Saqib's Blog

Gazette Editorial on September 25, 2009: "SHA must stop playing word games"

2009-09-25T11:31:00.002-05:00

The ICC is being built. Of course that is a given at this point. However, I am concerned that the State Highway Administration may not be fairly treating residents near its path.

The Redland Station neighborhood is bounded by Shady Grove Road, Interstate 370, and the ICC. The ICC rights-of-way are directly adjacent to many residents' properties. Redland Station residents have done everything they can to educate and inform themselves about the ICC, including attending public hearings, community meetings and town halls, telephoning, e-mailing, and writing letters to the State Highway Administration, and arranging one-on-one and small group meetings with SHA staff.

SHA had demarcated some Redland Station residents' properties with an orange plastic mesh fence. Residents were told several months ago by the SHA that this fence denoted the "limit of disturbance." This term is plainly obvious in its meaning: nothing past the limit should be disturbed by construction. In verbal communications, SHA confirmed this.

In the past few weeks, sound-wall posts have been erected at the point of the limit of disturbance. SHA is now telling the same residents that there will be up to 10-foot cleared access roads outside the limit (closer to their homes) for sound-wall repair vehicular access. Residents rightly complained about the seeming double-talk. SHA's excuse: [the limit] doesn't really mean what it sounds like. There may be construction outside the limit. These kinds of word games are unacceptable.

I am disturbed that the SHA has made statements that would give any reasonable person false expectations about the impact of the ICC on their properties. SHA must be more careful and precise in its use of language, and be especially sensitive to not falsely raise expectations of residents whose properties and lifestyles have been profoundly impacted by the construction of the ICC.

Invitation for Discussion with Senator Nancy King

2009-08-25T14:00:00.000-05:00

Part Three: Closing Corporate Tax Loopholes Through Combined Reporting.

Our State Government's revenues are in a free-fall. And the budget has been in distress for several years. We need to find ways to reduce spending and increase revenues. This is the dilemma we legislators face now. And this is the dilemma that we faced in the Special Legislative Session of November of 2007. At that time we gathered in Annapolis to find a way to fill the gaping 1.5 billion dollar budget deficit. We are living today with the decisions we made then. And in retrospect some of those decisions don't look so hot.

We were presented with a list of option to raise revenue: slots, sales tax increase, gas tax increase, etc. For me, the lowest hanging fruit was closing Maryland's existing corporate tax loopholes. In particular I'm talking about something known as "Combined Reporting" (CR).
Some background about CR is in order: Multi-state corporations exploit flaws in Maryland’s existing tax code that allow them to minimize their tax burdens by reporting their Maryland earnings in other states. For example Wal-Mart reduced its taxable profits simply by transferring funds to a trust owned by itself. CR closes this loophole by forcing these corporations to pay taxes on the profits they actually made in MD. 21 states have enacted CR laws which prevent large corporations from evading taxes in this deceptive way.

In Fall of 2007, Maryland had the opportunity to do the same. In fact, the tax package proposed by Governor O'Malley and passed by the House of Delegates included this fix. I supported closing this loophole of course. It's a no-brainer. While we were raising the sales tax on all our citizens by 20%, why wouldn't we ask the corporations to at least pay their fair share? Unfortunately the Senate's conference committee stripped CR from the final bill. They did this in the round-about-way that things are done in Annapolis: Instead of implementing CR they opted to study it.
Nancy unfortunately lead the charge to kill CR. In fact she introduced Senate Bill 27 to study CR for three years (until after the next election). Even though SB 27 itself didn't pass, its contents were included in the eventual bill that Governor O'Malley signed. At the time, I questioned Nancy's logic for extending the tax loopholes that large corporations exploit. However, I never got a satisfactory explanation.

Even the Washington Post complained bitterly: "The Senate blew another air kiss to the deep-pocketed set by rejecting the governor's proposal to eliminate a major loophole through which corporations dodge Maryland taxes by artificially shifting profits to out-of-state subsidiaries. Thanks partly to this scam, more than half the largest companies doing business in the state pay no corporate income taxes whatsoever. But although 18 other states have closed this loophole, Maryland's Senate balked, referring the issue to a study that would only duplicate the voluminous research that's been done on the topic elsewhere."

Unfortunately, a year after killing CR by study, Nancy then went a step further and watered down that very study by introducing a controversial amendment to delay by 45 days the corporations' deadline to submit information. That was another favor the tax-evading corporations requested. Then just a few days ago she again doubled-down on her effort against CR by saying "It may be that [corporations] could be paying more taxes in combined reporting, but do we want to slap these businesses around with the economy the way it is? Or do we want to help them be more successful so we get more taxes anyway?".

The bottom line is that if we had passed CR in 2007, as I had hoped, we would not be in as big of a budget hole as we are today. And large companies like Wal-Mart wouldn't be walking away with hundreds of millions of dollars that rightfully belong to the people of Maryland. That's a fact.

Invitation for Discussion with Senator Nancy King

2009-08-18T14:00:00.001-05:00

Part Two: Civil Rights and Marriage Equality.

What are the biggest civil rights challenges of our time? Equal pay for equal work? Ending racial profiling? Demanding accountability for torture? These are all ugent issues. But as a state legislator, the one that seems most immediately fixable to me is giving same-sex couples equal marital rights. I am in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage. Six other states have already legalized it. And that building wave will be coming to Maryland soon enough. Increasingly this is becoming a bi-partisan issue. Even former Vice President Dick Cheney -- certainly no liberal -- recently came out in favor of marriage equality.

In my three years as a public official (and even before that), I have literally taken every opportunity (and created new opportunities!) to advocate in favor of full marriage equality:

• In 2006 as a candidate challenging incumbents in a "conservative" district I said "I’m in favor of expanding civil rights for all citizens of Maryland. To that end, I support amending our constitution to allow same-sex marriages. I don’t see how allowing same-sex marriages will weaken the traditional institution of marriage for any other members of society."

• In 2008 I co-sponsored the marriage-equality bill.

• In 2009 I co-sponsored the marriage-equality bill.

• On July 31st, I wrote a column in the Gazette emphasizing marriage-equality's importance saying “My stance on this issue isn't politically expedient. I am the first Muslim in the legislature. Homosexuality is strictly forbidden in Islam. As such I have evinced much grief from my most conservative supporters. But I recognize that I represent people of all faiths and no faith at all. If I tried to enforce religion by law - as in a theocracy - I would be doing a disservice to both my constituents and to my religion.”

• On August 11th, I gave an interview on NPR discussing my position on Marriage Equality.

Nancy has a starkly different opinion on this important civil rights issue. Although she has supported expanding certain rights for same-sex couples, she opposes full marriage equality. When asked in 2006 if the Constitution should be modified to allow same-sex marriages, she responded "It is already in Maryland State Law that marriage is between a man and a woman. There is no reason to change the Constitution when it is already in the law."

I'm hopeful that Nancy will change her mind on this important civil-rights issue. Probably when she gives it some careful thought she'll come out on the side of fairness. I think most Montgomery County residents will agree that it's simply the right thing to do. :-)

Invitation for Discussion with Senator Nancy King

2009-08-17T14:00:00.000-05:00

Part 1: Introduction: Let's Discuss The Issues!

It is no secret to political insiders that there has been speculation about my political future. Rumors about me running for the State Senate have been written up on various political blogs. Mostly, those rumors are based more in fantasy than in fact :) However, there will certainly be plenty of time next year for speculation and intrigue. So lets put aside those rumors for now and talk about issues of substance.

