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Brian Frosh

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Brian E. Frosh
Member of the Maryland Senate
from the 16th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 11, 1995
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates
from the 16th district
In office
January 1987 – January 11, 1995
Personal details
Born (1946-10-08) October 8, 1946 (age 77)
Washington, DC, United States
Political partyDemocratic
ChildrenAlexandra Frosh, Elena Frosh
ResidenceBethesda, Maryland
Occupationattorney: business and commercial litigation, real estate law[1]

Brian E. Frosh (born October 8, 1946) is an American politician from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party. He is currently serving in his 5th term in the Maryland State Senate, representing Maryland's District 16 in Montgomery County. Prior to serving in the Senate, Frosh also represented District 16 in the Maryland House of Delegates, serving two four-year terms. Frosh won his previous two elections by a wide margin, receiving more than 75 percent of the vote in 2006,[2] and 70 percent of the vote in 2010.[3]

Background

Born on October 8, 1946, Senator Brian Frosh grew up in Montgomery County attending Bradley Elementary, North Bethesda Junior High School, and Walter Johnson High School. He received a bachelor's degree from Wesleyan University and a law degree from the Columbia University School of Law. After joining the Maryland Bar in 1972, he worked in private practice, which he continues to maintain in downtown Bethesda. He and his wife have two daughters. As both a delegate and senator, Brian Frosh has represented Maryland's District 16,[4] which includes parts of Chevy Chase, Bethesda, and Potomac.[5]

Public Service Awards

  • First Citizen Award, 2011, for dedicated and effective participation in the process of making government work for the benefit of all.[6]
  • 2011 Legislator of the Year Award from the Maryland Access to Justice Commission[7]
  • John V. Kabler Memorial Award from the Maryland League of Conservation Voters and Highest Scorer on League's 2011 Environment Scorecard[8][9]
  • Champion for Children from the Department of Human Resources and Maryland State Bar Association.[10]

In the legislature

Senator Frosh was re-elected by a wide margin in the previous two elections, winning more than 75 percent of the vote in 2006,[2] and 70 percent of the vote in 2010.[3]

As senator, Brian Frosh currently serves as chair of the Judicial Proceedings Committee, and vice-chair of the Rules Committee. He is also presently a member of the Executive Nominations Committee, Legislative Policy Committee, Special Committee on State Employee Rights and Protections, and Joint Oversight Committee on the Department of Juvenile Services. Frosh has also been a member of a number of other committees since he began serving in the Senate in January 1995. Over the past 16 years in the Senate, he has gained a reputation for championing progressive causes while maintaining good relations with moderate Democrats. On October 9, 2012 he announced that he had formed an exploratory committee for election to Attorney General in 2014 (according to his web page).

Prior to serving in the Senate, Frosh represented Montgomery County in the Maryland House of Delegates from 1987 to 1995. In this role, he was a member of the Environmental Matters Committee, Tort and Insurance Reform Oversight Committee, and Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics.[11]

A Montgomery County native, Senator Frosh brought state funding into the district to build the Capital Crescent Trail, build sound barriers, and fund programs like those at the National Center for Children and Families, the Ivymount School, Imagination Stage, Adventure Theatre and Glen Echo Park.[12]

Environment

As a key environmentalist in the General Assembly for nearly 20 years, Senator Frosh has supported policies protecting the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, preserving open space, and cleaning up air pollution in Maryland. Frosh was chairman of the Senate's Environmental Subcommittee from 1995 to 2003. He continues to serve on the Joint Committee on Chesapeake Bay Critical Areas and on the multi-state Chesapeake Bay Commission, which he chaired in 2001. Senator Frosh authored measures banning oil drilling in the Chesapeake, establishing statewide recycling programs, promoting cleanup of contaminated industrial sites, and a constitutional amendment requiring that the legislature approve the sale of any state land.[13]

In recognition of his environmental work, Senator Frosh has been named "Public Official of the Year" by the Audubon Naturalist Society and "Conservationist of the Year" by the Sierra Club, and has been awarded the prestigious "John V. Kabler Memorial Award" by the Maryland League of Conservation Voters.[9]

Protecting the Public

Senator Frosh seeks to enact legislation that provides adequate protection and support to minors, foster care children, youth involved in the juvenile justice system and adults threatened by domestic violence disputes. In 2009, for instance, Senator Frosh proposed changing the laws on protective orders to better protect domestic abuse victims against gun violence,[14][15] and in 2011, sought to provide temporary lodging for domestic violence victims.[16]

Senator Frosh has also sponsored legislation modernizing the child support guidelines that courts use to set child support payments, which hadn’t been revised since 1989.[17] For his effort, Frosh received the “Champion of Children” award from the Maryland Department of Human Resources and the Family and Juvenile Law Section of the Maryland Bar Association.[18][19]

In 2010, Frosh fought against a tougher version of the 2007 bill Jessica's Law, written in response to the murder of Jessica Lunsford, a Florida girl who was raped and murdered in February 2005 by John Couey, a previously convicted sex offender. He tried to kill the bill in committee but Senate President Miller forced him to hold a committee vote. He was one of only three senators who voted against the bill on the senate floor.[20] Senator Frosh also supported Governor O'Malley’s sex offender bill that put the most violent and repeat sex offenders on "lifetime supervision" when they are released from prison.

