional conference about my work to expand access to autism treatment.

Giving a presentation at the Berkley School of Law conference on sexual harassment in education.

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