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March 22, 2021
Hello Neighbors,
I like many of you, have experienced intense grief and anger over the recent shootings in Atlanta. This horrible crime has drawn attention to the sharp rise of anti-Asian violence. Hate crimes against members of our Asian American Pacific Islander community have increased 150% in 2020 with the majority of these attacks affecting women. These vicious hate crimes against our fellow Americans in the AAPI community is horrific, it’s wrong, and it must stop.
At a time when our brothers and sisters of the AAPI community are experiencing profound pain and trauma it is critical we have conversations and confront the hatred targeting our fellow Americans. The Making Caring Common Project is a great resource for parents looking to talk their children about diversity, tolerance, and acceptance. It is all of our responsibilities to step up and confront racial hatred.
For those of you looking to help, consider donating to organizations that support the AAPI community such as Stop AAPI Hate or the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund.
Leading on the Floor
Last week was a busy week on the floor. I was chosen to present two bills to my colleagues in the House as the floor leader. HB 1350 would create more transparency in campaign finance. HB 1062, my Student Data Privacy bill, ensures that our student's personal data & info is protected from fraud, theft, and intrusive marketing. It also creates a reporting requirement for school systems to increase transparency for parents & taxpayers.
I am proud to say that both bills passed! The passage of HB 1062 will be my fourth bill to pass this session, meaning that all of the bills that I sponsored have officially been passed by the House. I will continue to keep you updated as these bills move through the Senate.
Supporting Our Students
COVID-19 school closures have exacerbated learning gaps. In order to address this, we must provide additional resources to better support our students. I am proud to say that today I joined my colleagues in voting YES for the Blueprint 2.0 to address pandemic-related learning loss and ensure that every child has the opportunity to succeed.
101 years of Suffrage
Last week, I joined my fellow women legislators in the House to celebrate the 101st year since the ratification of the 19th amendment. 41.0% of Maryland’s legislature is made of women, and we are one of only 7 states to have a woman in a leadership position.
I am honored to be a member of the oldest Women’s Caucus in the country & serve with such amazing women. The weight of the day, after a career of helping to elect women to office was incredibly meaningful. I am so thankful to all the women who came before us to ensure that this day would be possible.
Legislative Scholarship
Each year, legislative offices offer a scholarship award for students within the district. I am happy to say that applications for the 2021 - 2022 school year are now open! To be eligible for this scholarship, you must live within District 30a, which you can check here! Scholarships are awarded based on need and on a case-by-case basis. Prior to applying, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is available and can be submitted online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
You can find directions on how to submit your application online here.
If you have any questions, comments, and/or concerns you can contact our Scholarship Program Manager, David Duba, at 410-841-3211 or david.danajones.office@gmail.com.
Women’s History Online Event
In Honor of Women’s History Month, Preservation Maryland is hosting an online event - Not Nontraditional: Women In The Building Trades, to discuss women’s roles in construction, throughout history and today. This webinar will take place from 1:00 - 2:30 and you can register here.
Honoring our Childcare workers
Families rely on available, quality, and affordable child care from providers to nurture their children while parents are at work. This Wednesday, March 24, the Maryland Women’s Caucus is hosting a “A Celebration of Child Care Providers.”
This celebration is made up of two events including a 9:00 am panel of child care advocates who will discuss issues impacting these workers.
These events will be live-streamed on the Maryland Women's Legislative Caucus’ official YouTube page. Please invite others to attend these events to honor the important service of child care providers to our state.
Meet Our Office
We have two new staff in the office that are here to help answer legislative questions, assist with unemployment problems and navigate getting a vaccine appointment. You can read more about them and how they are helping D30A residents below.
