American politician

Ariana Brannigan Kelly is an American politician from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party. She currently serves in the Maryland House of Delegates. She has represented District 16 since 2010, which is located in Montgomery County, and includes Bethesda, Cabin John, Glen Echo and parts of Chevy Chase, Potomac and Rockville. Kelly lives in the Wyngate neighborhood.

Contents

• 1 Education and professional background
• 2 Personal
• 3 Awards and honors
• 4 In the Legislature
  • 4.1 Legislative notes
• 5 References
• 6 External links

Education and professional background

Ariana Brannigan Kelly grew up in Bethesda where she attended Walter Johnson High School. Brannigan Kelly also attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she studied History, Women's Studies, and TV/Film Production.

Brannigan Kelly has an extensive background in nonprofit management, media, and social service. In her early career, she worked at Travelers Aid International, Girls Inc, and Legal Momentum. Brannigan Kelly also produced PBS’ To The Contrary, a weekly news program. She covered a wide range of issues including state and federal legislation, business, education, health, and the environment. She specialized in the perspective of underrepresented populations including women and minorities.

Brannigan Kelly also served as Executive Director at NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland where she led a nationally recognized campaign to investigate crisis pregnancy centers, and published The Truth Revealed Report. Brannigan Kelly also served as a Campaign Director for MomsRising.org where she worked on Healthcare Reform, Paid Family Leave, Pay Equity, Environmental Health, and Childcare.

Personal

Delegate Kelly has a daughter and a son. She is the granddaughter of Maryland fire safety pioneer Francis Brannigan. Her parents, Anne Brannigan-Kelly and Richard Kelly, reside in Colorado. Her sister, Meghan Kelly resides in North Carolina. Kelly's brother, Jonathan Blum, and sister-in-law Kate Orman are Australian science fiction authors.

On June 27, 2015, Delegate Kelly was charged for indecent exposure and tresp*ing at the home of her ex-husband in Bethesda, Maryland when she was there to drop off their children, and she saw his fiance. On July 21, 2015, the charges were dropped with the State's Attorney saying in a statement that the alleged incident was "a matter better suited for family court."

Awards and honors

• Legislative All Star Award, Maryland Retailers *ociation 2018
• Legislator of the Year, Maryland Psychological *ociation 2017
• Legislator of the Year award from the Mental Health *ociation of Maryland
• Pat on the Back award from Pathfinders for Autism
• Children's Advocacy Champion from Children's National Medical Center
• Young Woman of Achievement Award from the Women's Information Network.
• Spirit Award for Humanitarian Leadership from National Center for Children and Families
• Community Advocate Award from The Treatment and Learning Centers
• Certificate of Excellence from Youth for National Change
• Spirit of Service Award from Healthy Teen Network
• Choice Advocate of the Year Award 2015 and 2016 from NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland
• Scull Award for Community Service, Village of Friendship Heights
• Public Policy Leadership Award from Wonders Child Care
• Women Legislators of Maryland 2018 Legislative Champion Award
• Legislative Achievement Award from MD National Organization of Women

In the Legislature

Delegate Kelly is a Deputy Majority Whip. She serves on the Health and Government Operations Committee where she Chairs the Health Occupations and Long Term Care Subcommittee. She is also the Chair of the Economic Development Committee for Montgomery County and Democratic Caucus Chair of the Montgomery County House Delegation. In addition, Kelly is the President of Women Legislators of Maryland. She is also the House Chair for the Joint Committee on Children, Youth, and Families.

Kelly was the lead sponsor of Maryland's Contraceptive Equity Act which made Maryland first in the nation for ensuring access to birth control. This legislation required over-the-counter insurance coverage for Emergency Contraception, no cost-sharing for vasectomies, and six-month dispensing for birth control pills, in addition to expanding the types of contraception available to Medicaid and insured populations in Maryland at no cost.

Kelly was also the lead sponsor of legislation that established insurance network adequacy standards in Maryland.

Kelly is House Chair of the Task Force to Study Family and Medical Leave Insurance.

Kelly is leading the fight to strengthen Maryland’s child care subsidy program. She was the lead sponsor of legislation to *yze the program's low reimbur*t rates and her work on the Joint Committee on Children, Youth, and Families led to successful legislation mandating increased funding levels.

Kelly has a 100% lifetime rating from the Maryland League of Conservation Voters on their environmental scorecard for legislators.

Legislative notes

• Lead sponsor for House Bill 251, providing for the teaching of consent education in Maryland's Family Life and Human Sexuality Curriculum
• Lead sponsor of House Bill 1342, reforming the Maryland General *embly's sexual har*ment policy and making sexual har*ment by lobbyists illegal
• Lead House sponsor for House Bill 775, providing Maryland state employees with 12 weeks of paid parental leave
• Lead sponsor for House Bill 1283, requiring insurance companies to cover up to 12 months of birth control at a time
• Co-Sponsor for House Bill 1325, banning fracking in Maryland
• Lead sponsor for House Bill 1127, clarifying insurance coverage requirements for substance use disorder and mental health benefits in commercial health plans
• Lead sponsor of House Bill 1026, providing job protected parental leave at the birth or adoption of a child for those working at small businesses, who were not previously covered under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act
• Lead sponsor of House Bill 963, makes obtaining access to forensic medical services easier for sexual *ault survivors
• Lead sponsor of House Bill 1191, requiring labeling of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in raw and packaged food
• Lead sponsor of HB 798, provides parents of children with disabilities access information on habilitative services, including the Parents' Guide to Habilitative Services
• Lead Sponsor on bill to expand insurance coverage for speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy for young adults with birth defects including cerebral palsy and autism. (HB 235)
• Aut*d bill to establish a Green Chemistry Task Force in Maryland's Department of Business and Economic Development (HB 811).
• Lead Co-Sponsor for House Bill 235 in 2011, regarding preventing discrimination in housing and employment based on gender iden*y or expression
• Co-Sponsor for House Bill 175 in 2011, regarding marriage equality

References

External links

• Ariana Kelly at delegatearianakelly.com