Senator Jill P. Carter
41st Legislative District | Maryland General Assembly
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End-of-Session Newsletter - April 7, 2020
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MY OFFICE IS HERE FOR YOU!
My staff and I are committed to keeping our community safe, healthy, and informed.
While we are working remotely and
practicing social distancing
to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, known as COVID-19, please do not hesitate contact us for assistance.
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CONTACT INFORMATION
Voicemail
: (301) 323-8216
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Dear Constituents and Friends:
First and foremost, I want to
thank you
for the opportunity to serve as your state senator. It is an honor and a privilege, and I think about each of you every time I set about my duties as your representative in the Maryland Senate. Again, thank you.
The 2020 legislative session, like the 2019 session, was one for the history books
. On the very first day of session, the Senate unanimously elected
Senator William C. “Bill” Ferguson
IV
(46th District) to succeed Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller. Senator Miller, who served as Senate President for 33 years, remained a member of the body and was bestowed the title, Senate President Emeritus.
The House of Delegates made history, albeit before the start of session, by electing its first woman and African-American Speaker:
Delegate Adrienne A. Jones
. Speaker Jones succeeded long time House Speaker Michael Buch who passed away one day before the end of the 2019 session.
The session began on a high note for me as I led the senate veto override effort on my statewide
Ban the Box legislation
! This was one of five (5) veto overrides. Just as we were approaching a critical point in session known as ‘crossover’, the
coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
became the dominating force of the legislative session as it has throughout the world. *Please See my previous email for information and legislation on COVID-19.*
As a result of the public health crisis sparked by the virus, Senate President Ferguson and House Speaker Jones took the extraordinary step of moving the General Assembly to an
abbreviated session
- something that has not happened since the Civil War! Because the session would end 19 days early this year, leadership focused its attention on passing its priorities, which meant that many ‘non priority’ bills, including many of mine, were not passed due to the limited schedule.
Nonetheless, we still had some significant victories! The 41st district delegation secured
$1.25 million for capital projects
in the 41st district. We passed legislation to keep the
Preakness at Pimlico
and redevelop the site as a year round community epicenter, and we passed landmark education legislation known as the
Blueprint for Maryland’s Future
or the Kirwan education bill.
Keep reading for more highlights
of the 2020 legislative session.
Thank you for your ongoing interest and support! I look forward to your suggestions for future legislation that will benefit our district and/or our state. Please don’t hesitate to contact my office if we may be of assistance. Stay socially distant for the coming weeks, but not emotionally and spiritually!
Lasty, I would also like to acknowledge my incredible staff for all of the hard work they put in throughout the legislative session:
Jesmond O. Riggins
(Chief of Staff),
Daniel G. Zanchettin
(Legislative Director),
Kathy Anderson
(Office Manager), and
Olalekan Olaniyi
(College Intern).
Sincerely,
Jill P. Carter
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41st District Executive Appointments
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We can all take pride in our 41st District neighbors that were appointed to executive boards and commissions this legislative session. I thank and congratulate them for their steadfast public service and commitment to the state of Maryland. Kudos to:
Lenor Tannhauser Blum
(Board of Trustees for Baltimore City Community College);
Walter Andre Brown, Ed.D.
(Board of Trustees of Blind Industries and Services of Maryland);
Everlana Zoe Charlton
(Maryland State Arts Council);
Suzanne Frasier
(State Board of Certified Interior Designers);
R. Dennis German
(Subsequent Injury Fund Board);
Steven X. Lee
(Commission on African American History and Culture);
M. Natalie McSherry, Esq.
(Maryland Legal Services Corporation Board of Directors);
Louise Phipps Senft, Esq.
(State Board of Physicians);
Joyce J. Smith
(Baltimore City Board of Elections);
John H. West, III
(State Public Information Act Compliance Board); and
Tamara D. Wilson, D.Min.
(Commission on African American History and Culture).
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Bills I Championed Into Law
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Senate Bill 708
Maryland Violence Intervention and Prevention Program Fund and Advisory Council – Alterations
This bill mandates an annual appropriation of no less than $3 million dollars for evidence-based programs that save lives. MD VIPP provides state support for the evidence-based practices that have had great success in other states and cities in helping to break the cycle of violence. This law ensures that MD VIPP provides sustained and ongoing financial support to community-based organizations that use public health principles and demonstrate measurable positive outcomes in preventing violence. I’m honored to serve as the senate representative on the MD VIPP Advisory Council. Kudos to
Delegate Brooke Lierman
(46th District) who was the House sponsor of this legislation and worked tirelessly to get this law passed. For more details on the bill, click
here
.
Senate Bill 181
Baltimore City - Alcoholic Beverages - Class B-D-7 License
This bill changes the hours of sale for certain alcohol vendors in an area of Howard Park. Currently the hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. This bill changed that to 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. In 2017, SB 1153 restricted the hours of sale to 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m., but in 2018, SB 809 extended sales one hour - until 10:00 p.m. Community members were neither aware of nor in favor of this proposed change. Since the hours were extended, residents have complained of an increase in quality-of-life problems such as loitering and violence in the area. The community asked for this change, and we are pleased we were able to get it done! For more details on the bill, click
here
.
