Len Lazarick, Author at MarylandReporter.com

Legislators pushing for video of floor sessions say costs inflated

The conservative Republican and liberal Democrat pushing together for video streaming of General Assembly floor sessions also agree that the estimated costs are far too high. In the fiscal note to House Bill 316, legislative staff estimates it would cost $1.2 million to install and operate next year, and then over $400,000 per year to staff and maintain the system. “With modern technology you can do it for much, much less,” House Minority Whip Kathy Szeliga told the House Rules Committee Friday.

Rebranding Mount St. Mary’s

If you believe that all press is good press, Simon Newman is a marketing genius. The new president of Mount St. Mary’s in Emmitsburg has managed to attract national attention for his university with a single turn of phrase.

State Roundup, February 15, 2016

Senate Pres Miller blames raft of nastiness directed toward dems on Gov. Hogan social media blast of latest veto override; Hogan eyes drone detection technology to stop their use in prison drops; family targets Del. Vallario as it pushes for new drunk-driving legislation; legislation to allow cameras in sentencings dies in committee; Carroll lawmakers hope to restrict abortions to 20 weeks; Baltimore City, Arundel County take gripes with liquor boards to Annapolis; Olney resident Pamela Queen tapped to replace Zucker in House of Delegates; and the Congressional Black Caucus PAC won’t endorse U.S. Rep. Edwards for Senate.

Seizure of cash, property by police in drug crime would get harder

A proposal to reform the process by which police seize property like cash and cars from suspected criminals in drug cases is pitting law enforcement against civil liberties groups. Sen. Michael Hough, a Frederick Republican, told the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee during a hearing Thursday that current procedures contradict constitutional protections such as due process.

Rascovar: Procurement clash may be coming

First, the good news: Gov. Larry Hogan last week created a 19-member commission to come up with ways to fix Maryland’s maddeningly inefficient system for purchasing $7 billion worth of goods and services each year. Here comes the bad news: This group may wind up trying to re-invent the wheel because state legislators appear ready to pass legislation, based on three years of study, that could dramatically change state purchasing practices.

S.C. GOP debate: Free for all, Trump v. Bush, Rubio comes back, Kasich aggressively moderate

It is hard to say how the South Carolina or national electorate will react to the debate, but they should be stronger for Marco Rubio, John Kasich and Jeb Bush, in that order. Donald Trump sounded like Bernie Sanders on Iraq, and John Kasich called the Trump-Bush dust-up “crazy, just nuts.” Commentary by Rick Vatz and Len Lazarick.

State Roundup, February 12, 2016

Online fund-raising by state lawmakers could be in violation; Gov. Hogan seeks funds for vacant housing teardowns statewide; activists pushing to make rental evictions harder; tax breaks could bring more manufacturers into Maryland; food truck owners seek to streamline permitting statewide but restaurateurs cry foul; bill would end use of live animals for surgical training at Hopkins; Montgomery County weighs in for moving public notices away from hard copy newspapers; and 6th Congressional District candidate targets incumbent Delaney for not living in the district.

Limits proposed on standardized school testing — 2% of class time

Instead of waiting for a state commission to finish studying overtesting in Maryland’s public schools, legislators working with teachers and parents are pushing a standardized testing limit of 2% of annual instructional time. Organizations representing school superintendents and school boards across Maryland are urging lawmakers to reject the proposal, HB141, and wait for the testing commission’s initial recommendations due July 1.

State Roundup, February 11, 2016

Despite court ruling on assault weapons, top Dems return to Annapolis with new laws to curb gun use; Gov. Hogan sets up panel to reform state procurement process; Senate seeks stronger role in naming state school superintendents; applications for medical marijuana dispensaries are cut; committee begins to address new lyrics to state song; Howard County delegation addressing perceived lack of transparency in its local school system; and filling Sen. Zucker’s former delegate seat now an issue.

Advocates push for phase out of subminimum wages for workers with disabilities

Disabilities rights groups called on lawmakers Wednesday to support a bill that would eventually eliminate a sub-minimum wage law that discriminates against employees with disabilities. The bill, referred to as the Ken Capone Equal Employment Act, HB 420, would prohibit the Commissioner of Labor and Industry from allowing sheltered workshops and work activities center employers to pay workers with disabilities less than the minimum wage.

Len Lazarick

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