Latest news with #Guzzone
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Political notes: Lawmakers get a pat on the back, Kamonjoh, Thomas get new jobs, more
House Appropriations chair Ben Barnes (D-Prince George's and Anne Arundel) and Senate Budget and Taxation Chair Guy Guzzone discuss the budget with reporters during the 2025 legislative session. (Photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters) Who says being a lawmaker is a thankless job? The Arc Maryland said thanks to four lawmakers Thursday, recognizing them at the Arc Maryland's 65th Convention and Awards banquet for their part in clawing back nearly $300 million in proposed cuts to the Developmental Disabilities Administration. Budget and Taxation Chair Guy Guzzone (D-Howard), Appropriations Chair Ben Barnes (D- Prince George's and Anne Arundel), Sen. Cory McCray (D-Baltimore City) and Del. Emily Shetty (D-Montgomery) were each given a Legislator of the Year award Thursday at the Arc Maryland's 65th Convention and Awards banquet. As chairs of committees that create the state budget, Guzzone and Barnes were influential in restoring millions in funding back to the DDA, which oversees the services for people with developmental disabilities, after Gov. Wes Moore (D) initially proposed $457 million in cuts for the 2026 budget citing unsustainable growth and costs. Much of the work to restore almost $300 million to the agency occurred in budget subcommittees in the respective chambers, with McCray leading the effort in the Health and Human Services subcommittee and Shetty leading the Health and Social Services subcommittee. 'This was a heck of a year – one that we would not like to be repeated,' Guzzone said in accepting his award. It was a grueling session for advocates in the developmental disabilities community. Hundreds of people with disabilities, their families and support staff rallied in Annapolis against the hefty cuts, and significant lobbying efforts continued throughout session. Guzzone recognized the persistent lobbying from the developmental disability community this session as 'inspiring' and an example of democracy at work. 'I am just touched by the fact that all of you keep telling your stories, bringing them to the legislature,' he said 'And there are others in the legislature who really stepped up.' 'This was a session when we needed all hands on deck,' he said. 'The team of people who came together who said, 'No way, we're not going to let this happen. We're going to work with the administration to make this thing — this enormous amount of money — we're going to figure out a way to deal with it.'' Teresa Thomas, who designed and led a neurodiversity internship program at MITRE and supported pilot neurodiversity hiring programs at federal agencies, is joining Melwood Community Services to lead and expand its abilIT initiative, the organization announced last week. CONTACT US The abilIT program bridges the gap between people with disabilities and careers in information technology (IT) and cybersecurity, with free training for eligible individuals to help them get industry-recognized certifications, and foll0w-up help finding an IT-related job . As director, Thomas will drive the expansion of the program, which recently won an $8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to take the program nationwide. According to a Melwood news release announcing the appointment, Thomas has spent nearly a decade in neurodivergent talent recruiting and retentio. She has led and trained teams in neurodiversity-focused best practices, co-authored influential works on the topic – including the Neurodiversity@Work Playbook: Federal Edition – and is a parent to an adult on the autism spectrum. 'Teresa Thomas is a passionate advocate for neuroinclusive workplaces, having facilitated employment for neurodiverse individuals across industries in the U.S. and globally. She is the ideal leader for Melwood's abilIT program, and we're thrilled to welcome her expertise and dedication,' said Melwood President & CEO Larysa Kautz. 'I'm honored to lead the abilIT team and contribute to a transformative program that changes lives by preparing adults with disabilities for rewarding careers in a high-demand sector of our economy,' Thomas said in the Melwood release. The abilIT program addresses critical challenges: high underemployment and unemployment rates among neurodivergent and disabled adults, the growing demand for IT and tech talent, and the need for a cohesive national solution. To learn more about abilIT or to apply for the program visit Edward Kamonjoh, who was recently director of impact management at Calvert Research and Management, was named last week as the Maryland State Retirement and Pension System's next senior corporate governance manager. Kamonjoh will 'oversee the strategic execution of the System's governance program, including proxy voting, the integration of material environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors into investment due diligence, and board-level engagement initiatives,' according to an agency release announcing the appointment. 'Edward's appointment signals a deepened commitment by the System to uphold leading governance practices, informed engagement and responsible stewardship across our investment operations,' State Treasurer Dereck E. Davis, chair of the SRPS Board of Trustees, said in the release. 