2021 Legislative Priorities
FAIRER REDISTRICTING – BETTER EDUCATION – SAFER COMMUNITIES
TOP PRIORITIES:
FAIR REDISTRICTNG – The MFRW strongly supports Governor Hogan’s Plan for an Independent Commission process to draft new Legislative and Congressional Districts that are compact, contiguous and of equal population in accord with the 2020 Census. Voters should choose their officials not the elected officials choosing their voters.
UPHOLD GOVERNOR HOGAN’S VETOES –
Uphold the Governor’s vetoes of 7 crime-related bills (HB 907; SB 929; HB 4/SB 208; SB 314; HB 1336; HB 83 and SB 708) as they failed to include important reforms and accountability of the Governor’s Violent Crimes legislative package including:
Violent Firearms Offenders Act of 2020 – tougher penalties for committing crimes with guns.
Judicial Transparency Act of 2020 – hold judges accountable for their sentencing decisions
Witness Intimidation Prevention Act of 2020- toughen penalties for intimidating witnesses.
Uphold the Governor’s veto of HB 1300 – Kirwan Commission’s Blueprint for Education is too costly at State and local level, especially during this pandemic. The Blueprint adds extra layers of bureaucratic control; doesn’t require that every child read and do math at grade level and has little parent involvement or consent for education, social or health services.
OTHER IMPORTANT LEGISLATIVE ISSUES
VOTE INTEGRITY ISSUES
- Oppose Elections by Mail
- Oppose Ranked Choice Voting
- Support Voter Photo ID for Voting
- Support Vote Count Accuracy and Security
- Prohibit Ballot Harvesting
EDUCATION
- Support School Choice (Vouchers/Charter Schools/Home Schooling).
- Support Education reform—1st priority – every student read and do math at grade level.
- Support limiting competitive girls’ sports to biological girls (transgender girls are biological males with disproportional muscle mass, etc.) in accordance with Title IX requirements.
- Oppose Project 1619 being taught in Maryland Public Schools as civics or history.
RESPECT FOR LIFE
- Oppose Physician Assisted Suicide or “Death with Dignity” legislation.
- Support Protection for Pain-Capable Unborn Children
- Support more effective treatment vs incarceration for opioid addiction.
IMMIGRATION – OPPOSE SANCTUARY CITY/STATE
Oppose prohibiting local and State law enforcement officials from cooperating with Federal DOJ or ICE or providing immigration status of anyone in custody without a federal criminal warrant. Other immigrants are most often the victims of illegal aliens’ crimes.
POLICE REFORM – The MFRW supports our law enforcement officers at all levels of government.
Increase training for Police officers in non-lethal methods of restraint/control of individuals or groups.
Increase training for de-escalating tense or potentially violent demonstrations or situations.
Prohibit violence by Protesters at Demonstrations/Protests
Make it illegal or strengthen penalties for physically attacking bystanders, police or other protesters; setting fires, destroying private or public property with graffiti or physical destruction or theft of property; using lasers to harm others; use of projectiles (i.e., frozen water bottles, gasoline-bottles, rocks).
Contacts:
Diana Waterman, President (diana@watermanrealty.com) Ella Ennis, Legislative Chairman (eee437@comcast.net)