What the media and political watchers have missed are very clear distinctions on the issues between State Senator Nancy King and myself. We have very distinct records of public statements and legislative records. And that's OK :) We are simply two people of good conscience who often arrive at opposite conclusions on major public policy issues of the day.

For many residents of Montgomery County, these are issues of very great urgency. These residents may not understand our respective values, our decision making processes and why we arrive at the conclusions we do. Certainly large national media outlets can't devote the coverage to such niche stories. But I believe that we owe it to Montgomery County residents to air out these differences in a public forum. And the internet is the cheapest, most widely accessible means for us to do so.

So over the next few days and weeks, I would like to discuss and debate those differences right here on MPW. I will be contrasting my record with Nancy's on three key issues and would welcome her response. This will be a thoughtful, respectful, serious exchange of ideas and it will be something that is rather new to Montgomery County Politics. Hopefully we will be providing an important service to our mutual constituents by giving them unparalleled access to our decision making processes. And who knows? Maybe we will even start a cool new trend! :) :)

Undoubtedly there will be a certain amount of Sturm und Drang about the proposition of two elected representatives debating on the internet. But there is really no call for that. Nancy and I are friends. We visit each others' homes and know each others' children. And that will always be the case.

Gazette Editorial: Same-Sex Marriage and Naked Political Calculations

2009-07-31T08:22:00.001-05:00

I wrote the following column that appeared in today's Montgomery County Gazette:

Last November when Californians voted to approve the odious Proposition 8, it seemed like a very heavy blow indeed had been landed against the decades-old movement to legalize same-sex marriage.

After all, people thought, if voters in the liberal bastion of California overturned a previous court ruling allowing same-sex marriage, it would show decisively that country was not ready for marriage-equality.

And to a degree they were right. Proposition 8 was probably the single biggest electoral setback in the history of the gay rights movement. However Proposition 8's passage may have sown the seeds of its own demise. And I am hopeful that in the long run, it will be seen as a pyrrhic victory for opponents of equal rights.

A few months after Proposition 8, Iowa's Supreme Court stunned the nation by declaring the state's long-standing gay marriage ban unconstitutional by 7-0 vote. This was followed by dominoes falling in dramatic fashion within days in Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire. Impressively in each of those last three states, marriage-equality laws were passed by the state legislatures. For the first times in our nation's history, marriage-equality had earned the imprimatur of publicly elected bodies.

I remember watching those dominoes fall. With each domino, I sensed the pressure building to do the same in Maryland and wondered, "When will our turn come?"

It feels like the nature of the fight for equality has changed. It has gone from being a rather niche liberal issue to perhaps the most pressing civil rights issue of this generation. And marriage equality throughout the land now feels like an eventual inevitability.

I expect some day people will look back at this fight for equality like we now look back on oddly antiquated anti-miscegenation laws. I'm proud that I'll have stood on the right side of history: In support of full marital rights for same-sex couples.

My stance on this issue isn't politically expedient. I am the first Muslim in the legislature. Homosexuality is strictly forbidden in Islam. As such I have evinced much grief from my most conservative supporters.

But I recognize that I represent people of all faiths and no faith at all. If I tried to enforce religion by law — as in a theocracy — I would be doing a disservice to both constituents and to my religion.

The next opportunity for Maryland to realize full marriage equality is in the 2010 annual legislative session.

Conventional wisdom suggests that votes are there to pass the equality bill through the House but maybe not the state Senate (although no one can be entirely certain).

Complicating this matter is that 2010 is an election year for the entire General Assembly, so it is likely the bill won't be voted on because many legislators want to avoid being recorded on a potentially controversial issue. Most informed advocates are hopeful for passage and enactment of the law by October 2011.

Undoubtedly, such nakedly political calculations will be cold comfort for the thousands of couples throughout our state who are denied the fundamental right to marry the person they choose. Unfortunately, however, these are necessary tactical compromises that must be made for the eventual, inevitable legislative victory.

I Support CCT but NOT Widening I-270

2009-07-30T15:09:00.002-05:00

Today, Senator Rob Garagiola sent a letter to the Maryland State Highway Administration. Although I am in full support of CCT advocacy, I'm not on-board with the widening of I-270 for numerous reasons.

Unfortunately, my staff and I missed the part of this letter (about half-way down the page) which calls for the widening of I-270. So I signed the letter without noticing that statement. That was a mistake. For this reason I have to retract my name from this letter now.

I sincerely apologize for this misunderstanding... especially to Senator Rob Garagiola who drafted this letter and asked me to sign it.

Helping the Citizens of Washington Grove Communicate their Concerns to the County's Elected Officials

2009-07-29T13:04:00.007-05:00

As a service to my constituents in Washington Grove, today I sent the following letter to Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett and all members of the Montgomery County Council:

July 29, 2009

Mr. Isaih Leggett
County Executive
Executive Office Building
101 Monroe Street 2nd Floor
Rockville, MD 20850

Mr. Phil Andrews
Council President
Stella B. Werner Council Office Building
100 Maryland Avenue
Rockville, MD 20850

Dear Messrs. Leggett and Andrews:

I am writing to make you aware of a critical issue for constituents of mine in the Town of Washington Grove. As part of the Smart Growth Initiative, the Council recently approved the purchase of Casey 6 and 7 as part of an effort to move sections of the Shady Grove Service Park to alternate sites to make way for the development of the Shady Grove Metro area. This initiative was supported by the Town because the plans at that time called for a residential connection between the planned development at the Metro and the Town of Washington Grove, which is one of the tenets of Smart Growth Policy. The original plans for service park sites did not include Casey 6 and 7, which fall between the corporate limits of the Town (Casey 6) and Shady Grove Road (Casey 7).

Recent developments, including the approval of the ICC and the purchase by the State of Maryland of part of Casey 6 for the ICC Western Maintenance Facility further isolated the Town from the Shady Grove Metro development. Your stated intention to move the EMOC facility to Casey 6 and the Ride-On yard to Casey 7 will forever disconnect the Town from the Shady Grove Metro residential center that is planned.

Because of these developments, the Town Council and Mayor, as well as many Town residents of Washington Grove would like you to reconsider the movement of the service park to Casey 6 and 7. Proceeding will negatively impact one of the oldest and valuable historic resources in Montgomery County. The Town has already seen their quality of life degraded by actions of past County Councils and is under intense developmental pressures on all sides. Casey 6, as an I-1 industrial facility is inappropriate for placement next to residential neighborhoods, especially since there are many alternative sites around the County that would have little impact on the well being of established communities.

Thank you for your consideration of this request. I will continue to work with the Town to support their efforts to remain a valuable historic resource in a County that has always respected and protected these resources.

Regards,

Delegate Saqib Ali

cc: Councilmember Roger Berliner, Councilmember Marc Elrich,
Councilmember Valerie Ervin, Councilmember Nancy Floreen,
Councilmember Mike Knapp, Councilmember George Leventhal,
Councilmember Nancy Navarro, Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg

House Bill 369: Special Election for US Senate Vacancies Act [UPDATE: CT Passed it!]

2009-06-26T17:43:00.001-05:00

President Obama's recent election and cabinet appointments have caused 4 vacancies in the US Senate: Illinois (Sen. Obama), Delaware (Sen. Biden), Colorado (Sen. Salazar) and New York (Sen. Clinton). There are very strong rumors that New Hampshire's Sen. Judd Gregg will be the fifth. In each case, the vacancy has already been filled or will be filled by an appointment of that state's Governor.

