Delegate Nicole Williams Newsletter - First Week Of Session Updates
Dear Neighbors and Friends -
On Wednesday, January 11th we began the 445th legislative session of the Maryland General Assembly. This first week has been full of excitement and hope as we all were sworn in to serve a new 4-year term. Annapolis was all abuzz with our new Attorney General Anthony Brown and looking forward to the inauguration on Monday of Comptroller Brooke Lierman and the inauguration on Wednesday of our new Governor Wes Moore and Lt. Governor Aruna Miller. My 2023 team is looking forward to working with all of the new leaders this upcoming session who you will meet below.
This year’s legislative session will be in person and we encourage you to participate in person or to watch virtually on the Maryland General Assembly YouTube channel. If you wish to testify on a particular bill you can do it in person or virtually during this session. I am introducing progressive legislation in this session to tackle issues such as protecting those seeking abortion care or assisting those seeking abortion care including our medical providers, expanding access to the ballot box, and more.
Lastly, we are not having our annual District 22 night on Monday which is the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Instead, our District 22 team is hosting a Community Service event on Monday where we will provide meals for those in need and information on various county resources that may be helpful for those within our District. Please do share the information with others in your neighborhood.
- Nicole
MLK Jr. Day of Service
On January 16th from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, the District 22 legislative team is sponsoring a day of service to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr to provide meals for families in need and representatives from the County to provide information on various resources available to the community. To register, please click here or the flyer below. We are looking forward to seeing you there!
Meet Your District 22 Team!
I am greatly appreciative of my staff who will be working closely with me throughout the 2022 legislative session. Breana, Tatiana, Divya, and Jazz each provide their own experiences and perspectives to this team, and are excited to get to work for District 22!
BreAna is a graduate of the University of Maryland with a bachelor's degree in Criminology & Criminal Justice and a minor in Law & Society. During her studies at UMD, she served as the General Body Meeting chair for the university’s NAACP Chapter where she coordinated and hosted weekly meetings that created a safe space for individuals to express themselves and their ideas. She is also a former Temple University student where she served as the Community Outreach Coordinator and Researcher for the Temple University Student Power Network. To end the mental health injustices taking place on campus, they gained over 15 new members and almost all of their demands were met. From that point on, she knew that the best way to make necessary changes is to create an allied base of support and demand change.
During this time she was also able to work closely with attorneys at the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office (PDAO) in the homicide unit as well as in the Department of Justice, Tax Division as a Pathways Intern. During her experience at PDAO, she noticed how almost all of the homicide cases in the office were not only people of color but were also due to gun violence. That created the incentive for her to explore state government. In 2021, she worked in the office of State Senator Michael Jackson where she realized where the REAL work gets done. With her passions being in criminology research, youth, and racial justice, she is excited to contribute to the progression of our Marylanders as Chief of Staff.
Tatiana is a recent graduate of the University of Maryland with a bachelor's degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE). She interned with my office during the fall and is continuing with us for her first session as my Legislative Aide. In the past, Tatiana interned for the Family Justice Center of the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office where she worked closely with an assistant state’s attorney on domestic assault cases. While at the University of Maryland, she volunteered with the Petey Greene Program as a tutor for incarcerated individuals working to obtain their GEDs. Additionally, as a student in the Gemstone Honors College Tatiana participated on a four-year social science research team focusing on parent attitudes, behaviors, and knowledge regarding menstruation. She is excited to be continuing her work in public service as a member of my team.
Divya is a sophomore at the University of Maryland currently earning a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE). She has past campaign experience assisting candidates in District 14 and District 20 and is continuing her community involvement this session as my legislative intern.
At the University of Maryland, she serves as a Campus Liaison for BridgeUMD, an up-and-coming political organization dedicated to encouraging nonpartisan conversation about current domestic and global political events. Divya encourages fellow students to join the organization and is passionate about increasing campus-wide civic engagement among young adults. Additionally, she is a writer for a centrist political publication called The Observer UMD, where she shares original articles on various current events intermeshed with ideas on how society can improve altogether. She is excited to continue her civic engagement as a member of my team.
Jacintha joins our team with more than 40 years of professional experience in the medical and mental health care field. She worked as a Certified Adult Nurse Practitioner and Midwife for more than 25 years, providing medical and obstetric, and gynecological care to families and women. Educated and trained with a master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy since 2008, Jacinth is currently in private practice as a Relationship Coach. She works closely with individuals, couples, and groups from diverse backgrounds as they identify adaptive techniques for successful living. I know that her medical and mental health experience will be a great addition to the team.
Legislative Update
As your Delegate, I am looking forward to introducing legislation for the 2023 Session.
These priorities include, but are not limited to:
1) The Reproductive Health Protection Act - This legislation will create protections in our laws for pregnant individuals seeking abortion care, as well as those providing support to pregnant individuals (including health care providers, support organizations, and volunteers), and protect those from administrative liability.
2) Curbside Voting- Reintroducing a bill that will allow curbside voting to those with disabilities. This will provide greater access to the ballot box and make the act of voting easier for those who would benefit the most.
3) MAGLEV - Reintroducing a bill to prevent any state funds from being used for the construction of magnetic levitation transportation systems (MAGLEV) and will require funds to instead come from private entities and corporations.
These are just some of the bills that I am sponsoring for this session. I was elected by my colleagues to serve as 1st Vice Chair of the Prince George's County House Delegation to advocate on behalf of our County. Additionally, I was appointed by Speaker Adrienne Jones to serve as the chair of the Public Safety Subcommittee and Deputy Majority Whip. There will certainly be a lot of work to do in this session. I am looking forward to collaborating with my fellow legislators in the Maryland General Assembly to continue to advocate for the residents of District 22!
209 House Office Bdg.
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401 Phone: 410-841-3058 | 301-858-3058
Toll-free in MD: 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3058