February 2, 2018 Newsletter

office of maryland governor larry hogan - changing maryland for the better

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Message From Governor Larry Hogan

Dear Friend,

With the 2018 legislative session well underway, we have been hard at work here in Annapolis and all across the state. Our administration is proud of the incredible strides we have made Changing Maryland for the Better. This session, we are looking forward to continuing that progress with our strong and comprehensive legislative agenda.

From elevating education to transforming transportation and securing our streets, we have introduced sweeping reforms and proposals. You can read about our entire legislative package below and by clicking here.

The first piece of legislation I look forward to signing this year is the Rape Survivor Family Protection Act. No rapist should be allowed to maintain their rights as a parent, and no victim should ever be forced to interact with their attacker. I am proud to see both the House and Senate finally taking swift action on this legislation, and I look forward to signing it into law very soon.

Early in January, I joined Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford and officers from across the state to declare January 9th Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. Maryland is grateful for their extraordinary efforts and sacrifices and is especially indebted to those who have given their lives in service to others. We are proud to support our men and women in law enforcement January 9th and every day.

I was also honored in January to give my fourth State of the State Address and have my family in attendance. My granddaughter Daniella and my Grandson Camgave me some last-minute pointers before I made my way to the House Chambers. Keep reading for a recap of this year’s State of the State and to watch the full address.

We’re looking forward to a packed month, with events across the state and the legislative session in full swing. Be sure to stay up to date on what’s going on by following my Facebook page, Twitter, and Snapchat (username: LarryHogan).

See you next month!

Your Governor,

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“Now that the General Assembly is back in session, we’re looking forward to working with senators and delegates from both sides of the aisle to continue to get things done for Maryland.” – Governor Larry Hogan, January 10, 2018

Below, you can find the legislative priorities for the Hogan administration. Find a comprehensive list of all proposed legislation here.

MORE JOBS FOR MARYLANDERS ACT 2.0 (SB 305)

Legislation that will build on the success of the More Jobs for Marylanders Act by expanding the reach of the program to additional jurisdictions and allowing all eligible jurisdictions to select up to three industries or sectors in addition to manufacturing where tax credits would be applicable for each job created.

PRIME ACT OF 2018

Legislation that provides a package of state income, property, and sales tax credits and exemptions to enable Maryland to put forward the most competitive bid possible for Amazon’s second headquarters, HQ2.

ACCESS ACT OF 2018 (HB 350, SB 300)

Legislation that will implement computer science standards statewide for students from kindergarten through twelfth grade.

PAID LEAVE COMPROMISE ACT OF 2018 (HB 98, SB 135)

Legislation that is a compromise proposal to provide paid leave benefits to Marylanders while fixing the most problematic elements of the deeply flawed bill passed by the Maryland General Assembly and subsequently vetoed by the governor.

SMALL BUSINESS RELIEF TAX CREDIT (HB 99, SB 134)

Legislation that will provide $100 million over five years in tax credits to businesses with fewer than 50 employees that provide paid leave benefits to their employees.

HOMETOWN HEROES ACT OF 2018 (HB 354, SB 299)

Legislation that exempts retired law enforcement, fire, rescue, emergency response personnel, or correctional officers from state tax on the retirement income specific to their service in the public safety sector.

INCOME TAX – SUBTRACTION MODIFICATION – MILITARY RETIREMENT INCOME (SB 312)

Legislation that exempts military retirees from state tax on their military retirement income.

PROTECTING MARYLAND TAXPAYERS ACT

Legislation that will protect Marylanders from state and local tax increases resulting from the federal tax overhaul.

ACCOUNTABILITY IN EDUCATION ACT OF 2018 (HB 355, SB 302)

Legislation that will create an Office of the State Education Investigator General, which will be an independent unit within the Maryland State Department of Education.

REPEAT DRUNK DRIVING OFFENDERS ACT OF 2018 (HB 349, SB 296)

Legislation that makes drunk driving a felony offense for those with three or more prior convictions.

REPEAT SEXUAL PREDATOR PREVENTION ACT (HB 353, SB 298)

Legislation that allows courts to admit evidence of a defendant’s prior history of sexual assault during prosecution for subsequent sexual offenses.

FELONY HUMAN TRAFFICKING ACT OF 2018 (HB 346, SB 297)

Legislation that classifies felony human trafficking as a violent crime.

THE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR VIOLENT CRIMINALS ACT OF 2018 (HB 100, SB 199)

Legislation that requires second-time violent criminals to serve their full sentence, and make them ineligible for parole.

GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2018 (HB 347, SB 294)

Legislation that will establish term limits for members of the General Assembly equal to those imposed on the governor.

