Update on Prince George's County Bills
Update on Prince George's County Bills
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A couple of newsletters ago, I reported that these bills had been put forth for consideration. Here is an update on their progress. See below.
Bill Update:
Bill: CB-075-2023
Status: To the committee
Bill Sponsors: Mel Franklin, Sydney J. Harrison, Calvin S. Hawkins
Bill Name: AN ACT CONCERNING THE REAL ESTATE APPRAISAL BIAS BAN OF 2023 for the purpose of establishing a ban on real estate appraisal bias in Prince George’s County.
You can watch part of the hearing: t.ly/msH9G
Bill: CB-077-2023
Status: To the committee
Sponsors: Thomas E. Dernoga
Name: AN ACT CONCERNING PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY PLANNING BOARD for the purpose of amending the rate of compensation for persons serving as members of the Prince George’s County Planning Board.
You can watch part of the hearing here: t.ly/wJAd2
Bill: CB-076-2023
Status: To The Committee
Sponsors: Thomas E. Dernoga
Name: AN ACT CONCERNING REVISION OF THE FAIR ELECTION FUND for the purpose of revising the language of the Fair Election Fund in order to provide greater clarity.
Here is a link to the video: t.ly/K2OEf
Community Events:
*From the Capital Market Newsletter*
Please take a moment to register for the Healthy Foods Community Walk Audit by visiting the following link: t.ly/cCsnz
The District Heights Healthy Foods Community Walk Audit is a two-part event:
August 9, 2023 - Community Conversation at 6:30 p.m.
During this session, we will explain more about what Healthy Food Walk Audits are and discuss what healthy foods look like in the city of District Heights. We’ll create shared definitions of Healthy Foods. DINNER IS PROVIDED.
August 12, 2023 - Healthy Foods Walk Audit at 9:30 a.m.
We will provide instructions on how to conduct a walk audit, explain the significance of such audits, and offer valuable insights into community design, infrastructure, and the creation of healthy environments. BREAKFAST IS PROVIDED.
By participating in the Healthy Foods Community Walk Audit, you will join an enthusiastic team of City Residents and Community Stakeholders as we explore safe routes to community gardens and other nourishing food outlets in District Heights. This is an incredible opportunity for residents like you to come together and contribute towards building vibrant and healthy neighborhoods.
This event is not just for adults! We warmly invite citizens of all ages to join us in this meaningful endeavor. It is a fantastic opportunity to educate our younger generations about the value of healthy living and inspire them to make positive choices for themselves and their communities.
Contact: Brittney Drakeford, The Capital Market Info@thecapitalmarketmd.com
Returning Citizens Town Hall
Place: The Episcopal Church of the Atonement, 5073 E. Capitol St SE
Event: Co-sponsored by The Episcopal Church of the Atonement, Samaritan Ministry of Greater Washington, and Progressive Maryland's Returning Citizens Task Force, this event aims to create a platform where voices are heard, concerns are addressed, and connections are made.
Keynote speakers include Rev. Ricardo Sheppard, State Delegate Jamila Woods, Michael Williams, Charles Hopkins, and Lamont Carey (Invited). But the heart of the event lies in the voices of returning citizens themselves.
Time: August 12th, from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm
Contact: Contact Kurt Stand if you have any questions kurt@progressivemaryland.org
Big News:
Prince George’s Co. group accepting school supply donations for families in need
Excerpt: When parents can’t provide their children with the supplies they need to get the school year off to a good start, it can be a stressful ordeal for the entire family.
But when they can, Anissa Hewitt, CEO of Eye Rise, a recreational facility in Glenn Dale, Maryland, said, “You can just see the load come off of them as you talk to them during the day.”
Hewitt said she has been organizing book bag giveaways for nearly a decade. This year, Eye Rise is helping parents and children start the school year off right with a free barbecue and back-to-school supply giveaway on Saturday, Aug. 12 at Eye Rise’s Hillmeade Road location.
Prince George’s Co. Schools to use AI, ‘next emerging technology’ in classrooms
Excerpt: The superintendent said the school district recently announced a three-year partnership with aiEDU, a nonprofit that aims to create equitable experiences with artificial intelligence.
House said the program is fully funded by a three-year, $1 million grant from the Pull Up Fund.
Excerpt: A new report shows that Maryland is in the top 10 states when it comes to policies that support mental health among new mothers and pregnant people.
