In a flurry of activity to meet Monday’s deadline for bills sent to the Senate for action, the House of Delegates passed over 210 bills since Friday, most of them with unanimous or near unanimous votes.
Read MoreState officials are working to make sure people being released from prison will sign up for benefits during the 2014 Medicaid expansion.
When the enrollment date for individual health plans rolls around in October, former inmates will also be eligible for health plans offered in state health care exchanges, another part of the “Obamacare” Affordable Care Act implementation. But health advocates say that at best it’s more likely they’ll be signing up for Medicaid, because of their low incomes.
Read MoreVoters next year will be asked to approve a constitutional amendment creating a “lockbox” to prevent raids on the Transportation Trust Fund for other purposes, but Republican opponents said the measure was a sham that would provide little protection. The measure provides that money can only be taken out of the Transportation Trust Fund after a three-fifths vote of both houses of the Maryland General Assembly once the governor has declared a state of “fiscal emergency.”
Read MoreA $36.9 billion state budget for fiscal 2014 easily passed the House of Delegates and state Senate Friday, with less Republican opposition than last year. The budget raises overall spending 3% and is $500 million less than Gov. Martin O’Malley originally proposed, largely by setting aside funds in case federal budget cuts impact state revenues.
Read MoreDuring floor debate over the state budget, the Maryland House of Delegates rejected an amendment that would restore $1.1 billion in funds that had been taken from highway user revenues to pay the state’s bills during budget shortfalls since 2003. Del. Susan Krebs, R- Carroll, who introduced the amendment, argued Wednesday that the state had an obligation to restore these highway revenues before asking motorists to pay additional tolls and gas taxes.
Read MoreConsidered “the most endangered Republican incumbent in the nation” by Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball team, 10-term Rep. Roscoe Bartlett met with Democratic challenger John Delaney for their sixth and possibly final debate of the election season Sunday in Frederick.
Playing to an audience of roughly 100 people, Delaney at times sounded like he was trying to make a case for Mitt Romney’s presidency, perhaps trying to appeal to independent and Republican voters. Bartlett probably reminded some of why he is so vulnerable.
Read MoreThe House of Delegates on Wednesday approved Gov. Martin O’Malley’s congressional redistricting map exactly as he had proposed, despite fierce opposition by Republicans and some minority groups.
The vote was 91-46, with five minority Democratic delegates from the Washington suburbs joining all 41 Republicans voting against it
Read MoreTwo bills would offer some property tax relief by capping increases on owner-occupied homes at 5%, and allowing business to pay property tax bills in two installments, as homeowners can now do.
Read MoreA constitutional amendment that would lock down the money in the transportation trust fund was supported by lawmakers, local officials, business people and petroleum lobbyists – but financial analysts and some delegates questioned why such a measure is needed.
The bill, proposed in the House by Del. Susan Krebs, was debated in front of the House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday afternoon. Krebs, a Carroll County Republican, said that there are myriad transportation needs in the state, and not always enough money to make them happen. Proceeds of the transportation trust fund, which was created in 1971, are meant to be spent solely on transit needs.
Read MoreBy Erich Wagner [email protected] The House passed the state’s capital budget Wednesday, despite Republican allegations that the House Appropriations Committee improperly added projects at the last minute. Del. Susan...
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