2022 Legislative Session Preview by District 36 Delegates, Part 2

Peter Heck • February 15, 2022


This is Part 2 of the 2022 session preview of the Maryland General Assembly given by the 36th District delegates on January 10. Sponsored by the Kent County Chamber of Commerce and the League of Women Voters, the discussion featured Sen. Steve Hershey and Dels. Jay Jacobs (Kent County), Jeff Ghrist (Caroline) and Steve Arentz (Queen Anne’s). All are Republicans. For Part 1, see Common Sense, Feb. 3.

 

Moderator Kate Van Name, of the Chamber of Commerce board of directors, asked about the state budget and the legislative priorities for the upcoming fiscal year.

 

Arentz said the budget will come out during the session; the delegates haven’t seen it. He said Gov. Larry Hogan had been “a great thing for the state as far as budget issues,” and that almost two-thirds of the previous year’s budget had been in the form of grants from the federal government. He said it was important to keep in mind that the money “is still tax dollars,” though from federal rather than state taxes. He said the surplus allowed Hogan to announce a $1,500 bonus for state employees, “so apparently the budget looks pretty good on that end.” He said there is probably no need for many major state tax increases.

 

Arentz described the Kirwan commission’s educational reforms as “the gorilla in the room, sitting out there taking and draining dollars” from the budget. He said the problem was particularly acute for Kent County. “There’s no way Kent can afford those kind of dollars,” he said, noting that the General Assembly would need to “find a way to afford it.” There are “a lot of infrastructure projects that need to be done,” as well as workforce development and expansion of some state services. Also, he said, unemployment will continue to be an issue. He said he expected the budget to be “straightforward,” but that paying for it will “be off the backs of the taxpayers.”

 

Jacobs said that because of the federal grants, “There’s a lot of money flowing last year, and there’s a lot of hands hanging out looking for it right now.” He said there are a number of capital projects in the four counties that make up the district and promised the delegates would do what they could to help fund them. But “at some point, this is going to end, and we’re going to be back in reality mode and have to pay this back.” He agreed there would probably be no tax increases in the upcoming session, and the state was “in fairly good shape” as far as funding projects. He said the state needs to reduce the cost of prescription drugs for retirees, and “hopefully that’ll be addressed in the upcoming session.”

 

Hershey said he expects the governor to invest in capital projects, and that the delegation would be working to get state funding for the district.

 

Ghrist noted that the General Assembly can’t change the total amount of the budget, but it can change line items. The “faucet” of federal funding is going to be turned off, “and that’s going to force people to go back to work,” he said. If people continue “to stay on the sidelines,” it will affect state revenue, he said. He also expressed concern over the possibility of a recession, recalling the 2008 recession’s effect on the economy. “A lot of people just don’t want to work,” he said, noting that a lot of their expenses had been paid for by covid-19 relief funds. “At some point, that’s going to get cut off and they’re going to have to make their own money,” he said.

 

Speaking of the Kirwan Commission, Jacobs said the delegation was “really concerned about how Kent County is going to get hit by this,” as it is the smallest county in the state by population. He said the Kirwan administrators were “just adamantly opposed” to tweaking their formula, since it characterizes Kent as the third richest county in the state. That figure, however, doesn’t mesh with the high number of Kent students who receive free and reduced meals in the schools, he said. “It’s really not a fair assessment of Kent County at all,” he said. The delegation is looking at ways to adjust that perception, possibly finding a formula like the one applied to smaller colleges. Transportation funding may be one area for adjustment, he said. “That’s one of the big challenges for us here, with such a small system. It’s a very rural county, with a lot of miles driven per day.” He said he wasn’t happy with the idea of a grant payment to close the gap, because it wouldn’t necessarily continue year after year, “and you need certainty.”

 

Ghrist said the assessment of Kent as one of the richest counties in the state was based on capital wealth, but that it didn’t take disparities in income into consideration. Also, he noted, Kent’s tax rate is among the highest in the state, leaving no room to raise more locally. “The county’s completely tapped out,” he said. But he said he was confident that the assembly would get a solution this year.

