April 18, 2025 End of Session Letter

Dear Friend, 

Wow—what a whirlwind my first legislative session in Annapolis was! Serving as your Delegate during the 2025 Maryland General Assembly has been one of the most exciting, humbling, and rewarding experiences of my life. As a former longtime staffer in the General Assembly, I knew the pace would be fast, but nothing compares to the incredible responsibility of actually casting each vote—of being the one to push that button. Every time I did, I carried your voices, your messages, your hopes and your concerns with me.

Whether I had the joy of seeing you in Annapolis or hearing from you by email, phone, or in the community—thank you. Your engagement means the world to me. Being able to serve our district and be part of this process with you is a privilege I don't take lightly.

I’m proud to share some of the work we accomplished together this session. I was honored to serve on the Health and Government Operations Committee, which was a perfect fit given my deep passion for health policy. In collaboration with advocates, stakeholders, experts, and my fellow legislators, we worked hard on legislation to improve healthcare for Marylanders across the state. I also served on the Public Health and Minority Health Disparities and the Health Occupations and Long-Term Care subcommittees—spaces where real, impactful changes are happening.

In addition, I was proud to take on the role of Vice Chair of the Legislative Review Committee in the Maryland Latino Caucus, where we reviewed and championed legislation that advances equity and uplifts Latino communities across Maryland.

One of the highlights of this session was getting to introduce District 16 residents on the floor of the House of Delegates. On behalf of the District 16 Delegates, I had the honor of introducing Dr. Stephen Rockower as our Doctor of the Day, a tradition that recognizes the physicians who volunteer in the State House each day of session. I was also proud to help recognize three incredible state championship teams from Walt Whitman High School: the girls soccer team, coached by Greg Herbert; the wrestling team, coached by Derek Manon; and the cross country team, coached by Ben Thoms. It was a true celebration of District 16 talent, teamwork and spirit.

None of this work would have been possible without my phenomenal team. Karen Gottlieb hit the ground running as my Chief of Staff and kept our office running smoothly while navigating our legislative portfolio. I’m also incredibly proud of our amazing interns: Natalie Prieto and Ben Wilson from the University of Maryland, and Sedat Sefik from UMBC. Thanks to all of them for their hard work in serving the residents of District 16.

As we head into the interim period between legislative sessions, I’m excited to spend more time back home in District 16. I live right here in Bethesda and I’d love to hear from you. Let’s grab coffee or chat about the issues that matter most to you and your family.

To stay connected and get more regular updates on what I'm owrking on - in Annapolis and right here at home - follow me on social media! I share news about legislation, community events and the behind-the-scenes work of serving as your Delegate. Here's where you can find me online:

X: @Teresa_Saavedra

Facebook: @TeresaWoorman4MD

Instagram: @Teresa_Woorman

If you would like to sign up for my newsletter, you can do so here: Sign up for Delegate Teresa Woorman's mailing list

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MY LEGISLATION

During this session, I was the primary sponsor of seven bills of my own. 

HB1409 Health - Medical Care Facilities - Electronic Monitoring Devices, which would allow residents of medical care facilities to use electronic monitoring devices, such as cameras or audio recorders, in their private rooms, with proper consent and notice. It ensures that facilities cannot deny admission or remove a resident for choosing to monitor their room and requires them to accommodate such devices.

HB1248 Revenge Pornography and Intimate Visual Depictions - Prohibition and Removal, which would require certain online platforms to establish a process for an individual or an individual's representative to notify the platform and request the disabling of access to or removal of certain visual depictions. 

HB1476 Labor and Employment - Disclosure of Employee's Immigration Status - Prohibition, which would prohibit an employer from disclosing or threatening to disclose an employee's immigration status to a public body for the purpose of concealing an employer's violation of certain labor, benefit, or tax law.

HB1272 Youth Sports Advisory Commission, which would establish a youth sports safety advisory commission to study and make recommendations to minimize risk and maximize safety for youth athletes.

