May 21, 2024

Last week, Marylanders cast their ballots in a pivotal Primary Election. Although the parties’ nominees for President were already determined, the results last week and in November’s General Election will have a deep and consequential impact on the future of Baltimore City and the entire State.

Regardless of the outcome in any particular race, all of us should be grateful to the many passionate and dedicated candidates who tossed their hats in the ring, working hard to earn every vote. Their willingness to engage in civil and productive debate, go door-to-door to solicit feedback and share their ideas, and to learn about the issues affecting their community’s residents will make Maryland stronger.

I would be remiss not to express deep appreciation for the election workers and officials who administered the Primary Election. Their professionalism and long hours are foundational to a functioning democracy in which every voter is heard at the ballot box. Some of that work is ongoing as mail-in and provisional ballots are counted to determine close races.

Finally, I am thankful to those who made time to cast their votes, whether in-person or by mail. Despite contested races for the U.S. Senate, some Congressional districts, and Baltimore City Mayor, under 20% of registered voters cast their vote last Tuesday, the lowest in the past two elections. As we anticipate a divisive General Election this November, it is critical that we support candidates that support our vision for the future—and that we vote accordingly. We simply cannot sit this one out.

It was a pleasure to join Governor Moore, Speaker Jones, and hundreds of advocates earlier this month for two separate bill signing ceremonies in Annapolis. I am proud of what we achieved during the 2024 Legislative Session, made possible by the commitment and collaboration of my colleagues in the Senate of Maryland, House of Delegates, and Moore Administration.

The hundreds of bills signed over the past few weeks run the gamut from tackling child poverty and empowering communities, to strengthening our juvenile justice system and buttressing consumer protections for all Marylanders.

The legislature’s singular constitutional responsibility each year is the passage of a balanced operating budget, which was signed into law last week. Maryland’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget was advanced without across-the-board tax increases while still investing in the core priorities that will make Maryland more just, equitable, and economically competitive.

A few highlights of the hundreds of bills signed into law this month include:

• The Engaging Neighborhoods, Organizations, Unions, Governments, and Households (ENOUGH) Act, which seeks to address issues driving childhood poverty, from early childcare and education to affordable housing, public safety, and support for civic infrastructure;
• A consumer protection package of bills aimed at protecting consumers, including guardrails around the residential retail energy market, price gouging in the ticket resale market, and data privacy for children and adults; and 
• Legislation to improve the accountability, rehabilitation, and coordination (ARC) of Maryland’s juvenile justice system by improving the Department of Juvenile Services’ operations, ensuring jurisdiction for certain crimes so children can receive needed services, and scaling up interventions for young people and their families to interrupt any negative cycle.

The best legislation introduced each legislative session is community-driven. More often than not, our constituents making their voices heard and proposing solutions to exigent problems enables those of us in elected office to make true the promise of our representative democracy.

That home-grown advocacy is what led Delegates Luke Clippinger, Robbyn Lewis, Mark Edelson, and me to introduce a bill establishing an Entertainment District Security Grant Program. That bill was signed into law last Thursday, but only after being proposed by neighbors who dedicate their time and efforts to improving community safety efforts in the 46th Legislative District. I was especially grateful for their willingness to testify in Annapolis during the 2024 Legislative Session, and the bill signing was all the more meaningful as a few of those community leaders joined me, Governor Moore, Speaker Jones, and Delegate Clippinger in the State House. 

Our legislative district is home to several entertainment districts, including Federal Hill, Canton, and Fells Point. Those areas help Baltimore's economy and neighborhoods thrive, but also present public safety challenges at peak hours. The newly signed law  will create a Statewide grant program to support enhanced security operations that community organizations, local governments, and nonprofits can apply to for support.

The Dali, the cargo ship stuck in the Patapsco River for the last two months was refloated yesterday morning after last week’s strategically placed explosives freed it from the debris of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge. Unified Command is working to ensure that rubble from the wreckage is removed from the water in order to open the main channel for commercial traffic to the Port. Several smaller, alternate channels have been opened over the past several weeks to allow ships of increasingly larger sizes to move through.

Jennifer Homendy, chief executive of the National Transportation Safety Board, testified last week during a congressional hearing that traffic crashes have increased by 29% on alternative routes since the collapse. The same data shows it's taking drivers two to four times longer to get where they're going.

Once the channel is fully open, the work to rebuild begins. I am grateful to Maryland’s Congressional partners for working to get a "categorical exclusion" that would rely fully on the federal government to pay for the entire cost of the rebuilding. Bids from various businesses to rebuild the bridge are expected later this month.

A recent report from the Movement Advancement Project (MAP) shows legislation passed this Session boosted Maryland’s rating among states that protect the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community. The group ranks a state based on policy related to sexual orientation, gender identity, and a combination of the two categories.

Thanks to the passage of House Bill 602, sponsored by Delegate Clippinger and Speaker Jones, an employer may not discriminate against workers based on sexual orientation, particularly when it comes to employment opportunities or wage rates. Further, Senate Bill 119, sponsored by Senator Lam, offers protections for gender affirming medical treatments and procedures for Marylanders’ or those seeking treatment from states that have hostile policies towards individuals in need of care.

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s grand finale of its 2023-2024 Symphony in the City concert series will pay tribute to the victims of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse and raise funds for recovery efforts. The public and free performance will take place on June 7 at the Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine.

Fatal overdoses in Maryland continued their downward trajectory, dropping 3% in 2023 to 2,503. This trend is in contrast to the surge in the United States, which topped 112,000 overdoses in 12 months for the first time. While Maryland’s overdose rates are decreasing, the State continues to take proactive steps to address the crisis. In December 2023, Governor Moore announced the establishment of Maryland’s Office of Overdose Response to coordinate and promote efforts across State agencies to combat the overdose crisis.

Thousands of migrant children are arriving in Maryland every year. Between January 2015 and May 2023, more than 30,000 unaccompanied migrant children were placed in Maryland. That’s 49 children per 10,000 state residents, far more than any other state. Parts of Canton, Brewers Hill, and Greektown rehomed more children from other countries than all but 13 other ZIP codes in the United States. Like the nation as a whole, the vast majority of the children come to Maryland from one of three countries: Guatemala, Honduras, or El Salvador.

Maryland is joining ten other states in launching the Youth Mental Health Corps to help teenagers access critical mental health resources in addition to creating career pathways that will help address the national shortage of mental-health professionals. The Corps is a public-private collaboration with the goal of training people as “navigators” for middle and high school students in their schools and community-based organizations. Corps members will get on-the-job experience, a stipend, and a credential towards advancing their career. They will also be eligible for financial awards to pursue higher education or pay back qualifying student loans.

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.