Senate Bill 705
Maryland Transit Administration – Disabled Reduced Fare Program – Opioid Treatment Program Patients
This bill allows opioid treatment centers to issue reduced fare bus passes to its patients. Allowing patients to purchase reduced-fare bus passes at their treatment program, rather than requiring them to make the trip to one of the few MTA retail outlets in Maryland where such a pass can be obtained, is one way we can ease the burden on those struggling to maintain their recovery. For more details on the bill, click
here
.
Senate Bill 713
Opportunity Zone Enhancement Program - Eligibility - Lead-Based Paint Affected Properties
The Opportunity Zone program is proving to be an effective way to revitalize old neighborhoods. It is an incentive program administered by the US Treasury that gives capital gains tax breaks for investment in distressed neighborhoods.
The program is working,
but we made it better by requiring developers to comply with more stringent lead-based paint remediation standards. For more details on the bill, click
here
.
Senate Bill 1006
Child Support - Suspension of Payments and Arrears for Incarcerated Obligors - Modifications
This law brings Maryland in line with recent federal regulations which require states to review or adjust child support orders if the obligor will be incarcerated for more than 180 days. The old law was that an obligor had to have been sentenced to 18 months or more before payments were suspended and arrearages stopped accruing. For more details on the bill, click
here
.
Senate Bill 714
Baltimore City - Orphans Court Judges - Compensation
This law gives Baltimore City control over the compensation of its Orphans’ Court Judges.
It was the law that, in order to change the salaries of the judges of Baltimore City’s Orphans’ Court, the City would have to petition the General Assembly. This law streamlines the process and allows Baltimore the same autonomy as 11 other jurisdictions across the State to modify the compensation of its elected judges. For more details on the bill, click
here
.
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Bills I Championed That Fell Short of Passage
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Senate Bill 918
Human Services - Trauma informed Care -Commission and Training
This critical bill was meant to expand upon the Elijah E. Cummings Healing City Act. It sought to make Maryland a trauma responsive state. More than 40% of Maryland children endure some form of adverse childhood experience (ACE) and we must adequately heal childhood trauma if we are to build healthy adults and communities. The bill passed the Senate unanimously but did not receive a vote in the House Health and Government Operations Committee. It was a casualty of the abbreviated session. I will prefile this bill for the 2021 session. For more details on the bill, click
here
.
Senate Bill 593
Juvenile Law - Child Interrogation Protection Act
This common sense bill was not even brought to a vote (which means it was deemed unworthy of consideration). The bill simply requires a child to have an attorney during a custodial interrogation by police officers and that the child's parent be notified. In 2020, here, in the great state of Maryland, we allow children to be interrogated without counsel or a parent. This should not be a heavy lift in such a “progressive” state. However, it was conspicuously not given a vote in either the House or the Senate this session. I will pre-file this bill prior to next session. For more details on the bill, click
here
.
Senate Bill 1029
Public Information Act - Personnel and Investigatory Records - Complaints Against Law Enforcement Officers
They say never fall in love with your bills, but I’m downright angry about this one! The shortened session is no excuse. This bill was not brought to a vote because of the same misguided politics that has long been complicit with the shrine of secrecy surrounding complaints against law enforcement officers, contrary to the public interest. This important bill will be back, with stronger advocacy, next session! For more details on the bill, click
here
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$$ Capital Projects in Our District $$
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During this legislative session, our delegation, which includes myself and Delegates Dalya Attar, Tony Bridges and Samuel I. “Sandy” Rosenberg, was successful in securing
$1.25 million dollar
s
for five (5) capital projects in the 41st District!
The descriptions below provide the name of each project, the amount of money secured, and a brief description.
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Ambassador Theater ($250,000)
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The funds will be used to continue the revitalization of the 41st District by redeveloping the Ambassador Theater and, therefore, removing blight along the Liberty Heights Gateway while providing a community arts destination
. For more details on the project, click
here
.
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Baltimore Clayworks ($100,000)
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The funds will be used to increase the programmatic reach of Baltimore Clayworks by making its second floor gallery ADA accessible through the addition of an elevator or stairlift, as well as to make other accessibility upgrades. For more details on the project, click
here
.
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Forest Park Senior Center ($250,000)
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The funds will be used to fix the unsafe condition of the Forest Park Senior Center through the upgrade and renovation of the center, specifically its roof.
For more details on the project, click
here
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Howell Celebrating Lives ($150,000)
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The funds will be used to expand access to services in the community by providing, at no cost, public benefit programs (including grief counseling and youth activities) and a community meeting space for nonprofits and community organizations through the renovation and upgrade of an 1,100 square foot facility. For more details on the project, click
here
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Park West Health System ($500,000)
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The funds will be used to provide residents within Park West Belvedere's service area with improved health, dental and behavioral health services through the building of a 10,000 square foot addition to the building and renovations of the existing second and third floors.
For more details on the project, click
here
.
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* Billions in federal funds for public education and housing, roads and bridges, and more.
* The number of seats Maryland has in Congress.
* Your community. Your voice.
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