Political notes: A sobering maternal health report, a project to celebrate, a time to step down
Acting Prince George's County Executive Tara Jackson, left, alongside U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Maryland) outside the Wayne K. Curry Administration Building on Wednesday. (Photo by William J. Ford/Maryland Matters)
U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Maryland) came back home to Prince George's County on Wednesday morning to participate in a groundbreaking ceremony for a new Civic Plaza near the Wayne K. Curry Administration Building in Largo.
The project, scheduled for completion in December, calls for an enclosed dog park, a playground and an area for community events. It's one of five planned near the county's four Metrorail Blue Line stations, and the first ever with the Maryland Stadium Authority, which will invest $400 million. Alsobrooks was part of the negotiations to secure the funding committed in the 2022 General Assembly session.
'I think the lesson for all of us in this is that Prince George's County is a sure economic driver, not only for Prince George's County, but that we are so important to the state and to the region. And so goes Prince George's County, the truth is, so goes the rest of the state,' Alsobrooks to dozens attending.
Alsobrooks joined acting County Executive Tara H. Jackson, several state and county officials and residents.for the ceremony, including at least four councilmembers: Council Chair Edward Burroughs III, Council Vice Chair Krystal Oriadha, At-Large Councilmember Calvin Hawkins and Councilmember Wala Blegay, whose district includes the project site.
After thanking those who pushed to revitalize communities on the Blue Line corridor from Largo to Capitol Heights, Blegay asked Burroughs and Oriadha to join her at the podium. Oriadha took the opportunity to say 'the baton' will be passed to new leadership after June's special election to select a new county executive between Prince George's State's Attorney Aisha Braveboy (D) and GOP nominee Jonathan White.
Acting Prince George's County executive vows 'to keep the trains running'
The seat came open when Alsobrooks, the former executive, was elected to the Senate last fall and Jackson, the county's chief administrative officer, stepped in to fill the seat on an interim basis. Oriadha, Blegay and Burroughs supported Braveboy who ran against Hawkins and others in a crowded special primary last month.
'What I hope to see when we pass the baton … is that we can trust the vision to keep on going here in Prince George's County, and for us to see the growth that we deserve,' Oriadha said, before thanking 'every leader for handing the baton to the next one and allowing us to get here today to break ground on what I think will be an amazing start to developing the Blue Line corridor.'
In the meantime, Alsobrooks called it 'a tough time' for Maryland with the Trump administration laying off thousands of federal workers who reside in the state and freezing already-approved funding for agencies, many of which are headquartered in the state.
'It has been extremely, very difficult time, but we're working,' she said in a brief interview after the ceremony. 'I'm going to be working with others to ensure that Maryland's assets are protected and that we continue to grow investment in every corner of our state.'
Montgomery County had a fetal mortality rate of 5.4% between 2017 to 2021, but that number masks wide racial disparities on maternal health, according to a nearly 200-page report from the county's Office of Legislative Oversight titled 'Racial Disparities in Maternal and Infant Health Outcomes.'
Fetal mortality among Blacks was nearly 8%, compared to 5.2% for Latinx, 4.3% for whites and 3.5% for Asians. Blacks accounted for the highest percentage of preterm births, at 10.1%, compared to 7.5% of whites, 8.4% of Asians and 9.8% of Latinx.
At-Large Councilmember Laurie-Anne Sayles (D), who commissioned the report, will discuss it at a news conference at 12:30 p.m. Thursday at the Montgomery County Council Office Building.
'Montgomery County is one of the healthiest counties in the United States, yet we are still rife with inequities, particularly for our mothers and babies,' Sayles said in a statement. 'There is no acceptable reason for racial inequities in health care. Implementing equitable healthcare strategies is crucial to addressing maternal and infant health disparities so that every resident can lead fulfilling, safe, healthy, and happy lives.'
The report comes ahead of Black Maternal Health Week that begins Friday and runs through April 17. It was established and is led by Black Mamas Matter Alliance that's comprised of organizations and individuals from across the country.
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The report also highlights racial disparities in certain areas of the county. While District 5 area has the highest percentage of Blacks in the county, for example, it has the second-fewest maternal health care providers, with 41 out of the 387 total.
In a maternal health care report released last year, Maryland showed slight improvement, and ranked among the top 10 states, but still only got a grade of C.
Two bills that passed the legislature this year aim to improve the situation. Senate Bill 94 and House Bill 553, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Ellis (D-Charles) and Del. Deni Taveras (D-Prince George's), respectively, will provide home blood pressure monitors to those in the Maryland Medical Assistance Program.
Eligible recipients are those who are pregnant or postpartum, or have been diagnosed with a chronic kidney disease, diabetes, heart disease or cardiometabolic disease. The program is slated to begin Jan. 1, 'subject to the limitations of the state budget and as permitted by federal law…'
Steven Kroll, who prosecuted cases in all of Maryland's 24 jurisdictions and was a frequent visitor to Annapolis during legislative sessions, will retire from his job as \state's attorney coordinator and executive director of the Maryland State's Attorney's Association on Sept. 1.
'It is time for me to join my wife spending time with our grandchildren and children,' he said in a statement Monday. 'I want to thank everyone for your support over these past fourteen years. I want to assure you that I will be here to help with a smooth transition. It has been my honor to serve the MSAA.'
Kroll has been diplomatic, but not shy when he's testified before legislative committees on various legal topics. Last year, before the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, he cited the Apple TV series 'The Bear' while testifying against legislation to create a statewide policy to collect data that would assess the policies and procedures of Maryland's 24 state's attorney's offices.
'For those who haven't seen that, I welcome you to see that,' he said. 'That will be a train wreck, a bus wreck and a plane wreck all together. So please remove the public defender to avoid any future confrontation.'
Since he's still on the clock, Kroll summarized association wins in the 2025 lesreceived some legislative victories from this year's session.Two bills approved – Senate Bill 274 and House Bill 293 – alter a certain requirement for victims of child abuse to testimony in criminal procedures.
One provision outlined if a child 'testifies by closed circuit television, the testimony shall be given within the courthouse in a setting that the court finds will reasonable mitigate the likelihood that the child victim will suffer emotional distress.' The lead sponsors are House Minority Whip Jesse Pippy (R-Frederick) and Sen. Sara Love (D-Montgomery).
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