As the situation in Illinois has vividly demonstrated, this appointment process can be rife with inside politics, back-room deals and allegedly very serious corruption. But even in the other states, the process has been opaque and most importantly has completely shut-out average voters from choosing their US Senators.

For this reason, I have introduced House Bill #369: Special Elections for US Senate Vacancies Act. This bill would mandate that if a US Senate Vacancy were to arise in Maryland, the Governor would call a special election so that people can decide who represents them in the US Senate. The bill goes into effect in January 2015, after current Governor O'Malley has certainly left office. This was done so as not to seem to impugn the the integrity of our current Governor.

Numerous national newspapers have editorialized strongly in favor of this exact concept. Here is a sampling:

Chicago Tribune: Call An Election (1/5/2009)
Washington Post: How Not to Pick a Senator (1/24/2009)
Washington Post: A Better Choice (2/1/2009)
New York Times: How to Fill a Senate Seat (2/4/2009)
Washington Post: Another Seat Warmer (2/6/2009)
Washington Post: Power to the People (3/20/2009)
Washington Post: More Quitters (R-Fla., R-Tex.) (8/11/2009)

You can read the actual text of the bill itself here.

UPDATE 6/26/2009: Connecticut just passed a similar bill into law!

Gazette LTE: Ali's behind-the-scene work brings refund for students

2009-05-13T13:56:00.003-05:00

Click here to see Louis Wilen's great letter to the editor in today's Gazette regarding my involvement in the school-fees issue:

With the end of the school year approaching and the possibility that unpaid curricular fees will prevent some students from participating in graduation ceremonies and other events, I want to acknowledge state Del. Saqib Ali's recent advocacy on behalf of public school students and their parents.
Several weeks ago, Magruder High School announced that students would be charged a $5 fee for "lock rental" for their hallway lockers. (Personally supplied locks are not permitted.) Written inquires to the school confirmed that the fee was a rental charge, not a refundable deposit.
I remembered that Delegate Ali (D-Dist. 39) of Gaithersburg had shown interest in the school fees situation during a televised meeting of our state delegates, so I forwarded the announcement about the lock rental fee to him. Delegate Ali contacted the school system's headquarters and within a day, the school changed the "fee" to a "deposit."
Because of Delegate Ali's intervention, more than 400 graduating Magruder seniors will each receive a $5 refund when they empty their lockers later this month.
Earlier in the semester, I received a letter from Magruder High School stating that if I did not pay a $35 curricular fee, my child would not be allowed to participate in the graduation ceremony. A written appeal requesting that the fee be rescinded was denied. I forwarded my correspondence about the fee to Delegate Ali but I did not explicitly ask for his help. Delegate Ali promptly contacted Superintendent Jerry Weast and the fee was rescinded because it was determined to have been "a mistake" on the part of the school. (Please note, though, that the decision to rescind my child's fee may not have been applied to all students' accounts, so parents should be vigilant if they receive a bill for a curricular fee.)
Delegate Ali has made a positive difference for many students and parents, many of whom are probably unaware of his behind-the-scenes advocacy.
Louis Wilen, Olney

Credit Card Blacklist Prevention Passes House but not the full Senate.

2009-04-14T12:00:00.002-05:00

Do you have a credit card? If you are like hundreds of millions of other Americans, of course you do. Most people keep multiple credit cards in their wallets. But in these very difficult economic times, credit card companies are moving aggressively to reduce their risk. That's certainly a reasonable thing to do. Part of this economic meltdown was brought about by banks lending large amounts of money to people who shouldn't have been extended credit.

However, some tactics to reduce risk are out of bounds. It turns out that certain credit-card companies have been engaging in profiling their customers purchase histories and then taking action against them simply based on their shopping patterns. In fact I have learned that certain American Express cardholders who have impeccable credit scores and perfect payment histories have had their credit lines decreased simply because they shopped at the wrong store or because their mortgage was held at a bank that is considered "risky".... even though the cardholder hasn't done anything wrong!

It sounds strange, but it's true. This is how it works: Your credit card company watches where you are shopping and how much money you are spending at each store. If they notice patterns that they recognize as "risky", or if your mortgage company is on one of their "risky list", they may alter the terms of your credit card agreement such as reducing your credit limit.... even if you haven't done anything wrong.

How do you know which "risky" behaviors to avoid? Or what can you do to avoid being flagged? Well, you don't. And as a card-holder there is no way for you to find out. These patterns are completely secret. So there is nothing that you can reasonably do to avoid being targeted in this way. It goes without saying that this practice raises numerous concerns about fairness, privacy, transparency and discrimination.

For this reason, Delegate Bill Frick and I have introduced legislation to prevent this kind of unfair profiling and black-listing. You can read the text of the bill by clicking here.

By the way, its not just Bill Frick and me who are very concerned about this issue. You can read the New York Times article from 1/30/2009 about this issue here.

You can watch a Good Morning America segment on this same subject from 1/28/2009 by clicking here.

[UPDATE 3/12/2009]:

I had a great bill hearing in the House Economic Matters committee on 3/11/2009. Please watch the video here.
You can see the Power Point presentation I gave during the bill hearing by clicking here.

You can see the written letters of support/opposition that were submitted for this bill:

Maryland Attorney General Douglas Gansler re: Federal Pre-emption here.
Maryland Attorney General Douglas Gansler in support here.
Maryland Attorney Commisioner of Financial Regulations Sarah Bloom Raskin in support here.
National Association of Attorney Generals supportive of the concept here.
Mid-Atlantic Financial Services Association, Inc in opposition here.

[UPDATE 3/24/2009]: This bill just passed the House Economic Matters committee today by a 20-2 (& 1 absention) vote! It is expected to pass the full house by Monday March 30th

[UPDATE 3/27/2009]: This bill just passed the full House by a vote of 132-6. Now on to the Senate!

[UPDATE 4/9/2009]: I was on the Kojo Nnamdi radio show on NPR to talk about this bill. You can listen in here.

[UPDATE 4/13/2009]: The Senate finance committee passed the bill today by a vote of 6-5. Now on to the entire Senate.

[UPDATE 4/13/2009]: The legislature ajourned without the whole Senate voting on the bill. So it didn't pass. I will re-introduce it next year.

House Bill 920: No So-Called Sexual Stimulants For Kids Act [Updated 3/17/2009]

2009-03-17T09:58:00.000-05:00

When you walk into a gas-station convenience store do you pay much attention to the items on sale? Many of us don't. But if you did, you would see the usual fare: candy bars, sodas, cigarettes, first-aid supplies, etc. You might also see something more surprising: Aphrodesiac Pills.

Well, actually they claim to be aphrodesiac pills but its highly doubtful they have any effect at all. These products are not FDA approved and are sold under sleazy brand names such as "Horniest Goat Weed", "Stamina-Rx" and "All Nite Long".

Just like unregulated nutritional supplements sold at GNC stores, there is very little government control over what is in these pills. Not only is this a danger to public health. It is also a very big rip-off. It's just a scam to separate over-eager men from their hard-earned money.

Furthermore, these products are available to anybody who walks into the store. Including children. Maryland's age of consent is 16. So marketers of sexual products have no business targeting children under that age.

For this reason I have introduced the "HB 920: No So-Called Sexual Stimulants For Kids Act". This bill would ban selling products marketed as sexual stimulants to minors (people under the age of 18). It would force gas-station owners to check IDs the same way they currently do for cigarettes. They will also have to keep these items behind the counter.