 

Arentz invited Eastern Shore residents who want to listen in on the Shore delegation’s meetings with state department heads or who have other issues to email him at steven.arentz@house.state.md.us.

 

Van Name asked the delegates how members of the Chamber of Commerce could support them. Arentz said that all the members put out newsletters that constituents can follow and comment on. “I think it’s important that you get involved and follow the legislation,” he said. “We need to keep you involved in that to help us with some ideas.” Also, he invited constituents to be available to testify on bills that affect them or that they have particular interest in.

 

Hershey said there has never been a lack of support from Kent County, which he described as one of the most active counties, “especially for its size.” He mentioned Jamie Williams, Kent County’s director of economic development, who advocated for a plan to open up the state for data centers, a measure that was passed by the assembly and is bearing fruit in several parts of the state. He echoed Arentz’s call for residents to reach out to delegates with their ideas and concerns.

 

Sam Shoge, executive director of the Kent Chamber, closed out the session by passing along a few questions from other participants in the Zoom meeting. The first question, from Hope Clark, asked about the effects of climate change on residents and businesses on the Shore, and what the delegates were doing to address it.

 

Jacobs said he hadn’t seen any significant trends in the amount of coastal flooding in Rock Hall, his hometown. He said he saw more floods in the 1970s, when he was in the seafood business, than he does now. There are a lot more built-up areas now, and there are definitely areas around the state that are prone to flooding. “I can tell you there’s no shortage of legislation in my committee on climate issues,” he said. Anyone interested can go on the General Assembly website and see bills that have been pre-filed, he said. He invited anyone to reach out to his office if they have questions on the issues.

 

“Honestly, there probably isn’t any policy that the State of Maryland is going to pass that will affect these prevailing weather patterns,” Hershey said. He said the district delegation has advocated for projects for reconstruction, shoreline stabilization, and stormwater management and diversion. He called attention to the Conowingo Dam as an on-going issue, which he characterized as the source and cause of flooding in the Bay and on the Shore. “We need our federal partners to help us with that,” he said, noting that Congress has recently passed a “huge” infrastructure program. He wasn’t sure if any funds were earmarked for the dam, but he said that cleaning up the problems with the dam would do more for Maryland’s environment than any policies for renewable energy, offshore wind farms, or the like. “I ask that we focus our efforts more on that than on the amount of renewable energy that is coming into the State of Maryland,” he said.

 

Linda Weimer, of the Maryland League of Conservation Voters, asked whether the availability of surplus funds from the federal government would make this a good time to transition the state’s fleet of vehicles to electric power, and to require higher levels of energy efficiency in new buildings.

 

“I think we’re seeing legislation on both of those issues,” Hershey said. “Once again, I think it’s a cost issue.” If the progress so far hasn’t been sufficient, he said, he expected to see more action on those issues.

 

John Peterson said that taxes on federal pensions need to be more like Delaware’s, so that residents aren’t forced to move out of the state upon retirement. He asked if the delegates plan to address that issue. “Hear, hear!” said Jacobs.

 

Hershey said the governor has proposed legislation to remove taxes on pensions and has done so for his entire time in office. He said that many residents would find that to be a better use of the budget surplus than electrifying state vehicles. He said he thought it was more important to “take care of our retirees” and keep people in the state. He noted that retirees play important roles by volunteering in local communities, especially on the Shore. “We have to make sure that those people are able to stay in Maryland, and that they’re not being enticed by other states because of the tax policies.” He said he would strongly favor ending taxes on retirees.

 

“We lose in many ways,” said Jacobs, noting that retirees have less money to donate to local causes and nonprofits because of tax policy.

 

Ghrist added that retirees often consume less in government services than other residents. Also, he said, retirees aren’t going to get raises to help them deal with inflation “going through the roof.” He said the delegates and the governor’s office would do something to respond to the issue.

 

In closing, Shoge thanked the delegates for their efforts on behalf of the 36th District, and thanked Van Name for moderating and the League of Women Voters for sponsoring the forum. He wished them best of luck for the upcoming session. He said the Chamber would conduct another meeting at the end of the General Assembly session, sometime in April, for the delegates to report on what took place and how it will affect the district.

 

The discussion is available in its entirety for viewing. The event runs just over an hour.

