We’re almost through our first General Assembly session of our second term! It was a busy March, including when I joined local firefighters to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day!

The Lt. Governor and I looked at Opportunity Zones throughout Maryland to revitalize communities who need support the most. We also called on the federal government to expand the federal H-2B visa program, which our blue crab industry depends. We were pleased by the decision to add an additional 30,000 visas to the program, allowing our iconic crab and seafood industry to open for business this year.

Also last month, I stood on the steps of the Supreme Court with former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to speak on behalf of all Marylanders against the partisan practice of gerrymandering. Read more about this below and our efforts to bring free and fair elections back to Maryland.

We lost a Maryland legend this month, the 57th Governor of Maryland Harry Hughes. The First Lady and I were deeply saddened to hear of his passing, and remain grateful for his friendship and years of service to the great State of Maryland.

Governor Larry Hogan hosted a roundtable discussion with small business owners, developers, and government officials on bringing small businesses to Maryland Opportunity Zones. Following the roundtable, he toured Urban Atlantic’s New Carrollton redevelopment project in Hyattsville, Md.

“Projects like the redevelopment taking place at New Carrollton demonstrate that Maryland is leading the way on the federal Opportunity Zone program,” said Governor Hogan. “It was especially heartening to hear firsthand from local small business owners about the tremendous impact the Neighborhood BusinessWorks program has had on their businesses. By partnering our programs with federal incentives, we can ensure that Maryland remains the most competitive state in the nation when it comes to bringing new businesses and jobs to our Opportunity Zones.”

Governor Larry Hogan called on Trump administration officials to reverse a 2018 decision to limit the number of visas available through the H-2B Temporary Non-Agricultural Workers program, which had a devastating impact on Maryland’s iconic crab and seafood processing industry during the 2018 harvesting season. He praised the decision by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to release an additional 30,000 visas through the H-2B Nonimmigrant Temporary Worker Program late last month.

“I am pleased that the federal government has heeded our calls to raise the cap on the H-2B visa program, allowing our iconic processing houses on the Eastern Shore to open for business this year,” said Governor Hogan. “This is good news for this year, but we still need a long-term solution to this problem. I am calling on Congress to do the right thing and take action to ensure our crab houses have the workers they need to be successful.”

Governor Larry Hogan joined with former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to file an amicus curiae brief with the United States Supreme Court in support of the plaintiffs in Benisek v. Lamone, the case involving Maryland’s gerrymandered 6th Congressional District. Standing on the Supreme Court Steps, Governors Hogan and Schwarzenegger argued that gerrymandered districts promote political extremes in both parties and drown out the voices of moderate voters. Citizens should choose their representatives – not the other way around.

“Free and fair elections are the very foundation of our democracy, and it’s past time for leaders on both sides of the aisle to put an end to the disgraceful practice of partisan gerrymandering,” said Governor Hogan. “I thank Governor Schwarzenegger for his support of nonpartisan redistricting reform in Maryland and across the nation, and for joining in making this appeal to the highest court in the land. By upholding the unanimous federal court ruling, the Supreme Court will bring integrity to Maryland’s congressional districts and enable hundreds of thousands of our citizens to truly participate in elections.”