Legislative Affairs

         

Legislative links, information and advocacy from federal to state

August 2024 Update  

1st NCDA CDA in the Nation

to be Granted Governor Proclamation

for November 2024

To be recognized as

National Career Development Month

in Maryland

NATIONAL CAREER DEVELOPMENT MONTH Proclaimed in MD.pdf

Partnering for Success with

Governor Moore's Service Year Option

Maryland's Department of Service & Civic Innovation (DSCI) looks forward to continuing to link with MCDA Career Development practitioners. Connect your clients today to the best next steps in their work or educational journey through a year of paid, full-time service. Click here to help your clients find out more about this first effort of its kind in the nation and register for Governor Wes Moore's new initiative.

The Service Year Option Program begins September 11, 2024. 

Major Benefits

• Full-time service opportunity for at least nine months (i.e. 40 hours/week)
• Earn at least $15/hour
• Receive $6,000 Completion Award at the end of the program
• Match with an employer in your field of interest
• Gain on the job training, mentoring, professional development, and exposure to employers and colleges across the State
• Opportunity to enroll in a federally recognized registered apprenticeship pathway

Don’t miss out on an amazing opportunity!!!

Activity in Congress - august update

By 

Harris's VP pick former Rep. Tim Walz: His most interesting bills in Congress (Aug 7, 2024)

By Jesse Rifkin

Before Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris chose him as her running mate on Tuesday, Tim Walz served 12 years in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2007 to 2018. Here are eight of the most interesting bills he introduced, including some of his bills which were enacted into law.

Walz's bills almost entirely focused on veterans' health care and employment, many of which had bipartisan support. He also introduced bills to limit stock trading by legislators and corporations' spending on elections, bills to promote energy independence and green energy, and bills on agricultural issues that wouldn't make national headlines including farm soil health.

Three weeks ago, GovTrack also analyzed eight of the most interesting bills Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance introduced in the Senate. The contrast between Walz and Vance goes beyond the obvious ideology differences. Vance's bills largely dealt with "red meat" social and culture-war issues, such as immigration, affirmative action, race, and transgender issues. ("Red meat" issues are divisive issues that are intended to energize a politician's base.)

Email Updates

Aug 6, 2024 — New Cosponsor H.R. 6631: Investing in Digital Skills Act New Cosponsor: Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick [R-PA1] The bill now has 6 cosponsors (4 Republicans, 2 Democrats). Trackers: H.R. 6631: Investing in Digital Skills Act.

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118th U.S. CONGRESS

Executive Branch

• Statement from President Joe Biden on the June Jobs Report.
• Contact & More

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Maryland General Assembly (446th session)

• The Maryland Legislative session ended at midnight on Monday, April 15th.
• For a general overview and information on the 2024 session, visit the General Assembly's Tutorial page
• Contact & More Information

Advocacy Affiliates

MCDA is an affiliate of NCDA, ACA, and MCA and its advocacy work is linked to these organizations. Your MCDA membership automatically links you to the advocacy efforts of all four groups. However, all MCDA members are eligible to join these groups.

NCDA Federal Advocacy 2023-2024

NOTE: Policy Areas are not in order of priority. Priority of these areas will be ever-evolving to mirror prominent issues within the legislature.

Policy Areas

1. Employment Opportunities and Job Market Adaptability
   • Focus 1: Advocating for federal policies that foster a dynamic and inclusive job market, ensuring opportunities for all skill levels and backgrounds.
   • Focus 2: Pushing for legislation that supports job transition programs, particularly for workers in declining industries or those impacted by automation and digital transformation.
   • Focus 3: Collaboration with federal agencies to develop and promote initiatives that match job seekers with opportunities based on current and forecasted labor market trends.
2. Student Career Services
   • Focus 1: Educate policymakers and advocate for the continuum of career services from early education through the end of life, with particular emphasis on meaning and purpose derived from work.
   • Focus 2: Advocating for and supporting funding for high-quality career services in K-12 settings.
   • Focus 3: Advocating for and supporting funding for high-quality career services in higher education institutions at the undergraduate, graduate, and professional (e.g. law and medical school) levels.
   • Focus 4: Advocating for and supporting funding for high-quality career services in vocational programs, community programs, and additional services for minors and adults.
3. Professional Accreditation and Certification Standards
   • Focus: Lobbying for federal standards and support for the accreditation and certification of career development professionals to ensure quality and uniformity across the field, with particular emphasis on NCDA’s professional and ethical standards, including credentials approved by the NCDA Credentialing Commission.
4. Access to Professional Development
   • Focus: Advocacy for federal grants or subsidies aimed at promoting ongoing professional development among practitioners and educators in the career development field.
5. Workforce Development and Education
   • Focus: Collaboration with federal agencies, including the Department of Education and the Department of Labor, to integrate career development into national education policies and workforce development programs.
6. Equal Opportunity and Inclusion
   • Focus: Promoting legislation that ensures all individuals, especially those from underrepresented and marginalized groups, have equitable access to career development resources and opportunities.
   • Focus: Advocating for legislation to protect workers from discrimination, especially those from underrepresented and marginalized groups.
7. Special Populations
   • Focus: Advocating for legislation and programs that support special populations, including military veterans, individuals with disabilities, reentering formerly incarcerated individuals, immigrants, and other groups with barriers to workforce participation.
8. Mental Health and Career Development
   • Focus: Pushing for policies that integrate career development as part of broader mental health and well-being initiatives at the federal level.
9. Funding for Research and Innovation
   • Focus: Advocating for federal funding to facilitate research in career development trends, technologies, and best practices.
10. Small Business Development
    • Focus: Support funding and programs supporting small businesses, including tax structures to support small businesses and their owners.
11. Data Privacy and Ethical Compliance
    • Focus: Advocacy for ethical standards and data protection laws relevant to the gathering and storage of client information in the career development sector.

ACA Federal Advocacy

Agenda for Advocacy Power Hours (APH):

1. Introduction of attendees and ACA staff
2. State updates – ACA staff
3. Federal updates – ACA staff
4. State & regional updates – ACA members
5. Final call(s) to action – ACA staff

Q&A, wrap up, and important ACA administrative updates – ACA staff

Meetings and an updated schedule for the 2025 FY will resume in September 2024.

• More ways to take advocacy action.
• ACA's Statement on the Conflict in Ukraine.
• Contact the ACA Government Affairs and Public Policy Team.
• Click here for further information on ACA's federal advocacy work.

MCA Advocacy

• Our Counseling Compact WELCOMEs New Hampshire! There are now 15 states  signed to the Counseling Compact including:  Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, Tennessee, Utah and West Virginia!
• Click here to access the MCA Advocacy Committee web page.

For any questions or to get involved in legislative advocacy at the local, state, or national level, 
please contact MCDA’s Legislative Co-Chairs MCDA.Legislative@MDCareers.org.