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About
About Nicole
Nicole Williams’ life is driven by service to the community. Growing up in Washington, DC, she was raised by a single mother who taught her the values of hard work and fighting for what’s right.
Nicole embraced these lessons. In high school, she led a fight against random searches of lockers. As a student at the University of Pittsburgh, she advocated for women’s reproductive rights.
After working her way through law school, she joined a Maryland law firm and got involved in political outreach and mobilization on behalf of Democratic candidates.
She’s been recognized as a “Top 40 under 40” leader in Prince George’s County, a leader in the Law in Maryland by the Daily Record and previously was elected to serve on Prince George’s County Democratic Central Committee.
Today, Nicole is serving as our Delegate as our voice for all of us in Annapolis.
"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."
Nicole Williams - Legislation
The Issues
The Environment
Nicole voted for the EmPOWER Maryland Energy Efficiency Act to set target reductions of 15% in per capita electricity consumption and peak demand by 2015 from a 2007 baseline. The bill requires, subject to review and PSC approval, each electric company, each gas company other than specified small gas companies, the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) to develop and implement programs and services to encourage and promote the efficient use and conservation of energy
Reducing our carbon footprint and protecting the Chesapeake Bay as one of our State's most significant resources is a top priority for Nicole.
Protecting our environment is essential for the future of the planet and the health of everyone.
Education
During the 2024 session, Nicole voted for the "Freedom to Read Act" to address the controversial trend in some states to restrict or ban books in public libraries, especially in elementary and secondary schools. This bill establishes as a policy of the State that each local school system operate its school library media program and specified libraries that receive State funding operate consistent with standards that ensure the materials, services, and resources are not excluded from a library because of the content of the materials; the characteristics of the author; or the partisan, ideological, or religious viewpoint of the objector. The bill also prohibits local school systems and a board of library trustees from taking certain retaliatory actions against certain school library media program personnel or other library employees from performing their job duties consistent with State policy.
Nicole also supported HB 903 which established the Access to Attorneys, Advocates, and Consultants for Special Education Program administered by the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service, and the Access to Attorneys, Advocates, and Consultants for Special Education Fund administered by the Maryland Department of Education to provide resources and services to eligible students to provide access to legal, advocacy, and consultant services in special education matters.
The Blind and Visually Impaired Students - Textbook Equity bill which Nicole co-sponsored, establishes requirements for each county board of education regarding the provision of the instructional materials that will be used in the upcoming school year for students with individualized education programs. It also requires the county boards to coordinate with the Instructional Resources Center to provide the materials in a specialized format to blind or visually impaired students beginning January 1, 2025.
Nicole supported the following for the economy in 2024 -
Budget Bill (Fiscal Year 2025) (SB 360) details Governor Moore's budget proposal for the 2025 Fiscal Year. This year's budget reflects our values. Maryland faces tough fiscal realities, specifically, for our transportation, public education, and hospital trauma systems.
The budget funds year 3 of the implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland Future with $9.1 billion to support public schools. The budget also adjusts the Tier II Pre-K income eligibility schedule. This additional funding will further incentivize providers to start Pre-K programs and more adequately compensate existing Pre-K providers.
The budget also includes $330 million in revenue to support our transportation system. The funding will be used for local roads and bridges, locally operated transit systems, MTA operations and Safety, and SHA highway, road, and bridge construction projects. environment.
One of the last things I want to highlight about the budget is the almost $488 million of new funding allocated to the Child Care Scholarship Program to address shortfalls in FY 23 and 24 and adequately fund the FY25 budget. The program has seen participation more than double since January 2021 to more than 31,000 children.
There was so much that went into this budget to fund additional programs while also addressing the structural deficit that the State was facing. We will certainly have to come back next year to do more to address the State's deficit.
Housing
Having a dry, clean place to sleep every night should be a basic human right. Affordable housing in Maryland is hard to find and many of our most vulnerable citizens are finding themselves on the streets and in shelters.
Nicole has fought for more affordable housing and a diverse housing stock within our community.
As a real estate attorney, she has seen the harmful effects of predatory lending. She will push back against the deregulation of lending practices here in Maryland and will fight for measures that will help people who are facing foreclosure or wrongful evictions.
This past session Nicole supported HB 241 which authorizes the Governor, on the recommendation of the Secretary of Housing and Community Development, to designate an area as a "Just Community" if the Secretary demonstrates that past and current trends in homeownership, property values, commercial and residential vacancy, and business or housing investment show a need for reinvestment in the area.
Nicole also co-sponsored HB 538 requires local jurisdictions to allow new manufactured homes and modular dwellings in zones that allow single-family residential uses and increased densities and uses in specified zoning areas for "qualified projects". This bill also prohibits local jurisdictions from imposing unreasonable limitations or requirements on a qualified project or requiring a qualified project to be reviewed at more than a specified number of public hearings. This will help create more affordable housing and encourage increase density in transit zones.
Public Safety and Gun Safety
Nicole supported the following legislation in 2024 -
Public Nuisances - Firearm Industry Members (Gun Industry Accountability Act of 2024) (HB 947) prohibits a "firearm industry member" from knowingly creating, maintaining, or contributing to harm to the public through the sale, manufacture, distribution, importation, or marketing of a firearm-related product by engaging in conduct that is unlawful or unreasonable under the totality of the circumstances. This bill requires a firearm industry member to establish and implement "reasonable controls" regarding the sale, manufacture, distribution, importation, marketing, possession, and use of the firearm industry member's firearm-related products.
Protecting Election Officials Act of 2024 (HB 585) is emergency legislation that prohibits a person from threatening to harm an election official or an immediate family member of an election official because of the official's role in administering the election process.
Nicole was one of the lead sponsors of the Criminal Organizations - Underlying Crimes (HB 1063) which expands the number of crimes as an underlying crime for purposes of establishing a "pattern of organized criminal activity" to include the use of a firearm in the commission of a crime under Section 4-204 of the Criminal Law Article, contraband, certain fraud and related crimes, impersonating a police officer, insurance fraud, abuse or neglect of a vulnerable adult and removal or falsification of a vehicle identification number.
Sexual Crimes - Definition of Consent and Repeal of Force (HB 496) establishes that it is second-degree rape for a person to engage in vaginal intercourse or a sexual act with another person without the consent of the other person. The bill also defines consent and establishes that consent, lack of consent, and withdrawal of consent must be determined based on the totality of the circumstances.
Juvenile Law - Reform (HB 814) makes numerous changes to the juvenile justice process including altering the delinquency jurisdiction of the juvenile court over children 10-12 for those alleged to committed a specified weapons or firearms offense, aggravated cruelty to animals, or sexual offense in the third degree. This bill also alters procedures related to juvenile intake by providing greater oversight by the local State's Attorneys creating a Commission on Juvenile Justice Reform and Emerging and Best Practices.
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Contact Nicole
I would love to hear your opinion on how to make our community a better place. I will fight for the things that matter most to our families, and be your voice to ensure a better way of life.
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Come visit me in Annapolis at the Lowe House Office Building
6 Bladen Street, Room 207, Annapolis MD 21401
or give me a call at (410) 841-3058; (301) 858-3058
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