Here’s a video report from Dave Collins at WBAL TV.  Supporters remain optimistic of its passage, reports John Rydell at Fox 45.

The Daily Record has a podcast on the same-sex marriage bill with Fraser Smith and Danny Jacobs.

SUPPORTING LOCAL BANKS: Lawmakers considered legislation that would share more of the state’s banking business with community banks, reports Gary Haber of the Baltimore Business Journal.

UNDERSTANDING FOOD ALLERGIES: A new bill hopes to help teachers and school administrators understand the complexity of food allergies, the symptoms of anaphylactic shock, and how to administer an EpiPen, reports Jennifer Shutt of The Daily Times.

GUN DAY: Wednesday was “Gun Day” in Annapolis as the House Judiciary Committee heard testimony on a variety of gun bills, including one that means to change the standard for issuing a handgun permit, reports Andrew Schotz of The Herald-Mail.

LAND BATTLE: A neighborhood fight in Montgomery County over a fence has sparked state legislation that would eliminate covenants that prohibit farming in the county’s Agriculture Reserve, reports Nesa Nourmohammadi of The Gazette.

MANDATING ENGLISH: Frederick County’s Board of County Commissioners voted to make English the county’s official language to the ire of some local residents, reports Pete McCarthy of the Frederick News-Post.

GUBERNATORIAL SPARRING: Gov. Martin O’Malley is set to square off with Virginia Gov. Robert McDonnell at a Politico event on Friday to mark the beginning of the National Governors Association’s winter meeting, reports John Wagner of The Washington Post.

TRANSGENDER BIAS: Bryan Sears of Patch.com reports on the Baltimore County Council’s bill to prohibit discrimination against transgender persons.

Jeff Abell has video on the council vote at Fox 45.  Kai Jackson reports on the discrimination bill for WJZ.

People protested the bill outside the Catonsville office of its sponsor, Councilman Tom Quirk, according to Brian Conlin of Patuxent Publishing.

The Baltimore County Council became the fourth local government in the state to extend protections to transgender people after passing a discrimination ban, reports Alison Knezevich of The Baltimore Sun.

POOH IS POOH: Agricultural and environmental advocates hope to restrict the use of manure on farmer’s fields during winter when it is more likely to wash into waterways, reports Bethany Rodgers of the Frederick News-Post.

RESTRICTING SPEED CAMERAS: Sen. James Brochin, D-Baltimore County, seeks to restrict the use of highway speed cameras in work zones to only when workers are present.

AVOIDING ARMAGEDDON: Senate President Mike Miller said Senate leaders are trying to find $500 million in tax hikes as alternatives to those proposed by Gov. Martin O’Malley to avoid a “doomsday” budget with $1 billion in spending cuts, Len Lazarick writes in MarylandReporter.com

UNAUTHORIZED BENEFITS: Republicans are again trying to curb public benefits to illegal immigrants despite opposition from various social services groups, according to MarylandReporter.com’s Justin Snow.

SCHOOL FUNDING: Andrea Mansfield on MACo’s Conduit Street blog has more details on maintenance of effort and the pension shift to the counties.

The Calvert County Board of County Commissioners plans to ask all local entities that receive county funding to lobby at the state level against the shifting teacher pension costs onto local jurisdictions, Meghan Russell reports in the Calvert Recorder.

GAS TAX: Howard County residents don’t like the proposal to raise the gasoline tax, Lindsey McPherson reports in the Columbia Flier.

WBAL Radio’s Robert Lang interviewed Sen. Jim Brochin, who sat on the fence about the bill last year before voting yes. Brochin said he does not see Republicans dragging out the process.

Del. Keiffer Mitchell appeared on the Marc Steiner Show on WEAA Monday to talk about same-sex marriage and other issues percolating in Annapolis.

CATHOLIC LOBBY DAY: Meanwhile, hundreds of Catholics came to Annapolis on Monday for their annual lobbying day – just as one of the bills they oppose most is preparing for passage, reports The Post’s John Wagner.

MINISTERS FOR CARDIN: U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin received the endorsement of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance on Monday, reports The Sun’s John Fritze.

HARRIS FOR JACOBS: U.S. Rep. Andy Harris endorses his former colleague, state Sen. Nancy Jacobs in her congressional bid, reports Bryan Sears of Patch.com.

DELANEY CRIES FOUL: State Sen. Rob Garagiola has received several campaign contributions from people connected with lobbyists, causing primary opponent John Delaney to wonder if Garagiola has violated ethics rules, reports Glynis Kazanjian for MarylandReporter.com.

PAYING MORE FOR GAS: Gov. Martin O’Malley’s proposed gasoline tax would cost two-car families roughly $400 a year once fully implemented, if drivers are filling an 18-gallon tank five times a month and the cost of gas never rises, write Hayley Peterson of the Washington Examiner.

TAX CREDITS FOR COAL PRODUCERS: O’Malley is forging ahead with his green-energy initiative while trying to end tax incentives for the state’s coal industry, but he is facing stiff opposition from lawmakers who say eliminating the credits could drive up energy prices and cost some Marylanders their jobs, writes David Hill of the Washington Times.

GAMING: Prince George’s officials and business leaders envision a high-rolling success with a casino at National Harbor, but Anne Arundel legislators are crying foul, saying it would unfairly compete with a $500 million slots facility set to open in their county this summer, writes Lindsey Robbins of The Gazette.

PENSION COMPROMISE: Lower Shore lawmakers say they expect the governor’s plans to split the teacher pension costs with counties likely will end in a compromise that includes a phased-in approach, writes Brian Shane of the Salisbury Daily Times.

SCHOOL BREAKFAST: After Legislative Services analysts recommended cutting down a proposed increase to funds for school breakfasts, advocates – including celebrity chef Bryan Voltaggio – came to Annapolis to speak for the program’s importance, reports Justin Snow of MarylandReporter.com.

Dave Collins of WBAL-TV spoke to Voltaggio, who owns Volt restaurant in Frederick.

BWI UPGRADES: About $216 million in capital projects at Baltimore-Washington Thurgood Marshall Airport will probably be paid for using Federal Aviation Administration fees, reports Daniel Menefee of MarylandReporter.com.

BUSINESS TAX CREDITS: Will Burns of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce blogs on the Chamber Action Network blog about bills opposed by the Chamber in the House and Senate that would make tax credits automatically expire after five years.

PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS: Legislation creating new rules for public-private partnerships could fast-track projects and keep them from full scrutiny through the procurement process, reports WBFF’s Melinda Roeder.

DEATH AND TAXES: A staff editorial in The Diamondback takes a look at online taxes, both the “download tax” proposed by Gov. Martin O’Malley and potential action by Congress for a national online sales tax.

TUITION REFERENDUM: The Diamondback’s Jim Bach brings the news of the likelihood of a statewide vote on whether some illegal immigrants can get in-state tuition to University of Maryland students.

