2026 End of Session Letter

April 23, 2026

Dear Neighbor and Friend,

I’m incredibly grateful to have completed my second legislative session serving you as your Delegate for District 16.

This session was an exciting one in Annapolis! We welcomed a new Speaker of the House, Joseline Peña-Melnyk—someone who has been not just a leader in the House of Delegates, but a former employer, committee chair, and mentor to me personally. Watching the outstanding person I’ve known take the gavel and lead the House was incredibly meaningful, and it set the tone for a session focused on getting real results for Marylanders.

As a second-year legislator, I earned more seniority and had the opportunity to take on more responsibility. I was honored to be appointed Deputy Majority Whip, where I helped move legislation forward and worked closely with leadership to shape the House Democratic agenda. That meant long days and late nights, but also a real seat at the table when it came to delivering for our district’s communities.

This year, I served on the newly reorganized Health Committee, where I was able to dive even deeper into many of the policy areas I care most about. Through my work on the Subcommittees on Elder and Long-Term Care, Maternal and Infant Health, and Public Health and Minority Health Disparities, I worked alongside colleagues, advocates, and experts to strengthen care, expand access, and improve outcomes for Maryland families. And we delivered.

The House of Delegates stayed focused on what matters most: lowering costs, increasing opportunity, and making government work better for people. That meant taking real steps to reduce utility bills, expand access to health care and child care, invest in housing, and protect our immigrant communities, all while holding the line on taxes and strengthening accountability in government. 

I was also very proud of the work both chambers did this session to protect immigrants and to be a part of that effort through my own legislation. Two of my bills on this issue passed this year and are waiting to be signed by Governor Moore:

HB963 removes an outdated barrier in our estates law governing the appointment of personal representatives so that family members can manage a loved one’s estate regardless of their citizenship status, while keeping all existing court oversight and safeguards in place.

HB1530 makes higher education more accessible by reducing the number of years of tax documentation undocumented students must provide to be eligible for in-state tuition, while still maintaining accountability.

I was also proud to have helped deliver funding through the state budget for priorities right here at home. The District 16 projects that received funding in the budget include:               

Adventure Theatre MTC Theatre and Lobby $250,000

Historic C&O Canal $250,000

Morningstar Tabernacle No 88 Moses Cemetery and Hall $240,000

Children's Inn at NIH - Medical Isolation Wing $100,000

I was also pleased to serve as a member of the Women’s Caucus, an executive member of the Latino and LGBTQ+ Caucuses, and an associate member of the Jewish Caucus, working across communities to advance policies to better reflect who we are as a district and as a state.

None of this work would have been possible without an incredible team by my side. Karen Gottlieb, Jenna Linthicum, Natalie Prieto, and Dave Chisholm worked tirelessly every single day to serve the residents of District 16. I’m especially grateful that Karen and Natalie returned for their second sessionwith my office—there’s something really special about building that kind of continuity and trust. They put in the long hours right alongside me, and I’m so thankful for everything they did this session.

Every email, every phone call, every conversation at the grocery store or community event matters. Your voices shape how I show up in Annapolis, and I carry them with me every time I cast a vote.

Serving District 16 is the honor of my life. And as I head back home from Annapolis, I’m more energized than ever to keep doing this work, with you and for you.

Below is more information on my legislation, along with other bills the House passed this session, and information on the budget we passed.

If my office can be helpful in any way, or if there’s something you’d like to share about issues that matter to you, you can always reach me at Teresa.Woorman@house.maryland.gov or 410-841-3454.

Sincerely,

Delegate Teresa S. Woorman, District 16 

Follow me on social media!

X: @Teresa_Woorman

Facebook: @TeresaSWoorman

Instagram: @Teresa_Woorman

Sign up for Delegate Teresa Woorman's mailing list

MY LEGISLATION

During this session, I was the primary sponsor of seven bills:

HB965: Office of Health Care Quality Stakeholder Advisory Council: Would create a permanent advisory council to give frontline workers, residents, advocates, and other stakeholders a formal voice in how Maryland oversees health care facilities. Establishes a council that meets virtually twice a year to review OHCQ data, provide feedback, and elevate concerns to the Secretary of Health when oversight issues arise.

HB962: Local Public Campaign Financing – County Boards of Education: Would allow counties to include elected school board races in their local public campaign financing systems. Updates election law to give counties the option to extend existing public financing programs to school board candidates, increasing accessibility and reducing the influence of big money in education governance.

Five of my bills passed the House of Delegates and crossed over to the Senate for consideration in that chamber. 

HB963: Registers of Wills - Appointment of Personal Representatives. This bill repeals the prohibition on a register of wills or court granting letters in administrative or judicial probate to certain individuals who are not citizens of the United States. This bill was heard in the Judiciary Committee in the House and the Judicial Proceedings Committee in the Senate. 

HB1042: Health Occupations - Structural Racism Training - Funding Sources. This bill clarifies that it is the intent of the General Assembly regarding the development and offering of structural racism training that applicants for the renewal of a health occupations license are required to be developed and offered at no cost to the State using funding from certain external sources. This bill was heard in the Health Committee in the House and the Finance Committee in the Senate. 

HB1083: Montgomery County Board of Elections - Membership MC 6-26. This bill was introduced by the Montgomery County Delegation and it would alter the membership of the Montgomery County Board of Elections to consist of seven regular members and to no longer include substitute members; alters the number of members on the county board required to be members of the majority party and the principal minority party; and alters the votes required for the county board to appoint an election director. This bill was heard in the Government, Labor and Elections Committee in the House and the Education, Energy and the Environment Committee in the Senate. 

HB1438: State Board of Education - Public High School Graduation Requirements. This bill would require the State Board of Education to review graduation requirements for public high school students every 5 years, and require implementation of updated graduation requirements for the cohort entering high school in the school year following State Board approval. This bill was heard in the Ways and Means Committee in the House and the Education, Energy  and The Environment Committee in the Senate. 

HB1530: Higher Education - Undocumented Students - Out-of-State Tuition Exemption Eligibility. This bill decreases from 3 years to 2 years the number of years for which an individual or the individual's parent or guardian must file taxes before the academic year for eligibility to receive an out-of-state tuition exemption at a public institution of higher education. This bill was heard in the Appropriations Committee in the House and the Education, Energy and the Environment Committee in the Senate. 

By Sine Die, HB963 and HB1530 crossed the finish line and passed both chambers and are awaiting the Governor’s signature!