Rockville Chamber of Commerce

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Legislation

Maryland Health Benefit Exchange

Yesterday, during the afternoon Sine Die Session, the House of Delegates approved Senate Bill 632. The Senate had approved it on March 31. This action assures that the bill (setting up a Workgroup to design a Small Business/Nonprofit Health Insurance Subsidy program) will go to Governor Hogan’s desk for approval. 

MACCE had determined, under 2022 Board Chair Bill Chambers’ leadership, that this legislation was to be our highest overall priority for the 2022 Session. After many years of failing to advance legislation on Association Health Plans, MACCE worked with leaders in the House and Senate, as well as advocates like Maryland Healthcare for All, the NAACP of Maryland, and County Executives from the Big Eight counties, to advance HB709 and SB632.  Chairman Chambers (Greater Salisbury), and Vice Chair Rick Weldon (Frederick County) both attended virtual and live Committee hearings and working meetings to advance these bills, in addition to meetings and calls with numerous members of the General Assembly.   The Rockville Chamber has been working on this for 3 years and sent in written testimony to support this initiative.

Now, as the bills pass and the formal workgroup is empaneled, MACCE will have a seat at the table to work with others to create the subsidy program, and to empower the Maryland Health Benefits Exchange to document how the subsidies will be approved and paid to the carriers.  Small employers (10 and under) and nonprofits will be eligible to buy health insurance for their workers through the Exchange using valuable subsidies to reduce their cost. MAACE looks forward to the implementation of the subsidy program, and to a funding commitment of July 1, 2023, for the new subsidy program.

This is a major win for all the chambers who helped send letters, testified, and made calls to their legislators, and will be a major win for our members once implemented.

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Rockville Chamber of Commerce Legislative Agenda

Primary Goals: 

  1. Promote policies that will help increase and diversify Rockville employers and assist small businesses; and
  2. Facilitate and maintain high-quality education in Rockville based schools and post-secondary institutions that supports student career preparation in areas of high-need in the region;
  3. Work in partnership with the City, FRIT, and other stakeholders to make Rockville Town Center a vibrant destination with arts and culture as a focus:
  4.  Promote policies designed to explore and improve transportation options with a focus on their economic impact to the business community.

Goal: Attract new businesses/employers to Rockville and retain existing businesses to increase employment opportunities, wage rates, and the tax base. 

  • Encourage the City to provide incentives to new businesses/employers and to reduce the zoning restrictions that deter businesses/employers from choosing Rockville.
  • Make Rockville a destination for the arts and creative industries, which will in turn increase business for Rockville’s multitude of restaurants and service providers. Explore the creation of an Arts and Entertainment District.
  • Support investment in Rockville’s infrastructure and work with stakeholders on developing existing venues in Rockville as arts and culture destinations – Redgate, Stone Street corridor, Dairy Barns at King Farm, etc.
  • Advocate for the state to maintain a healthy balance of the unemployment insurance trust fund as it rebounds from the COVID-19 pandemic without further raising premium rates for employers.
  • Advocate for the addition of workforce, affordable housing in the City of Rockville

Goal: Promote high-quality education in Rockville based schools and post-secondary institutions.

  • Advocate for smart funding of school capital and operating budgets at the County and State level. 
  • Advocate for better methodologies for calculating school population growth
  • Conduct a campaign to educate elected officials and the public on the effects of housing moratoriums in jurisdictions that negatively impact economic development.  Demonstrate how moratoriums have hindered school construction, hurt economic development, and exacerbated the cost of housing.

Goal: Work in partnership with the City of Rockville, Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRIT) and other stakeholders to make Rockville Town Center (RTC) a vibrant destination with arts and culture as a focus.

  • Improve connections between Montgomery College and Town Center;
  • Create more vibrant and active signage to mark arrival in RTC including along Rockville Pike, and Promenade Park;
  • Work with REDI, the City of Rockville and FRIT on exploring ways to attract and retain merchants in RTC including reviewing parking rates and hours, types of merchants approached for leasing opportunities, etc. 
  • Create a working group to explore ways to increase development density in RTC in order to make it a vibrant and active destination.
  • Work with the City of Rockville, REDI, and other stakeholders including WAMTA to improve access to the Rockville Metro station and make it more inviting and attractive through art, culture, and destination entertainment events that differentiate RTC from its competitors.

Goal: Partner with the City of Rockville, REDI and other stakeholders to review and explore transportation issues affecting Rockville residents and businesses.

  • Continue working with all stakeholders on the Managed Lane Studies regarding 270 and 495 and promote leveraging of smart technologies, review of road capacity, transit options, and telework policies.
  • Continue advocating to ensure that the State Highway Administration moves forward with West End Noise Barrier Project.
  • Advocate for increased investment in WMATA.
  • Partner with the City of Rockville, REDI, the Pedestrian Safety Action Taskforce, and other stakeholders to research and advocate for policies to improve pedestrian safety.
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SBA COVID-19 Economic Relief Funding Options | Update with Roderick Johnson, SBA


5 Things to Know about the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant 

1. SVOG applications open April 8 at 12 p.m. EDT.Starting at 12 p.m. EDT, eligible entities will be able to start their SVOG application via the SVOG application portal. Once you begin, remember to save along the way and refer to SBA’s SVOG website – www.sba.gov/svogrant – for reference materials as you go through the process.
Visit SVOG portal

2. Access the SVOG 4506-T from the website.To meet IRS requirements, a unique SVOG 4506-T is required for the SVOG application and you can find that fillable document at www.sba.gov/svograntunder Supplemental Documents. A video tutorial is also provided to guide you through it.
Review the form

3. Review the updated FAQs.The FAQs were updated on April 6 with information included from questions received on the March 30 national training webinar. If you missed the webinar, you can watch the recording.
Review the updated FAQs 

4. Get prepared with these multiple tools.The SBA has created several tools and resources to help potential SVOG applicants prepare, including:Video tutorials, including how to register on the System for Award Management (SAM.gov), a federal requirement to receive an SVOGA Preliminary Application Checklist to help you gather documents and other information that may be neededAn Eligibility Requirements Chart to help determine qualifications
All info about SVOG

5. Tap local SBA partners for technical assistance.The SBA Resource Partner Network provides advising and counseling services to help organizations prepare for funding opportunities like the SVOG, PPP and other business recovery needs.
Find assistance near you
Economic-Relief-PPT_WMADO-FINAL-3-30-21-Roderick-JohnsonDownload

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