Dear Friends and Neighbors,
We have been so busy trying to address COVID-related needs of our community that I postponed my Annual End of Session Legislative Letter. Yesterday, July 1, one of my most important bills, HB847 to designate a Coordinator of Autism Strategy in the Department of Disability, became law. In celebration, I decided to let you all know about the hard work that my staff and I have been doing in Annapolis and here at home.
It is hard to believe that my second year serving you in the General Assembly could have been any more discombobulating, stressful, or historic than my first, but it certainly was. We were forced to deal with some major legislation amid the coronavirus crisis while also adjusting to new leadership in both the House and the Senate. Amid the time-crunch and anxiety of an early Sine Die (a fancy name for the end-of-session) my wonderful staff and I worked diligently to address your concerns, to make sure that no call or email went unanswered and to keep you updated as much as possible. In addition, I was working with my colleagues in the House and Senate to pass important COVID-19 relief measures, a groundbreaking educational reform effort that has been years in the making, a state budget that makes generous allowances to the State Fair, Timonium Elementary School playground renovations and Cromwell Valley Park. We kept busy with all of this while also working very hard to push several of the pieces of my own legislation across the finish line. I truly feel that the work we did was important, impactful, will make a real difference in lives, and was worth the Herculean effort!
My Legislation in 2020 was all about you and your needs!
Other than interacting with my constituents and helping solve everyday problems, the most fulfilling part of serving as your State Delegate in District 42B is being able to make MEANINGFUL changes to State Law to help address more complicated issues that are of concern to you. This year I introduced 15 pieces of legislation and passed 7 through the House before Sine Die. Four of those made it through both Houses and will become Law in 2020. All of my bills are driven by constituent needs and concerns which makes it that much more special when we are successful! I am thankful that NONE of my Bills were vetoed by Governor Hogan and that the Governor’s Office recognized the importance of protecting the most vulnerable among us by his support of HB 847, HB 33, HB 171, and SB 564.
HB 847
is a groundbreaking and game-changing piece of legislation that designates a Coordinator of Autism Strategy to develop a plan to support people with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Maryland. This position will be housed in the Department of Disabilities and will be advised by a Stakeholder group. Thank you to my colleagues in the General Assembly, the advocates and families who testified, and the Governor for prioritizing the needs of 1 in 50 Marylanders!
I introduced
HB 33
for the second year and
thanks to the hard work and dedication of the Leadership of the House Judiciary Committee, the State’s Attorney’s Office, and the Maryland State Bar Taskforce on Elder Exploitation, we were able to finally get it across the finish line this year! This Bill changes the Law to criminalize causing intentional emotional abuse to vulnerable adults who require the help of caregivers. Previously, emotional abuse towards the elderly and disabled who were vulnerable was not against the law in Maryland. Now it will be. I also appreciate the support of Senator Charles Sydnor who presented the bill in the Senate Judiciary Proceedings Committee Hearing.
HB 171
protects horses by criminalizing harassment and tampering with horses who are not thoroughbred racehorses. We felt that they deserved protection too! Many thanks to Senators Katie Fry Hester and Johnny Mautz who cross-filed and worked the bill in the Senate.
I also cross-filed and passed
SB 564
with Senator Mary Washington which will provide equity for foster and homeless youth in the educational system. This bill holds them to the state requirements for High School Graduation even if they are moved to a County with higher graduation requirements during their last two years of school.
In 2021 I will be bringing back several of my bills which passed the House, and a few that I really believe in that did not. Those include issues like developmental screening in preschools, cameras in classrooms, improving voting access for those with challenges, and therapy dogs in our schools.
In addition to legislation, I worked with the entire 42B Delegation to bring funding to the Maryland State Fair in the Capital Budget and to secure funding through Legislative Bond Initiatives for a new playground at Timonium Elementary ($25,000) and accessible trails and improvements at Cromwell Valley Park ($200,000).
What are we doing now?
We spent much of our time in the last week of our shortened Session working on and passing legislation to protect Marylanders during the COVID-19 outbreak and we have spent most of our time since returning home trying to keep you updated in a rapidly changing landscape. My office is here to answer your questions or support you whatever way you need during this time. Our newsletters during and since session are available on my website
micheleguyton.com
, and include COVID-19 help and resources. We are fielding emails and calls about unemployment, educational issues, child protection, environmental concerns, and food resources. We cannot always fix your problems but we truly care and consider it an honor to try. PLEASE do not hesitate to contact us anytime.
I hosted my first post-shutdown Town Hall last week about Educational Equity during COVID-19. Thank you to my panelists: Superintendent Daryl Williams from BCPS, Asst. Superintendent Marcella Fraczkowski from MSDE, Rachel White from Advocates for Children and Youth, and Leslie Margolis from Maryland Disability Rights. Thanks to those of you and the approximately 80 of you who tuned in live to watch and the many who have watched since.
In response to the current community concerns about racial tensions and in-step with Baltimore County School systems’ stated commitment to open dialogue about race, I have formally requested that BCPS ban hate symbols including the swastika and Confederate flag from being worn or displayed on school property. These negotiations are going well and we will keep you updated. If you would like to support the effort contact
boe@bcps.org
and
blminthezone@gmail.com
.
I have to thank Lisa McClellan, my Chief of Staff for the past two years for her good-natured efficiency and fabulous baking skills. She will be spending more time with her own family and Corey Johns will be replacing her as my Chief of Staff. Corey will continue to help me provide you with excellent constituent services. My terrific Legislative Aide, Marc Oehmler is off to the US Marines but I could not have worked so hard for you without his help and that of our UMD Intern Zirwah Ahmad and summer Intern, Wiatt Hinton. Most of all I am grateful to ALL OF YOU for your positivity, communication, and willingness to engage in discussion (even if we do not always agree). We hope that you always feel welcome in our office, in person or virtually. My goal is to be here for you to listen and provide help when you need it. We are still working hard for you from our kitchen tables and we hope to hear from you if you need us or just want to say “Hi”. Stay safe and smart and we will get through this together.
Take Care,
Delegate Michele Guyton