PROTESTING THE TRANSGENDERED:  Patuxent Publishing’s Brian Conlin reports on a Monday protest against a bill that would protect transgendered people from discrimination outside the Catonsville office of Baltimore County Councilmember Tom Quirk, who proposed the bill.

JUVENILE SERVICES: Sam Abed, secretary of Juvenile Services, spoke to the Eastern Shore delegation about the latest plans to reform and improve his department, reports Daniel Divilio of the Easton Star Democrat.

The Sun’s Annie Linskey reports on the six delegates who had not supported same-sex marriage, but eventually did in the end.

 Sen. Brian Frosh, chairman of the Judicial Proceedings Committee, said that Senate votes on the bill are unlikely to change from last year’s 25-21 tally, reports David Hill of The Washington Times.

Eastern Shore delegates opposed the legislation, reports the Easton Star-Democrat’s Kelley Allen.

SAME-SEX MARRIAGE APPROVED: With two dozen reporters on the floor and at least nine TV cameras, there was oodles of coverage of the debate and vote to approve same-sex marriage in the House of Delegates Friday.

Here are some of the versions by multiple reporters, quoting different aspects of the debate, and reactions to it from: MarylandReporter.com, the Washington Post, the Baltimore Sun , the Associated Press and Patch.com.

Here’s the roll call of the vote from the Post.

Earl Kelly’s story in the Capital has some angry quotes about the switched votes from Del. Don Dwyer

There are audio reports from MarylandReporter.com and WBAL AM and video from Fox 45, WBAL TV, and WJZ.

RETRIBUTION: The Maryland Juice blog, a staunch gay marriage proponent, describes the kind of retribution the gay community is planning against Del. Sam Arora, the only Montgomery County delegate to vote against the bill. The posting includes retweets from other MoCo delegates already supporting someone to run against Arora in 2014.

CURRIE CENSURED: In a unanimous vote, the Senate on Friday censured Sen. Ulysses Currie for multiple violations of ethics laws and rules. Here is coverage by Maryland Reporter.com and the Associated Press in the Capital. WBAL TV has video.

REFERENDUM MOVES FORWARD: Circuit Court Judge Ronald Silkworth ruled on Friday that the November referendum on in-state college tuition for some illegal immigrants can go forward, reports Dan Menefee of MarylandReporter.com. Del. Neil Parrott, leader of the petition drive, said that appealing the decision would be “frivolous.”

COMBINING FUNCTIONS: Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz, who has not protested Gov. Martin O’Malley’s plans to shift teacher pension costs to the counties, plans to see if school district and county government functions can be combined in order to save money, reports The Sun’s Liz Bowie.

AGAINST PENSION SHIFT: The Calvert County Board of Commissioners is asking all of its local entities that receive state funding to lobby against the pension shift, reports Meghan Russell of the Calvert County Recorder.

A staff editorial in the Salisbury Daily Times decries O’Malley’s pension shift plan as a way to make counties have to pay for something they do not control, and something that could force localities to raise taxes.

TUBMAN STATUE, TAKE TWO: The Women’s Caucus is once again trying to get a statue of Maryland native Harriet Tubman in the U.S. Capitol, reports Kelsey Miller of Capital News Service in the St. Mary’s Enterprise. However, this year, instead of replacing revolutionary figure John Hanson’s statue in Statuary Hall, the caucus is trying to get a Tubman statue in a prominent location elsewhere in the complex.

CARDIN ON THE BAY: U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin talked to members of the Eastern Shore delegation about the need for citizen cooperation and open government to keep the Chesapeake Bay clean and the farming community strong, reports Daniel Divilio of the Easton Star-Democrat.

GAMBLING SUCCESS: Maryland’s slot-only casinos came close to the end of a wave of newly approved gambling, and the state cannot be as successful with revenues as it wants to without allowing table games, according to an AP story in The Capital.

THE WEEK AHEAD: WBAL’s Robert Lang gives a preview of the week ahead in Annapolis, as the General Assembly hits this year’s session midpoint.

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNCIL: If the Anne Arundel County Council chooses Mike Wagner to fill the seat of Daryl Jones, it will be all white and all male for the first time in four decades, Allison Bourg reports in the Capital.

TRACKING DEVICES: Two Maryland legislators are using a recent Supreme Court decision to pressure the Department of Natural Resources into releasing warrants used to install GPS tracking devices on several boats last year, Ellen Stodola of Capital News Service Reports in the Gazette.

TEXTBOOK SALES TAX: Several legislators are supporting bills to remove the sales tax from college textbooks, Alisha George reports in the Carroll County Times.

STATE HIGHWAY PERMITS: Two Washington County lawmakers have crafted a bill aimed at the Maryland State Highway Administration, alleging that the agency’s bureaucracy has held up some local development projects, Andy Schotz reports in the Hagerstown Herald-Mail. The bill would force SHA to act within 90 days after getting a request for a permit to access a state road. Otherwise, the permit would have to be granted.

TRAVEL PLAZAS: The dispute over the state contract to rebuild and manage two travel plazas on Interstate 95 intensified Friday, with the company most likely to win the bid denouncing accusations made by competitors, and one of those competitors filing suit, reports Shane Doyle in the Daily Record.

SPEED CAMERAS: Maryland drivers have received more than a million speeding tickets from work zone speed cameras over the past three years, and many of those tickets were issued even though no one was working in those zones at the time, Liz Essley reports in Washington Examiner. The controversial cameras raked in $19 million in 2011.

OFF-SHORE WIND ENERGY: A wide variety of diverse groups supports off shore wind farms, Aaron Davis and Greg Masters report in the Washington Post.

With all the delays, there is heavy speculation that supporters in the House of Delegates don’t have the votes to pass the bill, writes John Wagner of The Washington Post.

One amendment was added to the bill on Thursday, which changed its effective date to Jan. 1, 2013, according to an Associated Press report in the Hagerstown Herald-Mail.

Patch.com’s Bryan Sears writes that the adoption of this amendment was unusual, given that it had been rejected by the joint committee considering the bill on Tuesday.

WJZ’s Meghan McCorkell has more video on the same-sex marriage debate, as does Keith Daniels of Fox 45.

CHANGING VOTES…OR NOT: After voting against the bill in committee, Republican Del. A. Wade Kach announced on Thursday that he would support same-sex marriage on the House floor, reports The Post’s John Wagner.

Patch.com’s Bryan Sears weighs in on how this change of heart may negatively impact Kach’s political future.

Sears also reports that Del. John Olszewski Jr. also announced he will support the same-sex marriage bill.

Republican Del. Patrick Hogan, on the other hand, has decided that he will not support the bill, reports The Post’s Wagner. The Frederick News-Post’s Bethany Rodgers reports that Hogan’s stance earned praise from House Minority Leader Anthony O’Donnell.

The Sun’s Annie Linskey writes about the far-flung and high-profile lobbying on the bill – including calls to Annapolis from New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg and Cardinal-elect Edwin O’Brien, calling from Rome.

