News From Your State Delegate |
|
Courtney Watson
Serving Maryland District 9B
|
|
May 16, 2022
Hello Friends,
It’s a fun day when you get to hold a
3- month old baby and celebrate the state and county’s partnership to provide prenatal and infant care to mothers in need (see story below).
It was also a pleasure to give remarks to the Howard County Chamber of Commerce about the 2022 Maryland legislative session. The Chamber is always present in Annapolis providing input on bills we consider. As a member of the Economic Matters Committee, I appreciate their perspective.
You too can attend a wrap-up of the session in person at Miller Branch Library on Monday, May 23 from 7:45 p.m. - 8:45 p.m. - see below for registration information.
Even though the legislative session ended on April 11, please don't hesitate to contact my office if you have an issue of concern or a viewpoint to share. We operate remotely in the interim, so email is the best form of communication (my email address can be found at the end of this newsletter).
Stay well,
|
|
With Senator Clarence Lam at the Howard County Chamber of Commerce Meeting |
|
IN THIS ISSUE:
Wrap-Up Town Hall on Monday, May 23
May 12 Bill Signing
HoCo COVID-19 Update
Ellicott City Decorator Show House
From the Office of the County Executive
Upcoming Events - EC250
BGE/Exelon Racial Capital Equity Fund
E-ZPass Update
Summer Camp Links
EC Pride Festival
HoCo's First AAPI Heritage Festival
And More...
|
|
Resilient Revolving Loan Fund Bill
Signed by Governor Hogan
|
|
Thank You to Governor Hogan for signing HB 1312 / SB 814, which makes important changes to the original bill to include an option for private financing for the FIRST IN THE NATION Resilient Revolving Loan Fund. It was a pleasure to work with Katie Fry Hester, Maryland Senate D9 to get the 2021 bill and now this one passed. The bills will enable local jurisdictions like Howard County to borrow money for resilience projects (flooding, storms, cyber) from the state which can then be matched by multiple federal programs. Other states are now following Maryland’s lead.
|
|
Howard County COVID-19 News |
|
HoCo Community COVID Levels are now YELLOW. You should:
- Wear a mask indoors in public places, especially if you are at risk of complications from COVID
- Get tested if you have symptoms
|
|
Visit the Historic Ellicott City
Decorator Show House, May 13 - June 5
|
|
Wow! The Decorator Show House at Historic Oakdale (to benefit Historic Ellicott City, Inc.) is a one of a kind. A former Governor of Maryland lived in the home on land that was granted in 1766. The house dates back to 1838 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Each room has been designed and decorated by a different design professional. The Show House is open for 15 days with 17 designers and 22 rooms and many boutique and artist galleries. Tickets: https://showhouse.historicec.com/. Congratulations to Historic Ellicott City Inc for a fabulous 34th Decorator Show House! (House Portrait by Woodbine artist Brenda Kidera)
|
|
FROM THE OFFICE OF
COUNTY EXECUTIVE CALVIN BALL
|
|
Historic $25.7 Million Investment for
Recreation & Parks in Howard County
Howard County Executive Calvin Ball was joined by state and local officials to announce an historic $25.7 million investment in state and county funding for parks improvements in Fiscal Year 2023. This brings the total investment in Howard County parks to $56.7 million since 2018, a 50 percent increase over the previous four-year period.
The funding supports several projects around the County, including additional pickleball courts, basketball courts, the largest skatepark in Howard County, a renovated equestrian ring, new bridges for hiking trails, and more. Of the total $25.7 million, $14 million is county funding and $11.7 million will be provided by the State. Click here for a breakdown of the expenditures.
|
|
Transformational $1.3 Million Partnership to Close Health Disparity Gaps for Mothers and Babies
Howard County Executive Calvin Ball was joined by state officials, the La Alianza Workgroup, African American Community Roundtable, CASA, local health care partners and others to announce a transformational $1.3 million maternal health program to ensure vital prenatal and postpartum care is available and affordable for uninsured and underinsured women in Howard County.
In the Howard County Community Health Needs assessment from 2019, data showed that almost 12% of Hispanic mothers and 8% of Black mothers in Howard County received late prenatal care, or no prenatal care at all. In the case of Hispanic mothers, that’s more than four times the percentage of white mothers. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), babies of mothers who do not get prenatal care are three times more likely to have a low birth weight and five times more likely to dies than those born to mother who do get care.
House Bill 1080 will help uninsured expectant mothers get prenatal care and provide health care for the infants. This, in addition to the $1.3 million of county funding in Howard County Executive Calvin Ball’s budget for wrap around services will mean that the approximately 300 women a year in Howard County in this situation will now be able to give their babies the best chance at a healthy beginning.
