Latest news with #JustinReady
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Carroll lawmakers secure thousands in funding for county projects
Though the 2025 legislative session was marked by a structural deficit of more than $3 billion, tax increases and federal funding cuts, Carroll County lawmakers were able to secure thousands of dollars in funding for eight capital projects. The all-Republican delegation secured funding for these projects using its state bonding authority. In Maryland, the state bonding authority, or debt management system, involves several entities and programs that facilitate the issuance and management of bonds for various purposes. 'The resources we were able to bring back home for these important local projects are a product of outstanding teamwork and communication between our delegation and legislators on the Budget Committees in both parties,' Sen. Justin Ready of District 5 stated in a news release. 'I am glad that we were able to work together to ensure that some of these key needs in Carroll County, as well as the District 5 portion of Frederick County, were addressed.' The following projects in Carroll County received funding: • ARC of Carroll County to receive $150,000 for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction and site improvements for two new residences specifically designed to serve moderate-income individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. • Carroll County Veterans Independence Project to receive $50,000 for the acquisition, planning, design, construction and renovation of a new bathroom and laundry area at its headquarters in Westminster. • Eldersburg Elementary School to receive $25,000 for a new playground. The playground is 25 years old and the warranty has expired; many parts needed to make repairs are no longer available. The new playground will be used by almost 500 students during the school year, and children in the community outside of school hours. • Town of Mount Airy to receive $245,500 for the preservation of the Flat Iron Building. This funding is part of a multi-phase initiative with an overall cost of $1.7 million. The first phase of the project will determine critical structural and aesthetic concerns and cost $176,000. The second phase will focus on repairing and fortifying the foundation, external walls and roof. • Mount Airy Police Station to receive $100,000 for the construction of a new station. • Union Bridge Fire Company to receive $70,000 to replace heating and air conditioning units that are more than 30 years old. • Union Memorial Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8806 to receive $50,000 for a new roof. • The City of Westminster to receive $1 million for broadband infrastructure. This funding will help to bring a fiber optic network to Westminster. This includes acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation and site improvements. 'I am proud of the work that Carroll's Delegation was able to accomplish throughout this legislative session to secure funding for organizations and causes that truly represent the values of our constituents …' Del. Chris Tomlinson of District 5 said. 'Our friends and neighbors are overwhelmingly supportive of law enforcement, veterans, public education, and volunteer firefighters and EMS professionals. These projects will ensure that these organizations, entities and individuals are able to continue serving our community for years to come.' The delegation includes Ready and Dels. Eric Bouchat, April Rose and Tomlinson, all representing District 5. Sen. Chris West and Del. Josh Stonko represent District 42C. Have a news tip? Contact Sherry Greenfield at sgreenfield@ 240-315-7029.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Senate OKs Blueprint bills after debate over transgender scholastic athletes
Senate Minority Whip Justin Ready (R-Frederick and Carroll) on the Senate floor Tuesday discussing his amendment he introduced on the Blueprint for Maryland's Future bill. (Photo by William J. Ford/Maryland Matters) The Senate gave final approval Tuesday to its version of a bill making changes to the Blueprint for Maryland's Future, the state's 10-year, multibillion-dollar education reform plan. The 33-13 vote sets up a conference committee with the House, which has approved its own version of the Excellence in Maryland Public Schools Act. The Senate also amended the House bill Tuesday to mirror its own version and now sends both bills to the lower chamber. While it was largely expected, Tuesday's party-line Senate vote was delayed for almost 25 minutes while senators debated an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to add language to the House bill that would prohibit transgender females from participating in women's sports in school. 'This amendment is to simply ensure that there is a level playing field for girl's sports at the high school level by allowing only biological girls to play on a high school interscholastic or intramural varsity or junior varsity team that is designated as a girls, female, or women's team or sport,' said Sen. Justin Ready (R-Frederick and Carroll), the Senate minority whip and sponsor of the proposed amendment. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE 'We want to protect the crucial role that women's sports have played in development of young women,' said Ready, who said his wife participated in track and field in high school and at Salisbury University, where they met. Sen. Ron Watson (D-Prince George's), the floor manager for the bill, said he supported the concept of Ready's amendment but that 'it's not germane to this bill.' But Sen. Mary Beth Carozza (R-Lower Shore) supported the amendment, talking about her time as a tennis player in high school and at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. She also read a letter from a volleyball player at her alma mater, Stephen Decatur High School in Berlin. 