The House and Senate have substantial differences to work out on legislation that would allow counties to cut back on school spending during tough economic times without losing state aid.
Both chambers have passed bills that set guidelines for waivers to the state’s “maintenance of effort” rules for local school funding. The issue has been hot this year, as three counties asked for and were denied waivers, leading the state education department to withhold some of its planned aid.
House members said a Senate proposal removing local bond bills — the state’s version of legislative earmarks — from Maryland’s Capital Budget may make sense, but they expect a tough debate on the issue in their chamber.
The Senate adopted an amendment Tuesday from Sen. Katherine Klausmeier, D-Baltimore County, shifting funding from bond bills to public school construction projects, and passed a final capital plan Wednesday.
The state military department violated state regulations when it paid a contractor almost $1 million without approval from the Board of Public Works, according to a state audit released Wednesday.
The department, which includes the National Guard and emergency management agency, bought information technology services for nearly three years without a contract, legislative auditors said.
Maryland spends $6 billion per year on health care through the Medicaid program — half of it federal money — and lawmakers are looking especially hard this year for ways to get some of that cash back.
Two high-profile and very different proposals are before the General Assembly, one proposed by Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley and the other by the House Republican Caucus.
Bob Ehrlich confirmed after months of speculation that he will run against Gov. Martin O'Malley again this fall. But that's not all that happened Tuesday. Senators want to reduce slots taxes at Rocky Gap and teacher pensions could hold up the session, too. EHRLICH:...
Leave it to the old football coach, House Speaker Michael Busch, to pull an end run on Del. Don Dwyer’s attempt to impeach Attorney General Doug Gansler as Busch handed off the ball to the Judiciary Committee. The panel killed it within hours, after some more drama from Dwyer.
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