 

 

Peter Heck is a Chestertown-based writer and editor, who spent 10 years at the Kent County News and three more with the Chestertown Spy. He is the author of 10 novels and co-author of four plays, a book reviewer for Asimov’s and Kirkus Reviews, and an incorrigible guitarist.

Common Sense for the Eastern Shore

“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free”

By John Christie • February 17, 2026
These are the words from Emma Lazarus’ famous 1883 sonnet “The New Colossus” inscribed on a bronze plaque on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. In 1990, Congress reaffirmed this vision of America by establishing the Temporary Protected Status program. TPS is designed to provide humanitarian relief to foreign nationals in the United States who come from disaster-stricken countries. In its present form, the TPS legislation gives the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security responsibility for the program. However, the legislation prescribes the kind of country conditions severe enough to warrant a designation under the statute, the specific time frame for any such designation, and the process for periodic review of a TPS designation which could culminate in termination or extension. All initial TPS designations last from six to eighteen months. Before the expiration of a designation, the statute mandates that the Secretary shall review the conditions in the foreign state to decide if the conditions for the designation continue to be met, following consultation with appropriate agencies of the government. Extension is the default; the designation “shall be extended” unless the secretary affirmatively determines that conditions are “no longer met.” ------------------------------------------------------------- A massive earthquake devastated Haiti in January 2010, and precipitated an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. Shortly after, then-DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano, after consultation with the State Department, designated Haiti for TPS due to “extraordinary conditions.” Haitian nationals in the United States continuously as of January 12, 2010, could thus apply for TPS, and obtained the right to remain and work in the U.S. while Haiti maintained its TPS designation. Napolitano set the initial TPS designation for 18 months. As Haiti’s deterioration worsened, successive DHS secretaries have extended this program. Gang violence and kidnappings have spiked. In 2021, a group of assailants killed Haiti’s then-President Jovenel Moìˆse. In 2023, another catastrophic earthquake hit Haiti. In 2024, in response to these conditions, then-DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas once again extended and redesignated Haiti for TPS, this time effective through February 3, 2026. During the 2024 election cycle, the GOP candidate, Donald Trump clearly indicated that time had not tempered his views on Haiti, characterized by him as a “shithole country” during his first term. He stated that when elected, he would “absolutely revoke” Haiti’s TPS designation and send “them back to their country.” On December 1, 2025, Kristi Noem, DHS secretary in the second Trump administration, announced, “I just met with the president. I am recommending a full travel ban on every damn country that’s been flooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies. Our forefathers built this nation on blood, sweat, and the unyielding love of freedom, not for foreign invaders to slaughter our heroes, suck dry our hard-earned tax dollars, or snatch the benefits owned to Americans. We don’t want them, not one.” So says the official responsible for overseeing the TPS program. And one of those (her word) “damn” countries is Haiti. Three days before making the above post, Secretary Noem announced she would terminate Haiti’s TPS designation as of February 3, 2026. Five Haitian TPS holders filed suit in federal court in Washington initially seeking an injunction against the termination of the Haitian TPS program pending the completion of the litigation. These plaintiff TPS holders are not “killers, leeches, or entitlement junkies.” They are instead a neuroscientist researching Alzheimer’s disease, a software engineer at a national bank, a laboratory assistant in a toxicology department, a college economics major, and a full-time registered nurse. The case was assigned to district court judge Ana Reyes who granted the plaintiffs’ injunction request on February 2, 2026, by way of an 83-page opinion. The plaintiffs charge that Secretary Noem preordained her termination decision because of hostility to non-white immigrants. According to Judge Reyes, “This seems substantially likely. Secretary Noem has terminated every TPS country designation to have reached her desk — twelve countries up, twelve countries down.” Judge Reyes also decided that Noem’s conclusion that Haiti (a majority non-white country) faces only “merely concerning” conditions cannot be squared with the “perfect storm” of “suffering and staggering” humanitarian toll described in page after page of the record in the case. In Judge Reyes’ view, Noem also ignored Congress’s requirement that she review the conditions in Haiti “after consulting with appropriate agencies.” Indeed, the record indicates she did not consult other agencies at all. Her “national interest” analysis focuses on Haitians outside the United States or here illegally, ignoring that Haitian TPS holders already live here and legally so. And though Noem states that the analysis must include “economic considerations,” Judge Reyes concluded Noem ignored altogether the billions that Haitian TPS holders contribute to the economy. The administration’s primary response in the litigation has been to assert that the TPS statute gives Secretary Noem “unbounded” discretion to make whatever determination she wants, any way she wants. Yes, Judge Reyes acknowledges, the statute does grant Noem some discretion. But, in Judge Reyes’ opinion, “not unbounded discretion.” To the contrary, Congress passed the TPS statute to standardize the then ad hoc temporary protection system; in Judge Reyes’ words, "to replace executive whim with statutory predictability.” The administration also argued that the harms to Haitian TPS holders were “speculative” if they are forced to return to Haiti. Because the State Department presently warns, “Do not travel to Haiti for any reason,” the administration asserts that harm is “speculative” only because DHS “might not” remove them. However, according to Judge Reyes, this argument fails to take Secretary Noem at her word: “We don’t want them. Not one.” The public interest also favors the injunction, in the opinion of Judge Reyes. Secretary Noem complains of the strains that unlawful immigrants place on our immigration-enforcement system. Noem’s answer is to turn 352,959 lawful TPS Haitian immigrants into unlawful immigrants overnight. Noem complains of strains to our economy; her answer is to turn employed lawful immigrants who contribute billions in taxes into the legally unemployable. Noem complains of strains to our health care system. Noem’s answer is to turn the insured into the uninsured. “This approach is many things – but the public interest is not one of them,” according to Judge Reyes. The opinion of Judge Reyes concludes: “Kristi Noem has a First Amendment right to call immigrants killers, leeches, entitlement junkies, and any other inapt name she wants. Secretary Noem, however, is constrained by both our Constitution and the law to apply faithfully the facts to the law in implementing the TPS program. The record to-date shows she has yet to do that. The administration has already appealed. John Christie was for many years a senior partner in a large Washington, D.C. law firm. He specialized in anti-trust litigation and developed a keen interest in the U.S. Supreme Court about which he lectures and writes.