'While the other team was warming up, my teammates and I immediately noticed the strength and speed with which the biological male hit the volleyball,' Carozza read. 'It was apparent that the skills of the biological male surpassed anyone else on the court. My teammates and I were not only intimidated, but we feared for our safety.' Sen. Mary Washington (D-Baltimore City and Baltimore County), the first openly gay African-American member of the Maryland General Assembly and still only one in the Senate, also read a letter from a high school student. But this one highlighted came from the only female player on a co-ed soccer team who said she was 'bullied, ridiculed and harassed for six years.' 'If you want girls sports to be more fair, there are other ways to do it. But it's my belief that the people who don't want transgender women in sports and pass bills … should instead focus on providing more support for women in these other spaces,' Washington read, before voting against the amendment. 'In not allowing transgender girls to participate in women's sports, we continue a long history of policing women's bodies,' Washington said. Even Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) offered a few words before he voted against the amendment. 'When I've had conversations with transgender young people who are trying to find themselves and live in a community, the pain and suffering that so many of them have felt, feeling out of place and not having a spot in this world is unbelievably painful,' he said. 'So, when I think about how we should be educating kids, it should be about what is in the best interest of children.' The Senate voted 27-17 to reject the amendment, before voting to make the House bill conform to the Senate version. Local school officials have long asked for more flexibility in the implementation of the Blueprint, now in its third year, and with the state facing a $3 billion budget shortfall this year, many targeted the school reform plan as an area for savings. Gov. Wes Moore (D) in January proposed a bill that deferred the start of some programs in the Blueprint and would slow the pace of some budget planned budget increases. The House approved its version of the Blueprint reform bill earlier this month, rejecting cuts in per pupil funding and eliminating a four-year pause on the implementation of teacher collaborative time, both elements in the governor's plan. The House voted for a one-year pause in the start of collaborative time. The Senate bill is more closely aligned with the governor's bill on the per pupil funding and collaborative time provisions. House members are expected to reject the Senate's changes to the House bill, creating the need for a conference committee to work out compromise language between the two chambers. That agreement will need to come before Monday night, the closing day of the 2025 General Assembly session,
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Maryland reparations bill advances, Gov. Wes Moore dodges questions on whether he supports the measure
A Maryland bill to establish a commission to study reparations – including financial restitution – is moving forward, as it is expected to clear its final hurdle in the House of Delegates, while the governor attempts to dodge questions about whether he supports the proposal. The bill, a priority for the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, passed the Senate in the middle of last month before Crossover Day, which marks the unofficial deadline for legislative leaders in the General Assembly to move bills to the other legislative chamber that they plan to send to the governor for final approval. The bill received a favorable vote in its assigned House committee on Friday, WBFF reported. It is expected to be voted on in the full House before the legislative session adjourns next week. Senate Minority Whip Justin Ready, a Republican, told WBFF he does not understand why the reparations bill is being advanced as the state faces a $3.3 billion deficit, which is expected to increase even more to $6.7 billion by fiscal year 2028. Ntsb Says Lack Of 'Vulnerability Assessment' By Maryland Officials Preceded Deadly Key Bridge Collapse "We don't have the money right now to be exploring these options, period," Ready told the outlet. "[T]he issue of reparations, I'm sure elicits strong opinions, but the fact is, it's just something that's not financially feasible, whether you think it's a good idea or not." Read On The Fox News App "I question whether using taxpayer money would ever be appropriate in this context," he added. "Even going back to when reparations were paid to survivors of the Holocaust, they went after companies that were involved. Not after taxpayers." The proposed commission is expected to initially cost Maryland taxpayers $54,500 annually, according to the nonpartisan Maryland Department of Legislative Services. Similar reparations commissions have been created by state governments in California, Colorado, Massachusetts, New York and Illinois. Dem Gov Says Md, With $3B Deficit, Has Been Doing Doge 'Before Anyone Knew What [It] Was' Last year, the California Reparations Task Force released a report following a two-year study in which the state was called on to issue a formal apology for slavery and other racial injustices and to offer financial payouts. The report recommended a financial restitution formula that would provide eligible recipients with up to $1.2 million each, although state lawmakers have not yet held a vote to authorize the first payments. