DREAM Act petitioners meet signature goal and the measure will be on 2012 ballot; Sen. Jacobs crafts legislation inspired by Casey Anthony case; pension commission finishes work; civil and criminal cases on robocalls go forward; engineering firms in scathing audit say nothing was wrong; most redistricting work to take place behind closed doors.
Len Lazarick
Pension commission wraps up, recommends look at COLAs, cost shift to counties
The special state pensions commission wrapped up its work Thursday, recommending more possible changes in public employee retirement benefits. These included shifting half the cost of teacher pensions to local school systems and asking the attorney general to take a hard look at the legality of reducing cost-of-living adjustments for current retirees.
Study calls State Center project a $127 million taxpayer handout
The first part of the public-private partnership State Center project in Baltimore represents a $127 million giveaway of taxpayer dollars with more on the way, according to a new report from the Maryland Public Policy Institute and the Maryland Tax Education Foundation.
Energy savings project approved, despite dispute over World Trade Center
Over protests from attorneys for Veolia Energy and Comptroller Peter Franchot, the Board of Public Works approved a $27 million contract for energy savings measures in several facilities at the Port of Baltimore.
Redistricting for Congress, General Assembly begins
The Governor’s Redistricting Advisory Committee will have several public hearings throughout the state this summer in order to give people a chance to give their input on where lines should be drawn for congressional and state legislative districts.
Leak damages legislature’s phone system
Sometime over the weekend, a leak in the roof of the Lowe House Office Building caused extensive damage to the phone system for many of the offices of the members of the Maryland Senate and House of Delegates. The building is currently undergoing renovations. Some of the phones are not functioning properly and voice mail is out for the entire legislative complex.
State health cost commission to seek exemption from Medicare payment changes
This summer, Maryland will request an exemption from a new requirement by Medicare that hospitals demonstrate their quality of care. The requirement, which involves monetary rewards for those that meet the new standard and penalties for those that don’t, goes into effect Oct. 1.
State employee unions will start collecting fees from non-members
Starting this month, all of the state’s employees who are represented by two labor unions will be paying a service fee to the unions, even if they are not members. The service fees authorized by a 2009 state law range from $161 to $388 a year, and will bring in over $4 million for the unions.
Audit finds ethics violations and contracting problems at highway agency
Some State Highway Administration employees violated ethics rules, failed to fully review contract bids and shifted government funds among contracts without authorization, according to an investigation by legislative auditors released Friday. Contractors also hired state employees shortly after they had approved contracts for the companies.
DREAM Act opponents declare first victory
Opponents of the Maryland DREAM Act say they have collected more than twice the number of petition signatures needed to put the controversial new law on the 2012 general election ballot.
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