Legislative Achievements
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2025
HB0455 — Braille Flag Memorial Act of 2025(Co-sponsor)
Established a permanent memorial featuring the Braille U.S. flag to honor accessibility and inclusion.HB0707 — Eric’s ID Law(Co-sponsor)
Authorized notation of nonapparent disabilities on driver’s licenses and State IDs, improving communication in emergencies.HB0853 — Maryland Second Look Act(Co-sponsor)
Created a pathway for individuals serving lengthy sentences to petition for review and potential reduction.HB0902 — Coal Combustion By-Products(Co-sponsor)
Updated regulations, fees, and oversight mechanisms to safeguard public health and the environment.HB0930 — Public Health Abortion Grant Program(Co-sponsor)
Established a grant program and fund to ensure access to abortion care across Maryland.HB1083 — Behavioral Health Advisory Council/Commission(Co-sponsor)
Required a statewide plan for children’s mental health screenings and treatment under EPSDT.HB1100 — Health Equity Dashboard(Co-sponsor)
Directed the creation of a comprehensive dashboard to track disparities and drive equity in health outcomes.HB1473 — Equal Access to Public Services Act(Co-sponsor)
Expanded language-access services and accessibility protections for individuals with disabilities.HB0499 — Expungement Reform Act of 2025(By Request – Administration)
Streamlined expungement processes and modernized Case Search to reflect fairer access to justice.HB0500 — Procurement Reform Act of 2025(By Request – Administration)
Modernized Maryland’s procurement system to enhance transparency, efficiency, and inclusion.HB0501 — RAISE Act(By Request – Administration)
Expanded apprenticeship opportunities to strengthen Maryland’s workforce pipeline.HB0502 — Disability Employment & Maryland as a Model Employer(By Request – Administration)
Created a dedicated office to expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities in State government.HB0506 — Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act(By Request – Administration)
Secured sustainable long-term funding for Chesapeake Bay restoration and protection. -
2024
HB0501 — Charter Counties Enforcement of Local Laws(Primary Sponsor)
Clarified enforcement authority for charter counties to strengthen local governance.HB0285 — Property Appraisal & Valuation Equity Task Force(Co-sponsor)
Advanced fair housing by improving oversight of appraisal practices.HB0385 — Pay Stub Transparency(Co-sponsor)
Required clear, itemized information on employee pay statements.HB0449 — Flood Management Grants(Co-sponsor)
Expanded resilience funding for underserved and overburdened communities.HB0465 — Workplace Fraud & Prevailing Wage(Co-sponsor)
Increased penalties for wage theft and workplace fraud.HB0571 — Family & Medical Leave Insurance Program Reform(Co-sponsor)
Expanded access to paid leave benefits.HB0649 — Wage Range Transparency(Co-sponsor)
Mandated disclosure of wage ranges in job postings to promote pay equity.HB0728 — Access to Care Act(Co-sponsor)
Expanded healthcare access for Maryland’s immigrant communities.HB1051 — Maryland Maternal Health Act of 2024(Co-sponsor)
Strengthened maternal health coverage and improved health outcomes.HB1076 — Blind/Visually Impaired Students Textbook Equity(Co-sponsor)
Guaranteed timely access to learning materials for blind and visually impaired students.HB1259 — Breast & Lung Cancer Screening Coverage(Co-sponsor)
Required insurers to cover key cancer screenings without cost barriers. -
2023
HB0815 — Cancer Screening Equity Act(Primary Sponsor)
Expanded coverage and outreach for lifesaving cancer screenings.HB0283 — Trans Health Equity Act(Co-sponsor)
Required Medicaid to cover gender-affirming treatment.HB0376 — Breast Cancer Diagnostics(Co-sponsor)
Reduced out-of-pocket costs for breast cancer diagnostics.HB0535 — Election Procedures & 2024 Primary Date(Co-sponsor)
Adjusted Maryland’s election calendar and procedures.HB0626 — Human-Relevant Research Funding(Co-sponsor)
Directed funding toward alternatives to animal testing. -
2022
HB0479 — Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day (Primary sponsor)
Establishes an annual day honoring the barrier-breaking WWII service of the Tuskegee Airmen.HB0325 — State Procurement: Prompt Payment (Co-sponsor)
Tightens on-time payment standards to protect small and minority vendors.HB0324 — Minority Participation in Alcoholic Beverages Industry – Study (Co-sponsor)
Directs a study to identify barriers and expand equitable participation across the industry.HB0696 — Electric School Bus Pilot Program (Co-sponsor)
Launches utility-supported electrification of school bus fleets and grid-benefit pilots.HB1097 — Task Force on Property Appraisal & Valuation Equity (Co-sponsor)
Creates a task force to address appraisal bias and strengthen fair valuation.HB1187 — Highway User Revenues: Distribution (Co-sponsor)
Restores and stabilizes local transportation funding for roads, bridges, and safety. -
2021
HB0560 — Housing Discrimination: Reentry-Into-Society Status (Primary sponsor) Would have barred housing discrimination against Marylanders returning from incarceration; (unfavorable report).
