Legislative Affairs

         

Legislative links, information and advocacy from federal to state

April 2024 Update  

Partnering for Success with

Governor Moore's Service Year Option

Maryland's Department of Service & Civic Innovation (DSCI) invites you to connect with them to find out more about Governor Wes Moore's new initiative regarding an invaluable opportunity to help your clients and/or students determine the best next steps in their work or educational journey through a year of paid, full-time service.

According to State Delegate, Michele Guyton, "our service option is working well and being expanded."

Please utilize the following Service Year Option/Maryland Corps Info Session link to schedule your virtual 1:1 connection with DSCI and find out more. If you have an existing event that you would like for us to attend or have a group of potential participants you would like us to speak to in person, please let us know.

Should you have any questions or feedback in advance, please visit https://dsci.maryland.gov or email applytoserve@maryland.gov.

What’s Happening in Washington

Week of April 1st

Headlines to Know

Biden to Visit Baltimore Bridge Collapse

• This Friday, the White House announced that President Biden will visit the site of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse that took place in Baltimore on Tuesday, March 26^th. There, the President will meet with State and Local officials, including Maryland Governor Wes Moore. 
• The Biden administration has worked to secure emergency recovery equipment such as barges and cranes and will continue to provide support for the crisis. It will also petition Congress to allocate federal funding to repair the bridge. 

Mayorkas Impeachment Articles to Reach Senate 

• The impeachment articles passed against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas by House Republicans two months ago will be put to vote in the Senate on April 10^th. This move, long delayed by Speaker Mike Johnson due to previous government budget deadlines, is expected to face early calls for dismissal by Senate Democrats and some Republicans due to the widely held perception of the impeachment as a “sham.” Mayorkas initially faced impeachment charges due to accusations of mishandling the migrant crisis at the southern border. 

Virginia House GOP Lead in the Hot Seat

• Representative Bob Good (V-RA), the Leader of the House Freedom Caucus, faces off against primary opponent and former Navy Seal John McGuire in the Virginia primary elections this June. Fellow Virginia Representatives, including Representative Derrick Van Orden, oppose his reelection. Van Orden and other Republicans have harshly criticized Rep. Good since he helped to oust former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. 
• In addition to Van Orden, Reps Ryan Zinke (R-MN) and Marjorie Taylor Green (R-GA) have endorsed John McGuire. Representative Good is one of four House Republicans facing Primary Challengers backed by other House Republicans. Good’s situation is unique, however, as he is being challenged from the center-right instead of the hard-right primary opponents of Reps. Mike Bost (R-Ill.), William Timmons (R-S.C.), and Tony Gonzales (R-Texas).

Boeing CEO set to step down following manufacturing problems

• Boeing CEO David Calhoun will step down after becoming CEO in 2020. The CEO’s resignation comes after a series of manufacturing-related issues with Boeing’s 737 Max aircraft. 
• Calhoun took over the role of CEO after two crashes with previous 737 Max jets, resulting in over 300 deaths. The two aircraft in Ethiopia and Indonesia resulted in the company making an overall improvement in safety protocols. 
• Recent scrutiny has occurred since an audit was placed on Boeing’s Seattle-based manufacturing facility, revealing many manufacturing issues. The audit, combined with the most recent Alaskan Airlines panel failure, has resulted in a $4 billion loss in the current quarter and a 25% stock price drop.  

Other News to Know 

• Google to Destroy Billions of Users Browsing Records in Lawsuit Settlement

  • Tech giant Google is set to destroy mass amounts of collected user data related to using the “incognito” browsing mode in response to a $5 billion class action lawsuit. The lawsuit, filed in 2020, accuses Google of collecting data without user knowledge or consent. 
  • The settlement, which was announced in December but did not become public until now, will require Google to delete user data older than nine months, inform users of data collection, and turn off 3^rd-party trackers while using incognito mode. This settlement represents a landmark step towards consumer privacy rights and protections in technology. 

  Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse Impact on Port of Baltimore

  • The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26 has significantly disrupted operations at the Port of Baltimore, a crucial node for importing autos and critical minerals into the U.S. The port is notably responsible for receiving 59% of the nation's tin imports and is a major entry point for motor vehicles, the largest import category by dollar value. 
  • Efforts are underway to address the immediate impacts, including rerouting ships to nearby ports like Newark and Philadelphia, while tensions in Congress grow over funding the rebuilding efforts.

  AI Safety and Legislation

  • Global AI Safety: There's growing concern over the safety risks posed by the rise of generative artificial intelligence. The potential hazards underscore the importance of establishing robust safety frameworks.
  • No AI FRAUD Act: This proposed legislation aims to give individuals property rights in their likeness and voice, offering protection for both living and deceased persons against unauthorized.

Upcoming Legislation and Topics 

• Discussions on increasing the $1.2 trillion spending package.
• Examination of the agricultural trade deficit and its drivers.
• Proposed methane fee on congressional districts.
• Reviews of legislative proposals, including the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act, the Thirty-Two-Hour Workweek Act, and California’s AB 2930, address bias in AI.

• Legislative Compass:

  • Should any new federal legislation be introduced concerning the bridge collapse or AI regulations, detailed analyses will be provided to understand the implications and expected outcomes of using AI-generated content.