Here is the actual text of the bill.

The scientific research showing that these pills are dangerous is overwhelming. I have laid out the case below with references to peer-reviewed-scientific journals.

All Nite Long Herbal Sexual Supplement causes the dangerous and potentially lethal priapisms [International Journal of Impotence Research, 2005].
Stamina-Rx , which is sold over-the-counter, is "deliberately contaminated with pharmacological doses of PDE5 Inhibitors". "Fatal interactions with PDE5 inhibitors and commonly consumed drugs have been reported, and are well accepted." [Journal of Urology, August 2005].
FDA Warns against taking Stamina-Rx because "FDA has determined that the products actually contain the prescription-strength drug ingredient, tadalafil. Tadalafil is the active ingredient in Cialis, an Eli Lilly product approved in Europe to treat male erectile dysfunction. An interaction between certain prescription drugs containing nitrates (such as nitroglycerin) and tadalafil may cause a drastic lowering of blood pressure. There is real danger that this product may be taken by patients taking nitrates since erectile dysfunction is often a common problem in people with diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol), ischemic heart disease and in people who smoke." [FDA, 7/20/2003] .
Rize 2 The Occasion was recalled in July, 2008 because the FDA "found the product contains potentially harmful, undeclared ingredients. FDA asserts that its chemical analysis revealed that Rize 2 The Occasion and Rose 4 Her contain thiomethisosildenafil, an analog of sildenafil, the active ingredient of a FDA-approved drug used for Erectile Dysfunction (ED). FDA maintains that this ingredient is close in structure to sildenafil and is expected to possess a similar pharmacological and adverse event profile. This undeclared chemical poses a potential threat to consumers" [FDA, 7/28/2008].

[UPDATE 3/17/2009]

I had a great bill hearing in the House Economic Matters committee on 3/17/2009. Please watch the video here.
You can see the Power Point presentation I gave during the bill hearing by clicking here.

You can see the written letters of support/opposition that were submitted for this bill:

Maryland Citizens' Health Initiative in support here.
Maryland Delaware Service Station and Automotive Repair Association in support here.
Greater Washington Area Boys and Girls Club in support here.
Montgomery County Government in opposition here.

Saqib Ali's Annapolis Report 3/1/2009

2009-03-01T04:35:00.010-05:00

Dear Friends,

Maryland's annual 90-day legislative session in Annapolis has reached its midway point. I have been working very hard on numerous initiatives. I believe the remaining 45 days will be decisive in making progress for our state on numerous fronts.

Below I have included an extensive list of legislation I am working on this session. Please browse through it and feel free to read the actual text of the bills by clicking on the bill number. Keep in mind that bills are simply proposed laws. Just because a bill is proposed doesn't mean that it will become law. In fact only about one quarter of all proposals become law.

As the second half of the 2009 session begins, I will have many challenging decisions to make as Delegate. To help me make wise decisions, I need to hear from you, my constituents, neighbors and friends. Please contact me about your stance on issues & legislation of concern to you, so that I can be the best representative possible.

