District 20 hits the ground running
in General Assembly 2007
Alternative energy, living wage, verified voting, the Birchmere, condo conversion…

Here they are. The fruits of our victory in District 20! We succeeded in getting one incredibly progressive Senator, Jamie Raskin, and two very progressive Delegates, Tom Hucker and Heather Mizeur, elected. They, in turn, have bolstered the positive inclinations of Sheila Hixson, our other delegate, who has also authored and pursued some very progressive legislation.

Now, it's up to us! They've introduced bills on all our priorities--contamination of the Chesapeake, condo conversion, limiting special interests, affordable housing, gender-friendly laws, gun control--and even funding the music-venue Birchmere and art-workshop Pyramid Atlantic. But unless we act, encourage them, and offer some volunteer time, many of these bills can die in committee.

Why? Because the gun, gas, automobile, real estate, development, and fast food industries don't want to pay their fair share of taxes.

"The progressive lobbyists in Annapolis are excellent," Jamie Raskin says. "But they are outnumbered, outspent and outmaneuvered by big money. We got the Clean Cars bill through in February because of an outpouring of public support. We can win when we organize."

We the people, need to bolster and urge on our elected officials. Read their legislation and give them a call!

Heather Mizeur is the prime bill sponsor of several imaginative bills. She's managed to get 16 to 22 co-sponsors on each. That's a lot for a first year delegate! Her bills include:

• HB 1047 [MD Truth in Tuition Act] will require state colleges to pre-set tuitions for 4 years so that freshmen and their families sill know exactly what tuition will cost the next 4 years.
• HB 1052 [Young Adult Coverage Expansion Act] will provide young adults (up to age 30) with better health plan options.
• HB 1061 [Eliminating Barriers to Enrollment Act] will help enroll eligible children into health programs.
• HB 1062 [Alternative Energy Acceleration] will double the present commitment to renewable energy.
• HB 1059 [Family Health Care Affordability] will provide tax relief for health costs for the average Maryland family.
• HB 1046 [Cut it Out: A Public School Education and Awareness Campaign on Self-Injury by Cutting]

She's also a co-sponsor of at least eight other progressive bills including the death penalty repeal, living wage and gender anti-discrimination.

Tom Hucker is a lead sponsor and an active co-sponsor of a wide variety of progressive legislation.He's a realist, however, when it comes to the actual passage of any legislation that requires substantial funding.

• He's the lead sponsor for example, of HB 1053 [Business Organization Filing Fees] (with Sheila Hixson) that would raise the corporation tax filing fee every year from $300 to $1,000. If passed, it would bring in $60 - 70 million a year. But he doubts it will pass because of the intense corporate lobbying against it. (and lack of support from Senate President Mike Miller).
• Tom is also the co-lead sponsor of HB 430, the Living Wage Bill, which he lobbied to passage in 2004 before it was vetoed by Gov. Bob Ehrlich. O'Malley and Tom Perez, O'Malley's new Secretary of Labor, support it, but again Mike Miler is not behind it.
• HB 418 [Mercury Switch Removal from Vehicles] will require that mercury-containing electric switches be removed from cars before they're scrapped. Tom's working with the Takoma Committee on the Environment to get the bill passed and he's optimistic.
• HB 922 [Landlord and Tenant--Expiration of Warrant--Striking Judgment for Possession] will help tenants who get judgments against them in courts;
• HB 7341 creates public financing of state elections--last year, Progressive Maryland helped get it passed in the House and this year it needs to get through the Senate.

Tom also is pushing legislation on affordable housing, universal health care and a doubling of the tobacco tax.

Sheila Hixson, Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, is the prime sponsor of at least 10 progressive bills.

• HB 18 [Voters Verified Paper Records] deals with a big issue locally which passed the House unanimously last year but needs approval of the Senate this year.
• HB 38 [Income Tax Credit for Providing Adult Literacy Programs] will increase our investment in adult education.
• HB 41 [Income Tax Subtraction for Health Insurance and Medical Expenses] /em> will give income tax deductions to a non-dependent in residence.
• HB 96 [Condos-Extend leases from 3 - 5 years] will give longer leases to disabled and seniors facing condo conversions.
• HB 223 [Income Tax - Earned Income Credit] will increase tax credits for the working poor.
• HB 288 [Health Maryland Initiative] will dedicate tobacco tax revenue to expand Medicaid coverage.
• HB 391 [Education - Geographic Cost of Education Index Funding] will provide increased funding to high cost areas, giving Montgomery County a fairer disribution of school funding.

Jamie Raskin has already gotten through a bond bill for Pyramid Atlantic and helped to secure a $2 million in funding for the Birchmere project. He wrote a passionate anti-war letter against the Iraq "surge" which a majority of his Senate colleagues signed on to, including Senate President Mike Miller. His bill for a statewide Constitution and Bill of Rights Day in the schools unanimously passed the Senate. But also, he has pushed these bills:

• SB 635 [Condo-Conversion of Rental Facilities] will improve notice procedures for tenants facing condo conversion and expanding their rights.
• SB 636 [Green School Buildings Fund] establishes a statewide fund to give incentives to local school districts to build green, which is environmentally responsible and fiscally smart.
• SB 640 [Consumer Protection] blocks the practice of auto manufacturers and dealers keeping warranties secret and hidden from consumers.
• SB 641 [Conversion of Rental Facilities - Extended Leases] will extend from three to five years the period which elderly and disabled low-income tenants have to rent on prior terms in a condo conversion. This bill is cross-filed with Sheila Hixson.
• SB 678 MD [Human Relations Commission] will establish for the first time a civil rights statute to parallel federal law.
• SB 678 [Family Law - Denial of Paternity, Custody and Visitation to Rapists]. Working with Maryland's women's rights groups, Raskin introduced this bill to deny paternity rights to rapists, who have abused the child custody and adoption processes to threaten and stalk their victims.
• SB 496 [Preference for Locally Grown Foods in Public Schools] will allow for a preference for locally grown farm food to upgrade the quality of fruits and vegetables served to our children. This bill is cross-filed with HB 906.
• SB 250 [Takoma Park Learning Center]. This is a bond bill.

 

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