Climate, Consumers, & Conducting!

March 17, 2022

Dear Friend:
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! I hope you have recovered from losing an hour of sleep to Daylight Savings Time (DST). Have you heard that the Maryland House and the U.S. Senate have each passed legislation to make DST permanent? I would love to know your thoughts on this issue pending in my Senate Committee.
ELECTION UPDATE!
Maryland’s Court of Appeals has rescheduled Primary Election Day to Tuesday, July 19th. This Court will be reviewing the State Redistricting Maps, which is what necessitated the change.
Approving Comprehensive Climate Legislation
The Senate passed the Climate Solutions Now Act of 2022 by a 32-15, party-line vote. Championed by my Committee Chair, Paul Pinsky, this bill will establish groundbreaking measures to address our climate crisis. Check out this Maryland Matters overview to learn more.
Enviro advocates projected this powerful message on the State House before the vote.
Preventing Identity Theft
At long last, I presented my 30th and final bill before the Senate Finance Committee. SB712 would protect our private information by prohibiting the swiping of our driver’s licenses, except in limited circumstances. Especially as we transition to Real ID, it is imperative that we prevent identity theft and account hacking.
Tax Relief for Consumers at the Gas Pump
The Senate passed an emergency bill to repeal the State’s 36-cent-per-gallon gas tax for 30 days. This will help to cushion the impact of the meteoric rise in the prices we’re struggling to pay at the pump. This is part of our efforts to stand with Ukraine, reinforcing the sanctions against Russia.
Getting out in Gaithersburg
The snow may have postponed last weekend’s St. Patrick’s Day parade, but I hope to see you this Saturday. I’ll be marching with Wes Moore & Aruna Miller, my preferred candidates to become our next Governor and Lt. Governor. See you at Rio!
Meet Our Talented Candidate for Comptroller!
Delegate Brooke Lierman, a talented legislator, lawyer, and leader, has earned my endorsement to become our next Comptroller. Mayor Jud Ashman and dozens of other area leaders are co-hosting a Meet & Greet to welcome Brooke to Gaithersburg this Saturday afternoon. Hope you’ll RSVP and join us from 4-5:30 at “Locally Crafted, a women-owned small business you’ll want to visit!
My most recent “Kibbitz” was with Maryland’s Superintendent of Schools, Mohammed Choudhury. Be sure to check out the episode and subscribe to “Kibbitzing with Kagan” on YouTube and Apple Podcasts!
Please follow me on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram for photos and posts. Check out my completely redesigned website to learn more about legislation, internships, Senatorial Scholarships, and more. Subscribe to my YouTube Channel to be notified of new episodes of “Kibbitzing with Kagan.” And, you can always send questions or comments to me via email.
Best,
Cheryl
Cheryl C. Kagan
State Senator, District 17
(Gaithersburg & Rockville)
PS: The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra visited the Senate and allowed some of us to be guest conductors. It was a thrill to take the baton in hand!