Dear Constituents of District 35 A:

I cannot tell you how much I appreciated hearing from you during the 2009 Session of the Maryland General Assembly. It is always interesting and informative to hear from my constituents about the issues that touch their lives.

The conclusion of the 2009 Maryland General Assembly Session saw the successful passage of three bills that I proposed that will save taxpayers significant money and make children in Harford County and all across Maryland safer.

HB 613 which was signed into law by Governor O’Malley on Tuesday replaces government positions with contracts bid out to the private sector to perform elevator inspections. The result is less state spending and an increase in revenue to the state from contractor certifications.

HB 79 protects consumers from appraisal fraud by prohibiting false and misleading statements in any documents used in the Maryland mortgage process and was also signed by the Governor on Tuesday. The mortgage process is complicated and a small number of unscrupulous people cannot be allowed to ruin the American dream for any of our citizens.

A third legislative success this Session involved Maryland’s effort to control convicted sexual predators. HB 96 requires sexual predators to provide updated photographs for use on law enforcement web sites every six months. The previous requirement of an annual update allowed some predators to change their appearance. As you know, I have long been active in community efforts to protect children in Harford County. Kids rely upon us to keep them safe; it should be a priority for every elected official and parent. HB 96 is on the Governor’s desk awaiting his signature.

A major disappointment this Session was the Governor’s 2010 Budget. I had no choice but to vote against it. Even with the federal stimulus money bailing the Governor out of the shortfall in the budget, Maryland citizens face a deficit in excess of over a billion dollars! This one-time stimulus money was used for ongoing operating expenses; nothing was done to bring spending in line with a realistic assessment of revenue. This is not fair to our citizens. In order to salvage an ever growing budget, Governor O’Malley will have to raise taxes. I will not vote to raise taxes for my constituents. I believe in your priorities, not the political priorities of the Governor.

The death penalty has long been an emotional issue in Maryland. Senate Bill 279 was amended to add such onerous requirements for the State in order to seek the death penalty, that it essentially repealed the death penalty in Maryland. In order for the death penalty to be recommended to the Court, the defendant must give a voluntary, video-taped confession and/or DNA evidence must link the defendant to the crime. I could not vote for this repeal!

Unfortunately, the infamous HB 387 creating a two-tiered driver’s licensing system until 2015 did pass both houses of the General Assembly. While no more licenses will be issued after June 1 of this year to those who cannot prove their lawful presence in the State, the bill, if the Governor signs it into law, will allow those who are in the country illegally who already have licenses to renew them until 2015. While I was an original co-sponsor of this bill, I was forced to take my name off of the bill because of the amendments enabling a two-tiered system. I voted against the bill on Monday night. Maryland is the only state east of the Mississippi that allows illegal immigrants to obtain a driver’s license.

The proponents of both sides of the arguments for re-regulation admitted that consumers’ rates would not come down if the General Assembly voted for re-regulation; indeed, rates could go up due to a surcharge levied on bills! There just was not enough time to make an informed decision either way. I voted to petition the subject to a summer study and bring it back in the 2010 Session with sufficient time for all parties to digest the pros and cons of re-regulation.

I also voted against using eminent domain to allow the government to take away personal property. While we all want the Preakness to remain in Maryland, its fate rests in the decision of a federal bankruptcy judge, not a flimsy State law.

During the next nine months I will be in our district evaluating the needs of the county and my constituents for the 2010 General Assembly Session. In the meantime, if you have any concerns or questions, please feel free to contact me by email at donna.stifler@Lksddr8Mnhouse.state.md.us .

     Sincerely,

     Donna