Political notes: A new senator, an old tradition and an ongoing dispute
Sen. Carl Jackson (D-Baltimore County) gives a few remarks after being sworn in to the Senate on Wednesday. (Photo by William J. Ford/Maryland Matters)
The Maryland Senate is now at full strength for the first time since the start of the General Assembly session.
Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) administered the oath of office Wednesday to Sen. Carl Jackson (D-Baltimore County), who fills the District 8 seat that had been held for 22 years by Kathy Klausmeier (D) until she was appointed Baltimore County executive last month.
Ferguson said Senate staff was checking with state historians to see if Jackson was the first senator ever to take office on the same day as a State of the State address. Jackson's swearing-in took place about an hour before Gov. Wes Moore (D) delivered his speech to a joint session of the House and Senate.
'I'm so excited for this new journey in life,' Jackson said after taking his oath. 'I'm ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work.'
Jackson, who had been a member of the House, is the third replacement senator to be appointed to a vacancy in the Senate since the start of the year. He joins new Sens. Shaneka Henson (D-Anne Arundel) and Dalya Attar (D-Baltimore City), both of whom also served in the House of Delegates before being elevated to the Senate.
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Henson's replacement in the House, Dylan Behler (D), is scheduled to be sworn in Thursday.
The Baltimore City Democratic Central Committee is accepting applications through Feb. 17 to fill Attar's old House seat in District 41. It is scheduled to interview applicants and vote to recommend a replacement on Feb. 20.
The Baltimore County Democratic Central Committee has yet to announce a timeline for filling Jackson's old House seat in District 8.
Members of the disability community said they were disappointed Wednesday that Gov. Wes Moore's State of the State speech did not address his plan to cut funding for the Developmental Disabilities Administration, a proposal advocates bitterly oppose.
Moore used the speech as an opportunity to broadly explain what he believes are the benefits of some of his more controversial budget proposals, such as tax reform and changes to the Blueprint for Maryland's Future, and why they're necessary to consider in the tight budget year.
But he did not take the chance to have the hard conversation on why he plans to cut $200 million from the state agency that oversees services for Marylanders with disabilities and their families. The administratino has said the department is facing unsustainable growth that must be reined in for the health of the budget.
The Maryland Association of Community Services said in a statement after Moore's speech that the proposed cuts, which would reduce certain provider wages and tighten flexibility of certain programs, would be 'devastating' to the community.
'Today, our community has never been more fearful, with the damage that will be done to the lives of 18,000 Marylanders with disabilities,' Laura Howell, CEO of MACS, said in the statement.
Moore's only direct reference to the disability community was a bill proposal that pushes employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
'This year, we are helping to make Maryland a model employer by ensuring that Marylanders with disabilities can get hired and build fulfilling careers,' Moore said.
Even that fell flat with Howell, who said the proposed $200 million cut could undermine the goal of the bill.
'With the budget cuts, community providers will face challenges to provide the support that many will need to reach their full employment potential,' Howell said Wednesday in a text message. 'We did not hear any other parts of the address that would have directly spoken to disability issues.'
The State of the State address comes just days after the developmental disabilities community gathered on Lawyers Mall to protest the cuts to the DDA – a rally that brought in over 1,000 participants to Annapolis, according to MACS.
Before Moore delivered his annual State of the State address, the traditional escorts took place to the House of Delegates chamber.
First, Dels. Ashanti Martinez (D-Prince George's) and April Miller (R-Frederick) led the senators from their chamber across the hall to the House chamber. A few minutes later, Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller (D) was escorted from the second floor by Dels. Julie Palakovich Carr (D-Montgomery) and Chris Tomlinson (R-Frederick and Carroll).
Then Moore was escorted by several legislators, while arm-in-arm with Sen. Joanne C. Benson and Del. Diana Fennell, both Prince George's County Democrats.
'Hi, everyone!' Benson yelled to visitors standing inside the State House lobby in Annapolis.
Moore waved and acknowledged those visitors, who included high school students from across the state who had no idea they would see the governor Wednesday.
The students toured the State House to learn about state government history and how it works as part of Youth Congress Day organized by Maryland Business Roundtable for Education.
'It's nice to see the governor in person. He's such a vital person, a big person in government and very well known,' said Maynor Flores, 17, a high school senior in Baltimore City. 'I might not have said hello and introduced myself to him, but I know he saw me.'
A few steps from the House chamber door, Moore shook hands with a few people. One person yelled, 'Baltimore County Democratic State Central Committee's happy to see you.'
'Happy to see you, too,' Moore replied.
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