Casey - Constituent Services
Casey has years of experience as an educator and recently has been volunteering her time to help eligible Marylanders access vaccine appointments. Casey has joined our office to help constituents register for a vaccine appointment. She is an expert in all things vaccine-rollout-related and is happy to answer any questions you may have. If you would like help scheduling a vaccine appointment or have questions please email our office at dana.jones@house.state.md.us with the subject: Vaccine Apt
Heidi - Constituent Communication
Heidi has a long history of working in constituent communication. She has been working to help our office respond to the hundreds of letters we get from constituents on a daily basis. As an active community member, she additionally assists our office with content for our newsletter and social media to promote local programs, events, and other helpful information. If you have an event you would like highlighted please email us at dana.jones@house.state.md.us
COVID-19 Vaccinations
STARTING TOMORROW! Maryland will be moving into phase 2A of our vaccination plan. Anyone over the age of 60 may preregister for an appointment NOW by going to https://massvax.maryland.gov/
Eligible Maryland residents can use these links to make an appointment at locations throughout the state:
- Safeway
- CVS (Those without online access can call 800-746-7287)
- VA Maryland Health Care System (Eligible Veterans only)
NEW: For more tips on how to register for a vaccination appointment you can click here!
NOTE To Those Who Have ALREADY Received The Vaccine: If you have been able to receive a vaccine from a mass vaccination site like Six Flags or a pharmacy like a CVS, please take the time to remove your name from any pre-registration waitlists you used. This small step makes a big difference to others still waiting for their shot. This continues to be a very fluid situation, and I encourage you all to follow any of my social media pages for up-to-date information as it becomes publicly available.
You can also use the State of Maryland Vaccination Site Search Tool to search for all vaccination locations within the state. If you would like to learn more about Anne Arundel county’s Vaccination efforts, you can refer to this week's Covid-19 Update from the County Executive’s office. Find out how to get alerted when appointments become available here!
If you have any questions about the vaccine rollout or are eligible for a vaccine and need help making an appointment, please email Dana.Jones@house.state.md.us, and our office will assist you.
Love Our Libraries
2021 is the Anne Arundel County Public Library's 100th anniversary! Our library offers a wide variety of programming and resources. In honor of their centennial celebration, each week, I will be highlighting one program, resource, or event that our libraries have to offer.
This Thursday, March 25th, from 6:00pm - 7:00pm AACPS will be hosting an event to learn more about Maryland’s extraordinary women who fought for suffrage before and after the passage of the 19th amendment. Register for this online event - African American Suffragists of Maryland here!
I would encourage everyone to follow the Anne Arundel County Public Library’s Facebook page to get updates on programs and new resources. Also, check out their calendar to find the perfect event for you and your family to enjoy!
COVID-19 Tests
Anne Arundel County offers testing at no cost. Symptoms are not required for testing, and a doctor’s note is not needed. Test results are usually available in three to five days. You can call the Anne Arundel county COVID-19 Health Information Line: 410-222-7256 with all of your COVID-19 related questions.
COVID-19 Resources
My full breakdown of resources - everything from eviction prevention to utility assistance, is available here. If you or someone you know needs help navigating any state resources, you can always reach out to my office. My Chief of Staff, Lydia McPherson, or I can assist you.
Kitchen Supply Drive
Do you have kitchen clutter? Tyler Heights is hosting a Community Kitchen Supply Drive this upcoming Thursday, March 25th from 9 am to 12 pm. Please consider donating your extra pots, pans, utensils or any other gently used kitchen items to the drive. You can direct any questions to Sarah Daniels Larson at sdanielslardon@aacps.org.
Happy Restaurant Week
Annapolis is home to many unique, locally-owned restaurants. Each year we celebrate these small businesses and their delicious cuisine with Annapolis Restaurant week. Enjoy special menu items and deals from over 40 of your favorite places by ordering carryout, dining in, and this year, liquor to go! For a full list of participating restaurants click here.
Rocking my Socks
In honor of World Down Syndrome Day, I rocked some fun mismatched socks on the House Floor, provided to me by the lovely folks at Chesapeake Down Syndrome Parent Group.You can learn more about all the great work that CDSPG is doing by clicking here!
You can follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to learn about volunteer opportunities, community resources, COVID-19 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,
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