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, has dodged questions about his state's bill since it was introduced in January. He was asked at the time if he supported the measure, but turned his focus to economic priorities. "Nah, we are going to work with the Maryland General Assembly on a whole collection of different issues," Moore told WBFF at the time. "Our focus is economic advancement; our focus is economic growth. It's making sure we can really meet people where they are, make life more affordable. That we are modernizing of state government." The governor was asked again about the issue during his visit to celebrate the Baltimore Orioles' home opener on Monday afternoon at Pickles Pub. WBFF attempted to speak with him, but the requests were denied. The outlet reached out to the governor's office after his appearance at the pub, but his spokesperson's response did not address the questions about the reparations bill. Ready told WBFF that the bill could harm the national attention Moore has received over the past year. "I don't think Gov. Moore would want this on his desk because I think it is a distraction to trying to get real problems solved," Ready said. "[T]here may be some people it motivates, in some way, but a lot of those are kind of on the fringes." If the law is enacted in its current form, the commission must provide its preliminary report by January 1, 2027, and a final report by November 1, article source: Maryland reparations bill advances, Gov. Wes Moore dodges questions on whether he supports the measure
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ready hopes two eminent domain bills will help Carroll residents with Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project opposition
State Sen. Justin Ready, who represents Carroll County in the Maryland General Assembly, is turning to other state lawmakers for support in addressing the controversial Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project, a proposed 70-mile high-voltage transmission line through Carroll, Frederick and Baltimore counties. Ready, a Republican, has introduced two bills on eminent domain in response to the massive powerline project and the impact it will have on landowners living along its path. The project has drawn criticism from Ready, and other lawmakers, due to its potential to use eminent domain to acquire properties, harm the environment, hamper the economic productivity of Carroll farms, reduce property values, pass on costs to energy consumers, and detract from the beauty of nature. 'What we face with MPRP is the potential for land seizure by eminent domain for corporate gain,' Ready posted on his Facebook page. 'Because agricultural land and preserved properties are valued less by state assessments — a good thing for the preservation of open space and farmland — these properties have become an inviting target for utilities building power lines because it saves money.' Ready introduced a bill in the Senate's Judicial Proceedings Committee that would provide financial and legal protections to property owners facing the loss of their land. SB657, titled, 'Eminent Domain – Just Compensation – Fees and Costs,' would set damages to be awarded for the taking of land in a condemnation proceeding at a fair market value. In addition, any legal fees or costs incurred by the property owner would be covered. Ready also introduced SB661 in Judicial Proceedings called, 'Real Property – Condemnation – Compensation for Farm and Agricultural Property or the Protect Maryland Farm Lands Act.' This bill would establish that the fair market value of agricultural land for eminent domain proceedings is 350% of the property's highest appraised value. 'My hope is that we stop MPRP or at least get major changes made, but if it moves forward in any form, these two bills will help landowners receive a more just compensation and include reimbursements for legal fees and expert testimony,' Ready said. Del. Nino Mangione, a Republican representing Baltimore County, has cross-filed versions of both bills in the House of Delegates. The Public Service Enterprise Group has been contracted by PJM, the organization that operates and plans Maryland's electric grid, to build the $424 million power line. Carroll County files petition to intervene in Piedmont powerline project FOX45: 'We are planning with blinders on.' Officials respond as Piedmont power line debate continues Carroll lawmakers plan to support statewide measures to hamper power line project 'No clearly superior alternatives': In PSEG's application, company says power line through Carroll, Frederick and Baltimore counties is best option FOX45: 'I hope the Public Service Commission can help': Residents speak out in transmission fight The Maryland Public Service Commission, the state agency that regulates public utilities, will make the final decision on whether the project will be built through Baltimore, Frederick and Carroll counties. Meanwhile, the Board of Carroll County Commissioners is not backing down in its opposition to the project. Last month, commissioners filed a 'petition to intervene' with the Public Service Commission allowing them to participate in the legal process, present evidence and attempt to influence the outcome. A county news release Friday stated that commissioners have submitted a letter to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission stating their opposition to applications filed by PPL Electric Utilities Corporation for electric transmission lines that they contend are related to the powerline project. The projects involve constructing, rebuilding and upgrading key transmission lines in parts of Chanceford, East Hopewell and Hopewell townships in York County, Pennsylvania, the county news release states. These are necessary to address transmission reliability issues associated with data center load growth in the Mid-Atlantic region. 'The applications filed by PPL Electric Utilities Corporation are the first steps to implementing the MPRP,' the release states. 'The two projects cannot be completed without the other.' Have a news tip? Contact Sherry Greenfield at sgreenfield@ 240-315-7029.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Senator seeks to change eminent domain laws in response to proposed transmission line