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2020
HB0771 — Accessible Hotel Rooms: Bed Height (Co-sponsor)
Requires usable bed heights in rooms marketed as ADA-accessible.HB0837 — Maternal Mortality & Morbidity: Implicit Bias Training (Co-sponsor)
Standardizes training to reduce racial disparities in maternal health outcomes.HB0847 — State Coordinator for Autism Strategy (Co-sponsor)
Creates statewide leadership to align services and stakeholder input on autism.HB0917 — Hate Crimes – Basis (Lt. Richard Collins III’s Law) (Co-sponsor)
Clarifies standards to more effectively prosecute hate-motivated crimes.HB1029 — Clean Energy Jobs – Workforce Development (Co-sponsor)
Expands training pathways into family-sustaining clean-energy jobs. -
2019
HB0166 — “Fight for Fifteen” Minimum Wage Act (Primary sponsor)
Phased in a $15 statewide minimum wage, lifting earnings for working families across Maryland.HB0118 — Higher Education: Senatorial & Delegate Scholarships — In-State Tuition (Co-sponsor)
Ensured scholarship recipients can access in-state tuition, strengthening affordability and completion.HB0191 — Homeowner’s Insurance — Surviving Spouse Protections (Co-sponsor)
Prohibited discriminatory underwriting against surviving spouses, closing an unfair coverage gap.HB0214 — U-Visa Certification for Crime Victims (Co-sponsor)
Standardized certification for cooperative victims and witnesses, improving trust and public safety.HB0336 — Federal Shutdown Paycheck Protection Act (Co-sponsor)
Provided UI and emergency loan supports for civilian federal workers during shutdowns.HB0355 — County Boards of Education: Disclosures & Requirements (Co-sponsor)
Advanced transparency and ethical governance within local school systems.HB0428 — Flood Management Grants — Mandatory Funding (Co-sponsor)
Secured dedicated funds to help communities mitigate and recover from flood damage.HB0440 — P-TECH Expansion Act (Co-sponsor)
Scaled the early-college, tech-career high school model linking students to degrees and jobs.HB0477 — Public Safety Officer Property-Tax Credit (Co-sponsor)
Authorized local governments to offer targeted tax relief to first responders.HB0481 — Criminal Law — Sale of a Minor Reclassified as Felony (Co-sponsor)
Elevated penalties to reflect the gravity of child exploitation offenses.HB0506 — WIC Program Reporting — Maryland Department of Health (Co-sponsor)
Improved program oversight and accountability for women, infants, and children’s nutrition supports.HB0524 — Prevailing Wage — Employee Right to Sue (Co-sponsor)
Gave workers a direct civil remedy for unpaid prevailing wages on public works.HB0671 — Household Goods Movers — Registration (Co-sponsor)
Protected consumers by requiring mover registration and enforceable standards.HB0697 — Health Insurance Consumer Protections & Coverage Commission (Co-sponsor)
Shielded Marylanders from federal uncertainty and preserved core coverage safeguards.HB0768 — Prescription Drug Affordability Board (Co-sponsor)
Created an independent board to analyze high-cost drugs and set payment ceilings where warranted.HB0777 — Credit-Card Processors — Merchant Agreement Standards (Co-sponsor)
Brought fairness and clarity to merchant processing contracts for small businesses.HB0790 — Equal Pay for Equal Work — Civil Penalties (Co-sponsor)
Added enforceable penalties to make pay-equity protections bite in practice.HB0814 — Maryland Easy Enrollment Health Insurance Program (Co-sponsor)
Used tax filing to seamlessly connect uninsured residents to coverage.HB0874 — Postconviction Review — State’s Motion to Vacate (Co-sponsor)
Enabled prosecutors to move to vacate unjust convictions based on new evidence.HB1072 — Transportation Network Companies — Insurance (Co-sponsor)
Updated insurance rules to better protect ride-share passengers and drivers.HB1144 — School Systems — Language Access for LEP Families (Co-sponsor)
Required equal access to critical school communications for families with limited English proficiency.HB1266 — National Capital Strategic Economic Development Program (Co-sponsor)
Targeted reinvestment to long-neglected corridors in the Capital Region to spur inclusive growth. -
2018
HB0679 — County Boards of Education: Length of School Year – Adjustments (Co-sponsor)
Allows limited adjustments to the 180-day requirement in defined circumstances.HB0781 — Educational Excellence Awards – Diploma by Examination (Co-sponsor)
Ensures scholarship eligibility for students earning a high-school diploma by examination.HB0797 — Inmates – Menstrual Hygiene Products (Co-sponsor)
Requires correctional facilities to provide menstrual products at no cost.HB0811 — Collective Bargaining – Access to New Employee Processing (Co-sponsor)
Provides exclusive representatives appropriate access to new-hire orientations.HB1209 — Public Safety – Missing Persons – Information (“Eula & Danny’s Law”) (Co-sponsor)
Improves protocols for collecting and sharing missing-person information.HB1423 — State Personnel – Sexual Harassment Prevention Training (Co-sponsor)
