A Baltimore lawmaker wants to allow off-duty state troopers to make traffic stops and arrests in the city to back up its undermanned police force.
Del. Timothy D. Murphy, a Democrat, told the House Judiciary Committee yesterday that House Bill 65 would give the state police the same power in the city as in the rest of Maryland.
Baltimore Police Commissioner Thomas C. Frazier opposes the proposal, said city police Col. Ronald L. Daniel. If the state police began independent investigations in the city, it could cause confusion, he said.
Mr. Murphy said he does not envision troopers conducting their own investigations. Instead, he said he hopes his proposal would allow the 100 or more troopers who live in Baltimore to back up the city's 2,900-officer force. Mr. Murphy said the department is about 200 officers below recommended strength and losing more officers every month.
Sen. George W. Della Jr., also a Baltimore Democrat, introduced similar legislation last year at the request of the Baltimore City Council.
Real job proposed for lieutenant governor
If Maryland taxpayers want to save money, they could start by giving the lieutenant governor a real job -- like, for example, secretary of state. That's the idea behind a constitutional amendment proposed by Del. John S. Arnick, a Baltimore County Democrat.
The lieutenant governor, who is paid $100,000 annually, has no responsibilities except those assigned by the governor, which have been historically few. Most recently, former Lt. Gov. Melvin Steinberg was frozen out by Gov. William Donald Schaefer. Gov. Parris N. Glendening has given Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend responsibility for overseeing criminal justice policies.
Mr. Arnick has proposed eliminating the $70,000-a-year, secretary of state's job and assigning its duties -- which include overseeing the publication of state documents and the extradition of prisoners to and from Maryland -- to the lieutenant governor.
Mr. Arnick does not expect the amendment (House Bill 71) to pass this year. However, he said, he will bring it back next year so that it could go before the voters in the 1996 general election.
Jury exemption sought for nursing mothers
State lawmakers are being asked to exempt breast-feeding mothers, other parents and day care providers from jury duty in Maryland's circuit courts.
Several mothers yesterday recounted stories for the House Judiciary Committee of unyielding jury coordinators in Prince George's County who demanded they pump their breast milk or leave their children with neighbors in order to appear for a two-week stint.
In the end, all the mothers said they were excused from service, but only after appearing for jury duty with their children.
They asked committee members to approve House Bill 78, sponsored by Del. Pauline H. Menes, a Prince George's Democrat. It would exempt parents of children under 10 and child care providers serving that age group.
"I'm one of the people who went through one these horrifying experiences," said Lynn F. Watts, whose 2-year-old daughter, Karalee, played nearby on the committee room floor. "I'm pregnant again and due in August and don't want to go through this again."