Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich applauds the Montgomery County State Delegation, the Maryland General Assembly and the administration of Governor Wes Moore and Lt. Governor Aruna Miller for their work during the 2023 General Assembly Legislative Session to pass important laws on issues such as firearm safety, abortion rights and climate control as well as securing hundreds of millions of dollars for Montgomery County. The General Assembly Legislative session ended on Monday, April 10, and it was the first for the Moore/Miller Administration, as well as for several new Delegates and Senators.
“It was clearly a different and more productive General Assembly session under the Moore/Miller Administration. They, along with the General Assembly, clearly understood the needs and priorities of all Marylanders,” said County Executive Elrich. “I want to thank and appreciate the efforts of the Montgomery County House and Senate Delegations under the leadership of Del. Palakovich-Carr and Sen. Kramer, respectively. Our delegation brought in more than one billion dollars in direct aid to Montgomery County, an eight percent increase from last year. It was also able to secure capital funding for key projects like Bus Rapid Transit, the UM Institute for Health Computing, the Bowie Mill Bike Trail, Burtonsville Park and Ride, the Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center and our high school wellness centers. I also appreciate the passage of key legislation that will invest in our students, raise the state minimum wage, combat climate change, protect abortion rights, reduce gun violence and legalize cannabis sales throughout the state. We are very grateful for all the hard work that led to these legislative accomplishments.”
Highlights of significant legislation passed that were priorities for Montgomery County:
- Combatting Climate Change: The General Assembly set requirements for vehicle manufacturers for EV vehicles beginning in 2027. The Promoting Offshore Wind Energy Resources (POWER ACT) will expand the State’s offshore wind industry after being dormant for nearly a decade.
- Firearms Safety: The General Assembly passed reforms to qualifications to legal possession of a firearm in the State, as well as the Gun Safety Act which prohibits statewide where firearms can be carried in public spaces.
- Abortion Rights: A constitutional amendment will be on the ballot next year ensure the right to an abortion in the State. Legislation was also passed to protect data privacy and ensure that the State’s public colleges and universities have plans for student access to birth control, including emergency contraception.
- Minimum Wage: Maryland’s minimum wage will increase to $15 dollars per hour starting on January1, 2024, a year earlier than previously scheduled under current law.
- Health Equity and Crisis Prevention: The General Assembly expanded procedures to gender-affirming care that are covered by the State’s Medicaid program. It also passed legislation to implement paid family medical leave and extended the coverage of telehealth by the Maryland Medical Assistance Program nonprofit health plans until June 30, 2025.
- Legalizing Cannabis Sales: Following last year’s overwhelming support on the ballot referendum to create a recreational marijuana market, the General Assembly passed legislation to allow the orderly opening of the market by creating a regulatory and taxation framework to operationalize the expansion from medical to recreational cannabis. By establishing the Office of Social Equity and Social Equity Partnership Grant Program and the Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund, the legislation seeks to ensure greater inclusion in the licensing process and additional resources to fund community-based initiatives that serve low-income communities or communities that were disproportionately harmed by the cannabis prohibition and enforcement.
