By Adam Pagnucco.
Delegate Marc Korman has long been one of Montgomery County’s most prominent members of the General Assembly. And with the retirement of Delegate Kumar Barve, he will become even more of a force. That’s because he is taking over the chair of Barve’s House Environment and Transportation Committee, one of the most powerful positions in Annapolis. Also getting a promotion is Delegate David Moon, who will succeed Korman as house majority leader.
Following is the text of Korman’s announcement on Facebook.
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I am thrilled to share that Speaker Adrienne Jones has appointed me to be the new chair of the Environment & Transportation Committee of the Maryland House of Delegates, one of our six standing committees. Ever since I knocked on the first door for my first campaign (ten years ago next month), the issues this committee covers are what I have discussed with voters more than anything else except, perhaps, education. In addition to the subject matter in the name, the committee’s jurisdiction includes housing, ethics, local government, land use, and agriculture. That means the committee is on the front lines of promoting transit and other transportation alternatives while ensuring our roads, tunnels, and bridges are safe and efficient; stewarding and protecting our Chesapeake Bay, state parks, and other natural and environmental resources; with our friends on the Economic Matters Committee, facilitating the transition to an electric economy and zero emission vehicles; tackling housing affordability; supporting our agricultural community and economy; and so much more.
I have loved my time as House Majority Leader supporting our Democratic Majority, but I am happy to serve in a body where chairing a substantive policy committee chair is a logical next step from there. Indeed, the last two chairs of the committee—the magnificent Kumar Barve and my former chair and mentor, Maggie McIntosh—both followed this same course from Majority Leader to chair of the Environment and Transportation Committee. And the Majority Leader’s desk is in great hands with my friend and colleague, David Moon.
The Committee’s new vice chair is Delegate Regina T. Boyce from Baltimore, who coincidentally went to the same elementary school as me so two Beall Elementary School Dragons (our school’s mascot) will be leading the committee. As I succeed Kumar, who heads to the Public Service Commission, Regina succeeds Dana Stein, who is the Speaker’s nominee for the important leadership position of Speaker Pro Tem. I look forward to supporting Dana in that new role, but he will also be staying on as chair of the Environment Subcommittee and will continue to bring his subject matter expertise, insight and voice into the work of the committee.
Of course, this does mean a conclusion of my nine years on the Appropriations Committee where I have chaired both the Personnel and Transportation & Environment Subcommittees. Thank you to former Chair McIntosh and current Chair Ben Barnes for those opportunities. It has been a great experience helping in even a small way to shape the state budget and priorities and ensure that Montgomery County and District 16 have their funding needs met when it comes to school construction, transportation, and other programs. But I am comforted to know that District 16 is now represented on the Appropriations Committee by Delegate Sarah Wolek.
My other district 16 colleague, Delegate Sara Love, is a senior member of the Environment & Transportation Committee and I am excited to join her, the other subcommittee chairs, the members from both parties, and the committee’s terrific team of staff and analysts as we work together to move Maryland forward.
…And The Adventure Continues…
