Gov. Larry Hogan on Tuesday asked a Maryland Democratic leader to support his fiscal agenda, but by the afternoon, a committee charged with hammering out budget differences appeared to be waiting for him to make the next move.
Day: April 7, 2015
House moves travel website tax along, rejects amendments
The effort to collect more Maryland sales tax from travel websites such as Orbitz and Expedia moved closer to enactment as the House gave preliminary approval to legislation backed by Marriott International and hotel chains.
The online sites call the measure a new tax and the hotels say it is an existing tax the tech travel sites were pocketing instead of paying. Local travel agents say they may be caught in the crossfire, and wind up paying tax on their service fees.
Voting for ex-felons stirs debate, prank amendment
In a political stunt to bring attention to what he calls “the year of the criminal,” Del. Pat McDonough offered an amendment to a bill that would put voting machines in prisons and wound up not even voting for the idea himself. The prank came during a serious debate about voting rights for ex-felons.
Senate Dems want constitutional convention to control corporate money in politics
Maryland Senate Democrats want to remove the “dark money” from politics by calling a constitutional convention. However, Republican senators fear amending the U.S. Constitution through a convention will “potentially rip-open the First Amendment.”
State Roundup, April 7, 2015
Gov. Hogan and legislators have a week to iron out budget differences or extend session; Senate passes fracking ban; paid sick leave is dead for this year; charter schools measure passes Senate, but it’s not Hogan’s bill; Hogan will sign bill to keep children of abusive parents in foster care; powdered alcohol moratorium passes Senate; website says there’s little difference between Edwards and Van Hollen in run for U.S. Senate; Cummings ponders run; and Floreen won’t seek Van Hollen’s seat.
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