Hopeful to Move Maryland Forward
McCray Messenger
March 2017, v.2
The past three legislative sessions that I have had the honor of representing the 45th Legislative District, I entered the same way: hopeful. Hopeful to share a vision for a more economically fair, more just, more inclusive Maryland; and equally hopeful that my colleagues will join me in the effort to make that vision, reality. Sometimes I am successful – in this session six bills that I introduced have been passed by the House of Delegates and are awaiting action in the State Senate. Sometimes I am not. However, the one thing that remains the same is my hope that little-by-little we can move our State forward.
EmPOWERing Apprentices
I am proud of the fact that House Bill 467 passed its second reading on Saturday, March 18, 2017.
House Bill 467, the Providing Our Workers Education and Readiness Act (POWER Act), will help to strengthen Maryland’s workforce. The POWER Act applies to recipients of one million ($1,000,000) or more dollars from the State Capital budget who appropriate $500,000 or more to a general contractor or sub-contractor for construction services. It requires recipients to either utilize apprentices registered with the Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation (DLLR), make payments to a Maryland registered apprenticeship program, or make payments to the Maryland Apprenticeship Training Fund.
The State of Maryland currently appropriates 163 capital grants valued at $1,000,000 or more per grant. Those 163 capital grants total nearly a half-billion dollars, $488,789,000 to be exact. Many of these capital projects do not have accountability requirements or apprenticeship standards. Maryland’s workforce and taxpayers deserve both. The POWER Act ensures that the monies already appropriated by the State of Maryland work more efficiently and effectively by creating accountability requirements.
Also, expanding the number of projects that use registered apprentices adds structure for both employers and employees in the trades. Under current law, DLLR and the Department of Labor provide guidelines and standards that must be met for skills development, worker protection, and labor standards that safeguard the welfare of participating apprentices. This system creates a better work environment for all parties involved.
Commercial Rail made Safer for Our Neighborhoods
House Bill 381 cleared the House of Delegates and is waiting for a vote in the Senate. The bill requires commercial freight trains that utilize passenger rail lines to maintain at least a two-person crew.
Securing passage for this bill was truly a David and Goliath story. CSX and its high-powered lobbyists were able to defeat similar versions of this bill when I introduced it the past two sessions. However, we were able to prevail this time – helping to make our neighborhoods safer.
Legislative Accomplishments in the House
House Bill 9 was passed and is awaiting action in the Senate. This bill will create a more efficient allocation of Baltimore City Police Department resources among the districts. This bill requires the Baltimore City Police Commissioner put forth a plan every 10 years to evaluate the boundaries, resources, population, response time, and service calls for all nine police districts
House Bill 44 was also passed by the House of Delegates. This bill will give ground rent holders the opportunity to provide email and phone number information on their ground rent registration form.
House Bill 76 is still waiting for the Senate to take action. This bill will facilitate transparency by making public the allocation of school construction funding. The goal is to ensure that each dollar is spent in an equitable way. This bill will require the school system to score the condition of roofs, windows, heating, and all other major components of each school building and to make their findings public.
House Bill 167 is also waiting on a vote in the Senate. This bill authorizes local jurisdictions to, at their discretion, create residency requirements for local government employees who serve in a supervisory capacity and are not represented by a collective bargaining agreement.
While I am proud of the legislative accomplishments that I sponsored, I am also proud of the work some of my colleagues have been able to accomplish in the House. Whether it is the Paid Sick Leave bill, the Ban on Fracking, or the state promising to fund Planned Parenthood in light of the federal cuts to that program, I believe we can look back on this session and find some areas of real progress.
Budgetary Notes
If you have paid even scant attention to the news in the City of Baltimore, you would know that Baltimore City Public Schools currently faces a significant budget deficit. Colloquially called “the gap” advocates from around the city have called for state assistance to fully fund our students’ education. In response, I am proud to say that the House of Delegates has passed a budget which secures funding for “the gap.”
The House budget also resolves the structural deficit for the year with a substantial amount on reserve in the Rainy Day Fund. K-12 education is fully funded, caps in-state tuition at 2%, and increases funding to community colleges. In sum, there are many things to be proud of in the House budget.
Conversations with Cory
The next Conversations with Cory will be held this Saturday, March 25, 2017. This will be the last such meeting because this legislative session is coming to an end. We are happy to announce that Jason Perkins Cohen and Ryan Dorsey will be joining us. Jason is the Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development and he will be discussing youth works and other mayoral initiatives. Councilman Dorsey will be discussing his new “complete streets” legislation.
Making News
Comcast Newsmakers recently covered my and my efforts to strengthen Apprenticeships in Maryland. House Bills 465 and 468 each attempt to do just that. House Bill 465 requires contractors and subcontractors who work on construction projects on State-owned buildings or facilities to employ registered apprentices or to at least pay their non-registered apprentices journeyworker’s level wages. House Bill 468 requires contractors and subcontractors who do work on properties leased by the State or local government to pay their workers the prevailing wage.
Newsletter
Although I regularly publish a blog and an email, my office and I also create a newsletter that highlights events from around the district. That newsletter is available in print form or it can be accessed here.
Delegate Scholarship
The application process for the Delegate Scholarship has opened. If you are a resident of the 45th legislative district and you are currently enrolled, or will be enrolled, at an institution for higher education, please email us to request a scholarship application at cory.mccray@house.state.md.us.
Listening. Learning. Leading.
Delegate, 45th Legislative District
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