'We are confident that his global perspective and policy fluency will enhance our governance framework in meaningful and measurable ways.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Kamonjoh has more than two decades of corporate governance and investment experience. At Calvert Research and Management, part of Morgan Stanley Investment Management, he designed and led a landmark impact stewardship program, according to the SRPS release. He has also worked at Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS), The 50/50 Climate Project and Climate Safe Lending. In his new role, he will advise the system's chief investment officer and the board of trustees, he will be responsible for implementing a proxy voting program, include ESG — environmental, social and governance — into investment considerations, and will represent SRPS with corporate issuers, regulatory bodies and policy organizations. 'Edward's industry experience and passion for principled investing make him uniquely equipped to guide the System through an evolving governance landscape,' said Comptroller Brooke Lierman, vice chair of the SRPS board and chair of the investment committee. 'His leadership will help ensure our governance program not only reflects the highest standards but also delivers on our long-term investment and fiduciary goals.' Kamonjoh officially began his job Wednesday, when he was introduced at the SRPS Board of Trustees meeting. Maryland State Retirement Agency Chief Investment Officer Andrew Palmer has been named to Blueprint Capital Advisors' 2025 'Power100' list as a leading allocator among institutional investors. The Power 100 is a nonprofit enterprise designed 'to shine a spotlight on alternative investment organizations, professionals and investors that are high performing, impacting the industry and narrowing societal gaps related to wealth, health, education, and other areas important to us all.' 'This recognition speaks to the work of our investment team and the broader mission of the Maryland State Retirement Agency,' Palmer said in a release from the retirement agency. 'It's gratifying to see how our investment strategy not only secures the long-term retirement benefits of our members but also contributes meaningfully to the future of the investment industry.' It is the second consecutive year Palmer has been named to the Power 100. Under his guidance, the agency said, the investment division has consistently pursued innovative strategies while staying grounded in the fiduciary responsibilities owed to Maryland's public employees and retirees. 'Andy's recognition is a reflection of the values we prioritize at SRA: integrity, long-term thinking, and a commitment to the public good,' said SRA Executive Director Martin Noven. 'We're proud that our investment program is not only producing strong results for members, but also serving as a model for principled, inclusive leadership in the broader investment community.' The list also features other prominent state pension systems, including CalSTRS, the New York State Common Retirement Fund, and the Employees' Retirement System of Hawaii. A full list of the 2025 Power 100 honorees is available at
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Bill creating abortion grant fund for under- and uninsured gains momentum in House, Senate
Sen. Guy Guzzone (D-Howard) sponsors SB 848, which would create a new grant fund to help extend abortion access across the state. Comptroller Brooke Lierman, in blue, was among the supporters. (Photo by Danielle J. Brown/Maryland Matters) The Maryland Health Department could soon have access to millions of dollars in unspent insurance funds that it hopes to use to fund abortions for uninsured and underinsured Marylanders. That is the goal of legislation gaining momentum this week in House and Senate committees: Giving the state access to about $25 million in premium surcharges that were required as part of the federal Affordable Care Act but have not been spent down. The House Health and Government Operations on Wednesday passed House Bill 930 on party lines and sent it to the full House. The Senate Finance Committee took testimony Thursday on Senate Bill 848, including testimony from Budget and Tax Committee Chair Guy Guzzone (D-Howard), a lawmaker who is not known for carrying reproductive rights legislation. 'It's probably pretty unusual for you to see me here on an abortion bill — because I'm just the numbers guy. I just do budget,' Guzzone said in testimony Thursday. 'But this is about money. I was interested in the fact that it's about some money that's sort of locked up right now.' That money is the $1-a-month fee that insurers in the ACA marketplace are required to collect on every policy, to fund abortion services for their policyholders. But that fund has been growing by about $3 million as collections have outpaced need. The House and Senate bills would create the Public Health Abortion Grant Program Fund, administered by state Health Department. It would collect the leftover insurance funds every year, which would be used to issue grants to providers to help cover abortions for underinsured or uninsured Marylanders. While he got involved because of the numbers, Guzzone assured that he supports access to abortion as well. 'I support it. And because I support it, I don't like to see money left on the table,' he said. Guzzone was flanked by a panel of women supporting the legislation, including Comptroller Brooke Lierman (D). The Maryland Department of Health and the Office of the Attorney General also support the measure. Also present Thursday were reproductive rights advocates and abortion providers. 