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State Roundup, September 9, 2019

Speaker Jones appoints 2nd in command, changes up House leadership, committee assignments; Maryland’s young medical marijuana industry growing dramatically with new patients, anticipated legalizing recreational marijuana; despite concern, workgroup includes teacher salary hikes in ‘foundation’ formula; August was fourth best month for casinos – but not for Horseshoe; Ben Jealous isn’t running for mayor, but will he run for governor?; law professors urge court to revisit Maryland’s emoluments lawsuit; sex assaults in Montgomery draw White House attention to undocumented residents, sanctuary policy; state removes signs for Negro Mountain; and Bowie mayor retiring after 21 years, leaving field wide-open..

State Roundup, September 6, 2019

First Purple Line track laid; Hogan downplays disagreement with PA over Chesapeake Bay cleanup; pension system responds to critique; Astate employee union is facing a lawsuit seeking to recoup up to $7 million the union collected from state employees without their permission; feds meet on rural broadband access; Kirwan education committees debate funding; opioid crisis continues; protesters gather on commissioner-led prayers in Carroll; Hogan complains about Baltimore city schools not having AC; Jealous won’t run for city mayor; judge denies Balt Co development; delegate vacancies; art center will be renamed for late Speaker Mike Busch

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State Roundup, September 5, 2019

Gov. Hogan wants administrative law judges to handle financial settlements for five wrongfully convicted, but others on Board of Public Works, group of delegates say BPW should; as more restaurants use unregulated CBD products in drinks and food, former medical marijuana commissioner raises alarm; Treasurer Nancy Kopp is asking state officials to present a “coherent plan” for maintaining state buildings; $66.5 million cut from Maryland military facilities to help pay for President Trump’s border fence; D.C. suburbs to face major crisis in shortage of affordable housing; Kushner Cos. rejects state settlement over rental housing practices, calling complaint political; and is aide to U.S. Rep. Andy Harris running for Cecil County exec?

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State Roundup, September 4, 2019

Queen Anne’s business, environmental leaders join in opposition to Gov. Hogan’s third Bay Bridge span; elections officials reassure congressional lawmakers after concerns raised over vote integrity; foreseeing a call for more feasibility studies, Stadium Authority raises upper limit of consulting contract; state lawmakers are pressing Ed Secty DeVos for more clarity on student debt foregiveness program; state court rules that child in state care can be immunized despite parents’ religious objections; St. Mary’s schools are cracking down on student smoking, vaping; Prince George’s County Council using ‘text amendments’ to circumvent zoning rules; Charles County community upset over superintendent’s $17,000 salary hike, lifelong health benefits; and Taneytown driver charged in damage to Town Hall.

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State Roundup, September 3, 2019

Jurisdictions scramble for teachers as these careers in Maryland turn into revolving doors; SHA returns to BPW to seek contract OK for traffic monitoring device that has some concerned about privacy issues; post-Labor Day beach commute expected to be terrible as state continues to ponder new Bay Bridge span; UM Regent dies amid her medical malpractice lawsuit; more jurisdictions consider banning balloon launches; Baltimore Sun reporters on byline strike over contract negotiations; Carroll County drops opioid suit as it gets moved to federal court, will use $400,000 in grants to attack crisis on front line; driver rams into Taneytown City Hall; and Beverly Powell, former BGE lobbyist turned legislative reviewer, dies at 81.

State Roundup August 30, 2019

Gov. Larry Hogan alarmed about Pennsylvania’s Chesapeake Bay plan; nearly 200 people nationally sick from vaping; child porn laws apply to self-produced teen video; workgroup considers school construction funding changes; residents near Bay Bridge react to planning; Carroll to settle meeting prayer case; statewide balloon release bill planned; disability rights activist to apply for delegate; union gives fans to Baltimore teachers with no AC; Trone meets with Garrett officials; Hogan announces opioid grants; MTA starting new Guinness bus route; Baltimore gag order case won’t go to Supreme Court

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State Roundup, August 29, 2019

Gov. Hogan says he’ll only approve plan to add third span to Bay Bridge, drawing criticism from some; Bay dead zone among the largest seen in 35 years; while state revenue is up, Comptroller Franchot urges caution in spending; state denies two solar farm permits slated for Carroll County; Queen Anne’s officials pass law making balloon releases illegal; vaping-related lung illnesses hit Maryland as five are hospitalized; Montgomery County approaches Amazon to see if fulfillment center would fit; while feds sue Baltimore County over discrimination in police testing; test is common in area; $800,000 in federal funds to go toward oyster habitat restoration; presidential hopeful John Delaney fails to make latest round of debates; and Bread and Roses candidate Jerome Segal to run for president.

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State Roundup, August 28, 2019

State’s new options for Bay bridges – all are in Anne Arundel County – spark concerns for Arundel officials; Baltimore delegate asks attorney general to investigate whether the Maryland Racing Commission has improperly awarded public subsidies to the state’s biggest racetrack owner; PARCC scores for Maryland students up in English, down in math; at National Governors Association confab, Gov. Hogan touts transportation projects; upper bay crabbers say catch is suffering; and following ruling tightening Open Meeting Law, St. Mary’s official says his county is Open Meeting Law compliant.

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State Roundup, August 27, 2019

With Maryland’s new law attempting to curb puppy mills set to go into effect, pet stores are suing the state, claiming it is unconstitutional; Maryland state pensions returning below benchmarks; judge’s ruling in suit against companies in opioid crisis may bode well for suits brought by Maryland jurisdictions; two hopefuls to vie for Del. Lafferty’s seat as he takes post with Baltimore County; state Sen. Sallings denies tweet calling U.S. Rep. Omar ‘illegal;’ after meeting with Gov. Hogan, city reps are confident state will aid with crime problem; months before President Trump ‘rat-infested’ slam at Baltimore city, White House tried to kill rat-elimination funding; and city Republicans jump into race for Baltimore mayor.

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State Roundup, August 26, 2019

Governors from Maryland, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire to meet over transportation issues; capital region drivers have 3rd worst commute in country; Comptroller Franchot mounts soft run for governor, for now; state to expand apprenticeship program; MSEA poll finds 94% of teachers spend their own money on school supplies and 50% work a second job to make ends meet; BSO, management remain split over contract; blast that destroyed chunk of building in Columbia held Social Security field office; months after Baltimore City computer hack, Ethics Board website finally back up; and officials from Baltimore city and Prince George’s and Montgomery battle it out on court.