JANUARY 28, 2024

Dear Friends,

The 447th Session of the Maryland General Assembly is in its third full week, and as usual, it has been busy from the start. 

I am very pleased that on the first day of session, I was again elected by the House of Delegates to be Speaker Pro Tem. I greatly appreciate legislators’ confidence in me, and I am honored that Speaker Adrienne Jones again nominated me for the position.

Budget issues are important in any session, but this year they’re even more important, as the State faces a $3 billion deficit. There’s also significant uncertainty about how the new federal Administration will affect Maryland’s workforce, budget, and policy priorities.

This year is also one of transitions. Former Senator Ben Cardin and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger and John Sarbanes, stellar and long-time representatives of Maryland in Washington, retired. Angela Alsobrooks, Johnny Olszewski and Sarah Elfreth were elected to succeed them and will be excellent representatives.  Also, congratulations to former State Senator Kathy Klausmeier, who was appointed Baltimore County Executive on January 7th, becoming the first woman to serve as county executive. Her budgetary knowledge from her years on the Senate Finance Committee will be a strength as she governs Baltimore County over the next two years.      

I am sponsoring about 20 bills this year, which cover a wide range of issues, including climate, Chesapeake Bay, public safety, and other matters.  I discuss a few below and will highlight others in upcoming newsletters as they are scheduled for bill hearings. 

The Governor’s spending plan leaves a general fund balance of $106 million at the end of fiscal year 2026. The Governor balanced the budget through:

• Spending Reductions ($1.032 Billion)
• Revenue increases ($1.3 billion)
• Transfers to the general fund ($633 million)

The House of Delegates moves the budget first this year. The House’s priority for the budget this Session will be to preserve the investments we’ve made in education, child care, health care, and transportation – investments that boost our economy and grow our middle class.

As my office receives more details, I will share them in future newsletters. 

These are highlights of three of my bills for which hearings are scheduled in the next two weeks.

HB 222 – Public Safety - Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing for Fuel Gas Piping Systems-Requirements and Prohibitions

Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing (CSST) is a product used to deliver propane and methane gas into homes in many areas in Maryland and around the country. But this tubing is prone to malfunction that causes gas leaks to occur which can cause a house fire when lightning strikes.

Since 2018, Maryland has experienced three fatalities (two firefighters, one civilian) because of these fires. There have also been several dozen CSST-related fires in Maryland that did not result in death but did result in property damage. 

This bill would require Maryland to strengthen the standards for CSST that is installed in homes. The bill is backed by the Professional Fire Fighters of Maryland and other safety organizations.

HB 131 – Environment – Bay Restoration Fund-Septic System Upgrade Program

The Bay Restoration Fund, managed by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), provides funding to homeowners to replace conventional septic tanks with systems that produce less wastewater. This bill would require MDE to expand the eligibility of its systems to include funding for 

failing septic systems located within the watershed of a nitrogen-impaired body of water. Failing septic systems in such areas further increase the nitrogen levels of the river or stream making stream life unsustainable, in addition to increasing pollution flowing into the Chesapeake Bay.

HB 234  Vehicle Laws – Injury or Death of Vulnerable Individual – Penalties

In 2021, I sponsored, and the General Assembly passed, a bill that defined a “vulnerable road user” (VRU) and provided penalties for a driver hitting, injuring, or killing a VRU. A vulnerable road user, is anyone not in a car who is lawfully on, or alongside a road, in a crosswalk, bike path, etc., and includes highway, utility workers, or

emergency personnel working along a highway.  The potential penalties included a court appearance, a fine up to $2,000, a motor safety course and community service, and suspension of a driver’s license for up to 6 months.  

My bill this year will expand the penalties in the current VRU law, to include possible incarceration up to 2 months to anyone found guilty of hitting, injuring, or killing a VRU lawfully using the roadway as defined in the 2021 legislation.  This provides consistency in the law and equitable justice for all VRUs on the roads of Maryland. In 2024, more than 550 people were killed on Maryland roads and more than 40% were VRUs.

After floor session on January 9th. Baltimore County Delegates gathered for a photo.

Dana with representatives of the Federation of the Blind. 

Dana with representatives of the Maryland Association of CPAs     

STAY ALERT! - Ongoing Smashing (Text) Scam Regarding Debt for Outstanding Tolls

The Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) warns of ongoing SMS phishing attacks designed to trick you into paying fake toll debt. The most recent attacks replicate the look and logo of correspondence from DriveEzMD. Do NOT share personal information or make payments using these messages.

DriveEzMD will NEVER request payment via text message.

Remember: The only authorized methods to pay your Maryland tolls or perform account maintenance include:

• Visiting the official website: https://www.driveezmd.com/.
• Using the DriveEzMD App.
• Visiting a DriveEzMD Customer Service Center.
• Calling the DriveEzMD Call Center at 1-888-321-6824.
• Following the instructions included upon receipt of mailed Citations or Notices of Tolls Due (NOTDs).

To learn more from the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) or to report receipt of a smishing text, visit the most recent smishing PSA.

The 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form is now available. 

If you missed the U.S. Department of Education’s webinar series on FAFSA resources and navigating StudentAid.gov, don’t worry! You can watch recordings on YouTube @FSAOutreach. 

Students, parents, and college/career professionals are encouraged to tune in for information on creating a StudentAid.gov account, paying for college and career school, and avoiding financial aid scams.

The applications for my H. Allan Lipsitz Memorial Legislative Scholarship are now available.  Please visit my website for more details. 

As a reminder, students who received a scholarship last year need to re-apply for the 2025-2026 academic year.

Students can get additional information about state financial aid—including how to navigate the FAFSA process—by going to the Maryland Higher Education Commission website. To be considered for state financial aid, you must file FAFSA June 30, 2025. To be notified of scholarship eligibility for Maryland Scholarships, you are encouraged to file by March 1, 2025.

Don’t forget to apply for the other District 11B scholarships!

• Senator Shelly Hettleman
• Delegate Jon Cardin

All completed scholarship applications must be submittee by March 31, 2025. 

Sincerely,

Dana Stein

Delegate, Speaker Pro Tem, District 11B, Maryland General Assembly

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