Dear Friends,
This time last week, the 446th Legislative Session of the Maryland General Assembly adjourned "Sine Die". I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you, the constituents of Legislative District 27B. Your active participation and invaluable insights have not only shaped the legislation we have worked on but have also made a significant impact. Whether you reside in Clinton, Cheltenham, Brandywine, Aquasco, Upper Marlboro, Eagle Harbor, Baden, Lower Marlboro, Dunkirk, North Beach or Chesapeake Beach, your voices have been heard and respected. We are immensely proud of our collective work for Prince George’s and Calvert Counties, which, despite their unique issues, share a common goal: to create a better state for all Marylanders, regardless of their socio-economic standing or zip code.
I am proud to say that by the end of this session, I was able to successfully pass and get to Governor Moore's desk four pieces of vital legislation.
HB385/SB0038-Wage Payment and Collection - Pay Stubs and Pay Statements - Required Information: This bill created Maryland’s first-ever legally enforceable requirement that basic information go on employees’ paystubs: hours, pay rates, pay period dates, etc. Until this year, Maryland had no requirement which was a major loophole that subjected many hardworking women and men to wage theft.
HB515/SB0114- Workgroup to Study the Fiscal and Operational Viability of Public-Private Partnerships for Calvert County Public Schools: This bill established a Workgroup to Study the Fiscal and Operational Viability of Public-Private Partnerships for Calvert County Public Schools, which would consequently save Calvert County millions of dollars in school construction and maintenance costs.
HB737-Vehicle Laws - Slow Moving Vehicles - Right-Hand Lane: This bill allocated $700,000 for signs to be placed throughout rural and suburban areas in our State encouraging slow moving vehicles to drive in the right-hand lane, alleviating some of the congestion on our highways.
HB812/SB589-Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland – Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission – Funding: This bill increased from $900,000 to $1,000,000, the amount of an appropriation that the Governor must include in the annual budget bill for the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland from the Cigarette Restitution Fund to help benefit those in the Agricultural community.
Our work on key Southern Maryland issues during this legislative session was a testament to the power of collective action. The Southern Maryland Delegation and I, along with your active support, fought to secure and maintain funding for bus services that transport thousands of workers daily from Calvert, Charles, St. Mary’s, and Southern Prince George's to cities like Washington DC and Baltimore for work.
Your voices were also instrumental in getting enacted the Calvert County Ethics Bill HB834-Calvert County - Ethics - Conflict of Interest and Commissioner Expulsion, a law that will ensure transparency and accountability in our local government. I leveraged all my relationships to ensure these local priorities were ushered to the finish line.
Illegal street racing has been an issue affecting the safety and wellbeing of many of my fellow Prince George’s County Residents. I was pleased to cast a green vote on several bills that increased fines and penalties for those that take no regard for the safety and wellbeing of the thousands of people using 301 North and South, MD-5 etc. I also was pleased to support another local bill for Prince George’s County, HB501, which would allow Charter Counties, such as ours here in Prince George’s to increase from $1,000 to $5,000 in the amount that a civil penalty/fine can be levied on those that do not adhere to local ordinances such as illegal dumping or un-permitted house parties that serve as nuisance to the local community. The increase in this fine is supposed to serve as a greater deterrent to those that have been repeat offenders.
There was a myriad of legislative wins for Calvert and Prince George’s Counties, however listed below is a brief synopsis of additional legislation that I feel is pertinent information for you to know.
FUNDING
$150,000 was secured for Dee's House of Hope, a Domestic Violence Center in Brandywine MD (Award late 2023).
$100,000 was secured for Camp Aquasco.
$1,000,000 was secured for Medstar Hospital ICU Bed Expansion, which is located in District 27B.
BUDGET
The FY25 Budget reflects our values. Maryland is facing tough fiscal realities, specifically for our transportation, public education, and hospital trauma systems. The FY25 Budget package proves that we are ready and willing to meet these challenges and invest in our future.
