Friedson honored for work with nonprofits
Council Member Andrew Friedson received an award on Tuesday for his work with local nonprofits.
The 2019 Phyllis Campbell Newsome Public Policy Leadership Award from the Center for Nonprofit Advancement in Washington, D.C., honors officials who advocate for charitable organizations in their communities.
In a post on Twitter, Friedson wrote that he was “humbled” to receive the award.
“It will stand proudly in my office,” he wrote. “Not as recognition for what I’ve done but a reminder for what I can do, committed to work as hard and long as I can to deserve it.
Friedson served as chair of the Montgomery County Collaboration Council for Children, Youth, and Families before joining the County Council. He was actively involved with other nonprofits, including the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington.
He joins previous Montgomery County award winners, including former County Executive Ike Leggett and Council President Nancy Navarro.
More county leaders endorse Elizabeth Warren for president
Several Montgomery County leaders were included on a list of supporters for presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren, released by her campaign before a rally Friday at the University of Maryland.
Council Member Tom Hucker was listed as a supporter, as were four state delegates: Del. Lesley Lopez (District 39), Del. Lorig Charkoudian (District 20), Del. Al Carr (District 18) and Del. Ariana Kelly (District 16).
Gaithersburg Council Member Laurie-Anne Sayles was also included.
Council Member Evan Glass became the first Montgomery County representative to publicly endorse Warren in October.
Montgomery County delegates chart priorities for 2020 session
More than two dozen local bills have already been drafted and released by the Montgomery County delegation before the start of the 2020 General Assembly session in January.
But many lawmakers are also planning to release significant statewide legislation, including return bills that failed in 2019.
At a delegation meeting in late October, Del. Ariana Kelly outlined plans to reintroduce the Time to Care Act, a bill that would create an insurance program for family and medical leave.
Kelly said the bill would allow the state to levy a payroll tax and create a state-run insurance program for employees to use after the birth of a new child or during a significant medical crisis.
Details of the legislation are still being considered.
Del. Lorig Charkoudian also plans to reintroduce a community choice aggregation bill, which would allow local jurisdictions to select their own sources of electricity and purchase it on behalf of their residents.
A 2019 report from the Office of People’s Counsel for the state of Maryland recommended several clarifications for the bill, which Charkoudian said she is working to revise. Pepco, the public utility company for Montgomery County, opposed the bill last year.