Gazette columnist Barry Rascovar says the proponents of gay marriage face an uphill battle against Maryland’s religious traditionalists.

WBAL TV’s Dave Collins reports on delegates who would not discuss their stand on the same-sex marriage bill.

Rob Lang of WBAL AM talks to delegates on both sides of the issue, with audio and text describing an apology by O’Malley over his wife’s remarks.

The Capital’s Earl Kelly runs down where each member of the Anne Arundel County delegation stands on the legislation.

David Hill of The Washington Times also takes a look at where delegates stand on the bill.

GAY LAWMAKERS SPEAK: Post columnist Petula Dvorak speaks to a handful of Maryland’s openly gay lawmakers to find out just what the same-sex marriage bill means to them.

VICTORY NO MATTER WHAT? MarylandReporter.com’s Len Lazarick writes about a video of Attorney General Douglas Gansler that has been circulated by Del. Don Dwyer because he says it gives reason for any referendum on same-sex marriage to be suspect. In the video, Gansler says that if the bill passes and is petitioned to referendum, judges appointed by Gov. Martin O’Malley — who offered this year’s legislation — will be deciding the case.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS CENSURE: The Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics issued its recommendation to censure state Sen. Ulysses Currie for failing to disclose consulting fees that he received from a grocery chain, and then using his influence to pass policy favorable to the stores, reports Dan Menefee of MarylandReporter.com.

The ethics report was released to the public shortly before 5 p.m. Thursday, according to Danielle Gaines and Dan Leaderman in the Gazette.

Mike Hellgren of WJZ reports on punishment of Currie in this video, including comments from ethics committee member Sen. Nancy Jacobs.

The full Senate is expected to vote on the report on Friday, reports The Washington Times’ David Hill.

If the Senate follows the committee’s recommendation, it will be the first time a Maryland senator has been disciplined by the chamber in 14 years, according to an Associated Press story in the Daily Record.

Hayley Petersen of the Washington Examiner reports that the panel could have recommended to expel Currie, but did not.

NO JAIL FOR SCHURICK: Paul Schurick, the 2010 campaign manager for former Gov. Bob Ehrlich who approved an election night robocall urging black voters to stay home, was sentenced to home detention, community service, and probation, reports The Post’s Aaron Davis.

The Gazette’s Margie Hyslop reports Schurick will serve 30 days’ home detention and 500 hours of public service during four years’ probation.

Watch Schurick’s response on WBAL TV’s video. Derek Valcourt of WJZ has more details.

PUBLIC DEFENDER MANDATE DELAYED: Maryland’s highest court decided Thursday to wait for more information before issuing a mandate that would require lawyers to be available to a defendant within 24 hours of arrest, writes Margie Hyslop in the Gazette.

The Maryland Court of Appeals is pushing back enforcement of this ruling until March 5, allowing the state to figure out a way to pay the price tag, which is in the millions of dollars, reports The Post’s Dan Morse.

REDISTRICTING: Delegates who introduced alternative legislative districting plans are upset that their plans won’t even get a hearing before the governor’s proposal goes into effect next week, Danielle Gaines writes in the Gazette.

TABLE GAMES: A DISTRACTION: Gov. Martin O’Malley said at a Wednesday night forum that he thinks pushing for table games during the current legislative session is a distraction from more important pending issues, according to a story by Brian Witte of the Associated Press, which ran in The Capital.

O’MALLEY V. FRANCHOT: Gazette columnist Laslo Boyd opines that neither the governor nor the comptroller came off well in their recent snippy comments about each other.

PRIVATE PETITIONS: Justin Snow of MarylandReporter.com reports on a bill that would block public access to petitions to prevent intimidation and personal attacks.

MIDDLETON SUPPORTS WIND POWER: After scuttling Gov. Martin O’Malley’s proposal to develop wind power last year, Sen. Thomas “Mac” Middleton now says he is completely in support of this year’s wind power bill, according to a Baltimore Sun blog post.

NATIONAL HARBOR CASINO PROPOSED: Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker announced Thursday that a $1 billion casino in the National Harbor development could be a catalyst for economic development, a driver for revenues, and a magnet for tourism, reports The Sun’s John Wagner and Miranda Spivack.

Baker says he supports slot machine gambling in the county, but only at National Harbor, reports Dan Leaderman in the Gazette.

Several county leaders are disappointed and still digesting Baker’s plans, which were all announced on Thursday morning, reports The Post’s Miranda Spivack.

In order to establish the casino, legislation allowing it to be built must pass the General Assembly, and it must be approved in a statewide referendum, according to an AP story in The Daily Record.

Dana Amihere from the Prince George’s Sentinel takes a look at the wider implications of the issue, especially concentrating on Rosecroft Raceway owner Penn National Gaming.

COLLEGE COMPLETION: A new report from the University of Pennsylvania says that Maryland needs to place more of an emphasis on helping black, Hispanic, and low-income students succeed in college, reports The Sun’s Childs Walker.

TAX CREDITS AUDIT: Sloppy practices at the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development led to companies taking taxpayer dollars or qualifying for tax breaks without proving they met their end of investment agreements, an audit has revealed. Danielle Gaines reports in the Gazette.

GAS TAX: Highway projects put on hold for years, waiting for an infusion of new transportation dollars, Benjamin Ford reports in the Gazette.

EXTREME WEATHER: Severe and extreme weather conditions will not stop coming in Maryland if something is not done about global warming, according to a report released Thursday by Environment Maryland, reports Jennifer Shutt of the Salisbury Daily Times.

PG BAG TAX: A bill that would establish a disposable bag tax on Prince George’s County retailers is stalled in a delegation committee, but could be voted on by the end of the month, reports the Laurel Leader’s Lindsey McPherson.

FREDERICK EARLY VOTING: Sen. Ron Young introduced a bill that would establish three early voting centers – as opposed to just one now — in Frederick County, writes the News-Post’s Bethany Rodgers.

AA DEADLOCK: After more than 100 rounds of votes Thursday night, the Anne Arundel County Council deadlocked on the vote to appoint a replacement for former  Councilman Daryl Jones, reports The Sun’s Nicole Fuller.

MARYLANDERS WORKING ON METRO: There are more Marylanders working on the new Dulles Metrorail than those who live in the railway’s home state of Virginia, reports The Examiner’s Liz Essley.

WASHINGTON COUNTY EMERGENCY FEES: A bill that would let Washington County’s emergency services bill ran into some problems in Annapolis on Thursday, according to Andrew Schotz in the Hagerstown Herald-Mail.

COMMISSIONERS ON CARROLL COUNTY LEGISLATION: Carroll County Commissioners voted their viewpoints on several pieces of pending legislation before the General Assembly. The Carroll County Times’ Christian Alexandersen presents their votes in a chart.

NOTEBOOK: The Gazette’s Reporters Notebook has notes on a Mike McDermott speech; confusion over marriage amendments; lawmakers basketball; and an end-of-the-world party for freshmen delegates.

