End-of-Session Wrap-Up

April 15,

2009

Dear Friend:

The 426th session of the Maryland General Assembly drew to a close Monday night, and I again thank you for giving me the opportunity to represent you.  I have been honored to serve the 11th District with my teammates Bobby Zirkin, Dan Morhaim and Dana Stein.  In a dire fiscal situation, we have worked hard to reflect your priorities. To that end, this letter is designed to give a modest synopsis of some of my 2009 accomplishments and a personal perspective on the legislative session at-large.

“The person who is waiting for something to turn up might start with their shirt sleeves.” – Garth Henrichs
…
Regrettably, in this economic climate it was difficult to reach an agreement on one of my priorities — voluntary public campaign finance. The program gained real momentum when Senate President Mike Miller came out in support of the measure. Another bill that gained significant momentum was my bicycle safety bill which calls for cars to maintain a three-foot buffer when passing cyclists or pedestrians. This bill passed overwhelmingly in the Senate, but stalled in the House Environmental Matters Committee. Both of these important measures attracted a great deal of media attention, and I look forward to working towards their success next session.