February 5, 2024

I was proud to join Governor Moore, Speaker Jones, Mayor Scott, Councilwoman Porter, and Pastor Flowers in Brooklyn last week to announce the introduction of the ENOUGH Act, legislation crafted to tackle the root causes of poverty in Maryland. This important effort will address gaps in existing funding streams to support children and families. It is particularly focused on issues from early childcare and education to affordable housing, public safety, and support for civic infrastructure.

As the State Senator for the 46th Legislative District and as a former educator, I have seen firsthand how poverty can impede the potential of our children. The ENOUGH Act will bring resources and support to the City to help our highest-need neighbors by concentrating and coordinating multiple partners' resources on clearly identified neighborhoods.

Most importantly, the ENOUGH Act is about a focused collaborative effort, not just by the government, but with philanthropic partners, the private sector, and government agencies. It will take all of us acting in concert to address concentrations of poverty.

The juvenile justice system in Maryland is not creating the best outcomes for our children, or for the victims of crimes committed by young children. Last week, we announced a Juvenile Justice and Youth Crime Package that is crafted to reinforce and tighten legislation passed by the General Assembly in 2022. This package includes improvements across the whole system to achieve the best possible outcomes for kids, families, and victims.

The legislature’s commitment to an equitable juvenile justice system is unwavering. Through legislation, the State budget, and executive action, we will be improving the accountability, rehabilitation, and collaboration (ARC) of the juvenile justice system. Senate Bill 744/House Bill 814 make the legislative intent clear around law enforcement interactions with children, strengthen existing laws, and close loopholes that allow too many young people to slip through the juvenile system without a paper trail, services, or, in some cases, justice for victims.

Whether it be the intake process, figuring out the correct accountability for young people, or, equally as important, accountability for the adults who are charged with administering the system, we must ensure the system is working to its highest potential.

I was excited by the news last week that the Baltimore Orioles are soon-to-be under new ownership; Baltimore native, David Rubenstein, reached an agreement with the Angelos family to acquire the team for $1.75 billion. As  I told The Baltimore Sun, despite some bumps in the road, I give credit to John Angelos for setting the Orioles up for long-term success in and for Baltimore.

This next generation of ownership includes Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr., former Baltimore City Mayor and current University of Baltimore President Kurt Schmoke, and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. I am immensely hopeful for the changes that this new partnership group will bring to both the Orioles and City more broadly. This is a team that is primed for long-term success with an investment in our young players and bringing new talent to Baltimore.

Pitchers and catchers report on February 15. Let’s win in 2024.

If you or someone you know is seeking financial support towards tuition for the 2024 - 2025 school year, I encourage you to apply for my annual senatorial scholarship, available to 46th District residents who will be attending a Maryland institution for college, graduate school, or trade certification programs. The application is now live and can be accessed here. Applications are due on May 1, 2024, but students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 1, 2024. 

Last year, I was proud to award nearly $60,000 in aid to 34 students.

Maryland State senators, delegates, and staff took part in a commemorative plunge on Friday to pay tribute to Senator Doug J.J. Peters and support Special Olympics Maryland. Doug initiated the annual Legislative Polar Bear Plunge and was a steadfast advocate for Special Olympics and the athletes it serves. 

Last week, the widow of a Maryland judge who was shot and killed in his driveway testified before the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee in support of the Judge Andrew F. Wilkinson Judicial Security Act. The legislation would allow current or retired justices, judges, magistrates, or court commissioners to request that their personal information not be published online. The committee voted in support of the legislation on Friday and it will be on the Senate Floor this week.

Thousands of Marylanders have lost their Medicaid health coverage during an eligibility review period often referred to as “Medicaid unwinding.” Those disenrolled for procedural reasons may still qualify for Medicaid if they did not finish their reapplication process. Eight months into the unwinding period, a new report reveals that certain areas in Maryland are retaining Medicaid coverage while other populations are losing it. If you have been disenrolled and would like to reapply, I encourage you to do so here.

Abigail Giroux, a junior at the Bryn Mawr  School in Roland Park,  won first place in the senior individual documentary category for her film “Wade in the Water: How African Americans Got Back Into the Pool.” The national contest took place in College Park with over 2,600 students and 600 teachers. Giroux also received an award from the Better Angels Society, which secured her a mentorship session in December with filmmaker Ken Burns. 

As part of Black History Month, Maryland Public Television will premiere a one-hour documentary that sheds light on the lives of enslaved Marylanders, including a young Harriet Tubman. Airing at 9 p.m. on February 19,  “Ben’s Ten: Chattel Slavery on Maryland’s Eastern Shore” follows a team of archaeologists and historians as they uncover artifacts that illuminate the lives of enslaved people in Dorchester and Talbot counties in the 1800s.

If there is anything we can do to help, please do not hesitate to contact my office via email, bill.ferguson@senate.state.md.us, or by phone, 410-841-3600.