Bryan Sears of Patch.com reports that Howard County Executive Ken Ulman, the immediate past president of the Maryland Association of Counties, said counties such as his have already been hit with severe cuts in state aid over the last three years.

VOTES ON GAY MARRIAGE: Western Maryland Del. Patrick Hogan, who was the target of an intense lobbying campaign over the past few days, announced yesterday afternoon that he will not support Gov. Martin O’Malley’s same-sex marriage bill, the Sun’s Annie Linskey reports.

Bethany Rodgers of the Frederick News-Post writes that the bill’s use of the term “marriage” rather than “civil union” was the sticking point.

Thus far, blogs John Wagner of the Post, Del. Robert Costa is the only GOP member of the House to announce his support for the legislation.

As the issue comes before the full House, an AP report in the Carroll County Times attempts to outline where others stand.

Duane Keenan of MarylandReporter.com files a podcast previewing the issues likely to dominate the debate.

O’MALLEY ON GAY MARRIAGE: Gov. O’Malley gave his most detailed explanation to date for the evolution of his stance on gay marriage at the inaugural Baltimore Sun Newsmaker Forum last evening, writes Steve Kilar.

STUDENT ALLERGIES: Maryland’s public schools would be required to have uniform policies for treating students with life-threatening allergies, including having “epi-pens” on hand, under a bill being considered in Annapolis, reports Andrew Schotz for the Hagerstown Herald-Mail.

TRANSIT FUND LOCKBOX: State lawmakers will slap a padlock on funds for much-needed road and bridge projects if several legislators from Frederick County have their way this session, writes Bethany Rodgers for the Frederick News-Post.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: State lawmakers heard a proposal to expand the eligibility for protective orders, adding people in intimate relationships who aren’t married, Andrew Schotz reports for the Hagerstown Herald-Mail. The bill, if approved, would allow more domestic violence victims to obtain protective orders, which are stronger, instead of peace orders.

GARAGIOLA AGAINST GAS TAX: State Sen. Rob Garagiola says he does not support the governor’s current proposal to apply a 6% sales tax to purchases at the pump, Bethany Rodgers reports for the Frederick News-Post.

NO TO CHAUFFEURS: House Minority Leader Anthony O’Donnell, R-Calvert, testified yesterday on a bill he sponsored to stop public officials from using state employees as personal chauffeurs. He also wants to reduce the number of state troopers assigned to transport lawmakers and top government executives, blogs Daniel Menefee for MarylandReporter.com.

RX POT BILLS: Kevin Rector of the Towson Times writes that the use of medical marijuana in Maryland and how a statewide system could legally provide patient access are once again before the General Assembly, with three bills filed in recent weeks — each proposing a very different system for dispensing and distribution of the drug.

REGIONAL UNIVERSITY FUNDING: A battle over funding for six University System of Maryland regional centers has resurfaced, four years after it was first waged, writes Andrew Schotz for the Hagerstown Herald-Mail. Del. John Bohanan again is proposing that six centers outside the university system, including one in his district, get money comparable to what the two USM centers get.

FINANCIAL LITERACY AS LITMUS TEST: “If I were to run for governor, and if I were fortunate to win,” Comptroller Peter Franchot said he would have “a litmus test for any appointment to the state school board” or the local boards of education where the governor still makes the choice. They would have to support a financial literacy course requirement for graduation, writes Len Lazarick of MarylandReporter.com.

SLOTS VOTE COULD BE LEGAL: Giving Prince George’s County voters the power to decide whether to allow a slots casino in the county may be permissible by the state constitution after all, writes Daniel Leaderman for the Gazette.

ROADSIDE FUNDRAISING: As proposed legislation that would regulate how Montgomery firefighters raise money for a charity is being discussed in Annapolis, the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s regional chapter is having a tougher time serving about 600 county families, the Gazette’s Kate Alexander writes.

SCHURICK WANTS NEW TRIAL: Paul Schurick, one of the defendants in the 2010 election night robocall case, said he deserves a new trial. WBAL-TV reporter Jayne Miller says Paul Schurick’s argument is that prosecutors in the case failed to tell the whole story about a key witness.

6^th DISTRICT RACE: Opening a new line of attack in the contentious Democratic primary in Maryland’s 6th Congressional District, state Sen. Rob Garagiola sent an e-mail to supporters yesterday noting that his opponent, John Delaney, had made a political contribution to Republican Andy Harris in 2010, John Fritze reports in the Sun.

Fritze also reports that an internal poll conducted by Delaney’s campaign shows the Potomac financier is gaining ground against Garagiola and is tied in a head-to-head matchup.

The Post’s Ben Pershing quotes a press release from Garagiola as saying, “A financial contribution to Republican Andy Harris is … a sign that Delaney isn’t a real Democrat. This is something Mitt Romney would do.” You can view Delaney’s first campaign ad here.

And Maryland Juice lays the whole controversy out, complete with a Garagiola commercial blasting Delaney’s contribution.

FED WORKER CONTRIBUTION: Federal employees will be required to contribute $15 billion – an additional eight-tenths of 1% – toward the cost of extending federal unemployment insurance, under a tentative agreement struck in Congress that would also maintain the 2010 payroll tax break, the Sun’s John Fritze reports.

COUNCIL DIVERSITY: The editorial board for the Annapolis Capital makes a case for diversity as the Anne Arundel County Council gets ready to replace African-American Councilman Daryl Jones, who was sentenced to prison for failing to file taxes.

NO TO WIND-SOLAR SITE: Citing space issues at the property and residents’ concerns, the Talbot County Council killed plans to build a wind turbine and solar panel array at a Tilghman wastewater treatment facility, and now must return $400,000 in state funds for the project, Daniel Divilio reports for the Easton Star-Democrat.

That lone Republican is Del. Bob Costa, who said, “I think it’s not a state function to decide who can marry,” writes Earl Kelly for the Annapolis Capital. Costa acknowledged his vote may hurt him within his party.

On the House floor, Costa may not be the only Republican backing the bill. Del. Patrick Hogan said he is thinking through some wording in the bill as he considers whether to support it. “I do believe we should provide these rights to all couples. Whether we use the word ‘marriage’ to do that or whether we use ‘civil unions,’ that’s what I’m struggling with,” he told Bethany Rodgers of the Frederick News-Post.

Supporters, who hailed the measure as an advance in equal rights, said they were cautiously optimistic it would pass the full House — where a similar bill died last year after narrowly clearing the Senate, John Wagner and Aaron Davis report for the Post.

Daniel Leaderman of the Gazette reports that Del. Curt Anderson was optimistic about its prospects in the House: “I don’t think this vote would have been allowed to be held today unless [leadership] felt confident that they had enough votes on the floor.”

Should the measure win approval, Maryland would become the eighth state to allow same-sex marriages. Washington state’s governor signed a gay marriage bill Monday. New York passed a similar bill last year, Annie Linskey writes for the Sun.

