ANALYSIS: HOW LEGISLATORS FARED IN ANNAPOLIS: Only 40 out of the 188 legislators in the Maryland General Assembly passed at least 50% of bills they introduced, and the average success rate for passing bills was 30.6%. Ten lawmakers passed every bill for which they were the primary sponsor. While some legislators were able to pass multiple bills, others struck out in their attempts and a few didn’t introduce any legislation. Daniel Oyefusi and Jake Gluck of the Capital News Service analyze the numbers in this article in MarylandReporter.
OPINION: WAGE HIKE NOT UNREASONABLE: The editorial board for the Frederick News Post opines on the state’s new minimum wage law, which will – in six years – be $15 per hour, defending the law and writing that a living wage must be there for those working full time and income disparities must be addressed.
ABORTION RIGHTS RALLIES IN MARYLAND: Supporters of abortion rights plan rallies today in Maryland as part of a national movement against abortion bans. Pamela Wood of the Sun writes that the rallies, which are using the social media hashtag “#stopthebans,” are aimed at raising awareness of state laws being passed around the country that restrict or ban the medical procedure that ends a pregnancy. Dozens of organizations are supporting and promoting the rallies.
IMPALLARIA ON THE HOT SEAT: Pamela Wood of the Sun follows up on Red Maryland’s blog about Del. Rick Impallaria being asked to resign by the Maryland Republican Party. Impallaria, who has represented a district that includes parts of Harford and Baltimore counties since 2003, said Monday he was not bothered by the resolution. He said it’s up to his constituents to decide whether he stays in the General Assembly.
OPINION: RESEARCH SAYS JHU POLICE BIAS WILL OCCUR: Dr. Adam J. Mila, a Baltimore native and former JHU student, tells what it is like being a researcher, a student of color on the campus and being stopped by police during the course of his work. He writes about the General Assembly’s passage this year of legislation to allow the university to have an armed police presence, concluding, “When community members and students at JHU say black and brown students will be the victims of unnecessary, unwanted and unfair policing, I believe them, and I stand with them.”
COALITION CLAIMS TOWN SHUTTING DOWN PUBLIC COMMENT: Eight months after Anton Black died in police custody on the Eastern Shore, an activist community coalition has filed a complaint with a state oversight board alleging that the Greensboro Town Council is trying to silence public comments and limit oversight of the case’s handling. According to the coalition’s complaint to the Maryland Open Meetings Compliance Board, Greensboro Town Manager Jeanette DeLude said that the council had changed its public comment policy to require speaker to obtain prior approval, Catherine Rentz of the Sun reports.
TAKES HIKES FOR BALTIMORE COUNTY: There’s no way around it. Tax hikes are coming to Baltimore County. But the specifics are still being worked out days before the Baltimore County Council is set to vote on them, John Lee reports for WYPR-FM.
- Late last week, Lee reported that Thursday afternoon’s meeting of the Baltimore County Council had broken out into partisan warfare over the county budget proposed by Executive Johnny Olszewski. It was a classic fight over tax hikes, new schools and budget cuts.
OPINION: MOHLER DEFENDS BA CO BUDGET: Former Baltimore County Executive Don Mohler, in an op-ed for Maryland Matters, defends current Executive Johnny Olszewski’s proposed budget, writing that it “represents a courageous effort to address the county’s fiscal challenges. He has operated with an unprecedented level of transparency, fought for increased accountability, and made the right decisions to put the County’s fiscal house in order.”
Recent Comments