RACE AND REGULATION
African American' set for state use
The term "African American" will be used to refer to people of African descent in state laws and regulations under a bill enacted yesterday by the General Assembly.
The Senate voted unanimously to approve the House bill, introduced by Del. Howard. P. Rawlings, D-Baltimore.
The law will not change current language but will apply to racial references in future laws and regulations.
ST. MARY'S COLLEGE
Less aid, more autonomy approved by Assembly
St. Mary's College will receive less state aid but greater autonomy under a bill enacted by the General Assembly yesterday.
Under the terms of the bill, part of Gov. William Donald Schaefer's legislative package, St. Mary's would receive a lump sum from the state as part of Maryland's mandated budget.
As a result, it would be shielded from the kind of budget cuts that have affected public colleges over the past year. College officials would try to gradually replace state money with private funds.
The Senate approved the bill 47-0.
It now goes to the governor to be signed into law.
Meanwhile, the Assembly also enacted legislation approving continued state support of Baltimore City Community College.
SPEED LIMIT
Senate kills bill pushing 65 mph
The Senate killed a bill yesterday that would have raised the speed limit to 65 mph on some rural highways.
Governor Schaefer already had indicated he would veto the measure if it passed, but his legislative staff lobbied senators to defeat it on the floor. It succumbed by a 15-21 vote last night.
"We wanted it this way," said David S. Iannucci, the governor's chief lobbyist.
"We didn't want to put the governor in the position of vetoing it two years in a row."
GROWTH MANAGEMENT
Bill clears Senate, goes to committee
A bill aimed at controlling suburban sprawl has passed the Senate but must go to a conference committee to work out differences between the Senate bill and the House version.
Sen. William H. Amoss, a Harford Democrat, successfully amended the bill yesterday so that it cannot diminish property rights, a change that Sen. Gerald W. Winegrad said would dilute the measure's ability to regulate growth.
Mr. Winegrad, an Anne Arundel Democrat, tried to strengthen the bill by giving the state some recourse against those local jurisdictions that do not adopt growth plans.
Governor Schaefer has asked for the growth-management bill as part of his legislative package this year.