  Global Pandemic Agreement:

  • Negotiations are ongoing among countries to finalize an agreement by the end of May aimed at improving preparedness and response to future pandemics. The focus is on ensuring equity, enhancing surveillance, and promoting faster information sharing to prevent the disparities witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

  Independent Contractor Classification Rule:

  • The House Education and Workforce Committee has moved forward with a resolution to block a Biden administration rule that tightens regulations on classifying workers as independent contractors. This rule aims to ensure workers receive minimum wage, overtime pay, and other benefits, countering a previous framework that allowed for more flexibility in classification but led to confusion and potential misclassification.

Hearings

All Times EST.

• Monday April 1st, 2024: None 
• Tuesday April 2nd, 2024: None 
• Wednesday April 3rd, 2024: None 
• Thursday April 4th, 2024: None  

Friday April 5th, 2024

9:30 am 

• House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security) 
• Topic: "Port Safety Security and Infrastructure Investment" 
• House Committee on Homeland Security (Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security) 
• Topic: "Port Safety Security and Infrastructure Investment" 

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118th U.S. CONGRESS

Executive Branch

• President Biden Signs Executive Order: Scaling and Expanding the Use of Registered Apprenticeships in Industries and the Federal Government and Promoting Labor-Management Forums
  
• Statement from President Joe Biden on Nearly $5 Billion in Additional Student Debt Cancellation for 74,000 Borrowers
• Contact & More

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Maryland General Assembly (446th session)

• On April 8th, the 90th day of the Assembly or “SINE DIE”, the legislature adjourns.
• For a general overview and information on the 2024 session, visit the General Assembly's Tutorial page
• Contact & More Information

Advocacy Affiliates

MCDA is an affiliate of NCDA, ACA, and MCA and its advocacy work is linked to these organizations. Your MCDA membership automatically links you to the advocacy efforts of all four groups. However, all MCDA members are eligible to join these groups.

NCDA Federal Advocacy 2023-2024

NOTE: Policy Areas are not in order of priority. Priority of these areas will be ever-evolving to mirror prominent issues within the legislature.

Policy Areas

1. Employment Opportunities and Job Market Adaptability
   • Focus 1: Advocating for federal policies that foster a dynamic and inclusive job market, ensuring opportunities for all skill levels and backgrounds.
   • Focus 2: Pushing for legislation that supports job transition programs, particularly for workers in declining industries or those impacted by automation and digital transformation.
   • Focus 3: Collaboration with federal agencies to develop and promote initiatives that match job seekers with opportunities based on current and forecasted labor market trends.
2. Student Career Services
   • Focus 1: Educate policymakers and advocate for the continuum of career services from early education through the end of life, with particular emphasis on meaning and purpose derived from work.
   • Focus 2: Advocating for and supporting funding for high-quality career services in K-12 settings.
   • Focus 3: Advocating for and supporting funding for high-quality career services in higher education institutions at the undergraduate, graduate, and professional (e.g. law and medical school) levels.
   • Focus 4: Advocating for and supporting funding for high-quality career services in vocational programs, community programs, and additional services for minors and adults.
3. Professional Accreditation and Certification Standards
   • Focus: Lobbying for federal standards and support for the accreditation and certification of career development professionals to ensure quality and uniformity across the field, with particular emphasis on NCDA’s professional and ethical standards, including credentials approved by the NCDA Credentialing Commission.
4. Access to Professional Development
   • Focus: Advocacy for federal grants or subsidies aimed at promoting ongoing professional development among practitioners and educators in the career development field.
5. Workforce Development and Education
   • Focus: Collaboration with federal agencies, including the Department of Education and the Department of Labor, to integrate career development into national education policies and workforce development programs.
6. Equal Opportunity and Inclusion
   • Focus: Promoting legislation that ensures all individuals, especially those from underrepresented and marginalized groups, have equitable access to career development resources and opportunities.
   • Focus: Advocating for legislation to protect workers from discrimination, especially those from underrepresented and marginalized groups.
7. Special Populations
   • Focus: Advocating for legislation and programs that support special populations, including military veterans, individuals with disabilities, reentering formerly incarcerated individuals, immigrants, and other groups with barriers to workforce participation.
8. Mental Health and Career Development
   • Focus: Pushing for policies that integrate career development as part of broader mental health and well-being initiatives at the federal level.
9. Funding for Research and Innovation
   • Focus: Advocating for federal funding to facilitate research in career development trends, technologies, and best practices.
10. Small Business Development
    • Focus: Support funding and programs supporting small businesses, including tax structures to support small businesses and their owners.
11. Data Privacy and Ethical Compliance
    • Focus: Advocacy for ethical standards and data protection laws relevant to the gathering and storage of client information in the career development sector.

ACA Federal Advocacy

Agenda for Advocacy Power Hours (APH):

1. Introduction of attendees and ACA staff
2. State updates – ACA staff
3. Federal updates – ACA staff
4. State & regional updates – ACA members
5. Final call(s) to action – ACA staff
6. Q&A, wrap up, and important ACA administrative updates – ACA staff

Meetings and an updated schedule for the 2024 FY will resume in September 2023.

• More ways to take advocacy action.
• ACA's Statement on the Conflict in Ukraine.
• Contact the ACA Government Affairs and Public Policy Team.
• Click here for further information on ACA's federal advocacy work.

MCA Advocacy

• Our Counseling Compact WELCOMEs New Hampshire! There are now 15 states  signed to the Counseling Compact including:  Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, Tennessee, Utah and West Virginia!
• Click here to access the MCA Advocacy Committee web page.

For any questions or to get involved in legislative advocacy at the local, state, or national level, 
please contact MCDA’s Legislative Co-Chairs MCDA.Legislative@MDCareers.org.