Summary of Montgomery County State Delegation 2021 General Assembly Successes

For Immediate Release: Thursday, April 15, 2021

This week, the Maryland General Assembly concluded their 2021 session. Montgomery County legislators approved a $52 billion state budget and passed key legislation that addressed the state’s current COVID-19 challenges, public safety concerns, tax credit expansion and improved government oversight. Additionally, Montgomery County State legislators secured more than $125.9 million in State funding for Montgomery County capital projects.   

“On behalf of the one million residents of Montgomery County, I want to thank and appreciate the hard work of our State Delegation during the 2021 General Assembly Session,” said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. “Our Senators and Delegates not only brought much needed COVID-19 funding and support to the County but also passed historic police reform, expanded tax credits for our most vulnerable residents, and passed the Community Choice Energy legislation that will allow Montgomery County to be at the forefront of sustainability. Our legislators also secured much-needed funding for schools, transit, as well as our college and parks. This was one of the most unique and challenging General Assembly sessions in our state’s history, and we thank our Senators and Delegates for their hard work and unwavering commitment to our residents’ health, safety, and welfare.

 

                                              LEGISLATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS

COVID-19 Relief Legislation:

• Approved $3.9 billion in federal pandemic relief that will be directed toward the state’s unemployment fund, reopening schools, expanding broadband access, and improving infrastructure.
• More than 400,000 Marylanders received direct payments from a fund of over $178 million.
• $478 million allocated to expand tax credits for low-income residents.
• Repeal of state and local income taxes for 2020 and 2021 for unemployed state residents.

Public Safety and Justice Reform:

• Expansion of public information and access to disciplinary decisions of law enforcement officers.
• Abolishment of life sentences without parole for juveniles.
• Establishment of a standard compensation process for individuals wrongly imprisoned of crimes.
• Prohibiting state or local jurisdictions from contractual agreements to detain immigrants.
• Repealed the Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights. 
• Mandating body worn cameras on all law enforcement officers in the state by July 2025. 
• Passage of a statewide use-of-force policy.
• Limitations on no-knock warrants.

Environment:

• Passage of Community Choice Energy (CCE) legislation that will give Montgomery County the authority to implement an opt-out program to purchase energy on behalf of residential and small commercial electricity customers in the County. Maryland is only the ninth state in the nation to pass CCE legislation.
• $24.3 million in capital funding for environmental infrastructure.
• $6 million in capital funding for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)

Education:

• $43.5 million in capital funding for Montgomery County Public Schools and $13.6 million in capital funding for Montgomery College.
• Overrode Governor’s 2020 veto of the Kirwan Commission’s 10-year school improvement plan “Blueprint for Maryland’s Future”

Unemployment Reform:

• Required study to improve unemployment benefits system.
• Allow recipients to earn more money before their benefits are reduced.
• Ensure those unemployed find low-cost health insurance.
• Expansion of companies’ work-share program to avoid full layoffs.

Resident Assistance and Protections:

• Approved legislation allowing noncitizens to become eligible for the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit.
• Allowed Maryland voters to have mail-in ballots sent to them automatically as well as increased the amount of early voting locations across the state.
• Expanded protections for Marylanders sued over medical debt and prohibits the garnishing of wages and home liens for medical debt.
• Passage of protections for families on energy assistance are equal to or less than regulated utility rates.  