SB69/HB1070 Maryland Department of Health - Access to Telephones - Study, which would require the Maryland Department of Health to study the feasibility of installing and maintaining a telephone system for residents in assisted living facilities, psychiatric facilities, and nursing homes.

Two of my bills, HB1420 and HB1069, passed the House of Delegates and crossed over to the Senate for consideration in that chamber. 

HB1420 Registers of Wills - Appointment of Personal Representatives - Noncitizens - This bill emerged in response to the heartbreaking collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and the tragedy that followed for the workers on the bridge when it collapsed. It would allow non-citizens to serve as personal representatives of estates—a change inspired by the experience of María del Carmen Castellón Luna, who lost her husband, Miguel Luna, in the collapse and was denied the ability to manage his estate because she was not a U.S. citizen. None of our surrounding states have this citizenship requirement for personal representatives of estates. You can read more about her story in this WYPR piece: "Widow of Key Bridge construction worker fights to change hurdle for immigrants whose loved ones die". Sadly, this bill died in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee on Sine Die, but I’m looking forward to bringing it back next session.

HB1069 Life and Health Insurance Policies and Annuity and Health Maintenance Organization Contracts - Discretionary Clauses - Prohibition - This bill would ban discretionary clauses in life insurance, annuity contracts, and health insurance policies—provisions that currently give insurance companies broad power to interpret their own contracts and deny claims with little recourse. They are like allowing the other team in a sporting event to interpret the rules! These types of clauses have already been banned in disability insurance policies in Maryland, thanks to the leadership of my Committee Chair Joseline Peña-Melnyk. My bill closes that loophole, restoring fairness to policyholders and ensuring that disputes are judged impartially. I worked closely with the Maryland Insurance Administration and incorporated their amendments to gain their full support. 

By Sine Die, HB1069 crossed the finish line and passed both chambers!  I’m cautiously optimistic that Governor Wes Moore will sign this bill into law.

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Here are summaries of some of the other legislation we passed this session: 

HEALTH CARE

HB718 MD Health Insurance Coverage Commission - This legislation creates a commission to monitor and assess the impact of potential and actual federal changes to programs such as Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act Medicaid, MD Children’s Health Program, Medicare, and the MD All-Payer Model. 

HB930 Public Health Abortion Grant Program – Establishment -  The program is funded from unspent insurance premiums for abortion coverage. Under the Affordable Care Act rules, these funds can’t be used for other purposes. Funds would support abortion care for the uninsured and underinsured.

HB974 Preventive Services Enforcement - Preserves insurance carrier coverage requiring preventive services with zero cost sharing. Types of preventative services protected include immunizations, annual wellness checks, cancer screenings, birth control, physicals, vaccines, and more. 

HB1045 Health Insurance and Family Planning Consumer Protections - This bill updates 2017 legislation, which made Maryland the first state in the nation to guarantee continued funding for family planning and women’s health services if the Federal Government defunded clinics. 

HB1082 State-Based Insurance Subsidy Program - This legislation will establish a state–based health insurance subsidy program to mitigate the effects of the possible elimination of federal advance premium tax credits. 

HB297 Maryland Health Benefit Exchange - State-Based Young Adult Health Insurance Subsidies Pilot

Program - Sunset Repeal - this bill makes the Maryland’s Young Adult Health Insurance Subsidy Program (YAS) permanent. 

HB869  Preserve Telehealth Access Act of 2025 - This legislation makes insurance coverage for telehealth care permanent. 

HB424 – Prescription Drug Affordability Board - Authority for Upper Payment Limits (Lowering

Prescription Drug Costs for All Marylanders Now Act) - This bill by my Committee Vice Chair Bonnie Cullison makes healthcare more affordable for everyday families by expanding the authority of the Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB). Under this bill, the board’s authority to use cost savings measures, such as setting upper payment limits, is expanded to include the commercial market. 

