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Dear Friends & Neighbors,
There are about two weeks left in Maryland's legislative session, and I have much to report. Donald Trump has thrown a few curveballs at us, but I've been hard at work defending Silver Spring & Takoma Park values.
This was also my first year serving as Chair of the House Juvenile Law subcommittee, and I've learned a lot about moving bills through Annapolis.
Below you can read about a few key votes I've taken, along with info about bills I've passed in the House.
Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.
In solidarity!
Delegate David Moon
david@davidmoon.us
ADVANCING JUSTICE IN MARYLAND - I've had the honor of co-sponsoring & voting for some great bills this year. Here are a few highlights:
- ADVANCING EARNED SICK LEAVE (HB 1) - This bill requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide paid sick leave for their workers. Marylanders shouldn't have to choose between their paycheck and their health, especially if they're going to come work sick. Gov. Larry Hogan has vowed to veto this legislation, but we passed it with veto-proof majorities.
- WINNING A FRACKING BAN (HB 1325) - After years of effort, we finally passed a fracking ban in Maryland, to protect our environment! This bill was approved in the House and is now moving through the Senate.
- LIMITING POLICE DEPORTATIONS & PROFILING (HB 1362) - The Maryland House approved the "Trust Act," which prohibits our police from randomly stopping residents and asking about their immigration status. The legislation also requires the feds to produce a warrant before we will turn people over for deportation. The bill now awaits action in the Senate.
- ENDING HOUSING DISCRIMINATION (HB 172) - I was proud to vote for the "Home Act," which prohibits housing discrimination against residents who have government subsidized housing (eg: veterans & lower-income families). The bill now awaits action in the Senate.
- CURBING ANTIBIOTICS IN OUR FOOD (HB 602) - The House & Senate passed a bill to ban the routine use of antibiotics in food-producing animals that are not sick. This will help prevent the creation of "superbugs" and keep our antiobiotics effective.
- REDUCING OVERTESTING OF STUDENTS (HB 461) - I'm pleased to report that in the House, we passed a bill to limit the amount of classroom learning time that may be spent on standardized testing to 2%. The bill now awaits action in the Senate.
- FUNDING PLANNED PARENTHOOD (HB 1083) - This legislation will protect Marylanders' access to cancer screening, contraceptives and STD testing if President Trump defunds Planned Parenthood. We passed this in the House, and the bill now awaits action in the Senate.
- COMBATING PHARMACEUTICAL PRICE-GOUGING (HB 602) - The House passed a bill this year to allow Attorney General Brian Frosh to sue drug manufacturers that engage in price gouging. The bill now awaits action in the Senate.
MY LEGISLATIVE SUCCESSES - This year I was the lead sponsor on 25 pieces of legislation in Annapolis. I'm pleased to report that 10 of my bills passed the Maryland House (details below):
- FIGHTING OBAMACARE REPEAL (HJ 9) - I passed a resolution to Congress highlighting the numerous catastrophic consequences Maryland would face from repeal of the Affordable Care Act.
- EXPUNGING MARIJUANA CONVICTIONS (HB 379) - I passed a bill allowing residents to expunge simple possession of marijuana from their records, five years after the conviction.
- PROTECTING DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED FOSTER YOUTHS (HB 279) - I passed a bill to ensure quality services for foster youths with developmental disabilities, when they turn 21 and are transferred from the youth system into the adult system.
- ENSURING PUBLIC ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT RECORDS (HB 383) - I passed a bill requiring state and local government agencies to explain themselves when they deny public information requests. This legislation would require that they describe why they couldn't simply redact sensitive information instead of denying the request outright.
- CREATING STANDARDS FOR POLICE SWAT TEAMS (HB 739) - After years of controversy about the over-use of SWAT teams in Maryland, I passed a bill to create statewide standards for when and how police deploy them.
- ELIMINATING DEBTORS PRISONS IN MARYLAND (HB 844) - I passed a bill to stop the jailing of Maryland drivers who are late on child support payments.
- LOWERING THE COST OF BUILDING CHILD CARE FACILITIES (HB 335) - With long waiting lists for some child care facilities in Maryland, I passed a bill to exempt child care and developmental disabilities facilities from water & sewer hookup fees. My hope is to encourage more options by lowering the cost of producing these needed community amenities.
- REDUCING PEDESTRIAN INJURIES ON OUR ROADS (HB 332) - I passed a bill allowing Montgomery County to lower the speed limit on roads, where a traffic and engineering study determines it is warranted.
- ALLOWING JUDICIAL REVIEW OF DEPORTATIONS (HB 755) - I passed a bill to provide residents an avenue to challenge their deportation in court, if they faced a violation of their rights.
- ENDING COUNTERPRODUCTIVE & HARSH PENALTIES (HB 1047) - Maryland currently takes away working privileges from some residents who are late on child support payments. I passed a bill to make exceptions for people who are making good faith efforts to pay. After all, you're not likely to get a child support payment out of someone who is not allowed to work.
Defending Obamacare on the House floor
Speaking at a Silver Spring rally against Trump's agenda
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