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May 10, 2023
Dear Neighbor,
Last week was a historic day in Maryland, Governor Wes Moore signed into law a package of reproductive health legislation that will secure and strengthen the right for Marylanders to access basic and essential abortion care. Through the leadership of Speaker Adrienne Jones, I'm proud my colleagues and I have been able to ensure Maryland will lead on abortion access while it is under attack across the country.
Six pieces of my 2023 legislation have now been signed into law; this week, two especially important bills were signed by the Governor. Over the last two years, my dear friend Mark Cicero and I have worked tirelessly to ensure that disabled Federal officers residing in Maryland are eligible for the same tax credit that State officers have had access to. Now that HB 508 has been signed into law, disabled Federal officers have access to this tax credit. This shows our intent on retaining these brave men and women in Maryland as neighbors, community members, and heroes.
In addition to HB 508, the Governor signed the State Disaster Recovery Fund. I am proud to have worked with Senator Elfreth on this critical bill, which creates a disaster recovery fund under the Maryland Department of Emergency Management that will allow City & County Emergency Management to respond more efficiently & rapidly to local disasters. The critical need for this legislation became clear when an EF-2 tornado tore through the district and dozens of businesses sustained devastating damage.
To read more about the bill, see the Capital Gazette on the legislation here!
Delegate Jones Holds Children's Book Drive for Stanton Center
I am thrilled to again this year host a book drive throughout the month of May benefiting the Stanton Community Center in Annapolis. Additionally, I am proud that a portion of the books collected will be donated to the Annapolis Juneteenth Festival for their Children’s Village.
The Stanton Center is a wonderful facility and has provided enriching programs for underserved families and children in the City of Annapolis for generations. The Stanton Center has a lovely library which is in need of new and gently used books. It is my hope to fill those shelves with books for which children and young adults can choose to read at the center, or to take home and keep!
A book filed home has benefits beyond reading for children. A 20-year study shows a predictor of a child's academic success is the presence of books in the home. Regardless of the parent's income, economic status, nationality, or level of education, children who grew up with books in their homes reached a higher level of education than those who did not.
I hope you will join us in this book drive! New and gently used books can be donated in bins at all three Anne Arundel County Library locations in District 30A through the entire month of May:
Eastport-Annapolis Neck,
269 Hillsmere Dr, Annapolis, MD 21403
Michael E. Busch
1410 West St, Annapolis, MD 21401
Discoveries Library at the Mall
2550 Annapolis Rd, Annapolis, MD 21401
Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office should you have any questions, thank you in advance for your participation!
2023 Annapolis Pride Parade, Walk with Me!
I’m looking forward to once again walking in the Annapolis Pride Parade! This event is so special, and I’m proud to be supporting the amazing people at Annapolis Pride who work so hard to better our community! If you are interested in joining the fun, and walking with me and my family, fill out the sign up form here!
AACO Delegation Donation to Food Bank
As Vice Chair of the Anne Arundel County Delegation, Chair Bagnall and I were so happy to present a $500 donation to the Anne Arundel County Food Bank this week.
As Vice Chair of the Anne Arundel County Delegation, Chair Bagnall and I were so happy to present a $500 donation to the Anne Arundel County Food Bank this week. The Food Bank does incredible work, serving 1,000s of families and community members every year. I look forward to continuing to support their work by ensuring they have the resources they need to serve our community!
You can support their work by donating or volunteering HERE!
Spring Health Fair at Chamber’s Park
The City of Annapolis Mayor’s Office NapTown Anti Dope Movement will be hosting a community health and wellness resource fair at Chambers Park from 5pm to 7:30pm on May 19, 2023. There will be food and refreshments provided along with mental health resources, games, and activities. They are still seeking community resource providers and vendors to participate along with volunteers. Please join them and raise awareness for mental health while having fun with the family!
Application Period For AACPS 2023-24 Pre-K Programs Now Open
ATTENTION all parents who wish to apply for their child to attend Anne Arundel County Public Schools’ prekindergarten program in the 2023-2024 school year may do so online now! AACPS offers pre kindergarten programs for 4-year-olds in 58 schools and programs for 3-year-olds in eight schools.
For the first time this year and as called for by the Blueprint for Maryland’s future, families will apply for prekindergarten through a centralized online enrollment process that is managed by the Early Childhood Office. Prekindergarten registration is no longer first come, first served. Applications are processed based on priority groups: income eligibility, students with disabilities, students from homes in which English is not the primary spoken language, and students who are homeless.
Information about prekindergarten programs in AACPS and an online application can be found at www.aacps.org/earlychildhood beginning at noon on May 2, 2023.
Maryland Hall Presents Healing Conversations
The World Health Organization defines holistic health as one's physical, mental, and social well-being. Five years ago, the Trump Administration attempted to ban transgender individuals from military service, and this year alone, twenty different states introduced “Don’t Say Gay” laws. Under these circumstances, LGBTQIA+ individuals suffer greater loss of family, community, and identity leading to higher rates of suicide and self-harm. This healing conversation will bring together LGBTQIA+ focused artists and therapists to discuss art as a vessel for exploring and protecting LGBTQIA+ identities. Learn tools for supporting yourselves and the extended LGBTQIA+ populations in your communities through the healing and protective power of art.
Click HERE to get your ticket today!
GiGi’s Kitchen, at Whole Foods Market!
Join GiGi’s Playhouse at the Culinary & Community Center at Whole Foods Market Annapolis for a culinary class led by Ms. Denise and Ms. Sabrina. After registering for this class, they will email you a copy of the Whole Foods participant waiver that must be completed and returned prior to the class date.
GiGi’s Kitchen programs are designed to emphasize the importance of a healthy lifestyle and early exposure to practical cooking skills. Under the guidance of program leaders, participants will engage in activities designed to promote healthy eating habits, kitchen safety awareness, food preparation skills, self-confidence, and social skills by applying learned skills as they prepare and enjoy a shared meal/snack!
If you are interested in signing up, click here: https://gigisplayhouse.org/annapolis/gigis-kitchen/
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Reading List
Choose your next read from our Asian Pacific American Heritage Month book lists! 📚
- Download books by Asian American and Pacific Islander authors in eBook and eAudiobook formats to enjoy instantly using Overdrive/Libby and Cloud Library.
- Looking for more books written by Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders? Use NoveList’s “Advanced Search” feature to generate a list of books by authors with specific ethnicities and cultural identities.
**Reminder, you MUST be a resident of District30A**
You can learn more about my scholarship on my website & apply here: https://forms.gle/YRhSCmV95E3yS2wB7
If you have any questions, please contact our office at dana.jones@house.state.md.us or at 410-841-3211.
You can follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to learn about volunteer opportunities, community resources, legislative updates and much more. If you have any questions or concerns, you can always contact my office by email at Dana.Jones@house.state.md.us or by phone at 410-841-3211.
Stay safe and healthy,
Delegate Dana Jones District 30A, Annapolis & Anne Arundel County