Highlights of State Infrastructure and Capital Investments to Montgomery County:
Montgomery County Public Schools: $83,969,700
- Brookhaven Elementary – $3,158,000
- East Silver Spring Elementary – $469,000
- Gaithersburg Middle – $3,267,000
- Meadow Hall Elementary – $2,983,000
- Monocacy Elementary – $2,652,000
- Northwood High * – $65,103,000
- Ritchie Park Elementary – $293,000
- Rock View Elementary – $817,000
- Watkins Mill High – $3,575,000
- Westover Elementary – $692,000
- Wyngate Elementary – $358,000
- Aging Schools Program Funding – $602,700
Economic Development: $8,000,000
- Institute for Health Computing – North Bethesda – $2,000,000
- North Bethesda Redevelopment ** – $6,000,000
Environment: $18,916,000
- Linden Lane – Hazardous Substance Clean-up – $150,000
- Montgomery County Water Quality Restoration Projects – $14,350,000
- Montgomery Knolls Water Main Replacement – $4,416,000
Health Facilities: $20,408,000
- Children’s Inn at NIH, Inc – A Place Like Home Renovation – $1,400,000
- Children’s National Hospital – Tech Hill Pharmacy – $500,000
- Cornerstone Montgomery – Central Hub Renovation – $1,000,000
- Cornerstone Montgomery – Residential Rehabilitation and Crisis Programs -$575,000
- High School Wellness Centers – $1,000,000
- Holy Cross Hospital – $2,000,000
- MedStar Montgomery – Emergency Department Renovation ** – $1,350,000
- MedStar Montgomery – Intensive Care Unit – $1,000,000
- MedStar Montgomery – Orthopedic Clinic Expansion – $1,000,000
- MedStar Montgomery – Pharmacy Clean Room – $1,000,000
- Montgomery County Restoration Center ** – $6,200,000
- Respiratory Isolation for Young Patients – $271,000
- Rock Creek Foundation – $112,000
- Shady Grove Medical Center – $3,000,000
Higher Education Facilities: $10,016,000
- Montgomery College – East County Expansion ** – $2,000,000
- Montgomery College – Facilities Renewal – $323,000
- Montgomery College – Germantown – Student Services Center – $2,000,000
- Montgomery College – Rockville – Library Renovation Project – $2,169,000
- Montgomery College – Takoma Park/Silver Spring – Library Renovation ** – $3,092,000
- Universities at Shady Grove – Campus Building Improvements - $432,000
Housing and Community Development: $4,500,000
- Burtonsville Crossing Shopping Center – $2,000,000
- National Capital Strategic Economic Development Projects – $800,000
- Rockville Housing Enterprise Community Center – $200,000
- Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center – $1,000,000
- White Oak – Neighborhood Revitalization – $500,000
Libraries: $1,180,600
- Damascus Library and Senior Center Refurbishment – $500,000
- Long Branch Library Building and Site Improvements – $555,600
- Takoma Park Maryland Library and Community Center Redevelopment – $125,000
Parks, Recreation, and Land Preservation: $12,391,000
- Alim Academy Playground – $40,000
- Cabin John Regional Park – Povich Field – $800,000
- Crown Farm Historic Park – $350,000
- Dalewood Playground – $250,000
- Fairland Local Park – $250,000
- Greenwood Local Park – $250,000
- Garrett Park – New Yeandle Park – $196,000
- Kelley Park Field Lighting – $250,000
- Long Branch Parks Initiative – $250,000
- Maplewood Alta-Vista Local Park – $500,000
- Maryland SoccerPlex Renovations and Enhancements – $530,000
- McKnew Local Park – $250,000
- Montgomery County Local Public Schools Playgrounds – $1,350,000
- Muddy Branch Stream Valley Park – $200,000
- Olney Boys and Girls Club Crop Duster Stadium – $1,500,000
- Olney Boys and Girls Club Fields – $100,000
- Ovid Hazen Wells Recreational Park – $300,000
- Patuxent Trails – $100,000
- Pepco Powerline Trail Project – $1,700,000
- Pony Club Riding Surface Replacement – $500,000
- Poolesville Dillingham Skatepark Expansion – $180,000
- Potomac Community Recreation Center Outdoor Fitness Facility – $200,000
- Rock Creek Regional Park – $400,000
- South Valley Park – $1,250,000
- Stonehedge Local Park – $150,000
- Twinbrook Community Recreation Center – $350,000
- Wheaton Forest Local Park – $195,000
Public Safety: $3,129,000
- Damascus Volunteer Fire Department – $250,000
- Glen Echo Fire Department – $1,000,000
- Montgomery County Criminal Justice Complex – $1,286,000
- White Oak Readiness Center – $ 593,000
Transportation: $43,352,500
- Bethesda Market Lots 10-24 ** – $1,000,000
- Bowie Mill Bike Trail – $2,100,000
- Burtonsville Commuter Parking – $1,000,000
- Connected School Safety Beacons – $160,000
- Montgomery College Transit Center – $150,000
- Montgomery County Bus Rapid Transit Systems ** – $27,000,000
- North Bethesda Metro Station North Entrance ** – $2,600,000
- Route 29 Lighting – $2,842,500
- Route 198 – Sidewalk Improvements – $1,000,000
- Town of Brookeville – Market Street Improvements – $500,000
- Zero Emissions Buses ** – $5,000,000
Other Legislative Initiatives: $12,381,000
Grand Total $218,243,800
* Includes $13.1 million in FY 23 and FY 24 Enrollment Growth and Relocatable Classrooms (EGRC) funds
** Funding for these projects was preauthorized all or in part in the 2023 Session.
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