ISSUE #24, May 10, 2023

Dear Neighbors, It may feel like the upcoming 2024 Legislation Session is far away, but now is the time for bills for us to researched and contemplated. We will spend the next weeks and months learning about the issues, talking to people who are experts in those areas, learn how other states address the issues, and generally become an expert in a hurry. Some bills take longer than a year to become law, which is why you will see bills returning in 2024.These include: HB 20 (requiring minors to wear a protective helmet while on horseback); HB 28 (an elder-care tax credit for qualified expenses paid or incurred by caregivers in caring for a qualified senior family member); HB 208 (prohibiting individuals from engaging in a race or speed contest and altering certain penalties for such behavior); and HB 299 (establishing a reporting system to track the chain of custody of synthetic turf fields in Maryland so they aren’t disposed of in an environmentally harmful manner). I also plan to reintroduce similar legislation to HB 365 (supporting the state’s spay/neuter program), HB 46 (combined reporting), HB 1209 (Climate Ready Floodplain Act), HB 94 (allows local governments to lower local speed limits to 15 mph), and HB 699 (grief counseling for employees at the Maryland Medical Examiner’s office). You can view these bills and their history by clicking here and searching the bill number. Let me know which of these bills are important to you, or any other ideas you have for improving the lives of Marylanders. Click here to read about the new initiatives we are considering for 2024. Stay well!

CELEBRATE ASIAN-PACIFIC AMERICANS IN PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY

Did you know that more than 40,000 Asian Americans and 2,000 Native Hawaiians & Pacific Islanders call Prince George's County home? Learn about these cultures at the Hyattsville Library on Wed., May 10 at 6:30 p.m. Featured will be County Council Member Wanika Fisher and Cheverly City Council Member Amy Fry who will discuss community engagement and political identities among Asian-Pacific Americans. Click here for more information.

PROPOSED LANDFILL IN ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

On May 1, 2023, your District 21 legislators wrote to Director Tyler Abbott of the state’s Land and Materials Administration to express our united opposition to final approval by MDE of a refuse-disposal permit for National Waste to operate the Chesapeake Terrace Rubble Landfill on Patuxent Road in Odenton. We believe this landfill, with its construction and demolition waste, land-clearing debris, friable asbestos, and potential sewage sludge will pose a constant and significant threat of water, soil and air pollution. This would negatively impact the Patuxent Watershed and the health of residents of the developing neighborhood of Two Rivers, as well as the historic communities of Woodwardville and Wilson Town, an African American enclave given to freed slaves by Quakers. We are equally concerned about adverse health impacts on students at West County Elementary School on Conway Road, which is expected to open in Fall 2024. To read the letter, signed by Sen. Jim Rosapepe, Delegates Joseline Pena-Melnyk, Ben Barnes and me, click here.

LAUREL CELEBRATES MAIN STREET FESTIVAL MAY 20

Main Street Festival is Laurel’s flagship event for food, fun and entertainment! Every year, thousands of festival-goers come to watch the Main Street Festival parade, enjoy delectable local food and enjoy the best entertainment that Laurel has to offer. JOIN US TO WALK IN THE PARADE by contacting our office for details.

INTRODUCING MY SUMMER INTERNS

My office is so fortunate to have another great group of summer interns--enthusiastic, well-educated and on the road to great things. I'm so happy to have them! Joining current intern Angelica de Guzman (profiled in a previous issue) are Nell Piper and Victor Oliviera. Allow them to introduce themselves.

NELL PIPER I am a rising third-year law student at the University of Maryland's Francis King Carey School of Law, and I plan on pursuing a career in public interest and civil rights law. So far, my legal experience has been centered around disability rights and fair housing. I am originally from Lincoln, Nebraska, and I attended Doane University (a small school in Crete, Nebraska) for undergrad, where I double majored in political science and history.   Delegate Lehman’s work on environmental and fair housing issues is what originally drew me to apply for an internship, and my time working with her has been an incredible and educational experience. I started working for Delegate Lehman in January of this year, and I worked on several of her bills during the 2023 session including HB 608, Retired Service Animals bill, which was signed into law just as the session ended.

