2023 Maryland General Assembly Update
Week Thirteen Home Stretch: Executive Nominations, Budget, Offshore Wind, Broadband Funding
THE HOME STRETCH
The Maryland General Assembly has only three more days to wrap up the session before Sine Die (from the Latin “Without Day) on Monday, April 10th at midnight.
 
We’re on the home stretch to Sine Die. Several of my bills have either made it to the Governor’s desk or are on track for final passage. 
EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS/GENERAL BIRCKHEAD OF
SNOW HILL TO LEAD MARYLAND MILITARY
As of April 7, the Senate is moving forward with two of Governor Moore’s key nominees including Brigadier General Janeen L. Birckhead (right) to lead the Maryland Military Department as Adjutant General and Paul Monteiro, Jr. to be the Secretary of the new Department of Service and Civil Innovation. The Senate Executive Nominations Committee, on which I serve, held a hearing and voted to confirm both nominees on April 6.
 
During the hearing, I highlighted Birckhead’s long-time ties to Worcester County and her strong leadership:

I strongly support this nomination. General Birckhead has been a leader her entire life, and whether it’s serving overseas, whether it’s been taking on the difficult assignments during COVID and actually going into the local neighborhoods, she leads by example. I seconded the nomination of Birckhead to serve as Maryland’s Adjutant General. On a personal note, I said " I know your Mom, Fannie Mae Ward Birckhead, is smiling down, and you are following in her tracks as she was the first African American elected to a countywide office in Worcester County and the first African American to drive the Boardwalk train.
 
The Maryland National Guard consists of almost 6,000 Army and Air National Guard members and supports Maryland’s domestic homeland capabilities and U.S. Army and Air Force operations around the globe.
LOCAL EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS

I introduced and supported the nominations of Michael Chandler of Snow Hill and Crisfield Area Chamber of Commerce President Hitesh Patel to the Critical Area Commission for the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays on Monday.
 
Michael Chandler grew up on the Eastern Shore on the Virginia side and now lives on the Eastern Shore on the Maryland side. He has a strong sense of how the environment can be impacted on a regional scale.
 
Hitesh Patel (below) is a community and business leader and has taken on the role of Crisfield Area Chamber of Commerce President just this year. He is deeply committed to moving Crisfield and Somerset County forward, and he’s very excited to be a part of such an important and locally- crucial commission.
Hitesh Patel (left) of Crisfield and Dr. Sandeep Gopalan (right) of University of Maryland Eastern Shore in Annapolis for their Senate Executive Nominations Committee confirmation hearings.
I also was honored to introduce and support the nomination of Dr. Sandeep Gopalan (above) to the Maryland Economic Development Commission. Dr. Gopalan currently is the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
 
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore has the only four-year aviation degree program in Maryland. Dr. Gopalan served as the Chair of the Arizona Aerospace and Defense Commission from 2006-2007. His experience would be vital to the development of not only UMES and the Eastern Shore, but for Maryland at large.
 
Other nominees approved by the Executive Nominations Committee and on track for full Senate confirmation include Bill McCain of Salisbury to the State Commission of Real Estate Appraisers, Appraisal Management Companies, and Home Inspectors; Donald Ewalt, Melodie Carter, and Jeanette Taylor to the Wicomico County Liquor Control Board; Leif Hancock of Wicomico to the State Board of Plumbing; and Sherry Williams of Ocean City to the State Board of Environmental Health Specialists.
BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS
The Maryland General Assembly has passed a $63 billion operating budget. Again, Maryland benefits from the lingering influx of COVID-19 relief funds, however, mid-way through the Session the Budget Committees were thrown a curveball in the form of a $480 million budget write-down due to lower tax revenue projections. While not entirely unexpected, the write-down is a warning sign and call for fiscal responsibility as the State could face a structural deficit in the coming years.