State lawmakers on Tuesday considered two bills aimed at changing the process for eminent domain proceedings in response to a proposal that could result in private land across three counties being taken for a power transmission line. The Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project (MPRP) is a proposal from the New Jersey-based company Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) to construct a 500,000-volt transmission line across roughly 70 miles in Frederick, Carroll and Baltimore counties. On Dec. 31, 2024, PSEG applied to the state's Public Service Commission for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to construct the MPRP. Only after obtaining the certificate would PSEG be considered a public utility that can acquire rights of way through eminent domain, though opponents of the MPRP have been concerned about the prospect of land being taken by the company. Maryland state Sen. Justin Ready, a Republican representing parts of Carroll and Frederick counties, said he and other elected officials from areas along the proposed transmission line route are primarily concerned with making sure the project is not approved as proposed. However, Ready said in an interview on Wednesday, state lawmakers from impacted districts are pursuing bills to change eminent domain proceedings, transmission planning processes and state approval criteria for utility projects in the event the MPRP proceeds. SB657 and SB661 are both sponsored by Ready and deal with eminent domain. Del. Nino Mangione, a Republican from Baltimore County, has cross-filed versions of both bills in the House of Delegates. SB657 would require defendants in eminent domain proceedings to be reimbursed for legal fees and other costs associated with defending against the taking of their land, regardless of if they prevail. SB661 would establish that the 'fair market value' of agricultural land for eminent domain proceedings is 350% of the property's highest appraised value. William Smith, a spokesperson for PSEG, said in a phone call on Wednesday that the company is aware of both bills, but declined to comment on them. The policy and fiscal notes attached to both bills indicate they could increase state and local expenditures for capital improvement projects while also having a potentially meaningful impact on small businesses involved in eminent domain proceedings, either as defendants or attorneys. 'Expensive proposition' During a hearing before the Senate's Judicial Proceedings Committee on Tuesday, attorney Harris Eisenstein from the law firm Rosenberg Martin Greenberg said that the current system only allows defendants in eminent domain proceedings to recover legal fees and other costs 'in rare circumstances.' 'This is true even though condemnors' initial offers often fall short of just compensation,' he said. Eisenstein said SB657 would help reduce the financial hardship of landowners defending against 'an opponent with endless resources' in eminent domain proceedings. 'To even contest an eminent domain finding in court is an expensive proposition,' Ready said on Wednesday. 'This situation is also different than a court proceeding where the state is coming after you because you did something wrong. ... These people, through no fault of their own, are having their land potentially seized by a corporate entity.' Sen. Sara Love, a Democrat from Montgomery County, asked if SB657 would assist landowners who seek legal advice about potential takings, but do not enter into an eminent domain proceeding. Ready said that's a fair issue, but it's not covered under his bill. With regard to SB661, Ready said his goal was to address agricultural land being undervalued by appraisers because of a lack of development potential, particularly when state and local governments have encouraged people to preserve land through tax breaks and other incentives. Of the Frederick County properties within the path of the MPRP, 13 are under Forest Resource Ordinance easements. Three are under Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation easements and 131 are zoned for agricultural use. Two Frederick County properties in the path of the MPRP are under Rural Legacy easements and one is under a Maryland Environmental Trust easement, according to a county web page about the transmission line project. 'This will protect farmers, agricultural producers and farmland and require the state and other entities to really weigh the necessity of projects against the harm it causes to our open spaces and protected lands,' Ready said during the hearing for SB661. Joanne Frederick, the president of the Board of Directors for the organization Stop MPRP, spoke in favor of both bills on Tuesday. Without the bills, Frederick said, 409 property owners like herself will be 'left defenseless in the face of eminent domain.' 'For generations, our members have lived and worked on their land — land that just isn't dirt and fences, but a legacy that has been passed down,' Frederick said. 'Now that land is at risk of being taken — not at a fair price, not through a voluntary sale, but by force.' Sen. Mary-Dulany James (D-Harford) said on Tuesday that she supports the idea behind SB661, but suggested expanding it to include land preserved for reasons other than farming as part of a state strategy. Sen. Chris West (R-Baltimore and Carroll) suggested narrowing the scope of SB661 to land seized to construct or maintain a power transmission line. Ready said he is amenable to both changes. The Judicial Proceedings Committee did not take a vote on either of Ready's bills Tuesday. If either bill gets a favorable report from the committee, it advances to the Senate floor for a second reading, followed by a final vote.