FARM PRESERVATION: A bill sponsored by Gov. Martin O’Malley that would help save family farms and preserve Maryland agriculture by increasing farm estate tax exemptions met with little opposition in a hearing by the House Ways and Means Committee, reports Justin Snow of MarylandReporter.com.

GAS TAX: Gov. O’Malley is offering local governments a significant sweetener — more money for local road projects — as part of an effort to secure their support for his proposal to apply the state’s 6% sales tax to gasoline, Michael Dresser and Annie Linskey report for the Sun.

The legislation is O’Malley’s answer to questions that have been posed by commissions, business groups and countless state and local officials: How will the state repair its deteriorating transportation infrastructure and how can the state get more money to do what is needed? writes Megan Poinski for MarylandReporter.com.

GOV GRILLED ON GREEN BILLS: O’Malley fielded skeptical questions from lawmakers about three of his top environmental initiatives yesterday as he appealed to them to approve bills aimed at promoting offshore wind energy, limiting development and improving water and sewer systems, Michael Dresser, Annie Linskey and Tim Wheeler write for the Sun.

Pointing to a pie chart on a screen in a Senate hearing room, O’Malley noted that one-third of the nitrogen pollution in the Magothy, Severn and South rivers comes from septic systems, Pamela Wood reports for the Annapolis Capital.

Despite reassurances from O’Malley that additional consumer fees would be capped at $2 a month under his wind farm proposal, a number of senators said they are still concerned that tapping into offshore wind would cost too much, Ellen Stodola of the Capital News Service writes in the Salisbury Daily Times.

John Rydell of WBFF-TV speaks with a Johns Hopkins physician about the cost of wind energy vs. no wind energy.

COULD HURT SMALL BIZ: Fiscal reports released Monday conclude two proposals at the core of O’Malley’s environmental agenda could hurt small businesses, despite previous claims to the contrary by the O’Malley administration, Greg Masters reports for the Post.

MarylandReporter’s Daniel Menefee writes that state Sen. J. B. Jennings said the flush tax increase would hit small businesses hardest based on the proposal’s fiscal note, which reported small businesses would pay up to 250% in flush tax increases.

COUNTIES IN PERIL: Teacher pension shifts and transportation funding are two areas of greatest concerns to counties, says the head of the Maryland Association of Counties, Matthew Bieniek writes for the Cumberland Times-News.

PLANMARYLAND DEBATED: The head of the Frederick County Builders Association and a state official squared off in a public discussion about the pros and cons of PlanMaryland, Dan Dearth writes for the Hagerstown Herald-Mail.

DIGITAL DOWNLOAD TAX: A number of tech company reps met in Annapolis yesterday morning to convince key legislators of the need to defeat the governor’s proposal to extend the sales tax to downloads of digital products, according to the Maryland Chamber Action Network.

O’MALLEY-FRANCHOT FLAP: Daily Record columnist and WYPR senior news analyst C. Fraser Smith joins the Daily Record’s Danny Jacobs to review last week in Annapolis, including the long-running rivalry between Gov. O’Malley and Comptroller Peter Franchot that flared up when O’Malley referred to Franchot as “Maryland’s Mitt Romney.” You can click on the podcast here.

OPPOSED TO PG SLOTS: The Prince George’s County Council is unanimously opposed to the proposed slots bill pending in the General Assembly that could open the door to a casino in the county, Miranda Spivack blogs for the Post.

CASA TAX PROBE: A public interest group that pushes for immigration controls has asked Maryland to investigate the tax-exempt status of CASA de Maryland, a high-profile immigrant rights group that the Immigration Reform Law Institute says repeatedly engaged in political advocacy, breaking the law governing nonprofits, reports Stephen Dinan for the Washington Times.

UNEVEN IN AP TESTING: The editorial board for the Sun opines that while Maryland students overall are doing great when it comes to the Advanced Placement test, the numbers in Baltimore City and on the Eastern Shore are far less encouraging.

6^th DISTRICT RACE: The Post’s Ben Pershing, reporting about a heated Democratic primary contest for the 6^th District seat held by U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, writes that financier John Delaney rolled out a detailed policy agenda yesterday, one day before his rival in a key Maryland congressional race, state Sen. Rob Garagiola, appeared poised to unveil a key endorsement.

BENEFITING FROM BRAC: As President Barack Obama proposed a new round of military base closures and reorganization, Maryland’s political and business forces already are working to protect installations here and position the state to benefit from any future moves, reports Matthew Hay Brown in the Sun.

TRANSGENDER BIAS: After hearing hours of testimony on a bill to ban discrimination against transgender people, Baltimore County Council members said yesterday they would consider exempting public restrooms and locker rooms from the measure, reports Alison Knezevich for the Sun.

Bryan Sears of Patch.com writes that a bi-partisan coalition on the Baltimore County Council is backing an amendment that clarifies provisions governing the use of private and personal facilities, including bathrooms.

BALLOT PREVIEW: Mike Bock of Capital News Service writes in the Annapolis Capital that while President Obama and his Republican opponent will capture national headlines this November, Maryland voters will turn their attention to in-state policy disputes, like 2011′s In-State Tuition Bill, also known as the Dream Act.

FEWER ILLEGALS ARRESTED: The number of people arrested in Frederick County and detained under a federal illegal immigration enforcement program has been on the decline since the sheriff’s office began the agreement in April 2008, Nicholas Stern reports for the Frederick News-Post.

RX POT BILL RETURNS: Almost one year after his concerns prompted lawmakers to quash a bill to legalize medical marijuana, legislation supported by state Health Secretary Joshua Sharfstein was introduced Friday to legalize the drug’s use for seriously ill patients, Danielle Gaines reports for the Gazette.

RELIGION FOR WIND: Pointing to health and environmental effects of air and water pollution from coal-burning power plants, 36 ministers, nuns, priests, rabbis and an imam who live or work in Prince George’s are urging county legislators on the Senate Finance and House Economic Matters committees to support the governor’s revised attempt to get wind power into Maryland, writes Margie Hyslop for the Gazette.

GAY MARRIAGE BILL: Gov. O’Malley said that his same-sex marriage bill could be voted out of a House committee as early as this week, but acknowledged that he’s still a few votes short on the floor, blogs Annie Linskey for the Sun.

LGBT SUPPORTERS: Beneath the monument to Thurgood Marshall with the engraved words “Equal Justice Under Law,” around 800 advocates for same-sex marriage rallied on Lawyer’s Mall on last night, Justin Snow reports for MarylandReporter.com.

About 25 UMCP students traveled to Annapolis for Lobby Day, where hundreds of LGBTQIA advocates meet with legislators from their state districts to urge them to support same-sex marriage and gender-identity equality legislation, Rebecca Lurye writes for the Diamondback.

Meghan McCorkel of WJZ-TV reports that 15,000 postcards will be delivered to members of the General Assembly, urging them to support marriage equality.

