From State Sen. J.B. Jennings:
[Last week] Governor Hogan was sworn in for another four-year term, making him only the second Republican governor to be re-elected in Maryland’s 242-year history. As he stated in his inaugural address, over the past four years great strides have been made to help the State of Maryland live up to its fullest potential in areas such as job creation, funding education at historic levels, cleaning the bay and protecting healthcare coverage.
It was indeed an historic day that showcased what’s working in Maryland – where legislators respect one another regardless of political differences, and what’s not working in Washington, D.C. – where both parties refuse to seek common ground for the good of the people. I’ve always talked about the camaraderie that exists among legislators here in Annapolis despite polarizing political differences. Think back to just one week ago when President Miller announced his cancer diagnosis and people of every political persuasion rallied around him with support. Like I said, some things transcend politics.
But at the end of the day, you sent me back to Annapolis for four more years to represent YOUR best interests. To reduce our taxes, to make our schools better, to keep our community healthier and safer. Make no mistake: despite all of the political pageantry and the friendships that exist in Annapolis, I know there’s a lot of hard work to be done to ensure that the interests of all Marylanders are represented.
Accordingly, I’m proud to have co-sponsored the following bills so far Session 2019:
– Senate Bill 89 – Calls for a Small Business Relief Tax Credit, which expands last year’s legislation that provides tax credits to small businesses that offer paid parental leave for their employees.
– Senate Bills 90 & 91 – Redistricting legislation that institutes a nonpartisan redistricting process to ensure free and fair elections.
– Senate Bill 92 – Accountability in Education Act of 2019. This legislation will establish an Office of the State Education Investigator General, which will be an independent unit within the State Depart of Education charged with investigating complaints of unethical, unprofessional, or illegal conduct.
– Senate Bill 115 – Clarifying that personal protection or self-defense can qualify as a good and substantial reason to carry, wear, or transport a handgun for purposes of the issuance by the Secretary of State Police of a permit to carry, wear or transport a handgun.
As the leader of the minority party, I understand the challenges we currently have and will continue to face particularly surrounding Public Safety and the Second Amendment legislation. As your Senator, it is my duty to defend your constitutional rights. I look forward to having thoughtful discussions with my colleagues about these and many other bills over the course of the next three months. I will do my best to make the people of the 7th District proud!
As always, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about legislation or concerns about issues in the district. Be sure to mark your calendar for my Annual Night in Annapolis with Senator Jennings on March 25th from 6-8 PM. I hope to see you there!
Sincerely,
Senator J.B. Jennings
All that our GOV Hogan has done is temporality stop the onslaught of radicals in MD from implementing more radical programs. I voted for HOGAN. The other side is so radical it really should be called what it is socialism. I am glad as a voter I helped stop this state from taking more rights away from its citizens.
Yes all Hogan can do is hold off the socialist/communist advance that has taken over the Democratic Party. But, in the estimation of this astute political analyst it will probably be another half century before MD sees another Republican governor (Bob Ehrlich’s all too brief stint notwithstanding.) Hogan’s success came not as a sudden right-shift in MD voters but more as an expression of disgust and disenchantment with the antics of O’Malley, with the ridiculous rain tax being his crowning achievement – and ultimate insult.
Maryland doesnt need anyone carrying a gun in public for “self defense” and I’m sure our legislature will see it that way too.
Paranoid conservatives in this state will have to keep dreaming about holstering up that big shiny revolver to go out with their toxic masculinity in public.
Senator Jennings – How about sponsoring a middle income tax relief bill. Specifically, since many Maryland joint filers (who previously itemized deductions on both their Federal and State returns) will be using the new $24,000 Federal standard deduction on their 2018 Federal returns, they will be forced to take the Maryland standard deduction, forcing them to give up thousands of dollars of State deductions, resulting in their 2018 Maryland taxes increasing by a thousand dollars or more.