- Saqib

Bill Number	Support Level	Description
MC/PG 101	Lead Sponsor	WSSC Financial Oversight Act Forcing WSSC to disclose details of its budget to the Montgomery County Inspector General who is in charge of eliminating waste, fraud and abuse. Read more about it here.
MC 912	Lead Sponsor	Speed Camera Fairness Act Mandating that contractors that run Montgomery County's speed camera program do not receive a per-ticket fee as they currently do. Read more about it here.
HB 6	Lead Sponsor	Malfunctioning Traffic Light Act Requiring drivers to treat a malfunctioning traffic light the same as a 4-way stop sign. Read more about it here.
HB 63	Lead Sponsor	Candidacy Deadline Reform Act Unifying the filing deadline and the dropout deadline for candidates running for public office. Read more about it here.
HB 115	Lead Sponsor	Punjabi Cultural Awareness Day Act Recognizing April 13 as Punjabi Cultural Awareness Day. Read more about it here.
HB 233	Lead Sponsor	Full Disclosure in Real-Estate Taxes Act Disclosing to home buyers that their property taxes may be significantly higher than the seller's. Read more about it here.
HB 362	Lead Sponsor	Moving Violation Points Accountability Act Preventing bad drivers from reducing their accountability by postponing their court dates. Read more about it here.
HB 369	Lead Sponsor	Special Election for US Senate Vacancies Act Changing the process to fill US Senate vacancies from gubernatorial appointment to special election. Read more about it here.
HB 558	Lead Sponsor	Rental Car Parking Ticket Fairness Act Relieving rental-car companies from paying for parking tickets earned by their customers. Read more about it here.
HB 661	Lead Sponsor	Special Session Campaign Finance Reform Act Banning political fund-raising during special legislative sessions of the General Assembly. Read more about it here.
HB 677	Lead Sponsor	Expanding access to cancer radiation therapy by allowing a larger set of medical facilities to administer the treatment. Read more about it here.
HB 844	Lead Sponsor	Civil Judgment Advance Regulation Act Preventing legal-financing companies from charging usurious interest rates.
HB 920	Lead Sponsor	No So-Called Sexual Stimulants For Kids Act Banning the sale of herbal sexual stimulant pills to minors. Read more about it here.
HB 980	Lead Sponsor	Web-Based Campaign Finance Reporting Act Creating a secure website for campaign finance entities to submit their financial records.
HB 1292	Lead Sponsor	Credit Card Blacklist Prevention Act Prohibiting credit card companies from sanctioning their cardholders based on where they shop or who holds their mortgage. Read more about it here.
HB 1293	Lead Sponsor	State Employees Telework Act Mandating that the state government plan to allow non-essential employees to telecommute 20% of the time.
HB 1294	Lead Sponsor	Credit and Debit Card Fraud Prevention Act Requiring a merchant to check ID when accepting credit or debit card payment over $500.
HB 1320	Lead Sponsor	Insurance Payment Fee Prevention Act Prohibiting automobile insurance companies from charging an "installment fee" simply to make your payment.
HB 72	Co-Sponsor	Banning text messaging while driving.
HB 84	Co-Sponsor	Recognizing the second Saturday in May as Negro Baseball League Day.
HB 85	Co-Sponsor	Requiring universities to take steps to make textbooks more affordable.
HB 126	Co-Sponsor	Establishing a fund to pay for higher education through excess remainder funds on gift cards.
HB 176	Co-Sponsor	Mandating that new septic tanks and replacement septic tanks are most environmentally friendly.
HB 182	Co-Sponsor	*Freedom of Association and Assembly Protection Act* Preventing State Troopers from spying on peaceful protestors and political dissidents.
HB 184	Co-Sponsor	Moving Maryland towards universal pre-kindergarten by increasing access to expanded federal funding.
HB 199	Co-Sponsor	Requiring the Maryland Transit Administration to hold public hearings before changing bus schedules.
HB 208	Co-Sponsor	Mandating that the labels of all fur clothing identify the country of origin and the animal used.
HB 209	Co-Sponsor	Authorizing $275,000 capital-funding for RCI Group Home Renovation.
HB 220	Co-Sponsor	Giving municipalities the right to annex lots that straddle their municipal borders
HB 248	Co-Sponsor	Creating a task force to study returnable bottle deposits.
HB 266	Co-Sponsor	Improving the quality of care for adults with autism by training direct staff.
HB 273	Co-Sponsor	Forcing health-insurance companies to pay for the most effective autism care.
HB 286	Co-Sponsor	Prohibiting information received by "Crime Solver" organizations from being admissible in court.
HB 293	Co-Sponsor	Increasing the criminal penalties for repeat drunk-drivers offense.
HB 294	Co-Sponsor	Naming 12 new visions for smart-growth.
HB 295	Co-Sponsor	Requiring local planning commissions to include information about smart growth measures.
HB 297	Co-Sponsor	Requiring local jurisdictions to implement and adopt comprehensive plans for future development.
HB 303	Co-Sponsor	Delaying the minimum age at which learner's permits and driver's licenses are issued by 3 months.
HB 304	Co-Sponsor	Increasing the penalties and strengthening the states ability to recover damages from those who engage in healthcare fraud.
HB 306	Co-Sponsor	Enabling states to collaborate to ensure that the educational needs of military children are met.
HB 312	Co-Sponsor	Loosening restrictions on aquaculture farmers.
HB 315	Co-Sponsor	Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.
HB 316	Co-Sponsor	Abolishing the death penalty.
HB 317	Co-Sponsor	Creating a "Silver Alert" program to disseminate information about elderly missing persons suffering from dementia.
HB 323	Co-Sponsor	Banning text messaging while driving.
HB 339	Co-Sponsor	Making sure that the slots money promised for education stays there.
HB 375	Co-Sponsor	Creating an Off-Highway Vehicle Fund in the Department of Natural Resources.
HB 405	Co-Sponsor	Requiring medical insurers and HMOs to provide more frequent breast cancer screenings.
HB 406	Co-Sponsor	Authorizing the Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund to accept premiums on an installment.
HB 413	Co-Sponsor	Requiring a timely, full campaign finance disclosure report for ballot issue committees.
HB 414	Co-Sponsor	Authorizing $50,000 capital-funding for Northgate Homes Lighting Upgrade.
HB 417	Co-Sponsor	Guaranteeing individuals with disabilities full and equal access to business establishments.
HB 422	Co-Sponsor	Requiring notation in court documents of a parents absence due to overseas military deployment during custody proceedings.
HB 458	Co-Sponsor	Requiring the State Highway Administration to post highway traffic accident information on a public website.
HB 468	Co-Sponsor	Expanding insurance coverage of habilitative services up to 25 years of age from 19.
HB 474	Co-Sponsor	Prohibiting employment and housing discrimination based on gender identity.
HB 476	Co-Sponsor	Allowing election day voter registration.
HB 495	Co-Sponsor	Banning large, abusive puppy-mills.
HB 503	Co-Sponsor	Establishing a commission on autism.
HB 509	Co-Sponsor	Prohibiting cyber-bullying.
HB 541	Co-Sponsor	Requiring new state-funded community college buildings to be green.
HB 544	Co-Sponsor	Allowing interior designers to place a lien on a building for unpaid work done during construction.
HB 571	Co-Sponsor	Banning misrepresentation of senior-citizen specific credentials.
HB 583	Co-Sponsor	Prohibiting scams targeting the elderly.
HB 589	Co-Sponsor	Unifying the deadline for new voter registrations and party change applications.
HB 601	Co-Sponsor	Requiring chain restaurants to provide nutritional information on their menus.
HB 612	Co-Sponsor	Allowing all graduates of Maryland public schools to be eligible for in-state tuition.
HB 614	Co-Sponsor	Expanding enterprise zone tax credits to go directly to business-owning tenants
HB 640	Co-Sponsor	Requiring banks to notify municipalities and counties of their foreclosed property.
HB 644	Co-Sponsor	Creating an apprenticeship program to assist young people who don't attend college.
HB 655	Co-Sponsor	Funding best management practices at marinas to protect the marine habitat.
HB 659	Co-Sponsor	Creation of a Federal REAL-ID compliant ID separate from their drivers licenses.
HB 664	Co-Sponsor	Requiring foods that contained cloned animals to be labeled.
HB 673	Co-Sponsor	Expanding access to MRI, radiation therapy and CT scans by allowing a larger set of medical facilities to administer the treatment.
HB 717	Co-Sponsor	Improving the procedures which courts use to determine the legal and physical custody of a minor.
HB 733	Co-Sponsor	Providing timely notice to tenants living in homes undergoing foreclosure.
HB 742	Co-Sponsor	Providing for two separate state-issued ID cards to comply with federal REAL-ID without its punitive effects.
HB 756	Co-Sponsor	Establishing a Cultural and Linguistic Health Care Provider Competency Program to improve communication between health care providers and patients.
HB 776	Co-Sponsor	Providing timely notice to tenants living in homes undergoing foreclosure.
HB 792	Co-Sponsor	Allowing collective bargaining for school teachers in personnel related cases.
HB 793	Co-Sponsor	Creating a task force to study classroom indoor air quality standards.
HB 819	Co-Sponsor	Preventing employers from misclassifying their workers as contractors to avoid taxes and benefits.
HB 842	Co-Sponsor	Re-regulating electricity production.
HB 845	Co-Sponsoring	Educating public school "tweens" about dating violence.
HB 876	Co-Sponsor	Creating a Healthy Homes Initiative in the Department of Environment.
HB 877	Co-Sponsor	Allowing motorcyclists to enter a signal-controlled intersection after 120 seconds if the pressure-plate doesn't detect their weight.
HB 901	Co-Sponsor	Authorizing judges to issue restraining orders to protect pets and service animals in cases of domestic disputes.
HB 907	Co-Sponsor	Preventing foreign deployments of the National Guard without a congressional declaration of war.
HB 921	Co-Sponsor	Extending the duration of construction permits to increase employment opportunities and increase economic activity.
HB 951	Co-Sponsor	Establishing the Maryland Institute for Clinical Value to improve healthcare delivery.
HB 1001	Co-Sponsor	Requiring financial institutions to annually report to state government the number of their employees on Medicaid.
HB 1055	Co-Sponsor	Affording marriage equality to all regardless of sexual orientation.
HB 1087	Co-Sponsor	Increasing the penalty for stealing the identity of a minor.
HB 1107	Co-Sponsor	Creating a task force on Alzheimer's Disease.
HB 1116	Co-Sponsor	Defining explicitly exact metrics as Smart Growth criteria.
HB 1118	Co-Sponsor	Allowing bank records and other documents to be presented in court as evidence in identity-theft cases.
HB 1120	Co-Sponsor	Prohibiting the use and storage of Social Security numbers on magnetic cards to avoid identity theft.
HB 1126	Co-Sponsor	Allowing victims of identity theft to seek compensation for lost wages from perpetrators.
HB 1155	Co-Sponsor	Preventing doctors from selling prescription information to pharmaceutical companies.
HB 1158	Co-Sponsor	Creating the Maryland Food and Hunger Policy Council in the Department of Agriculture to help eliminate hunger for children.
HB 1160	Co-Sponsor	Increasing sales taxes on hard liquor.
HB 1169	Co-Sponsor	Requiring a helmet for riders of all-terrain vehicles.
HB 1180	Co-Sponsor	Classifying malt beverages ("alcopops") as liquor for the purposes of taxes and sales.
HB 1201	Co-Sponsor	Banning the display of a noose, Swastika or other hate symbol with the intent to threaten or intimidate.
HB 1208	Co-Sponsor	Increasing the criminal penalty for cruelty to pets.
HB 1210	Co-Sponsor	Requiring that stores charge 5 cents for non-recyclable plastic shopping bags.
HB 1217	Co-Sponsor	Requiring the installation of Ignition Interlock System in drunk drivers' cars.
HB 1226	Co-Sponsor	Creation of a two-tier system of drivers licenses to comply with Federal REAL-ID legislation.
HB 1238	Co-Sponsor	Establishing energy-efficient standards for TVs similar to other appliances.
HB 1241	Co-Sponsor	Changing the state song to omit lyrics sympathetic to the confederacy and denigrating "northern scum".
HB 1243	Co-Sponsor	Establishing parameters for good-faith negotiations amongst representatives of labor unions and public-schools.
HB 1249	Co-Sponsor	Mandating overtime pay for hourly workers who work more than 8 hours in any day or 40 hours in any week.
HB 1257	Co-Sponsor	Authorizing $300,000 capital-funding for the Capital Area Food Bank.
HB 1260	Co-Sponsor	Protecting the first $5,000 of a debtor's personal property from creditors in bankruptcy proceedings.
HB 1262	Co-Sponsor	Allowing catalog/internet sales of wine into Maryland.
HB 1267	Co-Sponsor	Requiring that all uses of SWAT teams are fully documented and explained.
HB 1287	Co-Sponsor	Increasing penalties for violating wage laws.
HB 1288	Co-Sponsor	Allowing employees to recover damages from employers who violated wage laws.
HB 1290	Co-Sponsor	Mandating that public school systems develop a plan and strategy for recycling materials.
HB 1340	Co-Sponsor	Increasing protection for homeowners in bankruptcy by protecting a larger amount of their home-equity from creditors.
HB 1360	Co-Sponsor	Authorizing $250,000 capital funding for the Black Rock Center for the Arts.