Marc Steiner at WEAA-FM hosts Dana Beyer, executive director of Gender Rights Maryland, Cathy Brennan, former board member of the GLCCB’s Political Action Committee, and Baltimore County Councilman Tom Quirk in a conversation about Anti-Discrimination legislation protecting transgender rights.

REDISTRICTING MAP: In Annapolis, bills can be killed when they’re assigned to a committee and nothing happens. For Gov. Martin O’Malley’s state legislative redistricting plan, however, the new map will become law unless lawmakers change it, writes Andrew Schotz for the Hagerstown Herald-Mail. With less than two weeks to go before a deadline, the governor’s plan is looking increasingly likely to become final as is.

NATURAL GAS TAX: Sharp fractures have surfaced in the Maryland legislature over how much to tax natural gas production in the event Maryland allows energy companies to drill for shale gas deep below the state’s westernmost counties, reports the Post’s Greg Masters.

CURRIE DECISION: An Associated Press brief in the Sun reports that Senate President Mike Miller says an ethics committee has reached a conclusion on what it will recommend to the Senate to address Sen. Ulysses Currie’s failure to disclose work he did for a grocery store chain.

Daniel Menefee of MarylandReporter.com writes that Miller said he doesn’t know what the Ethics Committee decided, but the Senate will likely abide by its recommendations, which are expected to come to the Senate floor this week.

ETHICS RULES: The editorial board of the Carroll County Times writes that a recommendation by seven state senators to scale back some of the new ethics rules for local government officials would hurt efforts to increase transparency at a time when many people already have little trust in the government at any level.

FRANCHOT ON GAS TAX ETC. Speaking to the Dorchester Chamber of Commerce, Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot addressed the “odd environment” in Annapolis, touching on the folly of Gov. O’Malley’s plan to increase the tax on gasoline and the economic importance of the Eastern Shore’s poultry industry, writes Gail Dean for the Easton Star Democrat. He also spoke of the need in Annapolis for fiscal responsibility and political compromise.

PRIVATE TWEETS: Senate Bill 434, presented two weeks ago, would make it illegal for schools to force students to make their tweets public or to require them to “friend” coaches or other officials on Facebook. A hearing on the bill, which has bipartisan support, is scheduled for Feb. 29, Chris Korman writes for the Sun.

DRAFT WINE: Howard County restaurateurs want to let patrons take home beer in growlers. Now, one hopes to offer the same option to the wine-sipping set, writes Jessica Anderson for the Sun. Draft wine, as it’s called, is gaining popularity around the country.

SUICIDE PREVENTION: Baltimore and Howard county parents who lost their children to suicide travel to D.C. to speak with U.S. Rep. John Sarbanes about suicide prevention, Lindsey McPherson writes the story for the Howard County Times.

CALLAHAN REMEMBERED: At services last night, friends and colleagues remember former Annapolis Mayor Dennis Callahan, who died at the age of 70. Nicole Fuller writes the story for the Sun.

Ben Giles of the Washington Examiner writes that some Prince George’s County leaders are working to find a way around the ruling.

GAS TAX, CURRIE REPORT: As early as today, Gov. Martin O’Malley is expected to submit legislation to impose the state’s sales tax on gasoline purchases, reports Robert Lang of WBAL-AM, and this week the Joint Legislative Ethics Committee is expected to forward its final report to the Senate on state Sen. Ulysses Currie.

BREAST-FEEDING HELP: For the first time, Maryland health officials are pushing all hospitals in the state to create policies to help make it easier for new mothers to learn to breast feed since they say breast milk is better for a baby’s health and too many mothers are switching to formula feedings, Andrea Walker reports in the Sun.

CURBING CORRUPTION: Recent Maryland political scandals have inspired a flurry of legislation in the General Assembly seeking to clamp down on corrupt public officials. And a special Senate committee is recommending changes to the legislature’s ethics rules, Michael Dresser of the Sun reports.

RESEARCH FOR JOBS: UM College Park President Wallace Loh, in an op-ed for the Sun, writes that about three times each week, an enterprising researcher at UMCP takes a step toward patenting an invention. Each year, that results in the creation of about five new high-tech firms, the kinds of businesses often credited with creating good jobs. But, the school’s goal is to double that rate in the next few years.

TANNING BILL BURNS: Everything isn’t so sunny in the tanning business, writes Sarah Breitenbach for the AP. Over the past few years, Michelle Kilbourne said it seems like the industry’s attacked from every angle. And the latest salvo – a bill to ban anyone under 18 from tanning – could spell disaster for her Arnold-based Tropical Island Tanning.

HONEY BILL: Maryland beekeepers are rallying around a bill that would set a standard for honey sold in the state, Mali Krantz of Capital News Service reports in the Easton Star Democrat.

POACHING IS DOWN: Natural Resources Police are crediting a series of new regulations and penalties, as well as an oddly warm winter, for the lack of illegal fishing activity on the bay, which plagued the waters last year as tons of rockfish were illegally taken, Pamela Wood reports for the Annapolis Capital.

GAY MARRIAGE RALLY: The battle over Maryland’s same-sex marriage bill heats up as supporters of the proposal plan to rally in Annapolis today, Gigi Barnett reports for WJZ-TV.

SEEKING GOP SUPPORT: In search of fresh support for legislation that fell short last year, Gov. O’Malley and his allies have reached out in recent weeks to about a quarter of the GOP members of the House of Delegates, the chamber expected to once again decide the fate of the measure, John Wagner reports for the Post.

TRANSGENDER BIAS: Sun columnist Dan Rodricks addresses Maryland Citizens for a Responsible Government, which he said sounds like a group to join. But, he adds, “my perusal of the organization’s website reveals little more than obsessive concern with transgender people being in society.”

PROOF OF SERVICE: Lower Shore lawmakers are crafting legislation that would allow military veterans to simply point to a line on their driver’s licenses to prove their service rather than have to cart around official discharge papers all their lives, writes Brian Shane for the Salisbury Daily Times. The idea has the backing of Maryland’s lieutenant governor, a veteran of the war in Iraq.

INFORMATION ACCESS: Maryland lags behind other states in making government information easy for citizens to access online, open government advocates said, despite Gov. Martin O’Malley’s push to make Maryland more digitally transparent, Brooke Auxier of the Capital News Service writes for MarylandReporter.com.

TAX BREAK FOR EXELON: Among the many advantages Constellation Energy’s headquarters gives Baltimore — Fortune 500 cachet, hundreds of well-paid workers, millions in charity — is this: The building pays sticker price on property taxes — $745,000 a year. But, writes Jay Hancock of the Sun, you probably won’t be able to say that about its replacement, which Exelon Corp. and developer John Paterakis propose to build at Harbor Point.

BEREANO’S CONNECTIONS: When lobbyist Bruce Bereano was sentenced to a federal half-way house on mail fraud charges in 1999, he did what came naturally – he brought in a carpet, added some comfortable furniture and a good desk, and kept on working. So begins a profile of the state’s most notorious and notable lobbyist by Earl Kelly in the Annapolis Capital.