Prior to 2010, Senator Frosh fought to enact legislation that would give the court the ability to put serious juvenile sex offenders on a registry, even if the offender was a minor when the crime was committed.[21]

Public Education

Senator Frosh has worked to improve education, one of his key priorities, and to reduce tuition costs at Maryland's public colleges and universities. He drafted the law that provides a waiver of tuition and fees to state universities for children in foster care.[22] Additionally, Senator Frosh has worked to restore adequate funding for higher education and to make tuition affordable for students and their families. This year, for instance, Senator Frosh was one of six senators to introduce a plan to generate new revenues from a tax increase on alcohol and cigarettes in order to prevent proposed budget cuts to public education. As a result, the state budget preserved funding for state colleges and universities while actually increasing aid to public schools.[23]

Energy

Senator Frosh believes that conserving energy and investing in alternative energy sources are vital to maintaining control of the energy crisis looming over our nation. Senator Frosh has worked on a number of bills promoting energy efficiency, holding down energy costs and reducing the environmental impacts of energy production and use.[24]

In recent years, Senator Frosh has been a vocal advocate for establishing service standards and imposing penalties if electric utilities like Pepco failed to provide reliable service.[25][26] In 2010, Frosh called on the Public Service Commission to investigate Pepco, and in 2011 introduced legislation calling for regulations and stiff penalties.[27] Although Senator Frosh’s original legislation passed the Senate,[28] ultimately, the House would only enact penalties that were more lenient than Frosh’s proposal.[29]

Privacy and Consumer Law

Privacy and consumer law are two vital issues that will continue to affect the lives of Maryland residents. As Chair of the Judicial Proceedings Committee, Senator Frosh has responsibility for legislation in the Senate dealing with these important subjects. He has sponsored bills protecting the privacy of citizens’ personal information in Motor Vehicle Administration files and authorizing Maryland’s Attorney General to prosecute violators of Federal anti-telemarketing regulations.[30] The Judicial Proceedings Committee approved legislation establishing a task force to recommend identity theft remedies, beefing up the original bill at Senator Frosh’s recommendation to pay specific attention to protecting social security numbers.[31] Senator Frosh has also sponsored bills banning minimum price fixing and creating new tools to crack down on people who defraud the State’s Medicare program.[32]

Brian Frosh joined the Maryland Bar in 1971 and the District of Columbia Bar in 1972. He is a partner at at the law offices of Karp, Frosh, Lapidus, Wigodsky, & Norwood, P.A working in business litigation, commercial litigation, and real estate law.[33]

Task Force, Boards and Commissions

2012- Frosh was appointed by Maryland legislative leaders to chair a task force to study the impact of a Maryland Court of Appeals ruling regarding the liability of owners of pit bulls and landlords that rent to them.[34]

Awards

  • AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review RatedSM by Martindale-Hubbell®[35]
  • Super Lawyers, Maryland and Washington DC[36]
  • Best Lawyers in America[37]
  • Best Lawyers, DC metropolitan area, The Washingtonian[38]
  • Best Lawyers, DC metropolitan area, The Washington Post[37]
  • Leadership and Outstanding Service Award from the Maryland State Bar Association[39]

Ethics

In 2004 The Washington Post reported that an ethics complaint had been filed by Audrey P. Corsonag, M.D., against Frosh for helping to kill a bill that would have limited medical malpractice payouts. The complaint alleged that Frosh had a conflict of interest because of his partnership in a law firm of which certain members handled medical malpractice cases, though Frosh does not handle those kinds of cases.[40] In response, according to the Post, "Frosh said his partnership arrangement with the firm does not let him share in earnings from cases in which he was not personally involved. And to his recollection, he said, he has handled only one Maryland malpractice case in recent years."[40] Frosh also stated that prior to his vote on the bill he had consulted with the General Assembly's ethics adviser, William G. Somerville, who stated that Frosh had no conflict of interest, was "on solid ground," and under the law, could vote on the bill.[40] "We've got lawyers, doctors and insurance agents in the legislature," Frosh said, "and, to some extent, all of us have an indirect financial interest in this legislation."[40] The Post further noted, "Many lawmakers wind up voting on bills that could have a direct effect on their professions. Typically, legislators are asked to recuse themselves from debate only if a measure would enrich them personally, rather than simply benefit their profession."[40] In light of the facts, Frosh was not required to recuse himself and nothing came of the complaint.

