Dear Friends,
Since I last wrote, a new Congress has been sworn into office. Senator Ben Cardin, Reps. John Sarbanes, and Dutch Ruppersberger, all of whom represented me at some point in time, have left Congress. Each was a long-time public servant who dedicated his life to making Marylanders’ lives better. I’m so grateful to have learned from all of them. Senator Cardin has a special place in my heart as I had him as a boss, mentor, and was able to call him my friend, Ben.
I'd also like to extend my congratulations to Kathy Klausmeier, who was recently appointed as our Baltimore County Executive! It has been a pleasure to serve with her in the MD Senate, and I look forward to our continued work to help create a better Baltimore County for all.
Congratulations to our newest Members of Congress who were sworn in earlier this month: Senator Angela Alsobrooks, Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth, Congressman Johnny Olszewski, and Congresswoman April McLain-Delaney. We are quite fortunate to have them on Team Maryland, advocating for us in Congress.
A new President has been sworn into office and I have grave concerns about the policies and practices that will be advanced in this new Administration. We will know rather quickly which policies will be consistent with our values and which will not. Rest assured that we will fight hard to protect Marylanders from unjust initiatives and will be prepared to support those that make sense for our state.
The State Senate has gone through a few changes as well. As a result, I have been given a few new opportunities by President Bill Ferguson and my colleagues for which I’m greatly appreciative: I was named Chair of the Pensions Subcommittee and Joint Committee on Pensions, Chair of the Joint Committee on Audits and Evaluation, and Chair of the Baltimore County Senate Delegation.
Keep reading to learn about what is happening in Annapolis, and please put Monday, February 3rd on your calendar for the first Shelly@thedeli gathering at 8:30 at Gourmet Girls (info below).
Thank you,
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Shelly L. Hettleman
Senator, District 11
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- The 2025 Session Begins!
- Legislative Updates
- 2025 Budget
- Intern Spotlight
- Transportation Updates
- Education News
- Energy and Environment
- Community Events and Updates
- Contact Information
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Top Left: I'm looking forward to working with our new interns (Marc, Davon, and Corinne) this session!
Top Right: It was great seeing my former House Appropriations Chair, Maggie Mcintosh.
Bottom Left: Connecting with my current and former Chiefs of Staff, Maura Dunnigan and Maureen Evans.
Bottom Right: Packed up my mini-me for a move to a new office.
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Top Left: Smiling before session with BCPS' Tony Baysmore.
Top Right: My former intern and Chief of the MGA pages, Rochelle Thompson.
Middle Left: Former Attorney General Brian Frosh.
Middle Right: Senate Minority Leader Stephan Hershey.
Bottom Left: With my new seatmate, President Pro Tem Malcolm Augustine.
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We had our first hearings on bills I've introduced - one in the Judicial Proceedings Committee and the other in the Budget and Taxation Committee:
SB167 – Courts- Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP)
SLAPP lawsuits are typically filed as defamation suits with the intention of silencing, censoring, or intimidating by burdening the recipient with large legal fees. They aim to limit free speech and are often filed against media outlets, survivors of domestic violence, and community members opposing big developers. SB167 would modernize our weak SLAPP statute by enabling the court to make up-front determinations about whether a suit is a SLAPP and alter certain procedures and attorney fee awards.
SB 154 - Access to Counsel in Evictions
This bill provides a permanent source of funding for this important program that was created from a bill I introduced in 2021 that provides lawyers to renters facing eviction. The program helps vulnerable populations avoid eviction and homelessness and saves Marylanders funds by making the legal system more efficient and reducing the subsequent social service costs that would result from evictions.
Scheduled for 1/28/25:
SB 181 - Correctional Services - Geriatric and Medical Parole
This consensus bill has the support of the Department of Corrections, the Parole Commission, and would change how the Maryland Parole Commission considers the health and age of incarcerated people when making parole decisions. The bill would guarantee that incarcerated people with documented chronic or terminal conditions have the opportunity to request medical parole (also known as “compassionate release”) and it would remove the governor from the parole decision-making process. The bill would also require biannual parole reviews for incarcerated people who are at least 60 years old. These changes can be made while also keeping the community safe.
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As we enter our second full week of the legislative session, members of the Budget & Taxation and Appropriations Committees began with a budget briefing from the Department of Legislative Services, our non-partisan analysts who will review in-depth the Governor’s budget. Maryland’s growth has been relatively stagnant since 2017, lagging behind national figures (3% v. 11%), which has a significant impact on our revenues. While our latest data from the 4th quarter of 2024 is looking better, and our state’s population did experience growth in 2024, the Governor has proposed a budget that he asserts will make significant investments to grow the economy. In light of an almost $3 billion shortfall and slow growth, the Governor has submitted a budget that includes a variety of cuts and increases in certain revenues. You can read more about the budget here. Over the coming weeks, we will go into more detail about what is being considered. And, we will learn more about how potential federal changes may affect our state. We must pass a balanced budget, so I am quite confident that we will review the proposed changes very carefully. Rest assured that I am committed to fighting for a tax system where everyone pays their fair share, whether that is individuals or corporations.
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Throughout these next few newsletters, we'll be highlighting one of our office's interns/staff members, whose hard work and support are very much appreciated!
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Have you recently received a text message claiming you owe money for unpaid tolls? Be aware there are 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:
If you receive one of these texts, the following is suggested:
- File a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), www.ic3.gov, be sure to include:
- The phone number from where the text originated.
- The website listed within the text
- Check your account using the toll service’s legitimate website.
- Contact the toll service’s customer service phone number.
- Delete any smishing texts received.
- If you clicked any link or provided your information, take efforts to secure your personal information and financial accounts. Dispute any unfamiliar charges.
To learn more from the IC3 or to report receipt of a smishing text, visit the most recent smishing PSA.
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Baltimore County Public Schools will host the following recruitment events in January:
Recruitment session for building service workers
Wednesday, January 22, at 10 a.m.
Hereford branch of Baltimore County Public Library, 16940 York Rd., Hereford 21111 BCPS is hosting an in-person recruitment session for individuals interested in building service worker positions. BCPS encourages applicants to apply online prior to attending this session. For more information, please call 443-809-7872.
Special Education Hybrid Job Fair
Tuesday February 4, from 4-6 p.m. (Snow date: Wednesday, February 12.)
BCPS Greenwood campus, 6901 N. Charles Street, Building E, Towson 21204 Interested applicants can participate in this job fair either virtually or in-person. During this job fair, BCPS will be seeking occupational therapists, physical therapists, special education teachers, and speech and language pathologists. BCPS encourages applicants to apply online prior to attending this session.
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Maryland Announces Newly Available Funding for Commercial, Industrial & Agricultural Waste and Emissions Reduction Projects
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Grant resources are now available from the Chesapeake Bay Trust for a variety of conservation projects. In addition, applications to be a member of the Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps are currently open. To learn more, please visit here.
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Check out the MIA's recent newsletter for resources and information on upcoming events!
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Do you think you may be owed wages you weren't paid?
The U.S. Department of Labor is urging workers who believe they might be owed unpaid wages to check out the department’s Workers Owed Wages, or WOW, database to see if the agency has money for them.
For more information, please visit https://ow.ly/pJzc50UBmju
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