But the state only received a C-, according to a nationwide report card from the policy think tank called Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health. According to the report card, 40 states either received a D or an F, and the highest graded state was California with a B-.
While Maryland may be one of the leading states in programs that assist with maternal mental health, the overall consensus from the organization is that the United States is “failing mothers” in mental health support.
Biden administration unveils new wage rule for federal construction projects
Excerpt: Construction workers who work on federal projects are poised to receive better wages and worker protections under a Department of Labor rule touted by Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday.
Speaking at a union hall in Philadelphia, Harris praised the Biden administration’s economic agenda and pointed out that the new rule would be the first update in more than 40 years to the Davis-Bacon Act, which requires paying prevailing wages on public works projects. The Reagan administration changed the definition of prevailing wages in 1983.
“Let’s agree these workers deserve our recognition and appreciation and they deserve something more,” Harris said. “They deserve a raise. … Many workers are paid much less than they deserve, much less than the value of their work … in some cases by thousands of dollars a year, and that is wrong and completely unacceptable.”
Maryland’s adult-use cannabis sales rake in millions in first weekend of legal recreational use
Excerpt: In 2022, Marylanders voted to pass a referendum on cannabis use for individuals 21 years and older. Recreational use of the drug started on July 1. On that day, state dispensaries racked up more than $3.5 million in adult-use sales, according to a Maryland Cannabis Administration (MCA) report.
Over the course of the entire weekend, Maryland dispensaries earned $10.4 million for adult-use and medical sales, compared to $3.9 million in 2022 when only medical use was permitted. From July 1 to July 7, Maryland dispensaries grossed $20.9 million in medical and adult-use cannabis sales, according to an MCA report.
Prince George’s Political Updates: Senate Race Heats Up with Fundraisers, Endorsements
Excerpt: Recent FEC reports, fundraisers and endorsements show that the 2024 Maryland primary to replace Sen. Ben Cardin’s (D) U.S. Senate seat, while far off, is already off to a hot start. Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D) and Montgomery County Congressman David Trone (D) are viewed as the front-running candidates, and Montgomery County Council member At Large Will Jawando (D) is gaining strength as a progressive alternative.
Both Alsobrooks and Jawando have August fundraisers planned in Martha’s Vineyard, and Western Maryland’s 6th Congressional District is featuring a contested primary to replace the outgoing Congressman that will undoubtedly raise turnout in Trone’s backyard.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore on education reform, the FBI, and keeping the Commanders
Excerpt: It’s been an eventful first seven months in office for Maryland Governor Wes Moore. Cannabis became legal in the state. The Washington Commanders were finally sold and are exploring the possibility of moving from FedEx Field. A decision appears to be coming soon on where the new FBI headquarters might go. Education reform is being implemented across the state. Governor Wes Moore joins Kojo and Tom to discuss all of that and more.
While Moore is early in his political career, Virginia State Senator Dick Saslaw is set to retire at the end of the year from his post as Virginia State Senate majority leader after more than five decades. But before that happens, the long-time state senator remains in the middle of tense state budget negotiations. We talk to Senator Saslaw about those negotiations, reaching across the aisle, and his long career.
Advocates say Maryland's climate plan could help the Chesapeake Bay, too
Excerpt: Advocates of Maryland’s efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions have mostly touted the potential benefits of fighting climate change, improving air quality and boosting public health. But a newly released working draft of a plan to reduce those emissions acknowledges that some of the gains could spill over into another one of the state’s top environmental missions: cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay.
The Moore administration in June unveiled a wide-ranging plan to achieve a 60% cut in the state’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2031. And it is possible for the state to reach its far more arduous net-zero target by 2045, the report’s authors suggest, but only by incorporating efforts to produce “negative” emissions.
Celebrating The Life Of A “Game Changer”
Excerpt: Raymond Harris stood silently before the casket draped in the Maryland state flag. He was the last remaining mourner in the meeting room of the old county administration building. It had already been announced that the room be cleared. The viewing time for mourners to pay their respects to Senator Tommie Broadwater, Jr. had come to a close. But Harris wasn’t ready to leave yet. He remained there in front of the flag-covered coffin that held his father within it.
“Growing up, I was in awe of my dad,” Harris later said after Broadwater laid in state July 31. His voice was quiet, but his words were deliberate and chosen carefully. “From my perspective, my dad was a person who moved mountains. He was just that man who was always doing for others.”