Protecting the State’s Trauma System
Following the fatal crash of a Medevac helicopter in September and a legislative audit revealing problems with maintenance of the helicopter fleet, John was appointed to chair a special workgroup to examine the State’s entire trauma system. The State’s Emergency Medical System begins at the time of paramedic response to an accident, often by volunteer firefighters, and continues through triage at a local trauma center. The workgroup felt strongly that the Shock Trauma system remain in the hands of the professionals – the volunteer firefighters and State Police – and not in the hands of for-profit companies. As a result, the State budgeted $52 million to fund three replacement Medevac helicopters while making changes to the medical protocols to ensure that we continue to have a nationally-renowned trauma system in Maryland.

Speaker of the House Mike Busch just recently reappointed John as chairman of the EMS System Workgroup to continue legislative oversight of the trauma system and procurement of new helicopters.

Cracking Down on Criminals
John supported two tough measures to protect Maryland’s children from sexual predators. In 2007, the legislature passed another critical component of Maryland’s Jessica’s law, so that now the most violent child sexual predators must serve a minimum 25 years and have no possibility of parole. John also supported a new classification for child sexual abuse as a crime of violence, so that judges are required to give repeat offenders mandatory jail sentences, including a life sentence. …MORE