WHAT’S IN A NAME? The Board of Public Works last Wednesday renamed the Jeffrey Building a half-block down from the State House for Fred Wineland, the longest serving secretary of state in Maryland history. But, writes Len Lazarick for MarylandReporter.com, where did the Jeffrey Building get its name?

HOUSING DEPT. MAKEOVER: The troubled Prince George’s County housing department, which was the center of former County Executive Jack Johnson’s bribery and development schemes, is about to get a makeover thanks to the federal government, writes Miranda Spivack for the Post.

NO TO FINANCIAL LITERACY: The Prince George’s County School Board voted unanimously to oppose a mandatory financial literacy class for high schoolers — the pet project of state Comptroller Peter Franchot — and legislation that would require two and a half hours of weekly physical activity for elementary students, calling both unfunded mandates, writes Abby Brownback for the Gazette.

POORAN IN 6^th: Brian Englar of the Frederick News-Post writes a short bio of Democrat Milad Pooran, who is running for the Democratic nomination to the 6th congressional district seat held by U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett.

DRIVING ILLEGALS: Brian Hughes of the Washington Examiner reports that nearly half of suspected illegal immigrants picked up for deportation under Frederick County’s enforcement program last year were arrested for a traffic violation or driving without a license.

SISTER CITY ON HOLD: Montgomery County has put on hold plans to create a sister city agreement with one Israeli town following news reports of its ultra-Orthodox population skirmishing with Israeli police and assaulting some Israeli women, Victor Zapana reports for the Post.

FORELOSURE SETTLEMENT: Attorney General Douglas Gansler estimates that up to 40,000 Maryland homeowners could benefit from a $960 million settlement from banks for following incorrect foreclosure procedures, reports The Post’s Miranda Spivack,

The Sun’s Hanah Cho reports in a story appearing in the Herald-Mail that the money will be funneled to various housing and mortgage assistance programs.

WJZ’s Kai Jackson has a video version of the story.

CAYLEE’S LAW: Bills to increase penalties for failing to report a missing or dead child that would give Maryland one of the strictest laws in the nation were discussed by lawmakers on Thursday, reports Greg Masters of The Washington Post.

ERVIN GAY MARRIAGE AD: Montgomery County Councilwoman Valerie Ervin is the latest person to star in an online ad pushing same-sex marriage, which will be debated in the House today, John Wagner writes for the Post.

EHRLICH OPERATIVE’S SUPPORT: Joe Steffen, a longtime political operative for former Gov. Robert Ehrlich, supported same-sex marriage – and first lady Katie O’Malley, who called last year’s marriage bill vote-changers “cowards” – on his blog, reports The Sun’s Annie Linskey.

GAY MARRIAGE HEARING: The Washington Times’ David Hill sets the stage for today’s House hearing on gay marriage, which House Government Operations Committee Chairman Peter Hammen suspects will make for a very long day.

WBFF’s John Rydell also previews the hearing for television.

STALEMATE OVER: The conflict for which Sen. Joanne Benson held up a vote to confirm Acting Maryland State Police Superintendent Marcus Brown is resolved, and Benson told Daniel Menefee of MarylandReporter.com that she intends to give him a green vote.

CAPITOL GRIDLOCK: Capitol Hill gridlock on many issues is bad for business in Maryland, executives tell Lindsey Robbins at the Gazette.

DELAYING DEBATE: Over protests of many GOP members of the House of Delegates, an amendment to the House rules giving the Speaker more power to curtail frivolous or delaying debate passed on Thursday, reports Megan Poinski of MarylandReporter.com.

BALCONY BILL: Bethany Rodgers of the Frederick News-Post reports on a bill that would require the state to regularly inspect balconies on apartments, hotels, motels and condominiums to ensure that they are structurally sound.

ARSENIC CHICKEN FEED: Del. Tom Hucker’s hopes that this is the year his bill to ban arsenic in chicken feed becomes law, reports The Post’s Greg Masters.

CHEMOTHERAPY EQUALITY: Legislators heard a bill on Thursday that would require insurance companies to equalize out-of-pocket costs for chemotherapy drugs taken orally and intravenously, according to an AP story in The Daily Record.

WYPR’s Joel McCord talks with Sen. Jim Mathias, whose wife Kathy died last year of cancer. The bill is named after her: The Kathleen A. Mathias Chemotherapy Parity Act of 2012.

Alex DeMetrick of WJZ has a video story, as does Janice Park from WBFF.

TANNING BED BILL: Sen. Jamie Raskin has proposed a bill to ban minors from tanning beds, according to an AP story in the Hagerstown Herald-Mail.

WJZ’s Pat Warren has a television story about the bill.

HUMAN REMAINS BILL: A bill creating requirements for proper handling of human remains was heard by a Senate committee on Thursday, reports the Associated Press’ Brian Witte in a story appearing in the Cumberland Times-News.

PENSION SHIFT: Some county officials and school advocates say they are not far apart on key education spending issues — as long as teacher pension costs are not shifted from the state to local governments, reports the Gazette’s Andrew Ujifusa.

WOMEN’S CAUCUS: The caucus of women legislators in Annapolis is celebrating its 40^th year. “We’ve come a long way, but there is still work to be done,” says the caucus chair, Del. Susan Lee, according to Benjamin Ford in the Gazette.

NO REPUBLICAN ENDORSEMENT: Ever-tax-conscious Comptroller Peter Franchot was the target of a news released insinuating he may endorse a Republican in the 6^th District race, but he told the Frederick News-Post’s Bethany Rodgers that he will be endorsing a Democrat.

KRYSZTOFORSKI WANTS LEADERSHIP: Republican 6^th District Congressional Candidate Joe Krysztoforski said he wants to bring more leadership to Washington, D.C. if elected, reports Patti Borda of the News-Post.

BONGINO ON TV: Former Secret Service agent Dan Bongino, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, is getting prominent play in a Discovery Channel series “Secret Service Secrets,” running Sunday nights on cable.

INTERNET TAX: Taxing Internet sales in Maryland isn’t likely to meet revenue projections and could drive businesses from the state, according to some experts, Dan Leaderman reports in the Gazette.

IMMIGRANT REPORT: The final report of the Commission to Study the Impact of Immigrants in Maryland highlights the positive aspects of immigrants in the state, according to an Associated Press article in The Daily Record.

Megan Poinski of MarylandReporter.com writes that the report recommends any changes to policy related to immigrants be made with honest and sincere discussion and compromise.

BAG TAX: Del. Veronica Turner said that the 5-cent bag tax for Prince George’s County failed a vote in the county’s house caucus because she was ill and could not cast a vote on Wednesday, but pledged to vote for it if the issue comes up again, reports The Washington Times’ David Hill.

FRACKING: The drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus shale deposits might be years off, but there are still bills being filed to deal with it, Margie Hyslop reports in the Gazette.

