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Friend,
Greetings! It's the busiest time of year in state government - the final few weeks before Sine Die is declared and the 90-day General Assembly session ends. The first hurdle for all bills is to pass in one chamber before the "crossover" deadline - which was yesterday! Below find some updates on legislation, bond sales, and more!
General Assembly 2023: Comptroller Legislation
This year I brought several bills - each of which exemplifies my commitment to creating an office that is focused on building communities that are more equitable, more resilient, and more prosperous.
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The Tax Parity passed in the Senate! This legislation creates a rebate program for Marylanders who followed all the rules, but unfairly had taxes withheld from their unemployment insurance payments due to delays in 2020 and 2021. This bill is about ensuring that even when the government fails, taxpayers don’t bear the consequences.

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Creating an Office of Taxpayer Advocate is also a key priority for me and I was so pleased to see both HB 707/SB 660, each pass one chamber! The bill creates the offices, outlines its priorities, and ensures it will have several new staff positions starting July 1, 2024 when the office would become functional.

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Lastly, SB 659/HB 709, is all about modernizing our ancient accounting and payment system! The Comptroller runs the general ledger for the state and issues checks - to contractors, vendors, non-profits, and more. Our aging system is one of the oldest in the nation. This legislature directs our office to work with the Treasurer, Secretary of Department of Management & Budget, and others to investigate, adopt, and implement a new general accounting system for the entire state government, passed yesterday into the opposite chamber.

Partnering with the Maryland General Assembly has been a key element to create a more efficient, modernized Comptroller's Office!
Board of Public Works Update
Last week we held the Board of Public Works meeting in the Treasury Building rather than its usual spot in the Statehouse! Every year we hold the meeting in our building just once - during our bond sale! We had a successful and competitive bond sale that raised hundreds of millions of dollars that we will now use on infrastructure spending.
Sitting as the BPW, we also approved a $1.36 billion contract to operate and maintain services on the MARC Camden and Brunswick commuter rail lines and multiple projects through Program Open Space, which funds outdoor recreation and open space for public use. Importantly, we also approved an emergency procurement to ensure adequate nursing services at Charlotte Hall, the state's veterans home in Southern Maryland. Its services were recently downgraded to 1 star out of 5 by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, and the Governor indicated his sincere concern about the treatment of residents there. The Treasurer and I agreed and we will be moving forward to ensure the health and well-being of our veteran residents at Charlotte Hall.
Transition Report
If you are looking for any additional reading on the Comptroller's Office, I encourage you to check out our Transition Report . I am so honored by the hundreds of people who put time and effort into the final product and who sent in comments and ideas. I hope you'll review it and let me know what you think!
Please stay safe, be well, and keep in touch!
My best,
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(She, Her, Hers)
PS: We'll be launching our new website soon - more to come!
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Authorized by Brooke Lierman for Maryland; Chairman, Alvin Lee; Treasurer, Candace Dodson-Reed.
Brooke Lierman for Maryland
PO Box 891
Baltimore, MD 21203
United States
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Thank you for supporting Brooke Lierman for Comptroller. Brooke will work with you to make a better Maryland for all of us.
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