laws and legislation

A General Assembly bill that would guarantee paid sick leave for many Maryland workers has official support from the entire District 21 delegation, but business owners in the region are less united.

Following through on a campaign promise, Gov. Larry Hogan unveiled legislation Tuesday that would repeal Maryland's requirement that its largest counties impose a fee to pay for stormwater cleanup. Critics call it the "rain tax."

By Michael Dresser

Feb 10, 2015

Looking at another vote for repeal of ACA by Andy Harris as Obamacare enrollment grows

By Dan Rodricks

Feb 5, 2015

With about a third more constituents and a lot more territory to cover, Sate Sen. Wayne Norman finds himself with a significantly larger workload since the Maryland General Assembly's 2015 legislative session began last month, compared to his seven prior years as a state delegate.

In an effort to draw attention to the end of this year's enrollment period for health insurance, President Barack Obama met Tuesday with 10 people -- including a Maryland woman -- who wrote letters to thank the administration for signing the Affordable Care Act.

Maryland lawmakers should stop treating pot users as second class citizens

The Mount Airy Town Council approved a budget amendment to allocate $5,000 for the purposes of town staff to conduct a feasibility study to determine the best location and process for constructing a community center.

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said Monday she is seeking General Assembly legislation to crack down on police misconduct — including creating a new felony charge for officers accused of assaults that are now considered misdemeanors.

The Carroll County Delegation of the Maryland House of Delegates will be holding a hearing to gain feedback from the public on proposed county legislation to be introduced during the upcoming session.

Federal workers would be entitled to six weeks of paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child under legislation introduced Monday by several House Democrats – a long shot effort that comes a week after President Barack Obama called for the benefit for millions of Americans.

By John Fritze

Jan 26, 2015

Maryland law discourages successful charter school managers from opening more schools

Reining in the mayor's power

If State Sen. Jim Brochin has his way this legislative session, people convicted of committing crimes with guns will lose the right to get credit for good behavior, and the Baltimore County superintendent of schools won't be able to arbitrarily turn magnet schools into neighborhood schools without approval by the county's House and Senate delegations.

The O'Malley administration's 11th-hour move to curb Eastern Shore farmers' use of chicken manure as fertilizer appears likely to go through, unless incoming Republican Gov. Larry Hogan acts quickly Wednesday afternoon to stop it.

By Timothy B. Wheeler

Jan 20, 2015

It's worth re-examining the balance of power between the mayor and council.

Before two of Carroll County's lawmakers leave to join Gov.-elect Larry Hogan's administration they filed multiple pieces of legislation they hope to pass in the 2015 session.

It was a typical winter morning on the Twitter feed of Eastern Shore television station WBOC: a stream of messages about snowfall and a reminder to download the station's weather app for the latest updates.

By Ian Duncan

Jan 17, 2015

It is wishful thinking to believe that the renewal of diplomatic relations with Cuba will lead to removal of the embargo. Only Congress can suspend the Helms-Burton Act — a law that requires a transition to democracy in Cuba, restitution of confiscated property of U.S. citizens and the absence from power of both Castro brothers.

A new bill introduced by Mayor Craig Moe and the City Council is taking aim at improving the health of city residents, a move Moe said aligns with one of his goals for 2015.

The Baltimore City Council is once again trying to ban most stores from giving plastic bags to customers — only a month after Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake shot down their last attempt at a ban.

By Luke Broadwater

Jan 12, 2015

City Councilwoman Rochelle "Rikki" Spector on Monday introduced legislation to shrink the City Council from 14 members to 12 -- and put those members into four large, three-member districts.

By Luke Broadwater

Jan 12, 2015

Baltimore City Police Commissioner Anthony Batts' voice needs to be heard in the debate over

Reforms under the Affordable Care Act are prompting hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and other providers across the country to look for ways to cut costs. Former Erickson Retirement Communities CEO Rick Grindrod launched a consulting firm in 2013 to help skilled nursing facilities and hospitals set up contracts to participate in a new federal Medicare reimbursement program designed to save the government money.

A federal statute criminalizes and enhances penalties for the distribution of illegal drugs that result in death; however, Maryland lacks such a law. A new law would help state prosecutors deter drug dealers from selling heroin in Maryland by holding them responsible for deaths caused by the heroin they distribute.

The Carroll County delegation of the state's General Assembly had a busy day Tuesday, braving the snow and poor road conditions to meet and greet with the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce over breakfast.

Covering issues from elder abuse and pharmacy regulations to the minimum wage and utility smart meters, the bills were pre-filed before the session's start, and for some represent an uncharacteristically high level of bill sponsorship.

Some consumers had health plans that didn't comply with the Affordable Care Act. After reprieve, they must purchase new plans on health exchanges this year. Many are finding higher premiums or less coverage.

By Meredith Cohn

Jan 4, 2015

The omnibus appropriations bill approved by Congress and signed last month by the president finally closed the book on federal budgeting for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, more than two months late and only after another threat of a government shutdown. Lost in most of the media coverage of this massive legislation is a very significant victory for millions of veterans that will prevent this very type of political gridlock from threatening veterans' benefits during any future budget battles or

Free tax answers at H & R Block Thursday

Among the legislation pre-filed for the County Council's consideration in January is a resolution outlining the next step in a new start for Columbia's Long Reach Village Center.

While our $18 trillion gross federal debt is now larger than America's entire economy, at least as troubling is the nearly $12 trillion in debt that individuals and households have. The statistics are grim. While median assets have declined by a third since 2003 and are below those of 15 other countries, median household debt has nearly tripled during the past 20 years, and the typical American household's debt has exceeded its income since 2000.

Congress needs to close the loopholes in the Patriot Act that give the NSA virtually unlimited power to spy on Americans' private lives

Baltimore hotels would be required to train their staff to recognize signs of forced prostitution under proposed legislation that also would prohibit rooms from being rented for less than half a day.

By Yvonne Wenger

Dec 29, 2014

Ebola aid and help for Maryland VA patients are made possible by recently-approved spending bill thanks to Mikulski

Maryland and its research universities are among the big winners in recently-approved omnibus spending bill

Federal funds target bay cleanup

Changes to the state's charter school law are needed to give parents more options in choosing their children's education

The Senate was speeding toward final approval of a $1 trillion spending bill late Saturday after muscling past opposition from conservative Republicans — an effort that would end any possibility of a government shutdown until next fall.

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers narrowly averted a government shutdown late Thursday night and approved a $1 trillion spending package after a dramatic day on Capitol Hill in which House members in both parties raised objections to portions of the massive spending measure.

By John Fritze

Dec 11, 2014