Governor Larry Hogan has announced that he will introduce legislation to expand the Hometown Heroes Act to cover correctional officers in the upcoming 2018 legislative session. A signature bill from the governor’s 2017 legislative package, the original legislation was signed into law this past April. The governor was joined by Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) Secretary Stephen T. Moyer and Warden Richard Graham at the Western Correctional Institution (WCI) in Cumberland during a two-day swing through Western Maryland.
“As governor, I have been moved countless times by the selfless service and the dedication of all those who are tasked with ensuring public safety in our state,” said Governor Hogan. “This legislation is good economic policy, but more importantly, it is the right thing to do.”
The 2017 legislation exempted retired law enforcement and fire, rescue, and emergency response personnel from state income taxes on a portion of their retirement income. The Hometown Heroes Act of 2018 will expand the previous law to include correctional officers who perform some of the most difficult jobs in the public safety sector. In addition, the bill will exempt all retirement income received from these occupations from state income taxes.
During his visit to WCI, Governor Hogan also presented Governor’s Citations to nine officers and staff in recognition and gratitude of their heroic actions that saved the life of correctional officer Fred Faust, a 24-year employee of DPSCS. When Officer Faust experienced a medical emergency while on duty, his colleagues took immediate action to provide the necessary medical attention. The governor recognized the following officers and medical staff: officers William Slate, William Logsdon, Joshua Swandol, and Brett Wilburn; nurse practitioner Beverly McLaughlin; nurses Dennis Martin, Mike Piovarchy, and Bernice Swan, and Ryan Browning.