Gov. Moore Signs Legislation to Prohibit Md. Jurisdictions from Deputizing Officers for Federal Civil Immigration Enforcement

By Office of the Governor • February 16, 2026
Gov. Wes Moore signed legislation on February 17, 2026, to prohibit State and local jurisdictions from deputizing officers for federal civil immigration enforcement activity. The law, created under SB 245/HB 444 , is effective immediately. “In Maryland, we defend Constitutional rights and Constitutional policing — and we will not allow untrained, unqualified, and unaccountable ICE agents to deputize our law enforcement officers,” Moore said. “This bill draws a clear line: we will continue to work with federal partners to hold violent offenders accountable, but we refuse to blur the lines between state and federal authority in ways that undermine the trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Maryland is a community of immigrants, and that's one of our greatest strengths because this country is incomplete without each and every one of us.” “As an immigrant, this bill is deeply personal to me,” said Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller. “Immigrants make Maryland stronger every day, and our communities are safer when everyone feels protected and valued. This legislation ensures that our law enforcement resources remain focused on keeping Marylanders safe, not on actions that create fear in our neighborhoods. I thank the bill sponsors and Governor Moore for their leadership in ensuring Maryland remains a place where dignity and opportunity go hand in hand.” U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement, also known as ICE, established its 287(g) program to authorize local law enforcement officials to perform federal civil immigration enforcement functions under ICE’s oversight. Under SB 245/HB 444, State and local jurisdictions in Maryland are prohibited from engaging in such agreements. Any local jurisdictions with standing 287(g) agreements must terminate them immediately. The legislation does not: Authorize the release of criminals Impact State policies and practices in response to immigration detainers that are issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Prevent the State or local jurisdictions from continuing to work with the federal government on shared public safety priorities, including the removal of violent criminals who pose a risk to public safety Prevent State or local jurisdictions from continuing to notify ICE about the impending release of an individual of interest from custody or from coordinating the safe transfer of custody within constitutional limits State and local law enforcement will also maintain the ability to work with the federal government on criminal investigations and joint task forces unrelated to civil immigration enforcement. Any individual who is charged with a crime is entitled to due process and, if convicted, must serve their sentence.