'The truth is, the true cost of abortion care coverage is mere pennies on the dollar, leaving a significant portion of these funds untouched,' Lierman said. Passing SB848 would take money that is just collecting dust and allow it to be used to issue grants to providers to help cover care for underinsured or uninsured Marylanders and ensure that those dollars are 'used for their intended purpose,' Lierman said. Laura Bogley, executive director for Maryland Right to Life, sees the bill differently and says it 'targets poor and underinsured women and their babies for abortion violence.' 'This bill uses insurance premiums from insured women to abort the children of uninsured women,' Bogley said in her testimony. 'This not only increases health care costs for all, but it also infringes on our First Amendment rights of freedom of speech and free exercise of religion.' This is the second year abortion-rights advocates have tried to tap the ACA fund, but neither the House nor the Senate version got out of committee last year. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Then-Sen. Ariana Kelly (D-Montgomery) sponsored the Senate bill last year. But that measure also proposed using the ACA dollars to help boost security for reproductive health centers. Providers at the time reported increased levels of harassment from people who are opposed to abortions. But there were questions as to whether the fund could be used for such purposes under federal law. That bill, like its House companion, faltered and never left committee. Robyn Elliott on behalf of the Women's Law Center of Maryland, confirmed Thursday that the ACA dollars cannot be used to boost security at reproductive health centers, which is why this year's bills are narrower — and, so far, more successful, House Bill 930, sponsored by Del. Lesley Lopez (D-Montgomery), has been sent to the full House, but it will not be heard on the floor until at least next week. 'You might remember that we tried very hard to see if there was some flexibility,' Elliott told the Finance Committee. 'We learned through this process that it was crystal clear that it had to be for direct services.'
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Senate warns of $500 million more in budget cuts, ahead of likely ‘disastrous' federal action
Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) said lawmakers are attempting to craft a state budget even as they expect cuts to federal aid before the end of the 2025 legislative session. (Photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters) Senate leaders said the legislature is preparing for as much as $500 million in additional cuts to an already strapped fiscal 2026 budget, as they brace for federal reductions and look to rework Gov. Wes Moore's tax proposals. 'We do believe in the next couple of weeks we will get a better picture as to the extent of the, honestly, disastrous cuts that are likely going to be shifted to the states ahead of the March 14 shutdown date,' Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) said during a weekly meeting with reporters. Ferguson said he is hopeful that when other state start seeing cuts from a Republican-controlled White House and Congress, 'be it Medicaid, FEMA, public education —that they speak to their congressional representatives and explain the pain that would be ahead for cost shifts. But we don't know where that's going to land yet, and so that's a big uncertainty.' In addition to uncertainty about the federal budget, Senate Budget and Taxation Chair Guy Guzzone (D-Howard) said fiscal committees in the House and Senate are looking for $200-$500 million in cuts to offset likely changes to unpopular parts of the governor's budget. 'Some of it will be a backfill of cuts that have already been made that we disagree with that are in the governor's budget,' Guzzone said in an interview. 'Some of it will be some changes in the tax policies.' Guzzone said lawmakers in both chambers are interested in restoring cuts Moore made to mental health, the Victims of Crime Act and cancer research. The are also trying to restore $235 million in cuts to the Developmental Disabilities Administration. 'There are things that we have very common beliefs in,' Guzzone said. 'We see it as our responsibility.' Guzzone said lawmakers are also set on altering Moore's plan to eliminate itemized deduction in income taxes — a key element of his effort to clear what was already projected to be a $3 billion budget deficit for the coming year. 'There's a middle-class component — although a higher middle-class component — that is still of concern to people, particularly in the overall context of inflation, energy prices and mortgage rates,' Guzzone told Maryland Matters. 