Category: Uncategorized

House OKs creation of Prescription Drug Affordability Board to set limits on state, local government payouts for medications for its employees; Montgomery lawmaker to yank bill that would allow development at unused portion of Baltimore County cemetery; UMMS official face wrath of House committee over board of directors “self-dealing,” promising audit of its board relationships; numerous red flags were evident at UMMS; as Mayor Catherine Pugh gets ready for re-election bid, her earlier claims and promises come back to haunt; and just where are all those ‘Healthy Holly’ books anyway?; and Supreme Court set to hear Maryland, N.C. gerrymandering cases on Tuesday.

Gov. Hogan signs many bills, including rewrite of public integrity law and ones to give tax breaks to manufacturers and some commercial developers in Arundel; also passing were bills to stop price gouging by drugmakers and to fight opioid crisis, while other progressive bills failed including cleaning up medical marijuana program and preventing child marriages; Black Caucus calls for special session to fix medical marijuana program; many laud session for its bipartisanship; poll finds Hogan 2nd most popular governor in country; Atty Gen Frosh sees his power expanded; and as Comptroller Franchot seeks to overhaul state’s “outdated” liquor laws, Guinness likely to return to Annapolis to seek more beer selling concessions.

In less than a year, three Exelon-owned power companies have filed petitions with the Public Service Commission of Maryland to raise the price of electric bills. After Baltimore Gas and Electric Co.’s rate adjustment was granted in June, Delmarva Power and Pepco now seek to raise their prices, citing millions of dollars invested into improving their electric systems and services during the past few years. However, many, including Montgomery County councilmember Roger Berliner, said they believe these rate adjustments are unwarranted and will disproportionately affect lower-income residents already struggling to pay bills.

Hogan tax cut efforts spurs administration to back away from two efforts to stop air pollution; hospitals ask regulators to allow bigger rise in rates; Annapolis City attorney joins Hogan administration; and Frederick County’s Bud Otis attacked for leaving ‘mean-spirited’ GOP.