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State Roundup, March 19, 2018

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Gov. Hogan, Dems propose taxing insurance companies to stabilize health premiums; where ever it is built, impact of proposed third span to Bay Bridge to draw opposition, favor; House of Delegates OKs bill that would ban sale of animals from puppy mills; Senate OKs stripping state song of designation; Sen. Oaks asks court to dismiss six counts; Congress faces Friday deadline on deciding EPA authority over Bay cleanup; judge ousts talk show host from state Senate race after challenge to residency; and DNR won’t transfer Arundel fairgrounds to county despite request from county exec.

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State Roundup, March 16, 2018

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Maryland Senate unanimously passes $44.5 billion budget with $200 million in new education funding; as gun control measures pass House of Delegates, Senate President Miller pushes committee chair to move bills to Senate floor; bill to allow evidence in court of predatory behavior moves out of committee; in fight against Citizens United, House moves for Constitutional Convention; proposal to legalize sports betting may go to the voters in November; drug, alcohol testing of drivers who cause pedestrian death before Senate panel; Democratic gubernatorial hopefuls line up behind upping renewables standard; and three small businesses in Seat Pleasant sue town over huge rise in property taxes.

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State Roundup, March 15, 2018

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Gov. Hogan calls bipartisan bill to tighten restrictions on gun accessibility, ban bumpstocks “common sense;” lawmakers seeks to make Baltimore City Police Department accountable, transparent; immigration debate heats up in Annapolis; new renewable energy use mandate fails; pipeline protesters arrested in State House sit-in; ‘Maryland, My Maryland’ may be relegated to the b-side; state Sen. Oaks drops entrapment claim; U.S. Rep. Cummings recovering at home; Donna Edwards endorsed by Maryland Working Families in race for Prince George’s County exec; and Hogan attacks potential rival over silence on county officials’ convictions.

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State Roundup, March 14, 2018

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Sen. Kagan, lobbyist Gil Genn roll out video of incident to prove opposing views on inappropriate touching complaint while Kagan says more women have told her similar stories; Sen. Ferguson seeks commission to look into Baltimore Police disgraced Gun Trace Task Force; delegate would like to expand hate crime law to include visual threats; private schools rally for public support; clean water activists to protest Potomac pipeline; Gov. Hogan taps Sen. Norman’s widow to fill out remainder of his term; and after years, Carroll Commissioners pass state-mandated ethics law, but not without tension.

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State Roundup, March 13, 2108

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House committee rejects proposal to prohibit wind farms within 30 miles of Ocean City coastline; state Senate OKs sweeping crime bill, passing it on to the House; Sen. Kagan continues to beat drum for modernizing statewide 911 system; lawmakers look to shield government-held email lists from public information requests; state Senate gives final OK to judicial pay hikes; Frederick County’s challenge to stormwater management mandates to go to court; Sen. Norman’s widow nominated to fill remainder of his term; and a progressive challenges Sen. Zirkin, picks up endorsement along the way.

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State Roundup, March 12, 2018

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Patient bill of right passes Senate Friday, spurred by “patient dumping” incident; lawmakers look to regulate AirBnB type home-sharing setups; vill to allow evidence of sexual predatory behavior has shot in Senate, unlikely to pass House; Virginia lawmakers step up with companion Metro funding bill similar to Maryland’s proposal; Gov. Hogan draws scrutiny over job appointments procedures; conservative think-tank criticizes Prince George’s schools over post-employment benefits; and Baltimore County executive candidates consider raft of school reforms following ex-Superintendent Dance guilty perjury plea.

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State Roundup, March 9, 2018

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Gov. Larry Hogan testifies before Congress on the opioid crisis, urges more funding to fight it at ports and in communities; former BaCo Superintendent Dance pleads guilty to perjury; Senate panel exempts all local jails from state medical marijuana program; House OKs bill to hike top tier of penalty for using cell phones while driving to $500; Senate unanimously passes bill to revoke “gag rule” imposed on pharmacists over pricing; Senate gives initial OK to omnibus crime legislation to provide enhanced penalties for gun crimes, broader wiretapping authority in firearms investigations among others; private Eastern Shore college helps communities to go green; despite Republican candidate’s filing for late Sen. Norman’s seat, local leaders still scramble to find someone to fill out remainder of his term; unauthorized pay hike for Prince George’s schools central office personal plagues gubernatorial candidate and County Exec Rushern Baker; and Carroll commissioner candidate cries foul over Taneytown officials retreat.

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State Roundup, March 8, 2018

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State expected to take in $400 million more in taxes than previously anticipated; Senate panel OKs plan to give more taxpayers relief from federal tax overhaul; Gov. Hogan, legislative leaders embrace idea of federal reinsurance program to offset cost of sickest patients; Republican lawmakers want to overturn ban on some long guns; Washington County sheriff seeks clarification on inmates using medical marijuana vs. federal drug law; former Gov. Glendening says he was wrong about “life means life” sentences; congressional candidate David Trone endorsed by politicians his family donated to; and Baltimore City plans to sue federal government over cuts to programs that helped prevent teen pregnancies.

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State Roundup, March 7, 2018

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A Senate panel unanimously scraps Gov. Hogan’s approach to state tax adjustments; early release of violent offenders for drug treatment called into question; bill would shield some public records of victims of abuse, trafficking; Gov. Hogan, Montgomery Exec Leggett mum on Amazon officials’ visit to Maryland; researchers in Maryland, Virginia find resurgence of necessary Bay underwater grasses; Legislative Black Caucus calls state HBCU settlement offer “woefully inadequate;” Del. McDonough’s emergency legislation to bar state agency heads from running for office as well seen as self-serving; judges restore police officers names to database; GOP quickly picks Jason Gallion to run for late Sen. Norman’s unchallenged seat; and Democratic gubernatorial candidates address issues to enthusiastic Howard County audience.

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State Roundup, March 6, 2018

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Despite questions of constitutionality, state Senate passes requirement for presidential candidates to release five years of tax returns to get on Maryland ballot; following testimony from three delegates who outlined harassment in Annapolis, House Rules panel considers legislation on investigating, penalizing perpetrators; lobbyist accused by Sen. Kagan disputes claims; political science professors urge state to analyze potential impact of the Amazon bill before it passes; lawmakers gather to honor the late Sen. Norman; and Montgomery County political leaders, others gather to call for stricter gun laws nationwide.