What started out as a ho-hum Friday morning session of the House of Delegates became a standing-room only, screaming, cheering, dancing frenzy, as Speaker Mike Busch introduced a special guest: the “Godfather of Go-Go” Chuck Brown. Brown, a Prince George’s County...
Month: February 2011
State Roundup, February 18, 2011
Lots on Thursday’s Senate committee vote approving gay marriage, and what’s ahead for the bill; some keep focused on pensions, another big issue; animal cruelty, voter registration, drug sales to minors, and child abuse bills all heard in Annapolis.
GOP delegates want to throttle Maryland’s speedy implementation of health reform
Republican members of the House of Delegates want to slow down Maryland’s rapid implementation of federal health reform, calling it a potential waste of money now that two federal judges have overturned some or all of the law.
MVA looks to technology to streamline services
Although the Motor Vehicle Administration provides services for millions of Marylanders, MVA Administrator John Kuo said on Thursday that his department’s employees would prefer not to see most of them in person.
Blog: Slaves and Indians: Senators share history in immigration debate
During hours of testimony and discussion about a bill that would allow illegal immigrants living in Maryland qualify for in-state tuition to state colleges and universities on Wednesday, two senators gave brief lessons in history and genealogy.
Sen. Joanne Benson, a Prince George’s County Democrat and retired educator, took on the role of a teacher once again. After a panel of community college administrators and clergy had finished testifying, she quizzed them on the settlement of Jamestown, Va. in 1607, and Christopher Columbus’s “discovery” of the Americas in 1492.
State Roundup, February 17, 2011
Young immigrants offer emotional appeals for in-state college tuition bill; O’Malley defends high-tech startup fund before House and Senate panels; House hearing on gay marriage set for next Friday; meanwhile Sen. Currie says he’ll vote against bill; Franchot blasts Ed Dept over cost estimates of his financial literacy curriculum; opposition mounts to septic system curbs; Harford Dems reject seat on GOP districting panel; and Prince George’s residents grow weary of county reputation.
In-state tuition for illegal immigrants: A dream for some, a nightmare for others
Debate over whether young illegal immigrants living in Maryland and graduating from the state’s high schools should get in-state tuition to public colleges rocked an hours-long hearing Wednesday on a bill proposed by Sen. Victor Ramirez.
Blog: Educators inflated cost of financial literacy requirement, Franchot claims
State Comptroller Peter Franchot had some tough words for the state Department of Education, which said his proposal for a financial literacy course in all high schools would cost $16 million to implement.
“The state bureaucracy spiked this thing,” Franchot told reporters at a news conference before a hearing on the bill. “It’s a phony fiscal note.”
State Roundup, February 16, 2011
The Sun editorial board writes on gay marriage; legislation introduced banning the death penalty; O’Malley pushes septic system controls; Brochin bill would ban reading text messages while driving; O’Malley backs closing finance loophole that helped him raise funds; Cordish files $600 million defamation suit; fishermen divided over netting ban following 12 tons of poaching; and redistricting issue heats up in Harford and Baltimore City.
Doctors, business groups clash with consumer advocates on new health care agency
As Maryland seeks to implement a key element of federal health care reform, doctors, insurance brokers and business groups are advocating less government control, while consumer and health care advocates want more consumer protections and voice in a new state agency.
The groups testified Tuesday on an O’Malley administration bill to create a “health benefit exchange” as a new government agency to deal with health insurance.
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