Health care: The General Assembly's last attempt to expand health insurance coverage was struck down in federal court, but several new ideas are likely to emerge this year. Some leaders are looking to Massachusetts -- where lawmakers essentially required all citizens to have health insurance -- for ideas on expanding access here. And O'Malley says he wants to help small businesses band together to provide coverage for their workers.
Voting: The legislature is almost certain to act to reinstate early voting, an idea Democrats tried to enact before the 2006 election but which the courts declared unconstitutional. Momentum also remains strong to require a voterverified paper trail for elections or even to scrap Maryland's touch-screen voting machines in favor of a system that scans paper ballots.
Budget/taxes: The scheduling quirks of Maryland's Constitution give Gov.-elect Martin O'Malley a scant two days after he is inaugurated Jan. 17 before he must submit a budget for fiscal 2008, which starts in July. He has a relatively modest gap to fill through spending cuts or new revenues for 2008, but after that, analysts expect shortfalls of $1 billion or more a year. O'Malley has offered few hints on how he intends to deal with the problem, but Democratic leaders in the General Assembly say they want a comprehensive overhaul of the state's tax structure, maybe this year.
Death penalty: A recent Court of Appeals decision put Maryland's death penalty on hold unless the legislature adopts regulations for how lethal injections are carried out. With the election of several more liberals to the state Senate, it could be difficult for such a measure to overcome a filibuster. O'Malley personally opposes the death penalty.
Environment: Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller pledged last week that his chamber would pass a bill allowing Maryland to join 11 other states in requiring tailpipe emissions standards for cars that are stricter than the levels established by the federal government. The initiative would regulate carbon dioxide emissions, which are not part of the federal standards, and would require a minimum percentage of cars sold in the state to use advanced emissions control technology, a standard that would encourage the sale of hybrids. Environmentalists are also pushing for more funding to preserve open space, and tougher regulations on storm-water runoff flowing into the
Gay marriage: The Court of Appeals is considering whether to uphold a Circuit Court ruling that paved the way for gay marriage. If it does, social conservatives in the House and Senate are poised to push for a constitutional amendment to ban the unions, but it could be difficult for them to achieve the required three-fifths majorities needed in both chambers to put such a measure on the ballot. This is an issue that a lot of Democrats wish would just go away.
Ground rent: Legislative leaders say they want to phase out the state's ground-rent system - arcane laws that in Baltimore have led to residents losing their homes for unpaid bills of a few hundred dollars. Lawmakers and the incoming administration say they will make reform a priority, prompted by a series of articles in The Sun that documented abuses. Ideas include eliminating the system and a prohibition on the seizure of homes.
Growth/housing: The good news is that Maryland was a big winner in a national military base realignment and will get tens of thousands of high-paying jobs in the next few years. The bad news is that all those people will need someplace to live, and that could be a tough challenge, as residents of many communities are tired of growth and many jurisdictions are finding their available land dwindling.
Slot machines: Prospects look dicey for the state to act on an issue that tied Annapolis in knots for the past four years. O'Malley is lukewarm about legalizing slot machines, saying that he would support them to help the horse racing industry but that he is unlikely to press the issue. Miller, the biggest slots backer in the Assembly, still wants them but has said he will wait for the governor to take the initiative. Meanwhile, House Speaker Michael E. Busch, his position solidified by re-election, remains steadfastly opposed. That said, somebody is bound to introduce a slots bill, and many expect a push to package legalized gambling with a tax reform package sometime in the next four years.
Smoking: A large coalition - with the pledged support of nearly half the legislature - is pushing to raise the tobacco tax by $1 a pack on cigarettes to pay for expanding Medicaid eligibility. Additionally, momentum is building for a statewide smoking ban in bars and restaurants. Baltimore is considering a local restriction (Howard, Montgomery and other counties have a ban), which, if passed, could be the tipping point for a measure that has failed for several years.
Transportation: The gridlock-bound Washington suburbs flexed their electoral muscle this year, and some leaders in the region are pushing for a gas tax increase to pay for more roads and mass transit. A lot of the state's debt capacity is being used up by the funding for the Inter-County Connector, and O'Malley may find himself in need of new revenues (such as a gas tax increase) to pay for the roads and rails he wants.