In 2022, in the State of Maryland, in Howard County, there should be no mother that goes without prenatal care. It’s our moral responsibility to take care of pregnant and expectant women. The Healthy Babies Act provides prenatal care to the mother and coverage for her new baby for up to one year.
|
|
Howard County Executive Ball Seeks Student Member for County’s Human Rights Commission
Application deadline is Sunday, May 22nd
Howard County Executive Calvin Ball is seeking student applicants interested in serving a year one-year term from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023 on the Human Rights Commission. The deadline to apply is Sunday, May 22nd.
To be eligible for consideration, candidates must be a Howard County resident, a high school student, have an interest in human/civil rights and be able to attend the Commission’s meetings on the third Thursday of each month from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Howard County Community Resources Campus, 9820 Patuxent Woods Drive in Columbia or virtually via Webex.
Applicants should send a resume and brief letter explaining why they want to serve on the Commission to Kimberly Pruim either by email to kpruim@howardcountymd.gov and copy hrc@howardcountymd.gov, or by mail to: Howard County Government, Office of the County Executive, Attn: Kimberly Pruim, 3430 Court House Drive, Ellicott City, MD 21043. The names of eligible applicants will be submitted to the County Executive for approval and then to the County Council for confirmation.
For more information on the Human Rights Commission, visit
or contact Claudia Allen with the County’s Office of Human Rights and Equity at 410-313-6430 or via email hrc@howardcountymd.gov.
|
|
Howard County Offering Mental Health Services to EVERY Student in EVERY School
$2.1 million investment will support nearly 58,000 students
Howard County Executive Calvin Ball announced that every student in Howard County Public Schools will have access to mental health services for at least the next two years. Howard County has committed $2.1 million to expand a school-based mental health program to all 77 public schools and to subsidize mental health resources in the community for vulnerable youth. For more information, click here.
|
|
ELLICOTT CITY IN FULL BLOOM -
Coming Attractions for EC250 Celebration
|
|
JUNE 4, 2022: The new interpretive feature “Mary Jerdone Coleman’s Garden at Patapsco Female Institute” opens with a ribbon cutting and celebration hosted by Howard County Recreation & Parks and the Howard County Garden Club. Based on flower pressings from former student Mary Jerdone Coleman’s journal, the new feature highlights the teachings of renowned botanist Almira Hart Lincoln Phelps, the institute’s principal.
JUNE 9-12, 2022: PAINT It! Ellicott City plein air weekend. Opening reception Monday, June 13 at the Howard County Center for the Arts
JUNE 25, 2022: Manor Hill Brewing hosts EC250 weekend at Manor Hill Farm to mark the occasion of the release of their second EC250 commemorative can. “EC History Comes Alive” with reenactors and special activities onsite.
|
|
Racial Equity Capital Fund Open for Applications |
|
Latest on Maryland E-Zpass, Video Tolls |
|
*** CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PLAN UPDATE ***
7 MONTHS REMAINING TO PAY AND SAVE
Increase in Call Center Staff Significantly Reduces Call and
Web Chat Wait Times;
7 Months Remaining: Civil Penalty Waiver Grace Period Continues
Through November 30, 2022
For latest E-ZPass Maryland, click here.
|
|
Summer is Coming - Some Local Camp Options |
|
Click on the following links to find out more about Howard County summer camps:
|
|
Saturday - Sunday, Jun 4 - 5, 2022
Old Ellicott City welcomes all to join us on June 4 and 5 as we celebrate PRIDE and our diverse vibrant community.
First up is the Red High Heel Hunt – locate heels in shops and restaurants all over town and collect Pride inspired treats and treasures. Also scheduled on Saturday are the Drag Queen Story Time, Drag Queen Wine Tastings, a Mascara Run and the summer outdoor movie, “Birdcage.”
Kick off Sunday with a Drag Queen Brunch, then head to the Artist Fair or Wine & Paint. Don’t miss the grand finale Tea Dance with DJDeezy benefitting Howard County Pride.
Throughout the weekend learn more and find support for the LGBTQ community at EC Pop’s Pride Educational Resource Center in the Taylor’s building.
For more information, click here.
|
|
Howard County’s First AAPI Heritage Festival Kicked Off AAPI Month |
|
Howard County’s first Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Festival took place on May 1.
Howard County's cultural vibrancy was evident with the many performances and displays. Maryland is the most diverse state on the east coast, and Howard County can proudly claim that 20% of our population is of AAPI heritage.
|
|
Thank you to all of the members of the County’s AAPI Council which helped make this celebration so special. |
|
HOW TO CONTACT MY OFFICE
Your thoughts are always welcome. Please contact me by email (see below). When requesting help for constituent matters, please include "constituent" in the subject line.
|
|
Delegate Courtney Watson
Howard County District 9B
Member, Economic Matters Committee
Member, Banking, Consumer Protection, and Commercial Law Subcommittee
Member, Property and Casualty
Insurance Subcommittee
Chair, Workers' Compensation
Vice Chair, Democratic Caucus
Maryland House of Delegates
6 Bladen Street, Room 350
Annapolis, MD 21401
410-841-3077 / 301-858-3077
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
