April 2017 Newsletter
Dear Resident,
The end of the 2017 Legislative Session marks the 5th year I have served as your representative in Annapolis. Since my appointment five years ago, I am constantly humbled by how you continue to place your trust in me. This year, my leadership representing you and the issues that matter most to our District began to receive meaningful recognition.
Characterized by my colleagues as “Too Big and Aspirational,” my 2017 Legislative Agenda was developed based on the concerns and ideas I received from you and your neighbors. This Session was very successful, as I introduced and passed 10 pieces of legislation in the House of Delegates that will help end the school-to-prison pipeline, relieve the burden of student debt, create economic revitalization for communities inside the beltway, protect students with disabilities, and keep “BIG MONEY” from influencing elections in Maryland.
In addition to these successful initiatives, we have come one step closer to having FREE TUITION for Community College in Prince George’s County. Last year, I established the Prince George’s Promise Scholarship Task Force to study how we can begin to enact free tuition at Prince George’s Community College (PGCC). In our final report, the Task Force recommended that it is actually feasible to implement a “last-dollar” Promise Scholarship Program to cover the costs of tuition and fees at PGCC for graduates of our County’s public high schools, regardless of income. This year, $1.7 million was allocated in the County’s budget to initiate the program and send 500 new students to college for free in the Fall of 2017.
Finally, the Speaker of the House appointed me to serve as Chair of the Election Law Subcommittee in the Ways & Means Committee. Through this new role, I led efforts to improve transparency in our elections and implement same-day voter registration to provide residents with the opportunity to register and vote on Election Day. While this legislation ultimately did not pass in the final hours of the Legislative Session, I was proud to continue our State’s endeavors to expand voting access because we should be making it easier for people to vote – not harder.
In this newsletter, I have provided a comprehensive update of the 2017 Legislation Session that concluded earlier this month. As always, please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns. Don’t forget to sign-up at the top of the page to receive my monthly newsletter!
Sincerely,
-Alonzo
Alonzo T. Washington
Maryland State Delegate
Reforming the Prince George’s County Liquor Board
As the Chair of the Prince George’s County Liquor Licensing & Law Enforcement Subcommittee, I was proud to lead the effort to implement the first comprehensive reforms to the Prince George’s County Liquor Board in 50 years.
The Prince George’s County Alcoholic Beverages Regulation Reform Act will enable routine performance audits, professionalize our Board Member positions, and create strict ethics laws for the Board and its employees. It is my hope that these ethics and oversight reforms will recapture and restore the public trust that has been broken within our communities and bring greater transparency and accountability to our government.
Click HERE to read the full text of the legislation.
New Policies to Reduce the School-to-Prison Pipeline
After several years of working to reduce school suspensions and adopt alternative discipline practices, I secured passage of legislation to establish a state-wide commission to review current school discipline practices and recommend strategies to implement successful restorative, rehabilitative discipline practices to reduce the school-to-prison pipeline.
Schools in our State already utilizing restorative practices have seen over a 40% decrease in their school suspension rates and over a 50% decrease in office referrals. The systemic implementation of these strategies across the State will revolutionize and revitalize the school disciplinary system in Maryland and make our State one of the first in the country to enact a statewide restorative practices discipline model.
Click HERE to read the full text of the legislation.
Funding New Economic Development
As you know, neighborhoods inside the Capital Beltway have significant community and economic development needs that require new investments to expand revitalization opportunities.
To support development in this area, I established the National Capital Economic Development Fund to revitalize commercial and residential properties within the Capital Beltway. This year, over $22 million has been allocated in the State budget to fund identical programs in Baltimore City. As the communities inside the Capital Beltway have similar mixed-income, mixed-use development needs, I can assure you that I will be working to allocate such funding for our program in the next Legislative Session.
Click HERE to read the full text of the legislation.
Responding to the Citizen’s United Decision
Since the Citizens United decision, I know that one of the top concerns of residents in our District has been the influence of money in politics.
To reduce the influence of dark money in our elections, I was the lead sponsor of legislation that will require Super PACS to disclose their donors. Currently, Super PACs outside of Maryland have been able to spend millions of dollars to influence and “buy” our elections without disclosing their donors. By strengthening disclosure requirements, my legislation will ensure that individuals donating millions to Super PACs influencing elections in Maryland can no longer shield their identities. Ultimately, we need to overturn Citizens United, but until then, I will work hard to stop outside organizations from influencing our elections.
Click HERE to read the full text of the legislation.
Banning Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking)
Two years ago, the General Assembly passed a moratorium on the practice of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in our State.
Since we passed the moratorium, we have heard presentations from numerous public health officials, local businesses, and environmental experts on the dangers of fracking. Based on their warning, I was proud to support a permanent ban on fracking this year. We know that no regulations can eliminate fracking’s potential to cause water contamination, air pollution and earthquakes, all of which have occurred to varying degrees in states where fracking currently takes place.
Click HERE to read the full text of the legislation.
Supporting Our Immigrant Communities
Through executive actions regarding the building of a boarder wall and enacting a travel ban, one of the first targets of the new Administration has been our immigrant communities.
As our District is home to numerous immigrants, we cannot let policies of discrimination and hate go unchallenged. This year, I was proud to stand with our immigrant communities and vote to support the Maryland Trust Act. While this bill ultimately stalled in the MD Senate, this critical legislation would have clarified that a judicial warrant is required for law enforcement to transfer someone to ICE and reinforced that law enforcement officers cannot ask people about their immigration or citizenship status. I can assure you that I will strongly advocate for the Trust Act again next year and continue to prioritize the protection of our immigrant communities.
Click HERE to read the full text of the legislation.
Preserving Affordable Health Care
Another target of the new Administration has been the Affordable Care Act.
Repealing this law would cause 430,000 Marylanders, including 60,000 children, to lose their health coverage. Additionally, losing expanded Medicaid could cost our State $1.4 billion. As our Governor refused reaffirm that health care is a right that should be afforded to all Marylanders, I was proud to vote for legislation that will establish the Maryland Health Insurance Coverage Protection Commission. This body will ensure that, if the Affordable Care Act is ever repealed, the residents of our State will not lose access to affordable health coverage.
Click HERE to read the full text of the legislation.
Empowering Our Attorney General
Currently, Maryland is one of just a few states where the Attorney General needs the approval of the Governor to file lawsuits against the federal government.
As our Governor has remained silent on the numerous Executive Actions taken by the President that have put our immigrant communities, our environment, and our economy at risk, I strongly supported the Maryland Defense Act, which authorizes our Attorney General to file lawsuits against the federal government without the approval of the Governor.
Click HERE to read the full text of the legislation.