Mandates sexual-harassment prevention training across State agencies.HB1596 — Disclosing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Act (Co-sponsor)
Limits certain nondisclosure terms and requires employer reporting on settlements.HB1697 — Education – Commercial Gaming Revenues – Constitutional Amendment (“Fix the Fund”) (Co-sponsor)
Locks casino revenues into K-12 funding as dedicated education dollars. -
2017
HB0523 — E-Cigarettes & Vaping Liquids – Licensing (Co-sponsor)
Creates a licensing framework to regulate sales of electronic nicotine products.HB0601 — Senior Call-Check Service & Notification Program – Establishment (Co-sponsor)
Establishes a free, opt-in daily check-in service for older adults.HB0602 — Keep Antibiotics Effective Act of 2017 (Co-sponsor)
Reduces routine antibiotic use in livestock to combat antimicrobial resistance.HB0773 — Clean Energy – Energy Storage Technology Study (Co-sponsor)
Directs a statewide study of storage technologies to strengthen grid reliability.HB1083 — Health – Family Planning Services – Continuity of Care (Co-sponsor)
Ensures continuity of family-planning services amid federal funding uncertainty.HB1169 — Connecting Rural Maryland Act of 2017 (Co-sponsor)
Boosts grants and coordination for rural broadband and economic development.HB1261 — Barbers – Penalties – Repeal (Co-sponsor)
Modernizes occupational licensing by eliminating certain criminal penalties.HB1270 — Credit Regulation – Unsecured Open-End Credit Plans – Fees (Co-sponsor)
Updates consumer-credit rules to curb predatory fee practices.HB1283 — Alcoholic Beverages – Class 5 Brewery License (Co-sponsor)
Supports craft-brewery growth while maintaining guardrails on retail operations. -
2016
HB0534 — Protective Orders – Notification of Service – Sunset Repeal (Co-sponsor)
Continues law-enforcement notification systems for serving protective orders.HB0659 — Victim’s Right to Restitution – Appeal (Co-sponsor)
Clarifies victims’ ability to appeal restitution decisions.HB0713 — School Behavioral Health Accountability Act (Co-sponsor)
Creates reporting systems to track school-based behavioral health services.HB0740 — Task Force to Study Family & Medical Leave Insurance (Co-sponsor)
Launches a task force to design a statewide paid family-leave program.HB0771 — Public Schools – Diabetes Care Services – Guidelines (Co-sponsor)
Updates statewide guidelines for diabetes care in K–12 schools.HB0849 — Rental Dwellings – Carbon Monoxide Alarms (Co-sponsor)
Requires carbon-monoxide alarms in rental units to protect residents.HB0852 — Municipal Elections – Tie Votes (Co-sponsor)
Sets clear rules for resolving tie votes in municipal elections.HB0854 — SHA – Relocation of Water/Sewer Lines – Cost Sharing (Co-sponsor)
Clarifies cost-sharing responsibilities when State projects require utility relocations.HB1012 — Tax Credit – Commuter Benefits (Co-sponsor)
Improves eligibility and amounts for employer-provided commuter benefit tax credits.HB1013 — Open Transportation Investment Decision Act (Veto Override) (Co-sponsor)
Implements data-driven scoring for State transportation investments.HB1342 — Drunk Driving Reduction Act (“Noah’s Law”) (Co-sponsor)
Expands ignition-interlock use and toughens penalties to reduce impaired driving.HB1624 — Transportation – Highways – Heroes Highway (Co-sponsor)
Designates portions of highways to honor fallen service members. -
2015
HB0672 — Maryland College Education Export Act (Co-sponsor) Allows Maryland colleges to deliver degree programs at out-of-state and international locations under clear quality safeguards.
HB0779 — Higher Education Outreach and College Access Pilot Program (Co-sponsor) Launches a pilot program to expand advising and college awareness for underserved high-school students.
HB0827 — Alcoholic Beverage Taxes — Wine Revenue Distribution (Co-sponsor) Redirects wine-tax revenue to strengthen public health and addiction-treatment funding.
HB0828 — Estate Tax — Filing of Tax Returns (Co-sponsor)
Streamlines estate-tax administration by requiring returns to be filed directly with the Comptroller.HB0847 — Community Colleges — Human Trafficking Victims Fee Exemption (Co-sponsor) Exempts trafficking survivors from out-of-county tuition fees and mandates annual reporting to strengthen access.
“Fight for Fifteen”
Minimum Wage Act
HB0166 — “Fight for Fifteen” Minimum Wage Act (2019, Primary Sponsor)
Phased in a $15 statewide minimum wage, lifting wages for working families and reducing economic precarity. “When you can’t afford rent, when you can’t afford food … these are real issues. We’re not saying it’s convenient. We’re saying it’s the right thing to do.” — Delegate Diana Fennell
HB0815 — Cancer Screening & Health Insurance Equity
HB0815 — Cancer Screening & Health Insurance Equity (2023, Primary Sponsor)
Required insurers to cover key cancer diagnostics and expanded outreach for preventive screenings, aiming to close racial and economic disparities in health outcomes.
“Preventive medicine is where our focus should be. If we encourage and support people in getting these screenings done, we will see fewer deaths and healthier communities.” — Delegate Diana Fennell