Gov. Wes Moore takes first day at full tilt with executive orders, back-to-back meetings
BALTIMORE -- Gov. Wes Moore and Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller started their first full day in office with a working breakfast, followed by back-to-back meetings.
"The lieutenant governor and I want to continue establishing the fact that we said that today was going to be a working day," Moore said.
The cabinet also had its first official meeting on Thursday—with more than two dozen people in attendance. Some roles still need to be filled though.
A few of Moore's first acts included signing two executive orders, one that will require every administration official to follow ethics rules and another that would create an office that supports a year of community service for high school graduates.
Additionally, Moore announced that $69 million of previously unavailable funds will be released to help with issues such as the regulation and taxation of recreational of cannabis, an insurance fund to assist with paid family leave for some state workers, further protections for abortion rights, and initiatives to slow the rate of climate change.
"We view these investments that we're releasing today as critical to protecting the fundamental rights of all Marylanders, proactively combating devastating impacts of climate change, while supporting our state's burgeoning clean economy," he said.
In a meeting about reducing crime in the state, both the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Erek Barron, and Maryland's new Attorney General, Anthony Brown, promised collaboration to cut crime.
"So, here we are on day one, in our sights clearly focused on public safety, the things that we need to do in order for Marylanders to feel safer in their homes and their communities and their place of worship and in the workplace," Brown said. "And today really represents, I believe, a strong partnership and a collaboration and understanding that federal, state and local resources need to work together."
Moore said another one of his goals is to use State Police to help local police agencies—like Baltimore City—that need additional support.
"The collaboration that we are going to have with the new state's attorney for Baltimore City with the police commissioner with City Hall is going to be important and imperative," he said.
Moore said his budget proposal on Friday will show his commitment to fill vacancies in the department of parole and probation. The governor said the department is a key arm of the government that could stop violent repeat offenders.