RURAL CAUCUS: The General Assembly’s Rural Caucus discussed several programs related to farms, pollution, energy savings, and redistricting, reports Andrew Schotz of the Hagerstown Herald-Mail.

WASHINGTON COUNTY RECEPTION: Lobbyists from Washington County put on a reception in Annapolis on Thursday night to meet with lawmakers about their top issues, reports Andrew Schotz for the Hagerstown Herald-Mail.

PLAZA PROTEST: Two companies have now protested a recommended $56 million contract award to Areas USA to redevelop two travel plazas along I-95, reports Jack Lambert of the Baltimore Business Journal.

ETHICS EXCEPTIONS: The towns of Crisfield and Princess Anne will be pleading their cases to be exempt from new state laws on ethics disclosures in May, reports Liz Holland of the Salisbury Daily Times.

JUDICIAL SALARIES, BENEFITS: A proposal to raise judges’ salaries by $29,000 got a cool response from members of the House Appropriations Committee, who must vote on it or let the raises take effect automatically in 50 days, Daniel Menefee reports in MarylandReporter.com.

And the largest state employees union asked the Senate budget committee yesterday to consider broader changes to judicial retirement benefits to bring them more in line with retirement benefits for the average state worker, Len Lazarick and Megan Poinski write in MarylandReporter.com.

BILL HEARINGS: In The Bill Board, Becca Newell of the Easton Star Democrat lists bills that are coming up for hearings today and tomorrow. Just scroll past yesterday’s offerings.

LOCKBOX KEY: The Annapolis Capital editorial writes say a constitutional amendment to block pillaging of the transportation trust fund still gives the governor an out: He could borrow the money if he declares an emergency related to public health and safety, proposes a five-year repayment plan and gets the approval of a legislative supermajority of three-fifths.

TEACHER PENSIONS: Rachel Baye of the Washington Examiner attempts to explain what the proposed shift of burden of teacher pensions from the state to the counties will mean for taxpayers.

CAYLEE’S LAW: Maryland is joining states throughout the country in making it a crime not to report the death or disappearance of children, Jennifer Shutt reports for the Salisbury Daily Times.

REPORTING CHILD ABUSE: Some Maryland state lawmakers hope to impose criminal sanctions on people who do not report suspected child abuse or neglect. Current Maryland law requires reporting but without penalties for failing to do so, Dave Collins reports for WBAL-TV.

Duane Keenan recorded a podcast for MarylandReporter.com about two bills that would do more to require people to report child abuse.

URBAN TAXES: Residents of five jurisdictions in Maryland would pay more in sales or gas taxes to fund transit projects under dueling proposals sponsored by two rural Republican state senators, reports Bryan Sears for Patch.com.

NEW DRUG PLAN: More than 200,000 Maryland state employees, retirees and dependents will switch to a new pharmacy plan as a result of the Board of Public Works’ decision yesterday to award the $2.4 billion contract to a St. Louis-based company, Michael Dresser reports for the Sun.

Budget and Management Secretary Eloise Foster said that, over the life of the contract, it should save the state $100 million, writes Megan Poinski for MarylandReporter.com

PUSH FOR GAY MARRIAGE: Eight Maryland religious leaders make a pitch for same-sex marriage in a web video released by Marylanders for Marriage Equality, the latest in a series put out by the advocacy group, the Sun’s Annie Linskey reports.

FORECLOSURE SETTLEMENT: A $25 billion nationwide settlement with five major financial institutions accused of wrongfully foreclosing on borrowers will bring nearly $1 billion to Maryland homeowners affected by the banks’ activities, Brian Englar reports for the Frederick News-Post.

ICC SPEED LIMIT: Montgomery County lawmakers pressed state transportation officials about why the speed limit on the newly opened – and smooth-as-glass – Intercounty Connector is only 55 mph, blogs Aaron Davis for the Post.

LATER SCHOOL START: Following up an earlier editorial in the Salisbury Daily Times, the Sun writes that Comptroller Franchot is suggesting pushing the start of school till after Labor Day, saying a later opening would let families enjoy the last days of summer together and give a boost to small businesses — especially those who employ summer seasonal workers.

O’MALLEY, FRANCHOT SPAR: Gov. Martin O’Malley yesterday lashed out at a fellow state Democrat for criticizing the governor’s proposal to raise the state’s gas tax, calling Comptroller Peter Franchot the party’s own “version of Mitt Romney,” reports the Post’s Aaron Davis. The attack drew a sharp response from Franchot, who quipped that he was “sorry” if he was getting in the way of O’Malley’s “presidential efforts.”

BOTSWANA AMBASSADOR: Blogging for MarylandReporter.com, Len Lazarick writes about Botswana’s ambassador to the United States, a Morgan State alumna who visited the State House yesterday and spoke about her country.

DECONSTRUCTING JESSUP: The Board of Public Works gave the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services approval to dismantle 14 of the 16 buildings that made up the old House of Correction in Jessup, Michael Dresser writes for the Sun.

HENSON TRIAL POSTPONED: The election fraud trial of veteran political consultant Julius Henson was postponed yesterday because of the illness of the state’s primary investigator in the case, the Sun’s Luke Broadwater writes.

UM LOBBYISTS: With tuition at the University of Maryland likely to increase by at least 3% next year, student leaders heading to Annapolis plan to focus on fighting for the lowest hike possible and advocating for increased student financial aid. They also will back a bill introduced by state Sen. Richard Madaleno that would make textbooks sales tax free for a set period each year, Leah Villanueva writes for the Diamondback.

CECIL & SMART GROWTH: Cecil County’s planning and zoning director says proposed legislation to encourage “smart growth and protect the Bay” would have a devastating impact on local planning, Cheryl Mattix reports for the Cecil Whig.

GROWLERS: Legislation allowing restaurants to sell refillable containers used for draft beer, known as growlers, won broad support from local Howard County lawmakers who agreed yesterday to move the local bill before the General Assembly, Jessica Anderson writes for the Sun.

BAG TAX KILLED: A proposed 5-cent bag tax for Prince George’s County died in a General Assembly committee after it won broad support from the Prince George’s County Council, blogs the Post’s Miranda Spivack.

Jeffrey Lyles of the Gazette reports that Del. Carolyn Howard of Mitchellville, who voted against the proposal, said, “Every time we have an issue or need to solve a problem, there are those who want to use taxes to fix it.”

CAMPAIGN EMAIL: Del. Kathy Afzali sent an e-mail to supporters last month from her state email address in which she highlighted her bid for a congressional seat and asked for campaign contributions, an action that could be subject to an ethics complaint, Katherine Heerbrandt reports for the Gazette.

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: The editorial board for the Sun calls Anne Arundel County’s proposal to make English the “official language” a hostile and empty gesture, and code for demonizing immigrants.

CALLAHAN DIES: Dennis Callahan, Anne Arundel County’s chief administrative officer and a former Annapolis mayor and candidate for county executive, died of a heart attack yesterday morning.