Remarks as prepared
Delivered on Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Good afternoon, and welcome to the Maryland State House.
I want to open by thanking our partners in the work: House Speaker Adrienne Jones, Senate President Bill Ferguson, committee leaders in the House and Senate – and all of our state legislators, Lieutenant Governor Miller, and members of our cabinet.
Most importantly, I want to thank the countless Marylanders who traveled to Annapolis to make their voices heard this session.
And I want to start by recognizing a very special Marylander with us today.
One and a half years ago, Sergeant Patrick Kepp was chased down and run over by a car while on duty. He lost both of his legs.
Earlier this year, the person who attacked Sergeant Kepp was found guilty of second-degree assault, but no legal action will ever undo the tragedy of that day.
So this year, Marylanders came together to turn pain into purpose, introducing the Sergeant Patrick Kepp Act, cracking down on reckless driving – and today, I will sign it into law.
I had the opportunity to meet Sergeant Kepp recently at this year’s Public Safety Awards ceremony in Montgomery County. He is a true hero.
I also want to recognize two legislators with a bill that speaks to our values as a state.
This year, Del. Lopez and Sen. Guzzone crafted a bill to establish a Public Health Abortion Grant Program and Fund at the Department of Health.
I have been clear from Day One: Maryland will always be a safe haven for abortion access.
One of my first acts as governor was ordering the release of $3.5 million for abortion care that was previously withheld by our predecessors.
Early this year, I signed a constitutional amendment to enshrine the protections of Roe v. Wade into the Maryland State Constitution.
Now, we write the next chapter in our work to protect and defend basic health care rights.
Lastly, I want to talk about two pieces of legislation that will help protect our greatest heirloom as a state – and that’s our environment.
The first bill deals with something that might seem relatively insignificant, but often has an outsized impact on our environment.
The other day, I ordered a Mother’s Day gift online for the First Lady.
When it showed up, it was covered in all sorts of packaging, and insulation, and wrapping.
Everyone’s been there. And it isn’t just annoying – it often comes at an environmental cost. A lot of this packaging gets thrown out, instead of recycled.
This year, Senator Augustine introduced a bill to ensure we have the right systems and structures in place to recycle materials that go into packaging.
Senator Augustine has been a leader on this issue for a long time, and we are grateful for his continued leadership.
I also want to recognize our partners at McCormick and the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Beverage Association.
They’ve been strong advocates on this issue, and are helping us build a green, growing Maryland.
Today, I will also sign our administration’s bill to execute a comprehensive restoration strategy for the Chesapeake Bay.
It’s called the Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act, and it will help uplift every sector of our Bay economy.
We aren’t fiddling at the margins. We’re taking real action to boost restoration and build a legacy – from modernizing our water quality programs; to cutting red tape on aquaculture leases; to streamlining the permitting process; to ensuring fisheries don’t just survive, but thrive.
We have a responsibility to hand over the State of Maryland to the next generation – better than we found it.
It’s not just a moral priority, it’s an economic imperative.
Tourism around the Chesapeake Bay generates $3.2 billion in economic activity each year.
Clean water and durable habitats drive Maryland’s seafood industry, which contributes about $600 million to the state’s economy every year.
Our economic strength is derived just as much from our rivers, trails, farms, and forests as it is from our cities and towns.
This legislation marks a critical step forward in both preserving our bay and driving economic growth.
This is the most comprehensive piece of Chesapeake Bay legislation Maryland has seen in years – and I cannot wait to sign it into law.
And at a time when we have a federal administration that has stepped back from protecting our air and water, Maryland is stepping up.
And the reason we are so proud of this legislation is because we know who it’s going to help.
Nia Nyamweya is the founder, owner, and operator of Beauty Bloom Farms in Montgomery County.
She is focused on farming practices that improve soil health, so the land she works on today remains productive tomorrow – and for generations to come.
Nia’s outlook marries economic growth with public service – doing what she can to feed the community, while also being a good steward of the land.
Beauty Bloom Farm is housed on state property that was leased to Nia by our Department of Natural Resources.
Right now, that kind of partnership is rare – but the Bay Legacy Act will make these kinds of lease agreements easier to strike between our administration and our farmers.
This way, more Marylanders like Nia can benefit from state support to grow their business.
Nia is with us today, and I’d like to honor her trailblazing work with the first pen of today’s bill signing ceremony.
I will now turn the program to Lieutenant Governor Miller.