Funds Year 3 of Implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future
State support for public schools totals $9.1 billion.
Aid to local school systems increase an estimated $457.1 million (5.3%).
Downpayment to the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Fund
The Blueprint is now funded thru FY27 by assigning tobacco tax revenue to the Blueprint Fund.
These sources of revenue will allow us to uphold the commitments we have made to educators and students in the Blueprint, including:
Keeping the promises, we made to 3- and 4-year-old children in our Pre-K programs.
Improving reading proficiency.
Recruiting more highly qualified and diverse teachers; and
Supporting community schools, students with special needs, and English language learners.
The Budget also adjusts the Tier II Pre-K income eligibility schedule. Savings from this adjustment will be reinvested to significantly increase the per pupil full-day Pre-K amount.
This additional funding will further incentivize providers to start Pre-K programs and more adequately compensate existing Pre-K providers.
Stabilizes State Transportation Funding
The FY25 Budget also includes $330 million in revenue to support our transportation system. This funding will be used for:
Local roads and bridges, though highway user revenues.
Locally operated transit systems.
MTA operations and safety.
SHA highway, road, and bridge construction projects and system preservation.
Continued planning for future projects, such as the Red Line and other significant transportation projects; and Costs related to shifting roadwork on I-695 or any other State Road project to nighttime to minimize traffic impacts following the collapse of the Key Bridge.
Additionally, the House and Senate have agreed to work in partnership over the interim on other approaches to fund our transportation system through the TRAIN Commission.
DECENCY AGENDA
There have been several attempts to whitewash history. I was pleased to support the Speakers “Decency Agenda” by casting a green vote for the legislation under this banner, such as HB785, the Freedom to Read Act. HB785 makes Maryland a national leader in the fight to counter the increasing attempts to ban books in school and public libraries. It establishes a set of State Standards for Libraries and protects Maryland’s library collections and the librarians who curate them. The bill will ensure that we are exposing students to diverse viewpoints in a thoughtful and respectful way.
HOUSING
As a member the House Environment and Transportation Committee, I was pleased to work in a hands-on way with the Governors transformational housing package to address the lack of housing units statewide. Listed below are just some of the legislative actions we took in the realm of housing policy:
HB241 Housing and Community Development - Just Community Designation
HB241 allows areas in the state to receive a “just community” designation, which makes it part of a priority funding area. The designation is based on whether the area has been negatively impacted by (1) forms of legal racial segregation, (2) demolition of residential neighborhoods through eminent domain or State or federal funding, (3) a state imprisonment rate higher than 750 per 100,000 persons, or (4) unequal exposure to environmental and health hazards.
HB538 Land Use – Affordable Housing – Zoning Density and Permitting (Housing Expansion and Affordability Act of 2024)
HB538 will improve affordability by allowing new housing where we need it most. More than half of Maryland renters spend upwards of 30% of their income on housing, and the state has a shortage of an estimated 100,000 affordable units. Local control of zoning should be respected whenever possible, but as policymakers, we cannot allow local housing bans to increase costs, exacerbate homelessness, depress our economic competitiveness, and worsen the state’s structural budget deficit.
The bill will streamline the review process, allow more density for priority projects and adhere to specific affordability requirements. In single-family areas, priority projects could consist of middle housing (duplexes, triplexes, etc.). In multifamily areas, priority projects could be up to 30% more dense than the local jurisdiction currently allows and may consist of mixed-use.
The three types of priority projects in the bill include:
• Transit-oriented development: This applies if the project would be within 0.75 miles of a passenger rail station and zoned for multifamily development. The transit-oriented development density bonus would not apply to single-family neighborhoods. The bill also includes an exemption if the radius includes a college campus. Building more housing near transit prevents sprawl development.
• Formerly state/federally owned campuses: Fast-tracking this type of development generates more housing while tackling blight. Both types of campuses have affordability requirements which will be prioritized and receive a density bonus.
