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Delegate Nicole Williams Newsletter - 3/28/2022


Dear Neighbors and Friends - On Sunday, March 19th, I toured parts of District 22 with Delegate Mark Chang, Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, and Delegate Martinez to meet with city officials to discuss the funding needed for their Legislative Bond Initiatives, also known as LBIs. We visited Greenbelt, Hyattsville, and Edmonston to learn about a few proposed LBIs in the District. Through this tour and collaboration with Senator Washington, Delegate Healey, and Delegate Martinez, we will advocate for not just these but all of our Bond bills to receive the funding that they need for the progression of our district.

-Nicole


 

Women's History Month Highlight: Gladys Noon Spellman


Our next weekly spotlight is Gladys Noon Spellman. She was influential in Maryland politics for decades, especially as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Maryland's 5th Congressional District from 1975-1981.


Gladys Noon Spellman was born in New York City on March 1, 1918. She attended George Washington University and then the U.S. Department of Agriculture graduate school. Before her career in public office, Spellman taught in public schools in Prince George’s County, Maryland. She made history in the 1962 election to become the first woman to serve on the Prince George’s County Board of Commissioners and then the Prince George's County Council when the County became a charter County. In 1972, she became the first woman elected President of the National Association of Counties. After decades in education and county politics, she took her talents federally, getting elected to Congress in 1974 to represent Maryland's 5th Congressional District.


Congresswoman Noon Spellman's efforts resulted in reforms in county employment; housing policy; social, economic, and human resource planning; consumer protection; sexual assault; women's pension rights; mandatory retirement; and discrimination against disabled persons. Unfortunately, she suffered a cardiac arrest in 1980, two days before being elected to a fourth term in Congress, which left her in a semi-comatose state. Her seat was not declared empty until 1981, and the medical incident eventually led to her death in 1988 in Rockville, Maryland. Congresswoman Noon Spellman successfully spearheaded many efforts to instill social and political reform in all facets of life for Prince George's County, the State of Maryland, and the nation. She helped thousands of students in her schools and millions of Marylanders through her ambition, determination, and passion for reform.

 

Women's History Month Events in District 22


The celebration of excellence does not stop within this newsletter! Check out these March events within District 22 and more within the Prince George's County Memorial Library System to stay educated on female empowerment and to uplift your community:

 

Legislative Updates


The hearing for all of my bills in the House of Delegates has ended, but the job has yet to end. Our team will continue to work diligently to see if we can obtain a favorable vote in the committee assigned to the bill and a favorable vote on the House Floor. Until there are updates on those hearings, here is a rundown of what is going on with some of my proposed legislation:


  • This bill was heard on Thursday, February 2nd at 2:30 PM in the House Judiciary Committee.

  • This bill received a favorable vote in the House Judiciary Committee and was voted favorably by the House of Delegates. The bill will now move on to the Senate where it has been assigned to the Judicial Proceedings Committee.

  • The Senate cross-file for the bill, which is Senator Carter's bill SB0653, will now be heard on Tuesday, March 28th at 1:00 p.m. in the House Judiciary Committee.

  • Synopsis:

    • Provides that a parent, guardian, or other caregivers for a child who uses cannabis do not count as neglect (except in some circumstances) for provisions of laws relating to children who need assistance.


  • HB0808 was heard on Wednesday, March 8th at 1:00 PM in the House Judiciary Committee.

  • The Senate cross-file for HB0808, which is Senator Smith's SB0859, received a favorable vote in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee and was voted on favorably by the State Senate.

  • SB0859 has now crossed over to the House of Delegates, where it will be heard in the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, March 28th at 1:00 PM.

  • Synopsis:

    • Prohibits judges from requiring anyone to give certain testimony or a statement, or to produce evidence in another state for cases involving alleged violations of the other state's criminal law about legally protected health care;

    • Requiring, subject to certain exceptions, that any request for foreign subpoenas include a sworn statement that the subpoena is not expected to further an investigation or proceeding about legally protected health care; etc.

  • HB0156 was heard on Wednesday, February 1st at 2:30 PM in the House Judiciary Committee.

  • The Senate cross-file for HB0156, which is Senator Carter's SB0097, received a favorable vote in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee and was voted on favorably by the State Senate.

  • SB0097 has now crossed over to the House of Delegates, where it will be heard in the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, March 29th at 1:00 PM.

  • Synopsis:

    • Provides that a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding 1 year and who is currently serving the sentence imposed for the conviction (including parole or probation, being convicted of a crime involving or relating to perjury, witness intimidation, jury intimidation, or fraud or a related crime) is not qualified for jury service.

 

Delegate Nicole A. Williams 2023-24 Scholarship

The 2023-2024 scholarship application is now available! Applications will be accepted from now until April 7, 2023. You are eligible for the scholarship if:

  • If you currently attend or will be attending any college or vocational school in Maryland next year

  • If you live in District 22 (to check, visit www.mdelect.net)

  • If you have at least a 2.5 GPA

Click here for more information on how to apply, as well as the link to the official application. Make sure that all parts of your application are complete before you submit it for consideration. Award winners will be announced in mid-May. Best of luck to everyone applying!

 

Additional Scholarship Opportunities

  • If you are in Greenbelt and need financial assistance for post-secondary education, you are in luck. The Greenbelt Education Scholarship deadline is quickly approaching. Apply by March 31, 2023. This grant is intended to help high school seniors and current college students from Greenbelt affected by COVID-19 seeking to further their education. For more information, click here to read more and complete the application.

  • The City of Hyattsville is pleased to offer the Hyattsville Educational Path Scholarship Program to support Hyattsville High School seniors and graduates in their pursuit of post-secondary education and career paths! The deadline to apply for the scholarship program is now extended until April 7, 2023. For more information, click here to read more and complete the application.