TRANSPARENCY ACT OF 2018 (HB 352, SB 295)

Legislation that calls for all General Assembly meetings to be livestreamed.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND CONGRESSIONAL LEGISLATIVE REDISTRICTING AND APPORTIONMENT COMMISSION (SB 307)

Legislation that institutes a nonpartisan redistricting process to ensure free and fair elections.

2018 State of the State: Leading By Action

Governor Larry Hogan delivered his fourth State of the State Address on January 31st.

“We’ve worked hard to usher in a new spirit of bipartisanship in Annapolis, and to create an environment of trust and cooperation where the best ideas rise to the top based upon their merit, regardless of which side of the aisle they come from.

Time and again, we have chosen to engage in thoughtful and civil debate.

We have risen above the fray of partisan politics, and we have chosen to seek common sense bipartisan solutions to the serious problems that faced us.

We are living up to the great potential and promise of our state, and together, we are changing Maryland for the better.

Because of that, I am pleased to report that today the state of our state is stronger than it has been in decades, and we are forging an even stronger and brighter future for Maryland.

Through internal struggle and outward chaos, we have not faltered.

We have made progress with courage and with clarity of purpose, and our citizens are more pleased with the job that we are doing and the direction that we are heading than they have ever been before.

Together we have been doing what Marylanders do best: We are leading by our actions and by our example, and ladies and gentlemen, we cannot afford to turn back now.”

You can watch the address in full here.

Mundane (But Meaningful) – Regulatory Reform

Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford shines as the star in his debut role in the new series Mundane (But Meaningful). Packed with fun facts about the complex inner-workings of state government, Rutherford embraces his wonky side in the pilot episode about Regulatory Reform. Watch Episode 1 here, and be sure to watch Lt. Governor Rutherford’s Facebook page for Episode 2: Procurement Reform.

22nd Annual Polar Bear Plunge

Governor Larry Hogan attended the 22nd annual Maryland State Police Polar Bear Plunge held at Sandy Point State Park. The Plunge, which attracted over 800 officers from around the state this year, raises funds for the Special Olympics. The governor presented this year’s Jimmy Myrick Jr. Governor’s Courage Award to Michael Heup, who served as a Global Ambassador for Special Olympics as a law enforcement torch run final leg team member at the World Winter Games in Austria in 2017. The award is named after the late Jimmy Myrick Jr., a Special Olympian and founder of the Super Plunge, who became friends with the governor during his battle with cancer after being treated in the same hospital. The award is presented annually to a Special Olympian who demonstrates exceptional courage each day through selfless acts of compassion and generosity.

Nonpartisan Redistricting Reform – Taking Action

Governor Larry Hogan once again called for nonpartisan redistricting reform in Maryland, and vowed to file legislation to achieve this important bipartisan goal. He also announced that he will join an amicus brief being filed with the United States Supreme Court in support of the plaintiffs in Benisek v. Lamone, a case involving Maryland’s gerrymandered 6th Congressional District.

“Free and fair elections are the very foundation of American democracy and the most basic promise that those in power can pledge to citizens,” said Governor Hogan.

Read about the administration’s continued commitment to ending partisan gerrymandering here.

Did You Know?

The 2018 legislative session is the 438th session of the General Assembly. Every January, the House and Senate convene for 90 days to introduce, debate, and pass laws to ultimately be presented to the Governor for his signature. Click here to learn more about the legislative process.

Commerce Corner

Governor Larry Hogan issued the following statement following Amazon’s announcement that Montgomery County has been selected as a potential site for its second headquarters:

“This is tremendous news for Montgomery County, our entire state, and further proof that Maryland is truly open for business. Maryland put forward an extremely strong group of sites that were all supported by the state with incentive packages totaling more than $5 billion, including road and transit improvements. Going forward, we will continue working with our partners in Montgomery County, including County Executive Ike Leggett and his team, to ensure that we do everything possible to bring this project home. This news is certainly welcome, but the real challenge lies ahead – and Maryland is ready to meet it.”

Honoring Century Farm Families

Governor Larry Hogan honored Maryland’s farm families for their commitment to farming and leadership in preserving agricultural land by presenting Century Farm designations to nine families from six counties who have farmed the same land for more than 100 years. Since the program began in 1994, 182 farms – about one percent of the state’s 12,200 farms – have received the Century Farm designation. Four of those have received the Tricentennial Farm designation and 26 have received the Bicentennial Farm designation.

“We are proud to celebrate our state’s strong agricultural history by honoring our century farms, as well as some of our great Maryland farm families,” said Governor Hogan. “Together, we have made incredible progress over the past 3 years, and our farmers and our agriculture community have been an important partner and a key part of that success.”

Learn more about the farms recognized here.