State of Maryland Archives: on Families & Children
Arvin Vohra:
Marriage isn't magic but skills can be learned
Not a single study says, marriage provides some magic, sacred, special, irreplaceable value. They just say that it provides supervision and money. Two parent families aren't magic. My advice: look at the details of successes. What we do in my business:
we look at the outliers. Instead of studying parents who are kind of successful, we study parents who were shockingly, unbelievably successful. Talk, in detail, with successful parents, or talk to successful individuals about their own parents.
Source: Facebook posting on 2018 Maryland gubernatorial race
Apr 4, 2017
Ashwani Jain:
Create a Paid Family Leave Insurance Fund
I am in strong favor of creating a Paid Family Leave Insurance Fund for all businesses to guarantee all workers up to 12 weeks of partial wage replacement should they need to take a leave for personal or familial reasons. The way in which we make this a
reality is by ensuring employers and employees each contribute a small amount from each paycheck (at least 0.75% of each payroll). The payments would range from $50 to $1,000 per week, depending on a person's income.
Source: Medium.com posting on 2022 Maryland Gubernatorial race
May 14, 2021
Ashwani Jain:
Require free menstrual products in public school bathrooms
I believe we need to require all public schools to include free menstrual products in bathrooms. Some girls end up going home and missing classes because of these types of challenges. Some of our schools' budgets cover these
product expenses--but they are often kept in the nurse's office, making it inconvenient for students.
Source: Medium.com posting on 2022 Maryland Gubernatorial race
May 14, 2021
Ben Jealous:
Require 5 days of paid sick leave; invest in employee health
Labor: Support bill requiring 5 days of paid sick leave from companies with 15 or more workers?Hogan: No. Prefers incentives rather than requirements.
Law passed over his veto.
Jealous: Yes. Our economy works best when we invest in our people. And that starts with investing in their health.
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Maryland Governor race
Nov 1, 2018
Dan Cox:
Opposed family leave bill as hurting small business
SB275: Establishing the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program to provide benefits to individuals who take leave from employment.Summary by Maryland Matters (4/9/22): SB275 will offer Marylanders 12 weeks of partially paid leave
each year to care for themselves or a close family member after a serious health issue, and up to 24 weeks of paid leave for new parents who also experience serious health issues.
Veto message : "Family leave that is flexible for both
the employee and employer is important to improve the quality of life in the state. However, this legislation is backed by no actuarial analysis, no viable plan for implementation, and leaves the smallest of small businesses vulnerable to insurmountable
regulatory burdens."
Legislative outcome: Vetoed by Governor Larry Hogan on Apr/8/2022; Veto Overridden by House 94-44-3 on Apr/9/2022; State Rep. Dan Cox voted NO; Veto Overridden by Senate 30-16-1 on Apr/9/2022.
Source: Maryland Legislature voting records SB275
Apr 9, 2022
Doug Gansler:
Universal pre-kindergarten and universal child care
- Universal pre-kindergarten and universal child care. Good education and child care starts before kindergarten. Well-off parents already are able to obtain care for their children and pre-school that gives their kids a head start.
We need every kid in Maryland to have that same start, regardless of race or income.
- Increase vocational programming in high schools and post-secondary institutions.
We must complement investment in these vocational programs with broader investments in Maryland's trade schools and community colleges, which are increasingly essential to successful careers in the skilled trades.
We must ensure that students have the training they need to obtain good, middle-class jobs when they leave high school.
Source: 2022 Maryland Gubernatorial campaign website DougGansler.com
Dec 29, 2021
Ian Schlakman:
Comfortable with same-sex marriage
Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Comfortable with same-sex marriage"?
A: Strongly support
Source: OnTheIssues interview of 2018 Maryland Governor candidate
Aug 21, 2018
Jamie Raskin:
Voted for new birth certificates for sex changes
SB 743 Authorizes New Birth Certificates for Sex Changes
Bill Passed House (91-49); passed Senate (31-16); Sen. Raskin voted YEA.Highlights:- Requires the Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene to make a new birth certificate for an
individual who has undergone treatment appropriate for a sex transition, including hormonal or surgical treatment, as determined by a licensed health care practitioner, and has made a written request for a new birth certificate;
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The individual has an intersex condition as determined by a licensed health care practitioner, and has made a written request for a new birth certificate;
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The individual has a court order indicating that his or her sex has changed; or
- The individual has a birth certificate that was amended before October 1, 2015, to reflect a different sex.
Source: VoteSmart synopsis of 2015-2016 Maryland legislative records
Mar 21, 2015
Maya Cummings:
Support family security in workplace
Improve supports for working families, such as retirement security, family care benefits, and paid sick leave,
to reduce burdensome expenses, increase economic security, reinforce family values, and productivity.
Source: 2018 Maryland Gubernatorial website MayaForMaryland.com
Oct 15, 2017
Kathy Szeliga:
Voted against new birth certificates for sex changes
SB 743 Authorizes New Birth Certificates for Sex Changes
Bill Passed House (91-49); Rep. Kathy Szeliga voted Nay.Highlights:- Requires the Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene to make a new birth certificate for an individual who has undergone
treatment appropriate for a sex transition, including hormonal or surgical treatment, as determined by a licensed health care practitioner, and has made a written request for a new birth certificate;
-
The individual has an intersex condition as determined by a licensed health care practitioner, and has made a written request for a new birth certificate;
-
The individual has a court order indicating that his or her sex has changed; or
- The individual has a birth certificate that was amended before October 1, 2015, to reflect a different sex.
