I am a proud member of our Veterans Caucus. As such, I want to be sure all veterans in our community are making the most of our state's resources. Maryland has several programs and organizations worth noting. If you or someone you know is a Veteran in need of assistance, please consider the following organizations and programs:
Maryland's Commitment to Veterans is a Department of Health & Mental Hygiene program devoted to helping veterans and their families access behavioral health services. They can help veterans access care through the VA Health Care System, DHMH's Behavioral Health Administration, or community providers. If you or someone you know needs help navigating these organizations, please reach out to Maryland's Commitment to Veterans. For more information, please contact
Melissa Barber, Regional Resource Coordinator for the Western Region. She can be reached at 410-725-9971/1-877-770-4801 or
[email protected].
Maryland Higher Education Commission is the state's higher education coordinating board. They are responsible for establishing statewide policies regarding public and private universities, colleges, and career schools. They can help answer any questions you have concerning the Post-9/11 GI Bill®. For example, did you know that you can use the Post-9/11 GI Bill® not only to attend college but also to become an apprentice or take licensing/certification exams? To learn more, please visit the
Maryland Higher Education Commission's website. They can also be reached by calling 410-767-3301/1-800-974-0203 or sending an email to
[email protected].
Maryland Legal Aide is a private, non-profit law firm which provides free legal services to low-income people statewide. Their Joining Forces Project is a legal telephone hotline exclusively for low-income individuals who have served in any branch of the military. The hotline provides free, immediate legal advice on a range of topics from bankruptcy to Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The hotline can be reached by calling 443-863-4040. If you have any questions, please visit the
Maryland Legal Aide website.
Noah's Law Update
I am happy to report that we finally gained bipartisan support and unanimously pass Noah's Law. Under Noah's Law, the state's ignition interlock program would be expanded. These devices require a driver to blow into a breathalyzer before starting their car. Under current law, the devices are only required for offenders with a .15 blood alcohol content (BAC) or higher. Noah's Law would require the devices for any offenders with a .08 BAC or higher. The bill will now go to the Senate for voting. Here's to hoping our counterparts in the Senate will follow suit and pass Noah's Law.
Watch this video to learn more about interlock ignition devices.
