Transportation

On March 7, I traveled to Annapolis to testify before the House Ways and Means Committee -- and, later in the afternoon, before the House Environmental Matters Committee -- in support of four bills that would provide funding for transportation and mass transit options around the state. The Ways and Means Committee was considering three separate bills, each of which proposed new and viable ways for providing funding directly to mass transit.

The first two bills under consideration that day, HB 981 (authored by Delegate Barkley) and HB 1392 (authored by Delgate Kaiser), would provide funding for mass transit through tax revenue specifically designated for such purpose, while the third bill, HB 1345 (authored by Delegate Hixson) would create a new mass transit line item with the existing State Transportation Fund. All three of these proposals are worth consideration.

The fourth bill I discussed that day, in the Environmental Matters Committee, was HB 1312, the Driver Responsibility and First Responders Act. This legislation, introduced by Delegate Bronrott, would help to provide a dedicated source of revenue – through driver enforcement penalties – to fund transportation initiatives, and to create a First Responder’s Fund. The First Responder's Fund would pay for equipment and personnel for fire, rescue, or emergency medical services entities and local law enforcement. This is an investment that will serve not just Montgomery County well, but all counties in our state, giving our first responders the support they need to continue to keep our residents safe.