For Immediate Release: Tuesday, April 13, 2021
Rockville, Md., April 13, 2021— The Montgomery County Council issued the following statement today recognizing and thanking the members of the Montgomery County Delegation for their work during the 2021 legislative session of the Maryland General Assembly.
“The Council recognizes the far-reaching and important work done by the Montgomery County Delegation in Annapolis this year. We thank them for the late nights and long hours spent coming together to approve a $52.4 billion budget as well as a coordinated plan to spend more than $3.9 billion in federal stimulus funds for COVID-19 recovery, which included $600 million to reopen schools, $500 million to improve infrastructure and $10 million for telework.
“We appreciate that the budget includes $125.8 million in capital projects in Montgomery County, including $43.8 million in construction funding for Montgomery County Public Schools, $13.6 million for capital needs at Montgomery College, $20.8 million for parks, recreation and land preservation and $6 million for Bus Rapid Transit.
"Early in the session, the Delegation also took action to reinstate the Blueprint for Maryland's Future Act, which is the phased, multi-year plan that provides $4 billion in annual state and county spending above current education funding formulas and projections by 2030. This action also triggered the immediate enactment of the Built to Learn Act, which clears the way for hundreds of millions of dollars for school improvements across the state.
“We also congratulate the Delegation for enacting a landmark package of police reform bills to produce greater transparency and accountability in policing. One of the essential elements of this package is the repeal of Maryland’s Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights which is often used as a shield to protect officers from charges of misconduct on the job or disciplinary actions.
“The Delegation also provided financial relief to some of our neediest community members by expanding the Maryland Earned Income Tax Credit for residents who pay taxes using individual taxpayer identification numbers who were initially ineligible to apply for this tax credit and other forms of financial assistance solely because they lacked a social security number.
“A significant piece of legislation that will help our community meet its climate change goals is the Community Choice Energy (CCE) Bill. Montgomery County is committed to transitioning to 100 percent renewable energy by 2035, and a robust CCE program is needed to get the job done.
"Another important new Maryland law is the Dignity Not Detention Act, which prohibits the state or any local jurisdiction from entering into contracts for the purpose of detaining immigrants and requires the termination of any existing contracts. It also prevents zoning changes that are often required to create these detention facilities.
"Additional highlights from the session include new laws to help close the digital divide by enhancing incentives and creating opportunities for broadband deployment across the state, allowing the extension of direct-to-consumer alcohol delivery which has helped alcohol producers make it through the pandemic, advancing efforts to expand the well-being of our young people by lowering the age of mental health consent to 12 years old and scrapping the pro-Confederate state song “Maryland, My Maryland!”.
“Governing during a pandemic is not easy, and our dedicated team in Annapolis rose to meet every challenge. We are grateful for their leadership and partnership, as we continue working together to support our more than one million Montgomery County residents.”
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