House Bill 667: Patient Referrals for Radiation Therapy Services

2009-02-20T13:37:00.000-05:00

Interesting Fact: If you are a cancer patient in Maryland, when you go to visit your private-practice Oncologist, he can administer chemotherapy to you.... but by law he or she cannot administer radiation therapy. It is strange but true.

A "self-referral" is defined as a doctor referring patients to him or herself (or to an associate from whom a financial benefit is received) for services not directly part of their own practice. Current law ban doctors from "self-referrals" for certain services because of the possibility of conflict-of-interest and over-prescription fraud. These services include MRI, CT-Scans and Radiation Therapy.

MRI and CT-Scan though are fundamentally different in one important way than Radiation Therapy. They are diagnostic tools whereas Radiation Therapy is a treatment. Radiation Therapy is a only given to patients who are known to have cancer and it has very significant side effects. MRI and CT-Scans can be given to literally anyone for almost any ailment. So the risk of over-prescription and fraud with Radiation Therapy is far less than with MRI and CT-Scan.

For this reason I have sponsored a bill House Bill 667: Patient Referrals for Radiation Therapy Services that would allow Medical Oncologists to team up with Radiation Oncologists within the same office. This bill will increase the availability and accessibility of Radiation Therapy for Maryland's Cancer patients.

You can read the actual text of the bill by clicking here.

- Saqib

House Bill 661: Special Session Campaign Finance Reform Act

2009-02-20T02:41:00.001-05:00

One of the issues that motivates me the most as a public official is preventing the undue influence of money in politics. I think that all members of our community should have an equal voice in public policy -- not just those with lots of money.

Luckily, the vast majority of my colleagues in the Maryland General Assembly agree with this sentiment. For this reason we have in place a campaign fund-raising ban during the annual 90-day regular legislative session (January - April). During this period, legislators, the Governor, the Comptroller and the Attorney General are prohibited from soliciting or receiving any funds for their campaigns. This allows us to focus on policy and prevents even the appearance of impropriety or conflict of interest.

Although we have a fund-raising ban for regular sessions, the same ban does not apply to emergency or "Special Sessions" which the Governor can call at his discretion. I believe that our laws should treat the fund-raising during regular and special sessions consistently. So I have introduced House Bill 661: Special Session Campaign Finance Reform Act. This bill enacts the same fund-raising ban for special sessions as we currently have for regular sessions.

This is an issue that I have been discussing for some time now. You can read my October 2007 letter to the Gazette about this issue by clicking here.

Both the Senate President and Speaker of the House have indicated their support for fund-raising parity between regular and special session. You can their comments in the Baltimore Sun by clicking here.

Just to be clear, I'm not at all accusing anyone of wrongdoing. In fact, during the special session, I received a few campaign donations myself. This was completely lawful and in compliance with the guidance given by our Ethics counsel. However, I think the law should change to give our citizens that extra level of confidence in the integrity of their elected officials. The citizens of Maryland certainly deserve that.

You can read the actual text of the legislation by clicking here.

- Saqib

House Bill 558: Rental Car Parking Ticket Fairness Act

2009-02-19T01:23:00.000-05:00

Have you ever rented a car? If so, while renting that car did you ever receive a parking ticket? Now answer the question honestly, did you pay the ticket or did you ignore it knowing that you wouldn't be held liable?

If you didn't pay the ticket (naughty, naughty), then you are like hundreds of other people in Maryland who don't pay their parking tickets on rental vehicles. But then who ends up paying? The rental car company, that's who.

Every year rental car companies end up paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in Maryland alone to cover the costs of parking tickets incurred by their customers. It's an unfair and unjust burden on these companies. And I think they shouldn't be held liable for infractions they weren't responsible for. During these very tough economic times when people are loosing their jobs everyday, I believe we must do all that we can to improve the business climate for Maryland companies so that they can get back into a position where they are prospering and creating more jobs for our residents.

That is why I have introduce House Bill 558: Rental Car Parking Ticket Fairness Act. .This bill allows rental car companies to transfer the financial liability for these parking tickets back to the people who actually earned them. It's a simple issue of fairness. And I think now is the perfect time to make this change.

You can read the actual text of the bill by clicking here.

House Bill 362: Moving Violation Points Accountability Act

2009-02-06T15:26:00.014-05:00

When a driver is ticketed for a moving violation by a police officer, he or she can go to court to contest their guilt. Usually the court date comes months after the ticket was issued. If the driver is found innocent, their are no sanctions of course. But what happens if the driver is found guilty of the charges? Of course they have to pay the fine (plus court costs) and the MVA assesses "points" against their license. If somebody accumulates 8 points, then their license gets suspended.

Of course the points aren't assessed on a driver's license when they are pulled over. They only go into effect when/if they are found guilty. That may occur several months after the actual infraction. If they continue (ie: delay) their court date, it may come as much as a year later.

However, even though the points go into effect at the time of conviction, Maryland law says the points will expire 2 years from the violation. So there is incentive for drivers to delay their court dates in order to shorten the duration in which the points apply. It's a little quirk in our law. But repeat bad drivers exploit this loophole often.

For this reason, I have introduced House Bill 362: The Moving Violation Points Accountability Act. This bill eliminates the loophole by saying that moving violation points expire two years after the conviction (instead of the violation). This eliminates the incentive to delay court dates and ensures that bad drivers are held fully accountable for their actions.

You can read the actual text of the bill by clicking here

[UPDATE 2/10/2009]:

You can view the powerpoint presentation I presented in the House hearing today by clicking here.

You can hear the audio recording of my testimony by clicking here.

House Bill 6: Malfunctioning Traffic Light Act

2009-02-03T16:18:00.001-05:00

Question: What is the law to follow when you approach a malfunctioning signal light in your vehicle?
Answer: Treat it like an all-way Stop Sign.
Wrong.

