News from Annapolis
2017 Session:  Week 3                          Delegate Trent Kittleman - District 9A
Jan 30 --  February 3
CONTENTS
[NOTE: 2 critical events TODAY!   Mon, February 6]
  • Veto Overridden
  • Governor Hogan's State of the State
  • "Atticus Act" - Vision screening demonstration TODAY!
  • Redistricting Issue News:  Miller & Busch must testify
  • District News: Vote on Howard Sanctuary Bill TODAY!
  • District 9 Open House
  • Legislative Scholarship Information

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VETO OVERRIDE 
House and Senate vote to override Governor Hogan's Veto of the "Clean Energy Bill"

        "Why did you vote against requiring more 'clean energy'?"   
         One of the great challenges for any legislator is explaining "why" when we vote "against" something like "clean energy," "sick leave for all," and other similar-sounding pieces of legislation.
        It begins by making people understand that NO bill should be passed solely on the basis of it's name or what it's propsed to accomplish -- something we should all understand after the "Affordable Care Act," otherwise known as Obamacare.  No matter how good it sounds, we should not vote for a bill that: (1) clearly won't do what it says it will do and/or (2) would cause more harm than good.    Such is the case with the so-called "clean energy bill."

WHY?
        Because this issue is so important as well as complex, I'm going to present the relevant issues over several weeks.  Here are the topics to be addressed:
  • What is the actual state of the air quality in Maryland?
  • What does the bill require?
  • What, exactly,  are the sources of clean (renewable) energy?  
  • Can Marylanders afford the benefits that the bill will likely produce?
        Although the veto has already been overridden and will become law, the issue of clean air and water is of critical importance to this State as well as the Country and the world and will continue to be the subject of legislation now and in the future.  We need thoughtful and informed legislators and citizens to continue this journey.         
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Governor Hogan's 
State of the State Address
Great message from Governor Hogan! - "The State of the State is Strong!"

        Governor Hogan's report to Annapolis and the people of Maryland was great.  The theme was, "Together we can and must do more." I agree!
        An overwhelming majority of Marylanders across our state feel good and think Maryland is headed in the right direction. I agree!
  • No taxes were raised in Maryland in the past two years, they were cut.
  • 100 fees have either been reduced or eliminated across the state government.
  • The cuts have saved taxpayers $51 million.
  • Over the past 12 months, Maryland has added more than 55,000 new jobs.
  • Current Maryland businesses report having their best year in eight years.
  • Our most important businesses increased their investment in our state.
  • Also, without raising any taxes, education spending was increased to record-high levels.
  • Maryland now has a total increased investment of $830 million in K-12 education. 

"ATTICUS ACT"
Vision Screening Demonstration & Information
TODAY 
Catherine Carter & Guius Carter (one of her five children) pose with me in my office
Join us today in Annapoplis
4 pm - 8 pm 
Room 180 of the Lowe House office Bldg

       Catherine Carter is the spearhead of the movement to awaken the community and the school system to the fact that undiagnosed vision disorders i n children can cause difficulties in reading, headaches, fatigue and can significantly impair their ability to learn.  
        HB 458 would require schools to screen students for visual impairments not found through the current acuity screening.  
        Today, Monday, February 6, we will have respresentatives from all facits of the community of vision impairment experts, including a hands-on demonstration of a computer screening program  that can diagnose virtually all of the various binary impairments in less than eight minutes.
        You are welcome to join us to learn more about this very important issue.
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"Redistricting" Issue News
U.S. judge: Miller, Busch must testify, turn over documents in redistricting case
Baltimore Sun
By Josh Hicks,
 February 1 
        "A federal judge has ordered Maryland's top two legislative leaders to testify and turn over records for a lawsuit challenging the 2011 redrawing of the state's congressional districts, which effectively ensured Democratic control of seven out of eight U.S. House seats.
        "Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) and House Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Anne Arundel) have fought efforts to examine their intentions during the redistricting process, claiming that "legislative privilege" protects them from records requests and litigation related to internal deliberations.
        "But U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar ruled Tuesday that the ability to discover evidence "lies at the heart of this case" and that the legislature's direct role in the redistricting process "supports overcoming the legislative privilege." Bredar wrote that the protections Miller and Busch had claimed do not apply in certain types of federal lawsuits, particularly those that don't involve financial liability. . . ."   to continue reading the article, click here.

DISTRICT NEWS

HOWARD COUNTY
Council to vote on 
"Sanctuary" bill  tonight!

      In one of the most contentious issues in years, rhe bill to make Howard County a "sanctuary" county has engendered widespread support and even more widespread opposition.  Hundreds testified, and no doubt hundreds will be present in the Council chamber when the five members vote on the bill tonight, at its session starting at 5 pm in the George Howard Building.  
        County Executive, Allan Kittleman, and councilman Greg Fox are on record opposing the bill, introduced by councilmembers Calvin Ball and  Jen Terrasa. The two swing votes on the Council are Jon Weinstein and Mark Kay Sigaty.  County Executive Kittleman has said he will veto the bill, if passed by the council.  
        "I am not willing to jeopardize existing programs and services which benefit all Howard County residents to adopt a label that would not change any of the policies and practices that we already have in place ," Kittleman said

Delegation members weigh in 
        Although this is a county issue, members of our delegation have expressed opinions, including Senator Gail Bates and myself who oppose the measure.  
        The issue provoked a highly emotional response from Delegate Clarence Lam.  In response to the testimony of many in the Asian community in opposition to the bill, he said in an email, " I am deeply, deeply disappointed with the Asian American community.  . . .I think the perspectives I heard were shortsighted, shamefully selfish and self-serving, and not in the general best interests of everyone in our community.
        The email continued, saying " we need to go out of our way to be welcoming to others, and doing otherwise in this climate is disgraceful, and I am embarrassed for us and at having to make excuses for the Asian American community."  Delegate Lam acknowledged that his words sound strong, but said, "I feel strongly and cannot understate me disappointment."
CARROLL COUNTY

      Delegate Susan Krebs and I were among the sponsors of HB 608, filed by Delegate Neil Parrott.  Known generally as the "castle" doctrine, the bill would expand the right of homeowners to protet themselves against an unlawful entry into their home.

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District 9 Open House
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Scholarship Information
District 9A residents attending a college, university, trade school or equivalent in the State of Maryland are eligible for the Delegate Scholarship.

Current high school seniors and full-time (12+ credits per semester) or part-time (6-11 credits per semester), degree-seeking under-graduate students, graduate students, and students attending a private career school may apply. 
  
Click here for the application. For questions regarding the application process, please call my Annapolis office and ask to speak with Chelsea Leigh Murphy at 410-841-3556.  

Please be sure to have your completed application postmarked by April 10, 2017.
Delegate Trent Kittleman
District 9A, Western Howard County and Southern Carroll County (Sykesville)
Room 202, Lowe House Office Building
6 Bladen Street,   Annapolis, MD 21401
410-841-3556  *   Trent.Kittleman@House.State.MD.US
Interim Office
3000 Kittleman Lane,  West Friendship, MD 21794
301-661-3344  *   trentkittleman@verizon.net
Administrative AideChelsea Leigh Murphy