“Shame on them for not doing the people’s work in the time frame that they had… They raise our taxes, we put less food on the table," said a Carroll County protester. Senate President Mike Miller says, “It would have been nice if we could have got it done in the 90-day session.” [...more]
Republican legislators and conservative groups are mounting a campaign against a special session of the legislature to raise taxes, as teachers and public employees advocates are organizing to bring the lawmakers back to Annapolis to do just that. [...more]
The House of Delegates approved their version of the state’s $35.8 billion budget Friday, moving the process into its final stage to resolve differences with the Senate. The budget bill was approved 95-43, but not before Republican lawmakers attempted one last time to derail its passage. [...more]
In a nearly 11-hour session, the House of Delegates fended off proposals to level fund the fiscal 2013 budget, block shifting teacher pension costs, and eliminate an income tax hike. Scores of amendments were attempted on the controversial bills, but none passed. All of the bills will go for final votes Friday or Saturday exactly as they came from their committees. [...more]
The House of Delegates passed pay increases of up to $14,500 for Maryland judges Tuesday in an 84-47 vote. The delegates were convinced they were out of time to get the Senate to agree to a smaller increase of $4,800, before an automatic $29,000 raise took effect on Thursday. [...more]
Republicans are again trying to curb public benefits for illegal immigrants, as they have repeatedly in past years, against the continued opposition of social service groups. [...more]
After just over an hour of debate on Friday afternoon, the House same sex marriage bill was ready for a final vote, scheduled for Friday evening. Amid reports that 200 potential amendments to the polarizing legislation had been drafted, only five were actually offered during the afternoon session and only one passed. [...more]
A change to the House of Delegates to curtail “dilatory or frivolous” conduct was approved Thursday morning, but not without rounds of objections from the chamber’s Republican minority. [...more]
Members of the Save Our State Coalition are hoping that putting problems caused by tight budgets on display will encourage the legislature to raise taxes. Gov. Martin O’Malley began talking about a one-cent sales tax increase he may be proposing, his first mention of such an increase. [...more]
Legislative leaders Thursday night embraced a “balanced approach” to balancing next year’s state budget, recommending that the governor halve the ongoing billion-dollar deficit using both unspecified spending cuts and possible tax hikes. [...more]