Currently, most people follow the rule of thumb listed above. They incorrectly believe that is the law. However, Maryland law is silent on what a driver should do when approaching a malfunctioning signal light. It is completely legal to simply ignore the broken traffic light and drive right through.

As a member of the Motor Vehicles Subcommittee of the House Environmental Matters Committee, I'm uniquely positioned to correct this omission in our traffic laws. For this reason, I have introduced House Bill 6: The Malfunctioning Traffic Light Act. Senator James Robey has kindly agreed to introduce this same legislation in the Senate.

The Malfunctioning Traffic Light Act says that "If no lighted indication is visible to a driver approaching traffic control signal, the driver shall reduce speed and prepare yield to other vehicles in or approaching the intersection." This language was modeled after Delaware's law. It has been recommended by John Porcari, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation.

You can read the actual text of the bill by clicking here.

[Updated 2/3/2009]: You can hear the audio recording of the hearing before the House Environemental Matters Committee on 2/3/2009 by clicking here.

House Bill 233: Full Disclosure of Real-Estate Taxes

2009-01-28T14:53:00.005-05:00

In Maryland we have something called the "Homestead Property Tax Credit". This tax credit ensures that the annual increase in your home property sales taxes is capped at a certain amount - regardless of how high your home's value rises. In Montgomery County it is 10%.

The effect of this tax credit is that even though your home's value may have increased dramatically, your property taxes climb much slower. When the house is sold, the new buyer doesn't get the benefit of this tax reduction. He or she will pay the full tax rate. So often buyers will end up paying significantly higher taxes than the sellers were paying.

Many people don't understand or realize this "tax-gap" exists. Sellers often advertise the taxes they pay on the real-estate fliers leaving the buyer with "sticker-shock" after they move in and get their first tax bill.

Montgomery County Councilman Phil Andrews identified this problem and passed a local ordinance to fix it in 2007. I'm seeking to take Councilman Andrews idea and expand it state-wide.

For this reason, I have introduced House Bill 233: Full Disclosure of Real-Estate Taxes Act. This bill ensures that home sellers (and their agents) will properly list on any advertisement the property tax that the new buyer would pay.

You can read Councilman Andrews' excellent letter to the editor in the Washington Post about this issue by clicking here.

You can read the actual text of the bill by clicking here.

- Saqib

UPDATE 2/26/2009: This bill just passed the Maryland House of Delegates unanimously 135-0. Now onto the Senate!

House Bill 115: Punjabi Cultural Awareness Day Act

2009-01-25T08:22:00.001-05:00

Do you know any Sikh people? I do. There are thousands of Sikh residents in Maryland. Many Sikh men can be identified by the turbans they wear. But many others choose not to wear turbans. But aside from the turbans, I have found that most people are completely unaware about the Sikh religion and culture.

Sikhism founded on the teachings of Guru Nanak and nine successive Sikh Gurus in fifteenth century Indian/Pakistani state of Punjab, is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world. This system of religious philosophy and expression has been traditionally known as the Gurmat (literally the counsel of the gurus) or the Sikh Dharma. Sikhism originated from the word Sikh, which in turn comes from the Sanskrit root śiṣya meaning "disciple" or "learner", or śikṣa meaning "instruction."

Most Maryland Sikhs are hard-working and successful professionals. Not all Punjabis are Sikh. But almost all Sikhs are Punjbai. This is a community that can be considered a model for other immigrant communities in America. Yet in the public's mind, they are nearly invisible. I believe we need to recognize this community as an asset to our state and nation.

For this reason, I have introduced House Bill #115: The Punjabi Cultural Awareness Day Act. This bill simply establishes April 13th as a day to officialy recognize the contribution that Punjabi Culture has made to world civilization.

You can read the text of the bill here.

House Bill 63: Candidacy Deadline Reform Act

2009-01-21T22:03:00.002-05:00

Maryland has numerous state-level elected offices that go up for election every four years:

141 State Representatives (Delegates)
47 State Senators
1 Attorney General
1 Comptroller
1 Governor + 1 Lieutenant Governor

Aside from these we have 2 US Senators, 8 US Congressmen and a multitude of county-level offices that go up for election at various times as well. Each of these elections attract multiple candidates. That's a good thing. Democracy requires people to elect their leaders. As far as I'm concerned, the more choices we have, the better!

Candidates for these offices have to jump through numerous hoops to qualify for elections. The most significant such hoop is actually filing a candidacy with the Maryland State Board of Elections. As you might expect, their is a "filing deadline" by which all candidates must register their candidacies. If you miss the deadline, your name will not appear on the ballot. Fair enough, right?

However, strangely enough, Maryland law allows 10 days after the filing deadline for any candidate to remove their name from the ballot. During this 10 day period, no new candidates can file, but existing candidates can remove their names from contention. This might seem like an innocuous little quirk but in fact, this oddity allows for some nefarious activity on the part of candidates and those attempting to distort the democratic process. People might file their candidacies to run for office without any intention of actually contesting the election. By doing this, they might discourage other potential candidates from filing their candidacies (this is called "clearing the field"). If they collude with another preferred candidate, they can easily game the system so that their preferred is the only other candidate in the race. Then, once the filing deadline has passed (but before the drop-out deadline), the "fake-candidate" can simply withdraw their candidacy.... thus leaving their preferred candidate as the only horse in the race. They can play this deceptive game because they are safe in the knowledge that within that 10-day period, no new candidates can enter the race, but they can exit.

Who would engage in such a contrived scheme? Unfortunately, there have been recent cases in Maryland in which this exact scenario has occurred. It's a shame that people would cynically try to warp the democratic process in such a way. But it happens.

For this reason, I have introduced House Bill 63: Candidacy Deadline Reform Act. This bill changes the current law such that the drop-out deadline is the same as the filing deadline. Thus closing the 10-day loophole window. You can read the actual text of the bill here.

MC 912/09: Speed Camera Fairness Act

2008-10-23T15:51:00.003-05:00

Of course nobody likes to get a ticket from one of the numerous speed cameras posted on Montgomery County's roads. However, many would agree that they are necessity to increase safety of our motorists and pedestrians. What many people don't know (and this came as a surpise to me too) is that Montgomery County Government is paying the contractors -- Affiliated Computer Services Inc (ACS) -- who own, maintain and run the speed cameras a $16.25 fee per ticket. Although this may not technically violate the language of state law, it certainly violates the spirit: "If a contractor operates a speed monitoring system on behalf of a local jurisdiction or agency, the contractor's fee may not be contingent on the number of citations issued or paid". The result is that ACS has a financial incentive to issue as many speed camera tickets as possible. In March, the Washington Times covered this story in detail. You can read that article by clicking here. I think this is an area that needs serious reform.

For this reason, Senator Mike Lenett (D-Olney) and I have teamed up to introduce the "Speed Camera Fairness Act". This bill clarifies and explicitly bans the aforementioned type of contractual arrangement. I'm a supporter of speed cameras because I think they lower speeds and save lives. However, they must be done right. It is crucial that our citizenry has every confidence that the goal of these cameras is to increase public safety -- not to pad the government's coffers or some company's bottom line. You can read the actual text of the bill by clicking here.

