Committee Mission
To help articulate the Commission’s advice and recommendations to the Governor regarding public policy matters relevant to Hispanics. To monitor, analyze, share, and if necessary, respond to policy developments, particularly at the state level but also including federal and local levels, and disseminate policy information to community leaders, key stakeholders, and the general community.
2009 Goals
- Produce policy analysis and recommendations for submission to the Governor and state agencies on matters of importance to the community and/or Commission.
- Provide the Executive Board, Support Staff and other members of the Commission with email updates on Federal, General Assembly, and Local legislative developments of relevance.
- As necessary, meet and establish continuous, working relationships with Departmental Agency Heads on policy-shaping issues relating to or affecting Hispanics.
- Respond to negative coverage of Hispanics in Maryland media either through partners in the field, in individual capacities, or when possible, formally as a Commission.
2008 Accomplishments
- The Commission drafted a Recommendation Paper to the Governor regarding local enforcement of federal immigration law, Section 287(g) in response to the community’s concerns presented at the Commission’s public meeting held at Frederick County.
- Met with Maryland State Police, Montgomery County Police, Prince George’s County Police and Frederick City Police regarding each jurisdictions’ policies relating to local enforcement of federal immigration laws.
- Drafted policy analyses and recommendations to the Governor regarding the state’s compliance with the federal Real ID Act. This communication was preceded by meetings with members of the Maryland General Assembly, MVA Administrator John Kuo and Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary John Porcari.
- Committee Chair appointed lead Delegate to the New Americans Council to provide perspective, best practices and models for the Council’s recommendations to the Governor.
Overview
The Commission played an important role when the Maryland General Assembly debated the mechanisms of compliance with the Federally-mandated Real ID policy. The House of Delegates was calling for a tiered approach to the issue while the Senate called for a total reversal of Maryland’s current licensing system. The Commission, spearheaded by the Public Policy Committee, quickly engaged in that policy-shaping debate by submitting an analysis on both positions and their impact on the community, along with preferred recommendations to the Governor. Nearing the close of Legislative Session, Governor O’Malley weighed in on the issue expressing his support for the tiered approached, paralleling the Commission’s submitted recommendations. The day after his announcement, the Governor’s inbox contained a Thank You letter from the Commission for his support of a more practical approach to Real ID compliance, and similarly, the Governor expressed his appreciation for the Commission’s input. On Sine Die, the last day of the legislative session, as the deliberations came to a close, the Public Policy Committee was present at the conference committee hearings, Senate, and House votes, reporting real-time developments to Commission members, ensuring support for the Governor’s position and dialogue with decision-makers. The Public Policy Committee similarly, has weighed in on other controversial issues such as Federal Real ID Driver Licensing Compliance, in-state tuition, Federal Immigration Law Section 287(g), and E-Verify Employer Programs that affect Hispanics and immigrants of Latin American origin. By submitting impact analysis and recommendations, the Commission has fulfilled its advisory role, informing the Governor on complex, controversial issues to deflect emergent policies with negative impact and commend those fitting his goals for progress.