FY24 Budget Highlights include:
  • $2.5 billion in the Rainy Day Fund, which is double the recommended amount of 5% of general fund revenues
  • $8.78 billions for Maryland’s Public Schools
  • $900 million down payment on future costs of implementing the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future education plan
  • $200 million in tax relief for low-income families and veterans
  • $421 million for salary increases and bonuses for state employees
  • $35 million for Maryland’s emergency medical systems
  • No new tax increases
BOOST Program

The operating budget also restored $1 million for the Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today budget, also known as the BOOST Program, which provides scholarships to low-income and at-risk youth to attend a non-public school. According to the January BOOST report, 3,268 students received scholarships during the 2021-2022 school year. Over half were students of color, 247 were special education students, and 1,030 were English language learners.

This program provides low-income families the same choice that high-income families have in deciding how their children should be educated. Every child has a unique learning style, and while we need good public schools, we also need to give every child the chance to learn in their optimal environment, and the BOOST Program has been an effective option for many Maryland students. 
Capital Budget
 
As of April 7, the full Senate is considering the Capital Budget this week which includes several local legislative bond initiatives in Worcester, Wicomico, and Somerset.
 
  •  $250,000-Atlantic General Hospital, Worcester
  • $75,000-Diakonia Campus Project, Worcester
  • $75,000-Ocean Pines Volunteer Fire Dept. So. Station Renovation, Worcester
  •  $150,000-Salisbury Airport Terminal Rehabilitation Design/Construction, Wicomico
  • $100,000-Perdue Stadium Boiler Replacement, Wicomico
  • $95,000- Horizons Delmarva Program/Salisbury School Amphitheater, Wicomico
  • $45,000-Crisfield Elks Lodge, Somerset
Maryland 529 Program 

The Maryland General Assembly is moving forward legislation (SB959) to transfer the current Maryland 529 Prepaid College Trust Board and transfer the program to the Office of the State Treasurer. Senate Bill 959 would place the State Treasurer in charge of a claims settlement process where the cases would be prioritized and each case would be individually investigated.

The Trust was intended to allow parents to lock in tuition rates for in-state schools by purchasing semester credits when children are still young. However, certain challenges recently came to light when account holders who tried to withdraw the accrued interest that they were promised were unable to do so due to an interest calculation problem.
 
As a member of the committee with oversight of education, I joined with my colleagues in pressing the 529 officials for specific recommendations on how to fast track fixing and resolving this problem for all those who in good faith set up these accounts years ago to help pay for their children’s college expenses. This legislation will allow parents to file claims and have their individual cases reviewed and resolved.
 
Nearly $8.45 million has been set aside in the operating budget to complete an IT upgrade and complete the transfer of the Maryland 529 Prepaid College Trust program to the Office of the State Treasurer.
OFFSHORE WIND

 
The Maryland General Assembly approved Senate Bill 781, dealing with the procurement and transmission of wind energy projects and threatens to potentially add massive high voltage power lines and dangerous cable landfalls in Ocean City. I voted against SB 781 and offered an amendment in committee to prohibit cable and transmission infrastructure landfall in the Town of Ocean City. 
 
As SB 781 is being pushed by members of the Maryland General Assembly, offshore wind developers in New Jersey are seeking more funding from ratepayers and several dead whales and dolphins have washed up on beaches along the East Coast. This should be a wake-up call for Maryland.
While I support exploring alternative solutions to meet our energy needs and environmental requirements, I consistently have raised questions and concerns about several potential negative impacts that continue to go unanswered ever since I attended the first public meeting held by the Public Service Commission on the development of offshore wind industrial-size turbines off the Maryland coast in 2017.
 
There simply has been an insufficient study of the impact and unintended consequences of these proposed offshore wind projects on navigation, marine life, and activities of both commercial and recreational fishing, views of turbines from the beach, homeland security risks, military communications, vessel collisions, decommissioning plans of turbines, and the true costs to ratepayers and taxpayers.
The proponents of offshore wind energy often point to the New Jersey projects and the Block Island project in Rhode Island as positive role models for offshore wind energy development in Maryland. However, the underground high voltage electric cables of the Block Island project were installed so poorly that they were exposed on the beach, resulting in beach closures, power outages, shutting down production from the offshore wind project, and cable repairs that took over five years, costing Rhode Island utility customers $31 million.

