Courtney Watson
House of Delegates
District 9B

Hello Friends,

The 2023 Legislative Session has officially begun and I am excited to represent you in Annapolis again this year.

We will be working hard over the next 90 days to make sure we are bringing results home for Howard County and Maryland.

Take good care,

IN THIS ISSUE:

  • Start of the 2023 Legislative Session
  • Getting Involved in the CommUNITY
  • County Executive Appointed President of Maryland Association of Counties
  • OEC January Jackpot
  • Howard County League of Women Voters Luncheon
  • Committee changes and more!
Start of the 2023 Legislative Session!
Wednesday afternoon, Delegates and Senators across the state were sworn in to represent their constituents for the next four years. I am honored to serve you in Annapolis, and I am excited for what is likely to be a very productive session.

I am thrilled to announce some major changes in my role as Delegate here in Annapolis. I have been assigned to the House Appropriations Committee where I will serve as Vice-Chair of the Subcommittee on Environment and Transportation. Additionally, I will serve as Deputy Majority Whip in the House, and House Chair of the Joint Committee on Management of Public Funds. I continue to serve as Chair of the Howard County Delegation along with Senator Lam.

After 12 years of top-notch, conscientious public service, Terry Chaconas, my friend and long-time Chief of Staff is retiring. My legislative aide Cindy Scruggs will also be retiring after four years. They both served with the utmost dedication to our constituents at all times, as many of you know. I wish them both the best and look forward to them visiting the office every so often as they have promised to do. Tyler Michels is my new Chief of Staff, and he is happy to help with any and all constituent needs - please feel free to reach out whenever we can be of help. Our contact information can be found at the bottom of this email.
Howard County: Getting Involved in the CommUNITY
4th Annual Watershed Makeover

The Ellicott City Partnership will be hosting their 4th Annual Watershed Makeover event on January 16th from 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM. The Ellicott City Partnership is working together with Howard EcoWorks and Patapsco Heritage Greenway to engage in efforts to reduce invasive species and clean up trash in Ellicott City - the Historic District and the Normandy Shopping Center area.

Supporting OEC Local Businesses

This January, Old Ellicott City is hosting a new event - January Jackpot! Every $10 spent in town is a chance to win between $50 and $200 in OEC gift cards. All you have to do is text your receipts to 855-752-0488 and then you are automatically entered to win money back to spend in OEC.

Weekly winners are announced every Monday - January 16th, 23rd, and 30th.

If you are in the area, you can stop by a local shop with your family to help support our amazing local businesses. If not, make sure to spread the word that you can spend the month shopping in Old Town Ellicott City while getting rewarded for it too!
Howard County Executive Calvin Ball Elected President of the Maryland Association of Counties!

Howard County Executive Calvin Ball has been elected to serve as the President of the Maryland Association of Counties. "Our local and regional partnerships have proven to be more critical than ever on the road to recovery from the pandemic and MACO has been an integral part of bipartisan organizing on behalf of all Maryland Counties," said the Howard County Executive. "I'm honored to be elected as MACO President, and look forward to working with colleagues across the great state of Maryland to foster the best quality of life and further the mission of MACO for all Marylanders. I want to congratulate all the newly elected board members and thank outgoing President Laura Everngam-Price for her leadership over the last year."

I look forward to working with MACO and know that my friend, Calvin Ball, will serve as an amazing leader in his new role at the Maryland Association of Counties.
Howard County League of Women Voters

I want to provide a special shoutout to the amazing individuals at the Howard County League of Women Voters for hosting an enjoyable and informative luncheon this month. It is always a great time when organizations in Howard County host these events to provide an opportunity for dialogue between state legislators and citizens that we very much appreciate.

I commend the League for serving as a non-partisan community voice for people of all backgrounds to come together for a common cause.
Saving Lives Through CPR
 
In lieu of recent events, we are reminded how critical CPR can be in saving a life when someone suddenly goes into cardiac arrest. By learning how to administer CPR properly, YOU can possibly save someone's life, since the first few minutes are vital.

The Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services offers free individual, group, and virtual trainings. You can sign up here or call 410-313-2016.
CONTACT MY OFFICE
Your thoughts are always welcome. Please contact me by email (see below). Please include "constituent" in the subject line when requesting help for constituent matters.

Delegate Courtney Watson
Howard County District 9B
Member, Appropriations Committee
Vice-Chair, Energy and Transporting Subcommittee
Deputy Majority Whip, Democratic Caucus

Maryland House of Delegates
6 Bladen Street, Room 214
Annapolis, MD 21401
410-841-3077 / 301-858-3077