Farmers Now Owe a Lot More for Health Insurance

By Sarah Boden and Drew Hawkins, Gulf States Newsroom • February 16, 2026
And now, the enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies that many Americans, including farmers, relied on to purchase health insurance are gone, having expired at the end of December.

It’s Not Your Grandfather’s Department of Justice

By John Christie • December 16, 2025
When I practiced law, much of my litigation involved issues arising under federal antitrust laws. The Department of Justice (DOJ) was my frequent adversary in court. In some cases, DOJ challenged a client’s conduct as anticompetitive. In others, they claimed an intended client merger would create a monopoly. Some of these DOJ court battles were won, others were not. Overall, I had great respect for DOJ lawyers. They were professional, well prepared, and dedicated to their mission of seeing justice done. They were courteous, honest, and forthright with the courts before which we argued our cases. In those days, without resorting to social media or press conferences, the DOJ spoke entirely through its court filings. Although as an advocate I took issue with various DOJ investigatory decisions as well as decisions to initiate litigation, I never thought politics was involved. Post-Watergate internal rules strictly limited communication with any figures at the White House. Not so, it seems, anymore. Beginning last January 20, all of this changed rapidly and spectacularly . On March 14, Trump triumphantly arrived at the main DOJ building in D.C. to be welcomed by a group of carefully selected VIPs. He was greeted by Pam Bondi, his chosen new attorney general, who exclaimed, “We are so proud to work at the directive (sic) of Donald Trump.” Bondi’s boast that the DOJ now worked at the president’s behest was something never said before and, in effect, surrendered the department’s long and proud independence. And Bondi’s comment was not an empty gesture. As chronicled by reporters Carol Leonnig and Aaron Davis in their new book, Injustice: How Politics and Fear Vanquished America’s Justice Department , within hours of being sworn in, Trump and his lieutenants began punishing those at the Justice Department who had investigated him or those he considered his political enemies. Career attorneys with years of experience under many administrations were fired or reassigned to lesser work, or they resigned. As Leonnig and Davis report, what followed was “the wholesale overthrow of the Justice Department as Trump insert[ed] his dutiful former defense attorneys and 2020 election deniers atop the department.” [Source: Injustice , p. xix.] In the place of years of experience, the new team appears credentialed simply by loyalty to the president’s causes. The DOJ’s conduct in court has since caused damage to judicial and public faith in the integrity and competence of the department. Just Security is an independent, non-partisan, daily digital law and policy journal housed in the Reiss Center on Law and Security at the New York University School of Law. Since January 20, it has documented federal judicial concerns about DOJ conduct. In 26 cases, judges raised questions about DOJ non-compliance with judicial orders and in more than 60 cases, judges expressed distrust of government-provided information and representations. This count was taken the day after a federal court dismissed the DOJ cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. [Source: Just Security , “The ‘Presumption of Regularity’ in Trump Administration Litigation,” Nov. 20, 2025.] As summarized by the Georgetown Law Center’s Steve Vladeck, “It’s one thing for the Department of Justice to so transparently pursue a politically motivated prosecution. But this one has been beset from the get-go with errors that remotely competent law students wouldn’t make. Indeed, it seems a virtual certainty that the Keystone Kops-like behavior of the relevant government lawyers can be traced directly to the political pressure to bring this case; there’s a reason why no prosecutors with more experience, competence, or integrity were willing to take it on.” [Source: One First , Nov. 24, 2025.] Rather than accept criticism and instead of trying to do better, Bondi’s DOJ and the Trump administration lash out in a fashion apparently aimed at demeaning the federal judiciary. At a recent Federalist Society’s National Lawyers Convention, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, one of Trump’s former defense attorneys, attributed the Trump administration’s myriad losses in the lower federal courts to “rogue activist judges.” He added, “There’s a group of judges that are repeat players, and that’s obviously not by happenstance, that’s intentional, and it’s a war, man.” Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller decries each adverse ruling against the Trump administration as just part of a broader “judicial insurrection.” Not to be left behind, Trump himself regularly complains of “radical left lunatic” judges. In addition to the harm these comments inflict on the federal courts, their premise is simply not true. According to a survey by Vladeck, as of Nov. 14, there were 204 cases in which federal district courts have ruled on requests for preliminary relief against the Trump administration. In 154 of them, district judges granted either a temporary restraining order, a preliminary injunction, or both. Those 154 rulings came from 121 district judges appointed by seven presidents (including President Trump) in 29 district courts. In the 154 cases with rulings adverse to the Trump administration, 41 were presided over by 30 Republican-appointed judges, fully half of whom were appointed by President Trump. No, it is no longer your grandfather’s Department of Justice. John Christie was for many years a senior partner in a large Washington, D.C. law firm. He specialized in anti-trust litigation and developed a keen interest in the U.S. Supreme Court about which he lectures and writes.

