Raskin Has Confirmation Hearing in Front of Senate Banking Committee
Sarah Bloom Raskin, President Biden’s nominee for Vice Chair of Supervision at the Federal Reserve, faced questions at her confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee on Thursday. Raskin has been criticized for her views against the fossil fuel industry and its unquestioned access to credit and loans. If confirmed, Raskin will serve as Vice-Chair for the next four years. To watch her confirmation hearing, click here.
Governor Hogan Delivers State of the State Address, Senator Smith Delivers Rebuttal
Governor Hogan delivered his eighth and final State of the State Address from Annapolis last week. During his speech, he highlighted his accomplishment as Governor, and used his Address to push for the Administration’s legislative proposals this session, including tax relief for seniors and tackling violent crime. State Senator Will Smith (D-Montgomery County) delivered the Democratic response to the Governor’s Address, in which he spoke about Democratic initiatives in the General Assembly for this year’s session. He also criticized the Hogan Administration for their lack of transparency and lack of willingness to work with the General Assembly on issues facing Marylanders. To watch both speeches, click here.
Several Maryland Counties End Mask Mandates
Several large counties in Maryland ended their mask mandates last week, citing improving COVID-19 metrics in their respective jurisdictions. Baltimore, Anne Arundel, and Howard Counties will no longer require masks in all indoor areas. Each county has set their own rules for mask usage in county owned buildings. Harford County announced that they would be lifting their mask mandate for county employees as well. Click here to see WBAL TV’s reporting on these decisions. Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott Issue Vacant Housing Directive Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott issued a directive to all City agencies to conduct a review of how agencies deal with vacant houses. This directive comes after a fire in a vacant home resulted in the death of three Baltimore City firefighters. For more information on this directive, click here.
Legislative Reception
In Annapolis, MBA's Advocacy Team has developed productive working relationships with members of the General Assembly to successfully manage issues during the Annual Legislative Reception.
Washington Visit
To help federal lawmakers and regulators understand the effect of legislation on the financial industry in Maryland, the MBA holds their annual Washington Visit in Washington, D.C., where bankers across the state share their views and concerns with key policymakers in the federal government.
Please contact Mindy Lehman (443-837-1613) for any questions on these legislative events.