State Roundup, May 3, 2019

Through her attorney, Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh resigns amid the Healthy Holly scandal, apologizing to the city; Gov. Hogan, others weigh in on Pugh’s resignation; one analysis says Pugh’s lack of leadership throughout her mayorship contributed to loss of confidence from the public; what are the next steps for the former mayor; Jack Young automatically becomes mayor; coalition of Prince George’s, Montgomery state lawmakers ask Board of Public works to delay vote of Hogan’s highway widening plan; public begins to get to know who Speaker Adrienne Jones is; Emerge Maryland emerges as a force to usher Democratic women into office; and court upholds Montgomery County ban on cosmetic pesticides.

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State Roundup, May 1, 2019

In today’s tense race for House speaker, both Del. McIntosh and Del. Davis say they have enough votes to win; progressive groups are warning House Dems that if they vote for Davis, they will face primary challengers; for the vast majority of House members, a race for speaker is uncharted territory; Gov. Hogan signs 174 bills into law on Tuesday, including one to allow prosecutors to charge with murder a person who contracted a successful murder and another loosening rules on craft breweries; former aide to Del. Impallaria fined for illegal robocall; and U.S. Rep. Raskin recounts bout with cancer in calling for Medicare for All.

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State Roundup, April 30, 2019

As race for the speaker of the House heats up, Black Caucus lines up behind Del. Davis, with some dissention, including two who say they heard chairman disparage Del. McIntosh’s sexual orientation; today’s bill signing to feature UMMS transparency bill; two weeks after state releases highway widening, toll plan, affected residents, businesses sound the alarm; Gov. Hogan names new secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services; the latest in the Healthy Holly scandal finds that some donors to Pugh campaign want refunds; a primary candidate for mayor emerges; Kaiser Permanente alerted mayor’s staff she wasn’t truthful about UMMS being only book deal; two more Pugh aides gone from city payroll; and the city council continues to push for major reforms.

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State Roundup, April 29, 2019

As Del. Adrienne Jones removes herself from running for speaker, she throws her support to Dereck Davis, urging Legislative Black Caucus to do the same; but one member, Del. Regina Boyce, resigns from the group; critics blast Gov. Hogan’s effort to widen I-270, Beltway in Montgomery County; court orders state, historically black colleges to continue mediation; as ‘Healthy Holly’ scandal grows, University of Maryland Medical Systems CEO resigns; observers say Mayor Pugh’s ability to forge alliances with rich and powerful led to her downfall; and reform package would allow City Council to remove a mayor from office.

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State Roundup, April 26, 2019

In light of FBI, IRS raids, Gov. Hogan calls on Baltimore City Mayor Pugh to resign, while Reps. Cummings and Ruppersberger stop short of using the word; seven sites were raided on Thursday, including two Pugh homes, homes of aides and offices; UMMS was also subpoenaed; and some say Baltimore City now at a standstill; but in Annapolis, Alderwoman Shaneka Henson chosen to take over Del. Busch’s seat; Legislative Black Caucus fires back at Dem Party chair’s call for Democrat unity over House Speaker replacement, as it seeks to get ‘historic results’ as Comptroller Franchot calls chair’s suggestion ‘a preposterous strategy;’ Baltimore County exec wants legislators’ meeting over speakership to take up school funding as well; Baltimore City board pulls Associated Black Charities contracts; VP Pence to speak at MD GOP dinner; and longtime Baltimore County secretary Tom Toporovich dies at 89.

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State Roundup, April 25, 2019

Dem Party chair warns Democratic House delegates against allowing Republican to have sway over next speaker pick; 12 seek House District 30A seat held by Michael Busch; Board of Public Works questions UM schools’ food service contracts that contain gifts, other provisions; Del. Saab says he inadvertently tweeted two ads; Gov. Hogan commutes Baltimore man’s life sentence; University of Maryland sets up 20-person panel to search for replacement for retiring President Wallace Loh; city inspectors confirm problems with Pimlico Grandstand seating; acting Mayor Young switches out letterhead, fires three Pugh aides on leave; and new documentary takes fresh look at history of Columbia.

State Roundup, April 24, 2019

In New Hampshire speech, Gov. Larry Hogan criticizes President Trump, saying he attempted “to obstruct justice,” slams RNC for loyalty to Trump, but says he is still testing the waters in primary challenge to him; however, Hogan is mastering the details of a presidential candidate; Republican members of the House of Delegates seek leverage as Dems weigh next Speaker; meanwhile, progressive groups urge Dems to stick to Dem caucus pick; Baltimore acting Mayor Young says he would “hate to see” Mayor Pugh return from leave; charity that helped Pugh secure $80,000 in Healthy Holly book sales set to receive $14 million in city contracts; Frederick County seeks ways to preserve farms and farmland; and Baltimore Sun reporters seeking pay raises.

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State Roundup, April 23, 2019

University System of Maryland regents OK tuition hikes; as legislature prepares to return to Annapolis to pick the next speaker, House Republicans seek a bigger role in choosing speaker and progressive groups push for more term limits, transparency in the House of Delegates; former Frostburg student sues school, state over measles vaccine requirement; Gov. Hogan’s in New Hampshire for must-attend event for presidential hopefuls; John Delaney lags behind in donors; President Trump sues U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings over subpoena for financial documents; study finds Baltimore County police destroyed twice as many rape kits than first reported; boutique co-owned by Baltimore Mayor Pugh shuttered in December; and Sheila Sachs, noted attorney and wife of former Md. attorney general, dies at 78.

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State Roundup, April 22, 2019

Maryland’s unemployment rate ticked up slightly to 3.8% in March; bill would provide protections to student loan borrowers who have complained of predatory behavior from loan servicers; smoking, vaping age to rise to 21 in October; Johns Hopkins University to prep for yearslong rollout of private police force; Carroll delegation celebrate bringing home capital funding for local projects; Gov. Hogan attends event in New Hampshire; UMMS directors helped fund then Sen. Pugh’s run for Baltimore mayor; city councilman proposes ethics bills; review of University of Maryland Regents finds lack of leadership, transparency; and Howard County population grows almost 13% in eight years.