2022 Session Newsletter - 2/22/22
Dear Neighbors and Friends -
This week will mark the halfway point of the 2022 legislative session here in Annapolis! We have a busy week ahead, with a number of bills being heard in the House of Delegates. Four pieces of legislation regarding foreclosures, expungement of criminal and court records, resentencing, and missing persons will be heard on Tuesday, and one piece of legislation regarding estates and trusts will be heard on Wednesday. My office has been hard at work preparing for these hearings, and I am excited to be working with community partners to support each of these bills!
At the state level, the COVID-19 positivity rate has dropped below 4 percent, making Maryland the state with the lowest COVID-19 case rates in the country. Governor Hogan has also recently announced his decision to end the mask mandate for employees and visitors in state buildings on February 22nd. Here in the House of Delegates, we will continue to enforce our masking mandate, and encourage all members of our community to stay vigilant and take the proper precautions against the spread of the virus.
I am also excited to announce that applications are now open for my 2022-2023 Delegate’s Scholarship. The application is open to any student in District 22 with at least a 2.5 GPA that is applying to or attends a college or trade school in Maryland. Further information can be found later on in this newsletter. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the scholarship or in general, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office.
- Nicole
Welcome Mominah and Daryl!
I am excited to welcome Mominah Mirza and Daryl Thorpe on board as legislative interns for the District 22 team!
Mominah is a senior Criminal Justice/Criminology major and Law & Society minor at the University of Maryland, College Park. Mominah is currently working with the National Institute of Health as a federal agent and has been taking an active role in appropriating funds for COVID-19 research. During the pandemic, she has worked at George Washington University Hospital in audiology within the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). In addition to healthcare experience, she also has experience with education, as she worked as a preschool teacher for several years. She is looking forward to serving District 22!
Daryl is a junior Criminal Justice major on a pre-law track at Bowie State University. He is part of a variety of organizations on campus, including the NAACP, the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice, and the Honors Student Organization. Daryl aspires to be a defense attorney and eventually have his own law firm.
Prince George's Community Collaboration Center
The Prince George's Community Collaboration Center offers mediation services to settle disputes relating to the community, families, businesses, school, and housing. These services are free, confidential, offer neutral perspectives, and are entirely voluntary. For more information, you can visit their website here or contact them at pgresolutioncenter@gmail.com.
2022-2023 Delegate's Scholarship
Applications are now open for the 2022-2023 Delegate Nicole Williams Scholarship! The deadline to submit an application is April 8th, 2022 at 11:59 PM. Any student with at least a 2.5 GPA who lives in District 22 and is attending or applying to a college or trade school in Maryland is welcome to apply. For instructions and the application forms, offered in both English and Spanish, please click here.
Celebrating Black History Month
The Prince George's County Parks and Recreation Department has organized a wonderful lineup of events to celebrate Black History Month and honor the African American community. To view the event calendar and register to participate, please click here. The City of Greenbelt is also holding Black History Month events focusing on Black health, wellness, and finance. You can view the full calendar of events here.
Racial Justice Essay Contest
The Equal Justice Initiative has partnered with the Prince George's County Lynching Memorial Project to host the Racial Justice Essay Contest. This scholarship contest will be open to 9th - 12th graders attending public high school in Prince George's County. Prizes for winning entry will total at least $5,000, and submissions will be due April 15th, 2022. To learn more and to apply, please click here.
COVID-19 Testing Sites
The state of Maryland has opened several hospital-based COVID-19 testing sites. Those closest to Prince George's County residents include: UM Laurel Alternate Care Site 7300 Van Dusen Rd. Laurel, MD 20707 Open daily (Mon-Sun, 9 AM - 1 PM) Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center (testing at Washington Education Zone/Washington University of DC) 6511 Princess Garden Pkwy Lanham, MD 20706 Open daily (Mon-Sun, 9 AM - 1 PM) UM Capital Region Medical Center (testing at City of Praise Family Ministries) 8501 Jericho City Dr. Landover, MD 20785 Mon: 12 PM - 6 PM Tues - Fri: 10 AM - 4 PM Sat: 9 AM - 1 PM Bunker Hill Fire Station 3716 Rhode Island Ave. Brentwood, MD 20722 Mon-Fri: 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM First United Methodist Church of Hyattsville 6201 Belcrest Rd Hyattsville, MD 20782 Monday & Thursday: 9 AM - 3 PM Saturday: 9 AM - 1 PM Roseu Medical Center 7350 Van Dusen Rd. Laurel, MD 20707 (Appointment required, click here to schedule) Temple Hills Community Center 5300 Temple Hill Rd. Temple Hills, MD 20748 Mon-Sat: 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM In addition, every home in America is now eligible to order 4 free at-home COVID-19 tests through the United States Postal Service. To place an order, visit covidtests.gov. Prince George's County is offering free COVID-19 test kits and KN95 masks at various community centers, branch libraries, testing facilities, and vaccine clinics. For more information on the dates and times these resources are being distributed, please click here. Many pharmacies that have partnered with the state and federal government to deliver COVID-19 vaccines will also be supplying free N95 and KN95 masks. Check your local pharmacy, including CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, and Walmart for more information.
COVID -19 Vaccines and Boosters
If you, a friend, or a family member would like to receive the vaccine or booster, please review the county's website for more information. I encourage you all to get vaccinated - my office and I are fully vaccinated and have received our boosters. If you have any further questions, contact my office and someone will be more than happy to assist you.
Housing Assistance
The Maryland Homeowner Assistance Fund offers grants that will go towards helping homeowners with mortgage payments, home repairs, housing counseling, and legal aid services. This fund will help those who were unemployed or underemployed after January 21st, 2020. For more information on eligibility requirements and the application, please click here.
Maryland Health Connection Open Enrollment
The Maryland Health Connection is currently having an extended period for open enrollment. Marylanders will now be able to apply for health insurance through February 28th, 2022, with coverage starting on March 1st, 2022. For more information on how to apply, please click here.