'You put all that together and we're very, very sensitive to thinking about how Marylanders, at multiple income levels, are surviving right now and whether or not they're thriving.' When asked about possible changes to the governor's tax plan, Moore spokesperson Carter Elliott said in a prepared statement Friday eveninig that the governor 'will continue to work in partnership with the dedicated leaders of the General Assembly to pass a balanced budget that makes Maryland safer, more affordable, more competitive.' Moore in January proposed a revamping of the state tax code that he said would cut taxes for roughly six in 10 taxpayers. Those taxpayers would get an additional $173 on average, according to a report earlier this month from the Board of Revenue Estimates. The board said nearly two in 10 would pay more — $1,458 more on average — and high-income taxpayers would pay $20,800 more on average. The board also warned that eliminating itemized deductions would mean higher taxes even for those 'with modest income.' Moore's plan also adds a 1% surcharge on capital gains for high earners — which the board described as 'volatile' source of revenue. The board has become more cautious in the recent past about projecting capital gains revenue, and has urged lawmakers to keep expectations modest because of volatility in capital gains. 'The proposal on net shifts tax burdens to a smaller number of high-income taxpayers who have a greater share of volatile nonwage income,' board Chair Robert Rehrmann wrote in a Feb. 6 letter to state Budget Secretary Helene Grady and Department of Legislative Services Executive Director Victoria Gruber. Rehrmann said the surcharge on capital gains means revenues 'will increase more in good years and grow more slowly or decline by a greater amount in recessions and/or stock market corrections. As such, the revenue gained from the proposed changes likely will vary from year-to-year as we go from booms to busts.' Guzzone said he and others are concerned that eliminating itemization will create a disincentive to donate to charities who fill gaps in government services. When asked if there is a chance the governor's plan could be shelved this session, Guzzone said lawmakers 'may end up there easily.' 'If nothing else, by nature, legislative bodies tend to be more slow moving, more deliberative,' he said. 'I tend to be that myself. I'm not one to jump into things quickly.' Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has moved quickly to act on his campaign promise to slash the federal workforce, which could cut into 'exrevenues for Maryland, with its high number of federal workers. The Republican-controlled Congress could follow suit with budget proposals in the coming weeks, further complicating Maryland's budget picture. Lawmakers will get an updated look at revenue projections when the Board of Revenue Estimates meets March 6, its last meeting before the April 7 end of the legislative session. A week after that meeting, the federal government could shut down, when a continuing budget resolution expires March 13. Democratic lawmakers in Annapolis believe at this point that a government shutdown is more likely than not. The uncertainty has scrambled the schedule for the budget: Instead of the House sending the budget to the Senate by March 5, that handoff has now been pushed back to March 18 or means lawmakers will likely miss a March 31 deadline to complete the budget, triggering an automatic letter from the governor ordering the General Assembly to stay in session until a budget is done. Ferguson downplayed that scenario, saying such orders are not unusual. 'That is a mandatory message. It always causes a lot of angst,' Ferguson said earlier this week. 'We are making a note: That message will come out this year, but it is anticipated, and we're adjusting and accounting for it in the budget now, so that we can figure out what happens after March 13 at the federal level, and try — to the degree feasible — to take that into account.' He called it 'exceedingly, exceedingly unlikely' at this point that the General Assembly will have to remain in session past April 7, its scheduled last day for 2025. But a government shutdown as the session ends could change things. 'It's hard to predict anything right now given the level of uncertainty that's out there,' Ferguson said. 'I can't imagine us extending session. I think we'll have a general idea of where things stand in the case the shutdown is still going on for weeks and weeks. We may have to readjust at a different time in the year.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE There is growing talk of a special session later this year to address budget issues, possibly before the federal fiscal year starts on Oct. 1. Before then, the Board of Public Works — consisting of the governor, the comptroller and state treasurer — has the ability to cut up to 25% of the budget. The last two governors — Larry Hogan (R) and Martin O'Malley (D) — used the board to make budget cuts during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Great Recession, respectively. The board in July approved nearly $150 million in changes to the current budget, which Moore characterized at the time as cuts. Reductions then in some areas of the budget were used to offset higher-than-expected costs to Medicaid and other programs. Guzzone said House and Senate lawmakers have adjusted the budget schedule to allow the House 'to hear or receive the results of what may happen' with a possible government shutdown. 'Obviously, that could dramatically change everything in one second.' Guzzone and others are hoping the change will give decision-makers the time and information, 'whether or not it becomes a government shutdown or not.' 'We hope we will at least be able to glean some information from the intent that's implied, if there is a new CR [continuing resoution], to what will be happening in the future.,' he said.
