Legislation
Councilmember Cohen has sponsored or co-sponsored over 530 items of legislation. You can find a full list on the Baltimore City Legistar Site here.
The Elijah Cummings Healing City Act
Zeke introduced the Trauma-Informed Care Act, which was later renamed the Elijah Cummings Healing City Act. In February 2020, one year and one day after a horrific shooting that took place at Frederick Douglass High School in West Baltimore, this bill was signed into law.
This bill focuses on addressing trauma on a systemic level and providing trauma-informed training for all city agencies. Baltimore is the first city to have passed legislation around trauma-informed care.
Opposing BGE’s Rate Hikes
Zeke introduced a bill opposing BGE’s proposed multi-year rate plan. The plan would increase gas distribution rates by 61 percent and electric distribution rates by 31 percent over a 3-year period, relative to 2023 rates. Cohen’s resolution argues that the plan is unnecessary and costly to ratepayers, that BGE has not been a good partner to City residents, and it will be harmful from an environmental perspective.
Cohen’s resolution states that the proposed multi-year plan allows BGE to pass the cost of extensive capital investments, including citywide gas main replacements and external regulators, onto residents. He believes that it would be more responsible and cost-effective, though less profitable for BGE, to prioritize gas main replacements based on need, and to repair existing infrastructure rather than replacing gas mains across the entire city.
Cohen also notes the harmful impact of the multi-year rate plan on the environment. “In this moment of climate crisis, when our City and State are striving toward carbon neutrality, The Public Service Commission should use their regulatory power to end the cycle of endless, poorly executed, and often unnecessary fossil fuel upgrades at ratepayers’ expense,” says Cohen.
Democratizing the Board of Estimates
Zeke introduced a bill creating recommendations for a charter amendment to either eliminate or change the board. Any recommendations would go to voters for approval next year.
"The mayor controls three of the five votes on the Board of Estimates," Cohen said. "So ultimately, whatever the mayor wants to happen is what happens. What I'm arguing tonight, and what many others, including our current mayor, have argued in the past, is that is simply too much power concentrated in the hands of one individual."
Establishing An Office of Aging
This legislation, introduced in partnership with Council Vice President Sharon Green MIddleton, would establish an independent Office of Aging as a cabinet-level City agency.
Once established, the office will work with the Commission on Aging to develop a new citywide strategy for systems of healthcare, safety, housing, transportation and programming for older adults. The Director of this new office will be in charge of implementing the strategy and connecting agencies across the city and state to better serve seniors.
Councilmember Cohen, Vice President Middleton, and Councilmember Phylicia Porter have hosted town halls at senior centers and senior housing complexes across Baltimore City to learn more about the issues impacting seniors and to gather input on the legislation.
The Strengthening Renters’ Safety Act
Zeke introduced the Strengthening Renters’ Safety Act on February 27, 2023 after collaborating with tenants and tenant advocates on the bill for over a year.
This bill requires DHCD to identify 20+ unit apartment buildings with the worst living conditions and inspect them twice per year. Any priority building that still fails to provide livable conditions for tenants will lose its rental license.
Tenants often don’t know when they are moving into an unlicensed building. The SRS Act requires landlords to provide proof of a valid license with advertising, applications, and leases. And it requires DHCD to post notice to tenants in unlicensed buildings.
The SRS Act increases oversight and accountability. It introduces a tenant-initiated complaint process that obligates DHCD to investigate and respond. It requires detailed data reporting, and establishes a task force to review the data and make sure that rental property conditions are improving.
Calling on Comcast to Help Close the Digital Divide
Councilmember Cohen introduced this resolution to demand Comcast to increase download and upload speeds under the Internet Essentials Program; extend the free Internet Essentials Program until 60 days beyond the complete re-opening of public schools, and open all existing Xfinity hotspots free to the public for 60 days after the full restoration of public school.
Months later Comcast doubled their Internet Essentials Speeds.
The Neighbors Against Predatory Dumping Act
Working together with the colleagues, Councilmember Cohen worked to address illegal dumping by doubling fines.
The Transparency in Lobbying Act
Working to make City Government more accountable, Councilmember Cohen introduced the Transparency in Lobbying Act which raised requirements for lobbyists to disclose their clients and file disclosure reports twice a year.
Additionally, the bill required the ethics board to post reports online within 30 days of their filing disclosing who paid the lobbyist and how much, with a three year ban for violations.