  • The Emanon’s, Inc. is still accepting applications from high school seniors in the DMV area for their scholarship program, with the deadline now extended to April 15th, 2023. For more information, click here to complete the application.

 

Article of the Week

Edmonston, MD has several award-winning sustainability programs. They were the 2022 Recipient of the Golden Trowel Award, the 2022 Outstanding Achievement Award for Environmental Efforts, and received an award for the Best Community Garden Program. Edmonston was one of the first towns in Maryland to start a green street. Since then, Edmonston is proactively working on making the community a more sustainable example for future generations to come. Click here to learn more about their sustainability resources, and click this article to learn about their green agenda.

 

Bilingual Annual Pharmacy Camp Opportunity


Real change happens slowly and requires diverse representation- meaning having bilingual and bicultural people in every room. To make that happen, the Legislative Latino Caucus continues to partner with Notre Dame School of Pharmacy in their annual high school pharmacy camp to raise awareness among Maryland's Latino youth about the health industry!


This annual Pharmacy Camp is open for registration for Summer 2023! The camp will take place from June 26 to June 30, 2023, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day. The camp will be led by NDMU School of Pharmacy faculty members, who are experts in their fields and passionate about teaching and mentoring the next generation of pharmacy professionals. NDMU’s Pharmacy Camp is designed for students in grades 9-12 who want to explore the world of pharmacy and the pharmaceutical sciences. Throughout the week, students will have the opportunity to:

  • Make medications in a lab

  • Explore precision medicine and the pharmacist's role in research and patient care

  • Learn about medication therapy management

  • Discover which pharmacy career best fits them

  • Get tips for applying to pharmacy school


Registration costs $450, which includes meals and activities. Scholarships are available for bilingual students! Registration ends on May 27, 2023, but limited scholarships are available, so we encourage anyone who may be interested to apply now! To register for Pharmacy Camp 2023 or to learn more, visit ndm.edu/pharmacy-camp.


ESPAÑOL


Estimados colegas, amigos y colaboradores comunitarios,


Sabemos que el cambio real ocurre lentamente. Y eso requiere una representación diversa, lo que significa que personas bilingües y biculturales estén presente en todos lados. Para que eso suceda, continuamos asociándonos con la Escuela de Farmacia de Notre Dame en su campamento anual de farmacia de la escuela secundaria para crear conciencia entre nuestra juventud latina sobre la industria de la salud. ¡Lo cual es beneficioso para su carrera Y también mejora la salud de nuestra comunidad!

¡Estamos felices de compartir esta increíble oportunidad por medio de la Escuela de Farmacia de la Universidad Notre Dame de Maryland! Ya abrió la inscripción para la edición anual del Campamento de Farmacia en el verano de 2023. El campamento se realizará del 26 al 30 de junio de 2023, de 9 a.m. a 5 p.m.


El Campamento de Farmacia de NDMU está orientado a estudiantes de grado 9 a 12 que quieran explorar el mundo de la farmacia y las ciencias farmacéuticas. Es una oportunidad única para los estudiantes latinos interesados en los campos de atención de salud. Durante la semana del campamento, podrán:

  • Hacer medicamentos en un laboratorio

  • Explorar el ámbito de la medicina de precisión y el rol del farmacéutico en investigación y atención del paciente

  • Saber más sobre medicación en terapia farmacológica

  • Descubrir qué carrera de farmacia es la mejor para cada uno

  • Recibir consejos para aplicar a la escuela de farmacia


La inscripción tiene un costo de $450, e incluye comidas y actividades. ¡Y hay becas disponibles para estudiantes bilingües! La inscripción finaliza el 27 de mayo de 2023, pero el número de becas es limitado, por eso los interesados tienen que registrarse lo antes posible. El campamento estará encabezado por profesores del equipo docente de la Escuela de Farmacia de NDMU, expertos en su área y apasionados por enseñar y guiar a la próxima generación de profesionales en farmacia. Para registrarse en el Campamento de Farmacia 2023 o conocer más detalles, pueden visitar ndm.edu/pharmacy-camp.

 

COVID-19 Update

According to the CDC, COVID-19 Community levels are measured as Low, Medium, and High. At this time the federal government is planning to end the national COVID-19 state of emergency declaration on May 11th. This will potentially impact health benefits for Marylanders. Older adults (50 years and older), and individuals who are immunocompromised or have underlying medical or cardiac conditions should take necessary precautions to stay safe. Please click here to find the closest COVID-19 testing facility near you in Prince George's County.

 

Resources


Redefining Public Safety

2-1-1 Assistance


As you may know, dialing 9-1-1 is the number to call when you need help and are in immediate danger. When dialing 2-1-1, you can receive information on immediate mental health support, hate-crime support, senior assistance, food and shelter support, and much more. Also, note that this information is provided in multiple languages. To learn more, please click here to explore Maryland's 2-1-1 site.

Water Bill Assistance

Housing

Prince George's County Department of Housing Community Development 2023-2024 Affordable Housing Portfolio:

The portfolio lists over forty upcoming and completed senior living communities and multi-family dwellings, now available to County residents. If you want to access more information about the new portfolio, you can watch the promotional video here.

If you are currently facing housing or rental concerns due to financial hardship, the organizations listed below can provide some support:

  • Maryland Homeowner Assistance Fund offers support mortgage relief, weatherization, housing counseling, and legal services.

  • Housing Counseling Services Inc. offers a variety of MD housing and rental assistance resources including but not limited to housing counseling, foreclosure prevention, utility assistance, and veteran support services

  • 211 Maryland's database can connect you with local programs and resources, call 2-1-1 to speak with an Information and Referral Specialist or visit their website

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