VICTOR OLIVIERA I am currently in my fifth year of pursuing a Bachelor's degree, majoring in Government and Politics with a concentration in International Relations and minoring in International Development and Conflict Management, and Science, Technology, Ethics, and Policy. After completing my undergraduate degree in Fall 2023, I will continue my academic journey in the Masters in International Relations. I worked for Delegate Lehman during the 2023 Legislative Session, which provided an invaluable learning experience. My responsibilities included conducting policy research, addressing constituents' inquiries through phone calls, emails, and in-person meetings, and attending bill hearings. I even had the opportunity to testify on behalf of the Delegate before the Senate's Finance Committee. This session was particularly significant as I was involved in several bills that had a considerable impact on Maryland's environment and its citizens' well-being, such as the Speed Exhibition and Reduction of Speed bills and the Stream Restoration bill. Working with Delegate Lehman, Chief of Staff Mary Jane Coolen, and the rest of the team was incredibly fulfilling. Our office environment nurtured the best of us in our public service work. We made it our top priority to ensure that our efforts positively impacted the district's citizens and the state as a whole. Moreover, Mary Jane's expertise in the best places to eat in Annapolis added to my overall experience and made it even more enjoyable and fascinating. I look forward to continuing my work with the team through the summer of 2023.

Bike to Work Day is Friday, May 19, 2023. Join the National Bike to Work events, which have more than 100 pit stops in DC, MD, and VA for this FREE event for a fun and healthy way to start your day. The first 15,000 who register and attend at a pit stop receive a FREE T-shirt. Free giveaways, food, and beverages at participating locations, while supplies last. To register, click here.

WE ARE STILL ACCEPTING SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS

The 21st Delegation College Scholarship program is now open, and we are accepting applications for the 2023/2024 academic year. Once you ensure that you have registered in the MDCAPS system and have a FAFSA on file, please submit an application on the 21st Delegation website by clicking here.  To be eligible to receive a scholarship, you must attend a college in Maryland. Any Maryland resident may apply; however, preference is given to residents of Maryland Legislative District 21 who have attended a Maryland high school. To verify your legislative district, visit http://mgaleg.maryland.gov, select the Members tab and click on “Find My Representative” link, enter your street address and zip code, then click on “Lookup.” Applications are due May 15, 2023.

YOU'RE INVITED TO THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY'S ANNUAL MEETING 102 years--that's how long the League of Women Voters has had a chapter of what became the national League. Dedicated to protecting and promoting voting rights, the League needs all the support it can get. It's important work! You can attend the Prince George's League's Annual Meeting on Saturday, June 10, 2023, at the Woodmore Country Club by registering here.

Prince George's County's Department of Homeland Security is recruiting 9-1-1 operators. To see an informational video and learn how to apply, click here.

Our Kitty Corner from Laurel Cats Hello! We are Nick and Rooster, one-year old bonded brothers. We are super sweet, friendly, and confident. We love to play chase with each other and our toys. We also love to nap and snuggle with our foster mommy. We were born with little to no vision in our right eyes, but our left eyes are just fine. Nothing slows us down! We are a healthy, happy bonded pair looking for our forever home! For more details on us, click here. For an adoption application, click here. Laurel Cats is a community based, all volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to humanely reducing the number of free-roaming "community" cats in Laurel. We do not have a shelter or storefront. Our kittens and cats are placed in the homes of loving volunteer fosters until they are adopted. This means our cats are accustomed to being handled and loved.

FOOD DISTRIBUTION IN ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY The Anne Arundel County Food Bank provides food, nutritional supplements, medical equipment, and more to those in need – free of charge. Its mission to fight hunger by assuring that all those in need, especially children, have access to food and other basic necessities. Click here to learn more. Also, in Odenton, Kingdom Care, Inc. is a nonprofit organization in Odenton more information, click here.

NEED FOOD? The Food Equity Council of Prince George's County has a map of food pantries that is updated weekly. Click here to find pantries near you.

MARY A. LEHMAN Democrat, District 21, Anne Arundel & Prince George's Counties House Office Building, Room 209 6 Bladen St., Annapolis, MD 21401 (410) 841-3114, (301) 858-3114 1-800-492-7122, ext. 3114 (toll free) e-mail: mary.lehman@house.state.md.us Feel free to be in touch.