I offered an amendment to SB 781 in committee to “ensure that the transmission infrastructure will NOT locate or interconnect in the municipality of Ocean City.” The amendment was not approved.
 
Just this week, the Eastern Shore Delegation called for a Congressional public hearing in Ocean City, Maryland on the development of offshore wind energy projects off the coastline of Ocean City, including the effects on marine and mammal life. A similar Congressional hearing was held in New Jersey last month. I and other members of the Eastern Shore Delegation will continue to press to keep offshore wind transmission infrastructure out of Ocean City and push for transparency of the true cost of offshore wind energy to the ratepayers and taxpayers.
JOINT REPUBLICAN CAUCUS CALLS FOR ACTION ON CRIME BILLS

I joined with the Leadership of the Joint Republican Caucus to implore Democratic colleagues and Governor Moore to take action on legislation to address Maryland’s out-of-control violent crime crisis. Several pieces of commonsense legislation to address violent crime have been introduced but haven't received even the courtesy of a committee vote:
  • SB 564 Criminal Law – Theft of a Handgun
  • HB 750 Gun Felony Act of 2023
  • SB 744 The Violent Firearms Offenders Act
  •  HB 753 Juvenile Gun Offenses Accountability Act of 2023
 
As the violent crime crisis continues to plague our State, we must continue to push for legislation that increases penalties against repeat, violent offenders. All Governor Moore would have to do is call on the Senate President and Speaker of the House for violent crime legislation to be sent to him for his signature. We still have a few remaining days in this year’s session, and we on both sides of the political aisle should make it a priority to pass these crime bills now.
 
Republican crimes bills are not the only crime legislation that has stalled in the General Assembly. A bill requested by Baltimore City States Attorney Ivan Bates has not moved either.
BROADBAND FUNDING
 
Governor Moore announced on Wednesday that nearly $92 million would be awarded to Internet Service Providers across Maryland to expand high-speed internet access. Over $10 million of those funds have been awarded to providers within Wicomico and Worcester counties which has been estimated to expand broadband access to almost 2,000 households and businesses.
 
Since the Office of Statewide Broadband was created in 2017, more than $270 million has been invested into broadband infrastructure and programs as part of the State’s efforts to ensure that all Maryland households have access to broadband.
LOCALS IN ANNAPOLIS
Valerie Zienty (above top) and her Worcester Technical High School pre-engineering students visited the State House to see Senate Floor deliberations and experience the legislative process.
Pastor Mark Piedmonte of Buckingham Presbyterian Church in Berlin was the guest Senate chaplain on April 5.
DID YOU KNOW? In 1742, Somerset County was divided in half, creating Worcester County along the seaboard side. Shortly thereafter, new county seats were established in Princess Anne for Somerset and Snow Hill for Worcester.
125 years later in 1867 , Wicomico County was created out of Somerset and Worcester counties  
Additional Resources
Following Legislation and Testifying
Not only does the General Assembly provide multiple ways to participate in your state government proceedings, but a full set of videos is also available online:
  • Understanding the MD General Assembly
  • Finding your legislator
  • Searching for bills by number, sponsor, subject matter
  • Understanding a bill
  • Tracking a bill
  • Searching media
  • Creating a personal MyMGA Account
  • Witness Sign Up-to testify on Bills
I look forward to hearing from you soon! Please contact me on issues important to you.

410-841-3645
marybeth.carozza@senate.state.md.us
Don't forget to visit me on the web at: marybethcarozza.com
Note: past copies of the weekly updates are on the website.
In Service,





Mary Beth Carozza
State Senator-District 38
Worcester, Wicomico, and Somerset
410-841-3645