STATE FUNDS FOR MONTGOMERY COUNTY CAPITAL PROJECTS OBTAINED

Public Schools: $43,803,000 

• Belmont Elementary School                                   $622,000
• Cold Springs Elementary School                             $1,325,000
• Colonel E. Brooke Lee Middle School                       $13,043,000
• Eastern Middle School                                           $1,227,000
• Forest Oak Middle School                                       $1,255,000
• Gaithersburg Cluster Elementary School #8            $8,725,000
• Gaithersburg Middle School                                    $4,300,000
• Judith A. Resnik Elementary School                        $2,300,000
• Monocacy Elementary School                                 $1,150,000
• Montgomery Blair High School                               $968,000
• North Bethesda Middle School                               $1,005,000
• Ronald McNair Elementary School                          $975,000
• Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary School                 $1,900,000
• Thomas W. Pyle Middle School                               $295,000
• Twinbrook Elementary School                                $1,051,000
• Watkins Mill High School                                       $2,750,000
• Unallocated, Enrollment Growth and Relocatable Classrooms Funds  $912,000

Higher Education Facilities: $13,604,000 

• Montgomery College - Facilities Renewal                                               $474,000
• Montgomery College - Catherine and Isiah Leggett Math/Science Bldg.    $13,130,000

Health Facilities: $1,838,000 

• Cornerstone Montgomery, Inc.                               $457,000
• Holy Cross Health                                                 $1,092,000
• Mary's Center for Maternal and Child Care, Inc.       $289,000

Housing and Community Development: $1,500,000 

National Capital Strategic Economic Development Fund: $1,500,000 

Public Safety: $3,425,000 

• Germantown Volunteer Fire Department                    $3,250,000
• Olney Satellite Police Station and Community Facility  $175,000

Parks, Recreation, and Land Preservation: $20,819,000 

• Damascus Recreational Park                                    $225,000
• Dolores R. Miller Park                                              $20,000
• Fox Chapel Neighborhood Park                                 $150,000
• Long Branch Stream Valley Signature Bridge             $200,000
• Pepco Powerline Trail                                               $10,000,000
• Pleasant View Park                                                  $250,000
• Randolph Hills Local Park                                         $150,000
• Rockville Potomac Woods Park Playground                 $123,000
• South Germantown Recreation Park                          $150,000
• Wheaton Regional Park                                            $200,000
• Willett Branch Greenway                                          $550,000
• Program Open Space Funds:                                    $8,801,000

Environment: $24,392,000 

• Poolesville Wastewater Plant Denitrification Upgrade                      $6,189,000
• Sanitary Sewer Reconstruction - Cabin John Sewer Basin               $3,686,000
• Sanitary Sewer Reconstruction - Northwest Branch Sewer Basin     $5,279,000
• Sanitary Sewer Reconstruction - Paint Branch Sewer Basin             $2,029,000
• Sanitary Sewer Reconstruction - Rock Creek Sewer Basin               $2,955,000
• Sanitary Sewer Reconstruction - Sligo Creek Sewer Basin               $4,254,000

Transportation: $11,700,000 

• Burtonsville Commuter Parking                                                $5,000,000
• Great Seneca Highway Pedestrian Bridge                                  $250,000
• Montgomery County Route 355 Bus Rapid Transit Project           $6,000,000
• Town of Brookeville Road Improvements                                   $200,000
• White Flint Transit Station                                                       $250,000

Other Legislative Initiatives: $4,722,000 

• A Wider Circle Community Service Center                                   $50,000
• Friends House Retirement Community                                        $200,000
• Gibson Grove                                                                           $550,000
• Interfaith Works Vocational Services Center                                $350,000
• Islamic Community Center                                                        $250,000
• Ivymount School, Inc                                                                $450,000
• Jewish Foundation for Group Homes, Inc                                    $150,000
• Lincoln Park Community Center                                                 $250,000
• Madison House New Day Pavilion                                               $75,000
• Manna Food Center                                                                  $150,000
• Montgomery Community Media                                                 $100,000
• Montgomery County Homeless Youth Drop-In Center                  $65,000
• Progress Place Gazebo                                                             $30,000
• Sandy Spring Museum                                                             $100,000
• Silver Spring Artspace                                                             $285,000
• Warrior Canine Connection                                                       $1,125,000
• YMCA of Metropolitan Washington                                             $667,000

GRAND TOTAL: $125,928,000

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Media Contact: Scott Peterson, 202-277-9412