FEDERAL WORKFORCE PROTECTIONS

HB1424 Catastrophic Event Account and Federal Government Shutdown Employee Assistance Loan Fund - Alterations (Protect Our Federal Workers Act) - This bill provides financial and legal tools to support Maryland’s 142,876 federal employees who are affected by Donald Trump’s cuts to the federal workforce. It expands existing funds and accounts to provide interest-free loans to federal workers impacted by unforeseen employment disruptions. The bill also provides an additional $1.5 million to the Attorney General to sue the Trump Administration for their wrongful and illegal firing of federal workers.

IMMIGRATION

HB1222 Public Safety - Immigration Enforcement (Maryland Values Act) - establishes a statewide standard for immigration enforcement and keep violent criminals out of our communities by prohibiting local law enforcement agencies from entering into 287(g) agreements, which deputize local law enforcement to do the work of federal immigration officers, and requires undocumented individuals to be detained in order to help facilitate transfer to federal authorities if they are convicted of a crime of violence, any felony, using a firearm in the commission of a violent crime driving under the influence or engaging in criminal gang activity.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

HB853 Post-Conviction Review - Procedure to Reduce Duration of Sentence (Maryland Second Look Act) - Allows incarcerated individuals who were sentenced between the ages of 18-24 and have served at least 20 years in prison to petition the court for a reduced sentence.

The Court may reduce a sentence only if it determines that the individual is not a danger to the public and that the sentence reduction serves the interest of justice. A judge must consider the 10 factors listed in the bill when deciding whether the sentence will be reduced.

HB1123 Correctional Services - Medical and Elder Parole - Takes the Governor out of the medical parole process and emphasizes an incarcerated individual’s medical evaluation when the Commission is making its determinations, including debilitation, terminality, and danger to public safety. Additionally, the bill addresses the issue of elder parole eligibility. It requires the Department of Corrections to submit the names of incarcerated individuals to the Parole Commission who are (1) at least 60 years old, (2) have served at least 20 years, (3) without major disciplinary infractions, and (4) are not serving a sentence of life without the possibility of parole. 

HOUSING

HB767 Real Property - Landlord and Tenant - Procedures for Failure to Pay Rent, Breach of Lease, and Tenant Holding Over (Tenant Possessions Recovery Act) - Requires landlords to provide 14 days’ notice to a tenant before a scheduled eviction date. The bill also provides tenants ten days following their eviction to recover personal property from the premises or another secure location chosen by the landlord. During this period, the landlord is to hold and make available the former tenants’ property without charge. 

EDUCATION

HB504 Excellence in Maryland Public Schools Act - Retains essential funding for community schools, for students from low-income families, for multilingual learner services, and for teacher collaborative time. Additionally, with targeted investments in teacher recruitment, retention, and professional development, along with strategic enhancements to community school programs, the bill as amended will continue our progress to build a resilient and inclusive education system. 

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

HB500 Procurement Reform Act of 2025 - Makes state government procurement more transparent, inclusive, and efficient. The bill makes reforms to better streamline procurement processes and allow a wider range of businesses to compete fairly for state contracts.

HB502 –Office of Disability Employment Advancement and Policy and Maryland as a Model Employer

Initiative – Established - Positions Maryland to be a model employer for people with disabilities. The bill creates the Office of Disability Employment Advancement and Policy (ODEAP) under the Maryland Department of Disabilities (MDOD) to implement the Maryland as a Model Employer Initiative. The office will support the employment, training, and career-readiness of individuals with disabilities to help create more inclusive, accessible hiring across

ENERGY

HB1035 / SB937 Next Generation Energy Act - Delivers broad benefits to Maryland residents by enhancing ratepayer protections, providing direct financial relief, and accelerating clean energy development. The Act prohibits Multiyear Rate Plans that allow reconciliation, saving ratepayers $40 million, and strengthens oversight of gas infrastructure investments and utility spending. It mandates fair cost-sharing from large electricity users like data centers and limits rate recovery of unnecessary corporate expenses. Maryland households will receive $200 million in direct relief in FY2026, with future relief supported through the Strategic Energy Investment Fund. To replace retiring fossil fuel plants, the Act fast-tracks permits for new energy generation, including incentives for nuclear energy and 1.75 GW of energy storage. It also expands funding for greenhouse gas reduction and initiates efforts to consolidate low-income energy assistance programs for more efficient support.

