An update from Delegate Al Carr
  February 14, 2008  
 
Greetings!


Happy Valentine's Day!


I wanted to give you a brief update on my activities in Annapolis.

My committee assignment
Carr with Speaker Busch and wife Barrie

Wow, it is hard to believe that five weeks have gone by in the General Assembly.

I share an office with Delegate Karen Montgomery of District 14. Our administrative aide is Ms. Pat Duvall. I was fortunate to hire Ms. Jackie Abadir as my legislative aide. She had previously worked for former state Senator Leo Green of Prince Georges County and has been a great help in bringing me up the legislative learning curve.

I am told that I'll be spending most of my time as a Delegate in committee. Speaker Busch has assigned me to the Environmental Matters Committee. This is one of the "policy" committees - as opposed to the "money" committees. Besides the obvious, it has jurisdiction over a number of important areas including: housing and real property, homeowner's associations, motor vehicles and transportation, local government, land use, ethics, open space, agriculture and natural resources. It seems like a great fit for my background and interests.

I am already fond of my committee chair, Delegate Maggie McIntosh of Baltimore City. She has been welcoming and helpful to me as a new legislator. I can tell she has high standards and exhibits an inclusive style of leadership.

The committee will be working this year on important legislative initiatives in the areas of Climate Change, the Chesapeake Bay, Mortgage Lending and Foreclosures and expanding Speed Cameras beyond Montgomery County.

Chairwoman McIntosh has asked me to be the lead sponsor on an affordable housing bill that Delegate Jane Lawton had worked previously championed. The bill would enable local governments to waive certain fees for affordable housing construction projects.

This past week was a busy one. Thursday was the deadline for Delegates to introduce bills and be guaranteed a committee hearing. Bills submitted after the deadline must go before the Rules Committee before they can advance. It was a flurry of activity with Delegates putting the final touches on their bills and reaching out to their colleagues to request co- sponsorship.

As a former municipal official, I greatly appreciate the resources afforded to member of the General Assembly. In small municipalities, legislators have to do all their own legwork and research, so things take time. In Annapolis, legislators have professional assistance from the bill drafting department, the attorney general and the legislative library. Moving from idea to bill can happen incredibly quickly.

I am the lead sponsor on eight bills this year and co- sponsor on another 73 bills. Here is the page where you can track the status of legislation that I am sponsoring or co-sponsoring: http://mlis.state.md.us/2008RS/sponsors/carr.htm

For my own bills, I am focusing on the environment, affordable housing, preserving open space, strengthening our economy and giving local governments better tools to be responsive to their communities.

Watch for future e-mails I will be send with more information about each of my bills.

You can reach my Annapolis office by calling 301 858- 3110 or by sending an e-mail message to alfred.carr@house.state.md.us

Sincerely


Delegate Alfred Carr
phone: 301 858-3110
 
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