MARYLAND RANKS 7th BEST FOR TEACHERS: Maryland is considered one of the best states in the nation for teachers, according to a recent study. The WalletHub study was published on Monday. It said that Maryland is 7th best state in the nation for teachers. New York was ranked as the best state for teachers and New Hampshire was ranked as the worst state for teachers, Bryan Renbaum reports for Maryland Reporter.
PROTECTING ABORTION ACCESS: Maryland policymakers are weighing legal and legislative action to protect abortion access in light of the enactment of a Texas state law that prohibits abortions as early as six weeks — often before people know they’re pregnant, Hannah Gaskill of Maryland Matters reports. David Schuhlein, a spokesperson for Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City), said that Ferguson is “alarmed” about the Texas law.
PG RESIDENTS URGE REDISTRICTING PANEL TO KEEP COMMUNITIES WHOLE: The Maryland General Assembly’s redistricting commission convened its first public hearing in Prince George’s County on Monday night, where residents urged commission members to keep communities whole in their proposed maps, Bennett Leckrone of Maryland Matters reports.
OPINION: DUELING REDISTRICTING COMMISSION, ONE WINNER: Josh Kurtz of Maryland Matters opines that now that the General Assembly’s redistricting commission has begun meeting, even as Republican Gov. Larry Hogan’s redistricting commission continues to hold sessions, it feels a little like the varsity team has finally taken the field. With all due respect to the other redistricting commissioners.
B’MORE PUSHES STATE ON TRANSPORTATION BUDGET: Highlighting Maryland’s planned $500 million investment in the Purple Line in the Washington, D.C., suburbs and the lack of any highway or bridge stimulus money allocated to Baltimore, city officials urged changes to the state’s proposed transportation budget during a Monday hearing, Colin Campbell reports for the Sun.
INJURED WORKERS FUND FAILED TO COLLECT $15M, AUDIT SAYS: A fund responsible for paying claims for some injured workers failed to collect nearly $15 million in payments from insurance companies and businesses, according to the Office of Legislative Audits, Bryan Sears reports for the Daily Record. Some of the accounts not sent for collection have been delinquent for decades. Those accounts represent a sizable portion of nearly $100 million of the Unemployed Insurers’ Fund’s accounts receivable.
STUDENTS SUE UM SYSTEM OVER VAXX REQUIREMENT: Two students and an employee are challenging the University System of Maryland’s coronavirus vaccine requirement in federal court, saying it violates their rights, Pamela Wood of the Sun reports. All three plaintiffs — two Towson University students and a University of Maryland Carey School of Law employee — say they received religious exemptions from the vaccine requirement. But they claim in a lawsuit that they felt coerced to do so.
FREDERICK COUNCIL CONSIDERS GENERAL ASSEMBLY AGENDA: The Frederick County Council on Tuesday will hear public input about its recommendations for the legislative package the state delegation will bring to the Maryland General Assembly in January. The council’s four initiatives — two of which were proposed in previous years — include issues ranging from vacancies on the county Board of Education and language used in property tax rates to restrictions on buildings used for agritourism and the council’s support for a state climate bill, Jack Hogan reports for the Frederick News Post.
Driving Change: The Future of Transportation: Transportation is being rapidly reformed by technology. Smarter, connected vehicles will bring increased automation, increased driving functions, and safety for both public and private modes of transport. This FREE Webinar on September 28th examines a broad range of related topics from micro-mobility (LEVs) and hydrogen fueled vehicles now on the horizon, to vehicle-to-grid applications and strategies for rapid conversion of bus and truck fleets.
B’MORE TO CREATE SECURITY DEPOSIT GRANT PROGRAM: Baltimore City Council approved a bill Monday that will create a security deposit grant program for low-income city residents — a compromise reached among various city officials after a bill mandating alternative security deposit options was rejected earlier this year, Emily Opilo of the Sun reports. The grant program will provide up to $2,000 toward a renter’s security deposit based on their income.
MOSBY DEFENDS POLICY TO NOT PROSECUTE SOME DRUG CHARGES: “Drug dealing fuels violence in this city right. Guns. Drugs. Murder. That comes with the territory,” City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby said during a community meeting in September. A week later, she’s defending her policy to not prosecute some drug charges while participating in the first meeting of Mayor Brandon Scott’s Group Violence Reduction Strategy, Mikenzie Frost reports for WBFF-TV.
MORE THAN 1,100 HARFORD STUDENTS QUARANTINED: More than 1,100 Harford County students are missing school either because they have contracted COVID-19, are experiencing symptoms of the virus or have been exposed to it, according to data reported Monday on the school system’s coronavirus dashboard, reports James Whitlow in the Aegis.
CARROLL MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS HOME FOR TWO DAYS: Students at Carroll County Public Schools’ Northwest Middle School in Taneytown will learn virtually for two days due to the number of people who tested positive for COVID-19 and their close contacts. Northwest Middle School parents received a letter Monday afternoon saying the school will be closed for all in-person learning on Tuesday and Wednesday, Kristen Griffith of the Carroll County Times reports.
ARUNDEL SCHOOL STAFF, H.S. ATHLETES MUST PROVE VAXX OR GET TESTED: Anne Arundel County Public Schools employees and high school student athletes will have to prove they’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly testing starting Nov. 22, Superintendent George Arlotto announced Monday, according to the Capital Gazette.
MO CO OKs TWO NEW EARLY VOTING SITES: Montgomery County’s Board of Elections approved two new early-voting sites in White Oak and North Potomac at a meeting Monday, with the option for a third additional site if the County Council and County Executive Marc Elrich can reach an agreement with the board, reports Steve Bohnel for Bethesda Beat.
PRIMARY ELECTIONS FOR ANNAPOLIS COUNCIL: It is primary Election Day in Annapolis where six Democratic candidates are looking to claim three seats on the Annapolis City Council. Brooks DuBose of the Capital Gazette writes that polls in Ward 3, Ward 4 and Ward 8 open at 7 a.m. for in-person voting. Voters have until 8 p.m. to cast their ballot or return their ballots to a dropbox. Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked by Election Day.
