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County official objects to written-only testimony on House Bill 156 and says he'll press Commerce on non-tech economic development
Summary
An unidentified St. Mary's County official criticized the decision to allow only written testimony on House Bill 156 (Fairness in Girls Sports Act) and said, as a newly installed committee chairman, he will press the Maryland Department of Commerce to consider non-technology economic opportunities around Pax River and Southern Maryland.
An unidentified county official said House Bill 156, the Fairness in Girls Sports Act, allowed only written testimony and no in-person testimony, which he called a disservice to constituents.
“That is a disservice, not have your voice heard by your duly elected representatives,” the official said, arguing every viewpoint should be able to speak in person to lawmakers.
The official said he was installed as chairman of a committee last Thursday and has already spoken with the Deputy Secretary of Commerce about economic development for Southern Maryland. He said Commerce is heavily focused on high-technology business expansion, much of it tied to Pax River, but that many county residents work in non-tech industries. “I will be a bug in his ear over my next year as the chairman of that committee to make sure that he does give, due diligence to the non tech side of economic development,” the official said.
The transcript records these remarks as the speaker's observations; no formal county position or committee action on HB 156 or Commerce policy was recorded in the provided remarks.
