Maryland Legislative Updates

From Roxann King, Public Policy, AAUW-MD

Action on Our Maryland Bills

The legislative session ends next Monday, April 7. Four of our six bills that had passed both chambers are on the Governor’s desk for signing. One bill of our three bills that had passed the House, now has passed both chambers.
HB 334 -Newborn Nurse Visitation Bill has passed the Maryland General Assembly and has been sent to the Governor for signing.
SB848 – Abortion Care Grant Program passed and has been sent to the Governor for signing.
SB005 – the bill extending subsidies for young adults using the Maryland Health Exchange passed and has been sent to the Governor.
SB 674 – the bill directing the Maryland Commission for Women to Advance Implementation of Insurance Coverage for Over-the-Counter Birth Control has been sent to the Governor. 
SB 848/HB 930 – the Monica Cooper Prerelease Bill passed the Senate (34-13). It has now passed both chambers.
  • Volunteers are needed for Advocacy Day in Annapolis! Advocacy Day will be February 11 from 10 am to 12 p.m. Click here to register for Advocacy Day. (That same day, AAUW Anne Arundel is hosting a tea at Reynold’s Tavern from 3-5 pm. Click here Ifor a link for that event if you wish to attend.)

 

  • Tickets are still available for the Women’s Legislative Briefing (WLB) being held at The Universities of Shady Grove in Rockville on Saturday, from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $45 through Wednesday and $55 after Wednesday. Middle and high school students pay $10 to attend the concurrent Emerging Leaders conference. Click here to register.

 

  • The Maryland Legislative Agenda for Women’s Briefing is scheduled for 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 5. The ten bills, that made the MLAW agenda and which we will be sponsoring, will be described in detail by bill sponsors. This is a good way to learn about these bills. (See the last email from me for the bills’ details.  The event is virtual but you must have a free ticket. Click here for a ticket. To add your name to the list of supporters of this year’s MLAW Agenda, simply complete this online form.

Get ready to write emails or make calls to legislative committee members as soon as our bills start having hearings. To receive notice of when emails/calls are needed, you need to be on MLAW’s email list. That is easy: just send an email to mdlegagenda4women@yahoo.com  and ask to be added to MLAW’s email list.

Program

AAUW Programs for 2024-2025
Our theme this year is Community of Voices: Let YOUR Voice Be Heard!

 

November we will visit the Discovery Center at Waters Edge to learn about
this fascinating program. For 100 years, APG has been home to some of the most brilliant minds in science and technology. Their inventions have changed how people live, work, and play around the globe. The Discovery Center will tell their stories.
December brings us to our Annual Holiday gathering where we can chat with old friends and
make new acquaintances.

January and February meetings are on ZOOM due to weather and early sunsets. We do have a ZOOM meeting in the works to visit with a local author and, for February, get a visual tour of the Furaha School in Kenya

We are working on contacting the Klein’s Family Center for March, followed by the Resnik Awards in April.

In May we hope to visit Char Hope and learn about their wonderful program.

Of course, in June we will have our fabulous Picnic! Sounds pretty good to me!

Submitted by Theresa Freligh, VP Programs

AAUW Book Group

 

Book Group
If you love to read, this is the group for you! We bring interesting and diverse points of view to the discussion of virtually every book we read. We meet on Saturday mornings (usually on the fourth Sat) September through May at members’ homes from 10am – 11:30. You can just read along with us, but the process of discussing books with other intelligent women is well worth your time. The joy of reading is multiplied when we share it with others. Join us if you’re able!
Saturday, Nov 23 – Book Group your choice The Christmas Appeal by Janice Hallett   or  Skipping
Christmas by John Grisham from 10 to 12 noon at Sheila Allen’s home ( 332 West Gordon Street Bel Air)
The Christmas Appeal by Janice Hallett or Skipping Christmas by John Grisham. Both are widely available at
our county libraries. (Hazel Hopkins recommends listening to the audio version of Christmas Appeal.)

Saturday, January 11 – Book Group will discuss Children in the City of the Czars by Irmgarde
Brown from 10 to 12noon at Hazel Hopkins’ home (313 Aiken Terrace, Abingdon) Irmgarde will be
our Jan 2025 meeting presenter.
We will meet in Feb but the book and the date is TBA. For more information, contact Peggy
Dymond, mmdymond67@gmail.com or 410-272-9139 (home).