Source: VoteSmart synopsis of 2015-2016 Maryland voting records
Apr 8, 2015
Kathy Szeliga:
Encourage flexibility so employees can be good parents
Q: Should the federal government require paid sick time or family leave?Szeliga: As a woman and a mom,
I understand how it can be difficult to balance work and family responsibilities. I believe we should do more to encourage companies to provide women and men the flexibility they need to be good parents.
Source: Baltimore Sun Voter Guide on 2016 Maryland Senate race
Sep 9, 2016
Larry Hogan:
Pass the Common Sense Paid Sick Leave Act
For the last few years, there has been a great deal of discussion and debate in these chambers around the issue of sick leave in Maryland. Employees without this benefit are sometimes faced with hard choices about their health and welfare,
like whether to risk showing up to work sick or not receiving a paycheck. Let's strike a compromise, considering the needs of Maryland employees while not hurting our small business job creators.Let's work together to pass the
Common Sense Paid Sick Leave Act of 2017, which requires larger companies to provide paid sick leave and encourages small businesses to offer paid sick leave by giving them tax incentives to offset the costs of providing those additional benefits.
In this way, we can provide even more employees the benefit without hurting the small business owners and without causing the loss of jobs.
Source: 2017 State of the State address to Maryland Legislature
Feb 1, 2017
Larry Hogan:
Require paid leave, but for large businesses only
Gov. Hogan today announced a compromise proposal to provide paid leave benefits. In Dec. 2016, Gov. Hogan became the first Republican governor in the nation to introduce a statewide measure to expand paid leave. The governor's proposal would have
required larger businesses to provide paid leave, incentivized small businesses to offer this benefit by providing tax incentives to help offset the costs. The legislature instead passed the confusing, unwieldy, and unfair House Bill 1 (HB1);
Governor Hogan vetoed the legislation in May.Under the Paid Leave Compromise Act of 2018, businesses with 25 or more employees will be required to offer paid leave to their employees by the year 2020. In the spirit of true compromise
and collaboration, the governor's Paid Leave Compromise Act of 2018 was developed using HB1 as a starting point, striking out burdensome red tape and intrusive provisions to create a streamlined, simpler proposal.
Source: Press release on Maryland voting record: HB1 veto
Nov 28, 2017
Larry Hogan:
Opposed family leave bill as hurting small business
SB275: Establishing the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program to provide benefits to individuals who take leave from employment.Summary by Maryland Matters (4/9/22): SB275 will offer Marylanders 12 weeks of partially paid leave
each year to care for themselves or a close family member after a serious health issue, and up to 24 weeks of paid leave for new parents who also experience serious health issues.
Veto message : "Family leave that is flexible for both
the employee and employer is important to improve the quality of life in the state. However, this legislation is backed by no actuarial analysis, no viable plan for implementation, and leaves the smallest of small businesses vulnerable to insurmountable
regulatory burdens."
Legislative outcome: Vetoed by Governor Larry Hogan on Apr/8/2022; Veto Overridden by House 94-44-3 on Apr/9/2022; Veto Overridden by Senate 30-16-1 on Apr/9/2022.
Source: Maryland Legislature voting records SB275
Apr 8, 2022
Martin O`Malley:
Cut infant mortality by 21%, after setting goal of 10%
Today in Maryland, you can go online right now, and see the 16 strategic goals we have set for our State's progress. On some of these, we've already exceeded our initial goals. On others, we're making progress. Progress requires accountability.
But accountability means putting your commitment out there, for all of us to know and see, and hopefully to help drive. One example: In 2007, one of the goals we publicly set was to drive down our infant mortality rate by 10%, by the end of 2012.
A lot of people told us at the time not to make the commitment public. You see, the old way of thinking says elected officials should never set measurable goals with deadlines, because you'll be criticized if you fall short.
We chose a different path.
We set real goals with specific, and more immediate, deadlines. By the way, at the end of 2012, together we had driven down Maryland's infant mortality rate--not by just 10%--but by 215. That means 164 lives saved just in 2012.
Source: 2014 State of the State Address to Maryland legislature
Jan 23, 2014
Richard Madaleno:
Voted for new birth certificates for sex changes
SB 743 Authorizes New Birth Certificates for Sex Changes
Bill Passed House (91-49); passed Senate (31-16); Sen. Madaleno voted YEA.Highlights:- Requires the Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene to make a new birth certificate for an
individual who has undergone treatment appropriate for a sex transition, including hormonal or surgical treatment, as determined by a licensed health care practitioner, and has made a written request for a new birth certificate;
-
The individual has an intersex condition as determined by a licensed health care practitioner, and has made a written request for a new birth certificate;
-
The individual has a court order indicating that his or her sex has changed; or
- The individual has a birth certificate that was amended before October 1, 2015, to reflect a different sex.
