As governors and legislatures in the Midwest battle over rolling back collective bargaining rights for government workers, Maryland lawmakers are on the verge of establishing more union rights for private home health aides paid by the state. The Senate gave final approval to the bill Friday afternoon in a 31 to 16 vote with several Democrats joining the dozen Republicans opposing the bill.
Lowest fund balance in years peaks concerns; O’Malley wind bill headed for summer study; in-state tuition for illegals gets preliminary approval in House; Maryland braces for a federal government shutdown; Monday is General Assembly’s final day; O’Malley jabs at Gov. Christie in N.J.
After a marathon 2½ hours of sometimes acrimonious debate and a dozen failed amendments, the House of Delegates Thursday afternoon gave preliminary approval to a bill giving illegal immigrants in-state tuition at community colleges and state universities. The bill, which passed the Senate on a close vote three weeks ago, allows young illegal immigrants who graduated from Maryland high schools to get tuition at in-state rates.
After a final vote on amendments Thursday evening, a bill before the House of Delegates again requires the governor to take action to keep people serving life prison sentences behind bars if they are recommended for parole.
Under the bill establishing the governor’s Invest Maryland venture capital program, detailed information will be posted online about the funds and credits that the state has invested in a company, as well as what the state is getting out of it.
The Board of Public Works on Wednesday approved a one-year extension of a disputed contract providing prescription drug coverage to state employees so the coverage doesn’t lapse while the Board of Contract Appeals considers the protest. According to state campaign finance records, executives and family members involved with the company, which state officials wants to drop, gave campaign contributions of more than $70,000 to Gov. Martin O’Malley and Comptroller Peter Franchot in the last 12 months.
When the full House of Delegates begins debating and amending bills on Thursday that would grant in-state tuition to illegal immigrants, they may be starting down what other states have found to be a thorny path. Currently 10 states offer in-state college tuition rates to illegal immigrant students, and one state has repealed. Several lawsuits have been filed, and one could reach the U.S. Supreme Court.
A fiercely debated bill allowing lawsuits in state courts over discrimination in stores, restaurants and airports was sent back to a Senate committee Wednesday, effectively killing the bill, as about 20 blind people who had lobbied for the measure sat disappointed in the gallery.
The House of Delegates approved $925 million in new debt in its capital budget on Tuesday – but not before several attempts were made to trim the amount that the state was going to borrow. The capital budget is funded through bonds, and the money is spent on infrastructure projects across the state.
A bill to grant the right for people discriminated against in places of public accommodation — like restaurants, theatres and hotels — is being smothered by Senate amendments seeking to water down the bill.
On Tuesday, Democratic Senate leaders and committee chairmen joined Republicans in passing an amendment by Sen. Allan Kittleman, R-Howard-Carroll, to study the measure. The amendment will be reconsidered Wednesday, but Senate President Mike Miller told proponents they might want to find some alternative to passing the bill, which has had prolonged debate on five different days.
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