Salisbury City Council Appoints Melissa Holland to Fill District 2 Seat

By CSES Staff • December 16, 2025
The Salisbury City Council has appointed longtime public servant Melissa D. Holland to fill the vacancy in District 2. Holland was selected on Dec. 1 after the council reviewed several applicants. A 27-year resident of Salisbury, Holland brings more than 20 years of experience in government, education, and administration. As executive assistant to the president of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, she currently oversees operations, budgeting, communications, and planning. Before joining UMCES, Holland worked for nearly 11 years with the Wicomico County Council, gaining extensive experience in legislative procedure, constituent services, research, and budget preparation. Her background includes positions with the Wicomico County Board of Education, the State of Maryland’s Holly Center, and multiple early-learning programs. Approved by a 3-1 council vote, Holland was selected based on her administrative expertise and long-standing community involvement. (Salisbury’s City Council is now comprised of only women.) She has a bachelor’s degree in legal studies from Post University and an associate degree from Wor-Wic Community College. She has also served as PTA president at East Salisbury Elementary and Wicomico Middle School. In her application, Holland emphasized her commitment to maintaining transparency in city government and ensuring that District 2 residents remain informed and represented. “I plan to be well-informed on the issues that matter to the citizens of Salisbury and to listen to their concerns carefully,” she wrote. “I want to make a positive and lasting impact on our city.” Holland’s appointment restores the City Council to full membership as it faces debates over budgeting, infrastructure planning, and local governance initiatives. She is expected to begin constituent outreach immediately and participate fully in the selection of the next council president.

Democrats Ambushed in Hurlock Election

By CSES Staff • November 4, 2025
Voters in Hurlock have delivered sweeping changes in this year’s municipal election, as Republican and GOP-aligned candidates won key races there. The results mark a setback for Democrats and a significant political shift in a community that has historically leaned Democratic in state and federal contests. The outcome underscores how local organizing and turnout strategies can have an outsized impact in small-town elections. Analysts also suggest that long-term party engagement in municipal contests could shape voter alignment in future county and state races. Political analysts warn that ignoring municipal elections and ceding them to the GOP could hurt the Maryland Democratic Party in statewide politics. Turnout increased by approximately 17% compared with the 2021 municipal election, reflecting heightened local interest in the mayoral and council races. Incumbent Mayor Charles Cephas, a Democrat, was soundly defeated by At-Large Councilmember Earl Murphy, who won with roughly 230 votes to Cephas’s 144. In the At-Large Council race, Jeff Smith, an independent candidate backed by local Republicans, secured a 15-point win over Cheyenne Chase. In District 2, Councilmember Bonnie Franz, a Republican, was re-elected by 40 percentage points over challenger Zia Ashraf, who previously served on the Dorchester Democratic Central Committee. The only Democrat to retain a seat on the council was David Higgins, who was unopposed. The Maryland Republican Party invested resources and campaign attention in the Hurlock race, highlighting it on statewide social media and dispatching party officials, including Maryland GOP Chair Nicole Beus Harris, to campaign. Local Democrats emphasized support for Mayor Cephas through the Dorchester County Democratic Central Committee, but the Maryland Democratic Party did not appear to participate directly.
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