Source: VoteSmart synopsis of 2015-2016 Maryland legislative records
Mar 21, 2015
Richard Madaleno:
Stricter regulations on BPA, concussions, & child seats
OnTheIssues Q: what are your views on issues regarding Families & Children?- Voted YES on stripping parental rights from rapists
- Voted YES on allowing parents or guardians of minor children to apply on their behalf to outpatient alcohol or
drug abuse programs
- Voted YES on repealing weight exemption for children under age of 8 who must be in child safety seats
- Voted YES on banning child care products containing BPA
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Voted YES on establishing program to loan hearing aids to parents of children under age of 3
- Voted YES on requiring creation of policies and program to provide concussion awareness to coaches, school personnel, parents, and children
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Voted YES on requiring foster homes, family day care homes, and child care centers to have cordless window coverings
Source: OnTheIssues interview of 2018 Maryland Governor candidate
Jun 1, 2018
Sam Faddis:
Disappearing middle class families struggle to survive
Faddis is worried about the middle class. "Remember when a family could live a
comfortable life style with one parent working? Now both parents work and they are just barely hanging on by their fingernails."
Source: Communities Digital News on 2018 Maryland Senate race
Nov 5, 2015
Thomas Perez:
Parents need support to help them juggle work and family
The growing costs of childcare is often a barrier for women entering the workforce. Many mothers are forced to make a choice between paying a significant amount of their income on childcare, finding a low-quality option for supervision of
their children, or leaving the workforce altogether to become caregivers. Working parents need support to help them juggle work and family. Too often, quality child care is only accessible to the wealthiest and best connected.
Source: 2021 Maryland Governor campaign website TomPerez.com
Jul 18, 2021
Wes Moore:
Paid sick, family, and medical leave for every Marylander
Get women back to work by ensuring every family has access to quality, affordable child care by broadening the expansion of the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, developing a system to cap out-of-pocket expenses for families in need and more.
Secure paid sick, family, and medical leave for every Marylander so that no family has to choose between caring for a new child or loved one or their paycheck.
Source: 2022 Maryland Gubernatorial campaign website WesMoore.com
Jul 24, 2022
Tommy Tuberville:
Far left crazies want to divide the family & have one gender
Tuberville said, "Our country is in trouble and it starts with education." "Far left ... crazies" are "coming after family, they want to divide family. They don't want any gender. They want one gender. They want to attack everything we've done over
the years and go by their ideology. And they know, the left knows, especially the far left, the progressives, the crazies, they know if they can get to our young kids then it will change everything in a short period of time."
Source: Birmingham News on 2023 CPAC Conference in Maryland
Mar 3, 2023
Wes Moore:
Largest increase in funding for child care in state history
Last month, the Comptroller released a study outlining the affordability problems Maryland families face every day. Her report highlighted that as the cost of child care INCREASES, overall female employment DECREASES by 5%. And it's why our proposed
budget includes the single largest increase in funding for child care in Maryland history. It's going to support 45,000 Maryland children this year. And we can make these investments in child care and housing without raising taxes on Marylanders.
Source: 2024 State of the State Address to the Maryland legislature
Feb 7, 2024
Angela Alsobrooks:
Enact universal paid family and medical leave policies
Angela also supports enacting universal paid family and medical leave policies to ensure all Americans can have the paid time off to care for their family and their health when needed. Maryland made
great strides with the Time to Care Act of 2022 to ensuring all Marylanders have the time off they earned and Angela is committed to expanding those policies nationwide.
Source: 2024 Maryland Senate campaign website AngelaAlsobrooks.com
Feb 16, 2024
Robin Ficker:
Marriage is God-ordained; protect children from ideology
Q: VALUES: Marriage is a God-ordained, sacred and legal union of one man and one woman. No government has the authority to alter this definition.A: Agree
Q: Children are the most vulnerable members of society and must be protected from abuse,
including gender ideology, grooming, and bodily mutilation.
A: Strongly Agree
Q: Taxpayer funds should be used to provide gender transition services.
A: Strongly Disagree
Source: AFA iVoterGuide on 2024 Maryland Senate race
Nov 1, 2016
Sarah Elfreth:
Establish family and medical leave & override veto
SB275: Establishing the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program to provide benefits to individuals who take leave from employment.Summary by Maryland Matters (4/9/22): SB275 will offer Marylanders 12 weeks of partially paid leave
each year to care for themselves or a close family member after a serious health issue, and up to 24 weeks of paid leave for new parents who also experience serious health issues.
Veto message : "Family leave that is flexible for both
the employee and employer is important to improve the quality of life in the state. However, this legislation is backed by no actuarial analysis, no viable plan for implementation, and leaves the smallest of small businesses vulnerable to insurmountable
regulatory burdens."
Legislative outcome: Vetoed by Governor Larry Hogan on Apr/8/2022; Veto Overridden by House 94-44-3 on Apr/9/2022; State Sen. Sarah Elfreth voted NO; Veto Overridden by Senate 30-16-1 on Apr/9/2022.
Source: Maryland Legislature voting records SB275
Apr 9, 2022
Page last updated: Feb 07, 2026