This bill will be voted on in Annapolis in January. However, there will be a public hearing for this bill at 7:00 pm on Thursday, December 11, 2008. It will be held in the 1st Floor Auditorium in the Executive Office Bldg (101 Monroe St., Rockville). If you support this bill and you live in Montgomery County, I urge you to attend and testify that evening. Just let me know by email in advance. You must sign up to testify by clicking here.

- Saqib

MC/PG 101/09: The WSSC Financial Oversight Act

2008-10-21T12:11:00.001-05:00

The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) is the agency that delivers water to the homes and businesses in Montgomery County and Prince George's County. It is chartered in Maryland State Law. Elected officials from both counties approve the WSSC’s annual water and sewer fees as well as construction projects in the annual budgets. Montgomery County spends $757 million per fiscal year through the WSSC. Over the past three our county has ponied up $2.3 billion for the WSSC.

Strangely though, when the Montgomery County Inspector General, Thomas Dagely (who is charged with eliminating waste, fraud and abuse in government) recently asked to see how that $2.3 billion dollars was spent the WSSC bluntly refused to provide him with their budgetary data. This is an intolerable situation. Montgomery County's residents must know that their tax-dollars are not being wasted or pilfered. Anything that hinders such reasonable oversight is a major problem. And more importantly, the WSSC should not be in the business of stonewalling the public.

Montgomery County's Inspector General position was created as an agent of the County Council. WSSC lawyers cited a portion of state law saying that it only had to provide the information in question to the County Executive, but not the County Council. You can read about this standoff in a Washington Post article by clicking here. What makes this particular issue even more confounding is that due to a legislative quirk, the Prince George's Council enjoys this oversight authority that Montgomery County lacks. So Montgomery County's tax-payers aren't as well protected as their neighbors to the South-East.

For this reason, I have introduced MC/PG 101/09: The WSSC Financial Oversight Act. This bill would simply give Montgomery County Council the same oversight authority over WSSC's budget as the County Executive and Prince George's Councilmembers currently enjoy. You can read the full text of the bill by clicking here.

This bill will be voted on in Annapolis in January. However, there will be a public hearing for this bill at 7:00 pm on Monday December 8, 2008. It will be held in the 1st Floor Auditorium in the Executive Office Bldg (101 Monroe St. Rockville). If you are interested in observing this hearing, I urge you to attend.

- Saqib

Special Political Opportunity for High School Seniors

2008-10-06T18:14:00.001-05:00

Every year, students from across Maryland come to Annapolis in the winter/spring to participate for two weeks in the Maryland Legislative Page Program. In their roles as Legislative Pages, these students receive an insider's look and get to actively participate in Maryland's legislative process.

Participants in the Legislative Page Program are selected from a large pool of applicants to spend two weeks throughout the legislative session (January - April) interacting with members of Maryland's General Assembly and performing various tasks to support the work of members and staff. Legislative Pages get inside access to Senators and Delegates. Pages do everything from assisting visitors to the State Capital to delivering messages to members on the floor of the Senate and House. Best of all, Montgomery County Public School system gives them excused absences from their school to do this work!

I encourage all high school seniors to apply for this excellent program. Many Senators and Delegates were themselves once legislative pages. If you are a high school senior or know one who is interested in the program, please learn more about and apply for this program by clicking here.

Applications are due October 24th and final selections will be announced by October 31.

Good luck to all who apply! Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions regarding the Legislative Page Program or any other matters of importance to you.

- Saqib

P.S.
High school seniors who attend private schools or schools outside Montgomery County should contact their guidance counselors for information about the Legislative Page Program.

My Letter for Light Rail in Montgomery County

2008-08-11T14:29:00.001-05:00

In case you missed it, I wanted to quickly bring to your attention an my letter to the editor that appeared in last Wednesday's Montgomery County Gazette regarding the need for light-rail in Montgomery County.

Please take a look by clicking here.
(I have included the text of the entire article below for your convenience)

During this time of high gas prices and given the urgency of reducing green-house gas emissions, we need to do whatever we can to reduce the number of miles driven in personal automobiles. I firmly believe that rail-transport is a crucial tool to make that happen.

- Saqib

Upcounty Needs World-Class Transit to Support Needs

Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008
I read the recent Gazette article in which some members of the Montgomery County Planning Board advocated for a bus route along the Corridor Cities Transitway (CCT) instead of light-rail. I respectfully disagree with their assessment.
Like most elected officials from upper Montgomery County, I am a strong advocate for the CCT. I also believe that a light-rail line is a far superior solution than a bus route.
Numerous studies demonstrate that light-rail may be more expensive upfront but is far more effective than express bus routes. More high quality economic development occurs near light-rail versus bus transit. People are far likelier to switch from cars to trains rather than buses. Light-rail is more scalable because as demand increases, cars can be added without paying more operators. Light-rail is perceived as more permanent and, once in place, operational funding is more secure. Travel-times tend to be more predictable because rail is routed along dedicated rights-of-way. Such predictability is crucial for passengers planning their journey with confidence.
I urge members of the Planning Board and Transportation Secretary John Porcari to provide the upcounty with a world-class solution to our transportation problems. That means a light-rail line along the route of the CCT.
Saqib Ali, North Potomac
The writer, a Democrat, represents District 39 in the House of Delegates.

Take 2 Minutes to Defend Liberty.

2008-07-06T19:25:00.002-05:00

As a Maryland State Representative I have direct influence over state legislation. Usually I contact you to keep you abreast of and seek your input on state-level issues. However, today I'm taking the unusual step of writing to you about a federal issue. I'm doing this because the issue at stake is of crucial importance to every American who takes their Constitution seriously. I'm writing to appeal for your help to stop federal legislation to allow warrantless wiretapping of our telephone and email conversations. I believe that it is not an overstatement to say that the rule-of-law and liberty itself are at stake.

You see, on Tuesday July 8th, the US Senate is scheduled to debate legislation that would allow the President, with the help of big telecommunication companies like AT&T spy on the telephone and email conversations of all Americans. You may have heard that over the past few years, these telecom companies -- at the behest of President Bush -- have been spying on innocent US Citizens without any warrants. There is widespread agreement that this un-American practice is illegal. On Tuesday our US Senators will be voting on a bill that would grant retro-active immunity from civil liability to those telecom companies. This is a very bad idea. Our nation is built on the rule of law and freedom from unlawful search and seizure. You can read about the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 by clicking here.

But because George Bush wants to grant immunity, Republicans in Congress, joining with many Democrats are trying to push this bill through. Many leading Democrats including Senators Dodd, Feingold and even Senator Obama have voiced their displeasure with retro-active immunity. Below you can see Senator Feingold's (D-Wisconsin) passionate video statement against this bill.

Unfortunately, our US Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-Maryland) has previously voted to immunize the telecom companies for warrantless wiretapping. (Our other Senator Ben Cardin thankfully voted against this measure). It seems likely that on Tuesday Senator Mikulski will again vote for this measure.

I'm urgently appealing for your help in this matter. I'm asking you to take 2 minutes of your time to call Senator Mikulski's office to politely ask her to oppose any bill that provides retro-active immunity for warrantless wiretapping. Please be very polite but firm, and don't forget to tell whoever answer's the phone that you are a voter in Maryland. Since this matter is expected to come up for a vote on Tuesday, it is crucially important that you make this brief call today.

Who to call: Office of US Senator Barbara Mikulski
Telephone Number: (202) 224-4654
What to say: "Please defend the constitution by opposing any bill that provides retro-active immunity for warrantless wiretapping"

This is an issue of utmost importance for our nation. So I thank you for your support and for your time.

- Saqib