• Owned or controlled by a charity: Housing built by 501(c)(3) organizations. This includes houses of worship that are interested in using their land for housing. Language in the bill will ensure that these 501(c)(3)s are legitimate.
HB693 Renters’ Rights and Stabilization Act of 2024
HB693 protects renters from certain evictions and give renters the opportunity to purchase a rental property if the property owner decides to sell it, i.e., the “Right of First Refusal.” The bill also establishes an Office of Tenant Rights to communicate with and advocate for renters and provide them information on how to best exercise their rights. To discourage serial eviction filing, HB693 raises the eviction filing fee in Maryland from $8 to $43 and bars evictions during times of extreme weather conditions and other public health emergencies.
HB1117 Tenant Safety Act of 2024
HB1117 ensures that tenants can join in a suit together against a landlord for a violation of habitability standards at the rental property. Tenants can bring a suit against a landlord if the property owner refuses to address aspects of the dwelling that could pose a life, health, or safety risk.
SB19 Failure to Pay Rent Proceedings - Shielding of Court Records
SB19 protects victims of serial eviction filings by ensuring that the mere filing of failure to pay rent does not follow a tenant. Under the bill, the court shall shield a tenant’s record for failure to pay rent to include only cases where a judgment for failure to pay rent is found in favor of a landlord. This way, a tenant’s record reflects only a court’s determination and not just a landlord’s assertion.
HEALTH
In the area of behavioral, reproductive, or mental health I stood with my democratic colleagues and cast a green vote in support of the following pieces of legislation.
HB933 Behavioral Health Crisis Response Services – 9-8-8 Trust Fund Fees
HB933 establishes a permanent funding source for 988, the Suicide and Crisis Helpline. 988 is a vital lifeline and resource for mental health support that is available 24/7 for those experiencing mental health crises.
HB576 Mental Health - Assisted Outpatient Treatment Programs
HB576 aligns Maryland with 47 other states with the establishment of an in-place assisted outpatient behavioral health support program. This legislation authorizes each county to establish an assisted outpatient treatment program to prescribe a specified mental health treatment regimen for someone with severe/persistent mental health needs, even if they do not voluntarily agree to a treatment program.
KEY BRIDGE
On March 26th, a tragic event took place in our State when the Francis Scott Key Bridge was struck and collapsed, killing 6 construction workers. Our Governor has been doing a fantastic job in leading the reconstruction efforts. The General Assembly did our part by passing legislation to assist those most impacted.
HB1526 Maryland Protecting Opportunities and Regional Trade (PORT) Act
Following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and the near-total shutdown of the Port of Baltimore, HB1526 provides financial assistance for affected workers and companies, as well as scholarships for the children and spouses of those who perished on the bridge. Specifically, the bill authorizes the Governor to use up to $275 million to offset wage losses by employees of the Port, independent contractors, and Port dependent businesses. The bill also ensures that the Transportation Authority has the resources it needs to get the Francis Scott Key Bridge rebuilt.
The aforementioned is a brief synopsis of some the legislation that I supported during this year’s legislative session. Should you desire a more detailed review, please do not hesitate to contact my office. Please note, during the interim (April-December), we have limited in person hours so please allow 48 hours for a response. For a more immediate response, or to request a proclamation, citation, or for assistance with a State Agency, please email jeffrie.long@house.state.md.us.
Finally, I am excited to share that my 2024-2025 Legislative Scholarship has been released; I am happy to help all future scholars coming out of high school, scholars continuing their education, and returning scholars. Please follow the link: https://www.jeffrielong.com/scholarship to learn more about how to apply and the requirements.
Thank you again for your unwavering engagement throughout the 446th Maryland General Assembly Legislative Session. As we move forward, I encourage you to stay engaged in the legislative process. Your active participation is invaluable to ensuring we continue effectively representing your interests. I look forward to hearing from you and working together to create a brighter future for our community and state. Thank you again for the honor of serving as your representative, and I wish you all the best.
Very truly yours, Delegate Jeffrie E. Long, Jr.