HB1036 / SB931 Renewable Energy Certainty Act - This bill streamlines and standardizes the approval and siting process for solar and energy storage projects, ensuring responsible development without unnecessary delays. The bill also simplifies the approval process for community solar, introduces standards for energy storage siting, and creates a PSC-led review system. To protect consumers, it requires 5-year warranties for residential rooftop solar, performance disclosures, and the creation of a solar contractor license through the Department of Labor. 

HB1037 / SB909 Energy Resource Adequacy and Planning Act - Creates a new Strategic Energy Planning Office within the Maryland Public Service Commission to provide independent, in-state energy planning and oversight. This office addresses the challenge of relying on external entities like PJM, whose priorities may not align with Maryland's energy goals. Every three years, the office will produce a Comprehensive Wholesale Energy Markets and Bulk Power System Risk Report to forecast and analyze financial, reliability, and resource adequacy risks in meeting the state’s long-term energy needs. The report will include stakeholder feedback and actionable recommendations to mitigate those risks.

BUDGET

The FY26 budget, HB350 / HB352, is designed to safeguard Maryland's fiscal health both in the short and long term. It fully funds the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, ensuring no cuts to community schools, English language learners, or students with disabilities. Over the past two years, $800 million annually has been added to the Transportation Trust Fund, improving roads, bridges, commuter bus services, and public transit. The budget includes strategic belt-tightening with over $1.9 billion in cuts, the largest reduction in 16 years, resulting in $400 million less spending than FY25. While the cuts were challenging, essential investments in Maryland's values are preserved. Revenues raised in the budget ensure tax fairness for working families, with 94% of Marylanders paying the same or less in taxes, while the wealthiest contribute their fair share through a modernized tax code. Amid challenges posed by federal tax cuts under the Trump Administration, the budget adopts a balanced approach to prepare for the economic fallout. It includes significant spending reductions, preserves strong reserves, and meets spending affordability goals. With $1.2 billion in ongoing revenues, the budget eliminates the structural deficit and raises $500 million for transportation infrastructure. Key legislative priorities are restored, including funding for teacher collaborative time, cancer research, crime victim services, and local enterprise grants, alongside $181.5 million for services for the developmentally disabled. Investments in Maryland's economic future include funds for private-sector job growth, trade, and strategic infrastructure. Public education receives full funding for the Blueprint, with $9.7 billion in state support, increasing aid to local schools by $572.5 million. The budget also preserves healthcare for 1.5 million Marylanders, boosts public safety funding, strengthens juvenile and community services, and invests in clean energy and climate pollution reduction. Additionally, state employees will receive pay enhancements, including salary increases and cost-of-living adjustments.

The District 16 projects that received funding in the budget include:

Bannockburn Nursery School and Community Clubhouse: $100,000   

Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health: $50,000   

Imagination stage: $50,000

National Center for Children and Families: $50,000

It is the greatest honor to serve as your Delegate in Annapolis. Your feedback, stories and insights shape the way I approach every vote and every policy decision. The impact legislation has on your daily life is always the top priority for me.

I’m on a mission to meet as many of our neighbors, community leaders and organizations as possible. If you’re part of a local group, civic association, or homeowners association and would like me to come by, hear your concerns, and share more about the work I get to do on your behalf—I’d love that! Please don’t hesitate to reach out.

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.state.md.us or 410-841-3454.

Thank you again for contacting my office this session—I can’t wait to connect with you back home in District 16.

Sincerely,