References

  1. ^ "Brian E. Frosh - Partner". KarpFrosh PA. 2011.
  2. ^ a b "Official 2006 Gubernatorial General Election results for State Senator". Maryland State Board of Elections. 2006.
  3. ^ a b "2010 General Election Official Results". Maryland State Board of Elections. last updated: December 1, 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ "State Senate, District 16, Democratic Primary". Post Politics. Sep 14, 2011.
  5. ^ "Bethesda legislators stay close to home on issues". The Gazette. November 3, 2010.
  6. ^ "First Citizen Award" (PDF). The Legislative Wrap Up.
  7. ^ "Maryland Access to Justice Commission 2011 Awards". Maryland Access to Justice Commission. May 13, 2011.
  8. ^ "Maryland League of Conservation Voters 2011 Environmental Scorecard".
  9. ^ a b "The John V. Kabler Award". Maryland League of Conservation Voters. June 28, 2011.
  10. ^ "DHR Names Four Legislators "Champion for Children" for Helping to Pass a Key Child Support Bill" (PDF). June 8, 2010.
  11. ^ "Archives of Maryland (Biographical Series): Brian E. Frosh". Maryland State Archives. March 14, 2011.
  12. ^ "Senate Candidates Differ on Transportation: Dist. 16 Challenger Robert Dyersupports the ICC and Techway while incumbent Brian Frosh says the projects would lead to sprawl". Potomac Almanac. November 3, 2010.
  13. ^ "Marcellus Shale Safe Drilling Act of 2011". Senate Bill 634. February 9, 2011.
  14. ^ "Family Law – Protective Orders – Surrender of Firearms". Maryland Senate Bill 267. January 23, 2009.
  15. ^ "Criminal Procedure - Temporary Lodging for Domestic Violence Victims". Maryland Senate Bill 811. 2011.
  16. ^ "Criminal Procedure - Temporary Lodging for Domestic Violence Victims". Maryland Senate Bill 50. January 18, 2011.
  17. ^ "Maryland Electricity Service Quality and Reliability Act - Safety Violations". Senate Bill 692. February 4, 2011 27, 2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  18. ^ "ADHR SECRETARY NAMES FOUR LEGISLATORS 'CHAMPIONS FOR CHILDREN' FOR HELPING TO PASS A KEY CHILD SUPPORT BILL" (PDF). June 8, 2010.
  19. ^ "Child support payments boosted as legislators compromise". MarylandReporter.com. April 12, 2010.
  20. ^ "Child Sex Offender Bills On Their Way to Vallario's Drawer". http://redmaryland.blogspot.com. 8 March 2010. {{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help)
  21. ^ "Criminal Procedure- Offender Registry- Minors". Senate Bill 441. April 2008.
  22. ^ "Potomac-Bethesda Rotary Club Newsletter" (PDF). Potomac-Bethesda Rotary Club. August 7, 2008.
  23. ^ "Maryland First plan combines progressive measures for a projected $827m in revenues". MarylandReporter.com. November 3, 2010.
  24. ^ "Recent energy bills sponsored or cosponsored by Senator Frosh". May 27, 2011.
  25. ^ "Hey Pepco: There's an app for that". The Gazette. February 25, 2011.
  26. ^ "Letter to Douglas R. M. Nazarian, Chair of the Public Service Commission" (PDF). Brian Frosh. January 31, 2011.
  27. ^ "Bill To Penalize Utilities IF They Fall Below Standards". WBAL-TV. February 4, 2011.
  28. ^ "Gas Companies and Electric Companies - Service Quality and Reliability Standards". Senate Bill 341. February 2, 2011.
  29. ^ "Maryland Electricity Service Quality and Reliability Act - Safety Violations". Senate Bill 692. February 4, 2011.
  30. ^ "Commercial Law- Maryland Telephone Consumer Act". Senate Bill 88. July 1, 2005.
  31. ^ "Task Force to Study Identity Theft". Senate Bill 43. April 5, 2005.
  32. ^ "Maryland False Health Claims Act of 2010". Senate Bill 279. April 2010.
  33. ^ "Karp Frosh, P.A." June 27, 2011.
  34. ^ "Pitbull Panel Looks to One Standard for All Breeds". Baltimore Sun. 2012. Retrieved 2012-06-20.
  35. ^ "Brian Frosh Peer Review". Martindale-Hubbell. June 27, 2011.
  36. ^ "Attorney Profile Brian E. Frosh". Super Lawyers. June 27, 2011.
  37. ^ a b "Brian Frosh". Lawyer. June 27, 2011.
  38. ^ "Top Lawyers: Real Estate Lawyers". Washingtonian. Dec 1, 2009.
  39. ^ "MSBA Leadership in Law Award". Maryland State Bar Association. Dec 2010.
  40. ^ a b c d e "Sen. Frosh Is Target Of Ethics Complaint". The Washington Post. May 29, 2004.

References

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