October 17, 2023

It is with a mix of pride and gratitude that I congratulate Senator Melony Griffith on becoming the next President and CEO of the Maryland Hospital Association. Senator Griffith’s dedication, expertise, and unparalleled work ethic have been instrumental in shaping Maryland’s landscape for close to three decades, most recently as the chair of the Senate Finance Committee. On behalf of the entire Senate of Maryland, I wish her the best in her new role.

In light of Senator Griffith’s departure, and after much input and consideration, I recently announced several key changes to the leadership of the Senate to ensure it reflects the diversity and geography of our State.

Senator Pam Beidle will succeed Senator Griffith as chair of the Finance Committee, handing her gavel as chair of the Senate Executive Nominations Committee to Senator Antonio Hayes. Senator Clarence Lam will take over as vice chair of Executive Nominations to become the first Asian-American to serve as chair or vice chair of a Senate committee. Other changes include:

• Senator Joanne Benson will become the new Senate majority whip.
• Senator Michael Jackson will take over as vice chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus.
• Senator Shelly Hettleman will move up to become the chair of the Senate Rules Committee.
• Senator C. Anthony Muse will become the new vice chair of the Senate Rules Committee.

We have significant work to do in the years ahead and I am proud to work alongside every member of the Senate of Maryland to better the lives of our State’s residents as we approach the 2024 Legislative Session.

What unfolded in Israel in recent weeks was nothing short of barbarism. I stand with the people of Israel and the Jewish community, who have suffered centuries of violence and antisemitism. As the extent of Hamas’s atrocities have come to light in recent days, the Jewish community around the world, and here in Maryland, has been forced to grapple with its greatest loss of life since the Holocaust.

As the people of Israel rightfully seek to secure their country from future Hamas attacks, I join those appealing to the better angels of all who are making life or death decisions in the coming days and weeks. The people in Israel and Gaza deserve more than a cycle of violence and destruction that repeats itself too often.

I am mourning for all those impacted by the loss of life and violence, praying for the safe return of innocent children and civilians kidnapped from their homes, and grieving for the Palestinian civilians who are bearing the brunt of Hamas’s brutality.

It’s often tempting in the first year of a term to hold back a bit, proceed slowly, and not tackle the hard issues at first - captain a steady ship. But we chose not to take that approach here in Maryland this year. Instead, we chose to be bold in 2023.

Over 300 bills went into effect this month, including a powerful new law that allows victims of childhood sexual abuse to bring civil suits against individuals or institutions without being hindered by a statute of limitations that protected abusers. 

Other new laws that take effect this month, include: 

• Prohibiting individuals with concealed-carry permits from bringing their weapons to certain sensitive public spaces;
• Repealing a statute that prevented the prosecution of sexual crimes against a legal spouse, known as the spousal defense;
• Creating civil liability so victims of hate crimes, or crimes committed against a person because of their race, ethnicity, religion, disability status, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation or housing status can  sue the person or group who committed the offense; and
• Reducing wait times to file for expungement for those who have served their sentences to allow for productive re-entry and reduce rates of recidivism.

I am excited to welcome the newly appointed interim Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Carey Wright, as we continue the exciting and groundbreaking work to implement the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. Dr. Wright was unanimously approved by the State Board of Education to replace Mohammed Choudhury, who resigned from the post in early October.

Dr. Wright served for almost a decade as the Mississippi state superintendent of schools, where she oversaw a drastic improvement in reading comprehension by an approach of getting back to basics. She returns to her roots in Maryland where she served in Prince George's, Howard, and Montgomery counties as a teacher, principal, director of special education, and associate superintendent. I look forward to collaborating with Dr. Wright to ensure that all Maryland students receive the world-class education that they deserve.

New data shows students in Baltimore City Public Schools are scoring higher than last year, and, in some cases, higher than before the pandemic. Approximately 18 schools had over 10-12% growth in one year. District-wide, new scores show that third through eighth graders saw improvement in language arts last spring, compared to 2022. Only 10th graders saw a slight decrease.

The Maryland State Department of Education released detailed results from the latest standardized tests by students in grades three through eight in English, language arts and math. In math, City Schools’ students saw smaller gains, roughly matching the statewide increase of 2% compared to 2022. Third, fourth, fifth, seventh and Algebra 1 students tested better, while sixth graders and geometry students saw decreases.

As the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future moves forward, I am confident that these scores will continue to reflect the deep investment in Maryland’s students that our State has made a key priority.

“Mr. Oriole,” Brooks Robinson, must have been smiling down on his adopted City and beloved team this year as the Orioles clinched the American League East pennant and clocked their 100th win. While the O’s streak ended too soon, all Marylanders should be  proud of the 2023 season and feel excited about our prospects in 2024!

Earlier this month, Fans poured into Camden Yards to pay respect and honor the contributions Brooks Robinson made to our State. Their presence acknowledged the support and pride Brooks showered on Baltimore and on Maryland. He was a friend to his fans and the turnout showed how much he was loved.

As the O’s clocked their 100^th win, the team announced our beloved Birds would stay in Baltimore for the next three decades.  According to a proposed non-binding agreement, the Orioles would take over operations and maintenance at Camden Yards and obtain a 99-year ground lease for select areas around the ballpark providing opportunity for redevelopment. I sincerely hope to see the final terms of an official lease in the coming weeks.

I recently had the incredible opportunity to tour the new Maryland Department of Legislative Services building under construction in Annapolis! It's a stunning architectural design that will house the incredible professional staff who enable us to make informed decisions shaping our State’s future. Even in the rain, we were able to witness the topping-off event. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this important building project.

The University of Maryland Baltimore’s Carey School of Law is launching a center focused on racial justice in Baltimore and beyond, with the goal to align itself with Baltimore’s history and address challenges to achieving racial equality. Named after the law school’s first Black tenured professors, Larry Gibson and Taunya Banks, the Gibson-Banks Center for Race and the Law will “re-imagine and transform institutions and systems of racial and intersectional inequality, marginalization, and oppression.”

Researchers at Morgan State University have launched a program to reduce the high death rate of Black women from pregnancy-related causes. The program will coordinate a national five-year effort to create and research ways to tackle systemic barriers to equitable and life-saving health care for moms and babies.

The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) is sharing information about options for the Red Line during a series of public meetings in early November. The MTA is reviewing multiple modes of transportation, particularly along the eastern part of the route. Specifics about the Red Line, including whether it will include a tunnel and whether it will be a rail or a bus network, will have massive fiscal implications that must be considered going forward.

Baltimore State’s Attorney Ivan Bates recently announced the launch of a new Older and Disabled Person's Unit within the State’s Attorney Office (SAO) for Baltimore City. The new unit will provide services related to elder neglect, financial exploitation, and physical abuse at the Inaugural Older Adults Justice Luncheon for residents aged 60 and over. The SAO says they recognize the needs and circumstances of older adults and persons with disabilities that are often preyed upon.

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.