The Fiscal and Policy Notes function analyses the fiscal, economic, legal, and practical effects of legislation and state regulations and prepares the official fiscal estimates of proposed legislation. Current policy assignments include: local alcoholic beverage laws, business licensing and regulations, criminal procedure (/sex offender registry/sexual assault kits), housing and community development, military/emergency management, public safety (building codes/fire prevention), veterans' affairs, and the Maryland General Assembly.• Write fiscal and policy notes for introduced bills during the legislative session; research the economic, legal, and practical effects of bills; prepare official fiscal estimates of proposed legislation• Review proposed regulations from Executive Branch agencies; evaluate agency's assessment of the economic impact of proposed regulations, as it pertains to the fiscal impact on State and local agencies, the State budget, and small businesses in the State; and• Provide confidential policy analysis (legal and fiscal) to individual legislators upon request.Current Committee Assignments: Joint Committee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Biotechnology (2024 Interim to Present)Past Committee and Workgroup Assignments: Joint Committee on Ending Homelessness (2020 Interim - 2024 Session); Workgroup to Study Shelter and Supportive Services for Unaccompanied Homeless Minors (2019 Interim)

Information Services provides general assistance to the public, General Assembly members, and legislative staff. Staff regularly provides answers to questions concerning the legislative process, bill status information, legislative representation, committee testimony, and other information relating to the Maryland General Assembly.• Managed two information desks, trained staff on the legislative process and other frequently asked questions regarding the Maryland General Assembly;• Collected, reviewed, and managed committee vote tallies for the General Assembly website;• Monitored legislative committees and tracked bill status changes, marked bill introduction times for General Assembly website synchronization; and• Supervised the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator, scheduled and coordinated sign language interpreters for legislative events.

The Department of Legislative Services Information Desk acts as the primary point of contact for the general public to engage the Maryland General Assembly. Information Clerks must have a total understanding of how legislation becomes law, how to engage the legislative process, in addition to how Maryland's government operates. Information Clerks regularly meet with members of the General Assembly, their staff, other government officials, and Maryland’s general constituency.• Provided information and answer questions from members, staff, and the general public concerning the General Assembly, the legislative process, bill status, and State government;• Monitored standing committee hearings and updated General Assembly website to indicate when bills are first introduced;• Used discretion and demonstrated a high level of diplomacy and sound judgment when answering questions from Legislators, their staff, state agencies and the public; and • Conducted programs and tours for visitors to the State House, Legislative complex, and the Governor’s Mansion.

Research project involving how international aid may contribute to the spread of intra- and international conflict. Focus on Africa and United Nations operations in North, West, and Eastern Africa. • Conducted open-source research to identify locations and force composition of 75+ military installationsin Eritrea, Djibouti, Mali, Mauritania, and Uganda;• Analyzed how international development aid affects ongoing civil conflict;• Researched African and multinational troop movements; researched effectiveness of international aid in garrisoned regions; and• Categorized composition, weapons usage, and objectives of United Nations missions in African host countries.

The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism—better known as START—is a university-based research and education center comprised of an international network of scholars committed to the scientific study of the causes and human consequences of terrorism in the United States and around the world. Fall internship focused on the effects of war trauma on refugees and civilian population centers in the Middle East; additional research explored how protest movements formed and organized in Egypt and Jordan following the Arab Spring.• Researched the effects of war trauma and terrorism on refugee populations in the Middle East; assisted ongoingresearch to create a model predicting violence in protest movements;• Tracked ongoing political, economic, and security issues relating to the Arab Spring with emphasis onJordan and Syria; and• Identified and collected source material related to terrorism and war trauma.

The Southeast Asia program addresses major challenges facing the region today, ranging from the food-water-energy security nexus in the Mekong Basin to political and economic issues of ASEAN integration. Summer research included ongoing security issues relating to the South China Sea, hydroelectric dam construction along the Mekong Delta, and political issues throughout Southeast Asia.• Researched economic and political consequences of continued hydroelectric dam construction in theMekong River Delta;• Reported on creation, financing, and installation of 20+ hydroelectric dams in Nepal and Bhutan; and• Tracked and reported on Thailand’s May 2014 military coup; researched military responses relating to theongoing South China Sea dispute; researched related international security and economic issuesthroughout Southeast Asia.