Catching up on radio feeds from last week, which you can hear on WNAV (1430AM) and WTTR (1470AM), The House Judiciary hearing room was packed as the committee heard testimony on House Bill 90, which would ban the recognition of same-sex marriages from outside of the State of Maryland.
In less than four hours, the governor will be giving the state of the state address at the state house. Jobs and unemployment will be the focus of the address (source: WJZ-TV Channel 13), although it should be noted that the free state is still faring better in the unemployment category when compared with the rest of the country.
Two pre-address activities of note.
The Governor talked to Channel 13’s Vic Carter in an interview that aired last night. He talks about how the same problems from last year are still around him this year and how he is not angry that he has to face those issues.
Also, Red Maryland (disclaimer: I am a contributor) issued a “pre-buttal” to the Governor’s state of the state address; in video form and delivered by contributing editor Brian Griffiths. The Prebuttal deals with many of the key issues in Maryland politics, including jobs, taxes, and the budget crisis. “We know what the people are talking about,” Griffiths said. “We are much more attuned to what Marylander’s are thinking, as opposed to the out of touch Democratic leadership in Annapolis.”
I will be down there covering the state of the state and will post coverage here. Also do not forget that I am covering the general assembly for WNAV (1430AM) in Annapolis and sister station WTTR (1470AM) in Westminster. Listen for my radio reports daily on those stations during the legislative report.
This afternoon, two bills you will probably hear about at some point will be heard by the judiciary committee this afternoon.
The first bill is HB 164 sponsored by Prince George’s Delegate Marvin Holmes (D-Dist. 29C) which will require people with three or more DUI violations to have distinct yellow tags on their vehicles for five years.
The second bill, which you will probably hear a lot about in the coming days as evidenced by yesterday’s edition of The Marc Steiner Show on WEAA (88.9FM), is HB 90 sponsored by Baltimore County Del. Emmett Burns Jr. (D-Dist. 10) which will keep Maryland from recognizing out of state same sex nuptials (domestic or abroad.)
Legislators on State Circle are starting to weigh in on the Governor’s legislative agenda which was released earlier this week. Bills in the Governor’s agenda will address renewable energy, foreclosure, education, healthcare, sex offenders and job creation.
In a video interview with The Washington Post, Governor Martin O’Malley (D) shares his plans for easing health-care reform costs, Maryland’s concerns, and reversing unemployment trends in the state. The interview took place in their newsroom.
This afternoon at the slots commission meeting, the Western Maryland delegation proposed ways to attract a bidder for the license at Rock Gap. The idea that carried the most weight was that the lodge should be included in the bid.
Continue reading ‘Western MD delegation proposes selling Rocky Gap with slots license’
The Assembly 2010 -Radio report for WNAV (1430AM) and WTTR (1470AM) [1:01m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (43)
It has been a while since we heard about Prince George’s Senator Ulysses Currie (D-Dist. 25) who is currently under a federal microscope considering between his elected office and his off-session job with Shoppers Food Warehouse, specifically whether he was hired for his influence on some of the company’s projects. Remember, he did not disclose his position with the company on ethics forms. The Baltimore Sun’s blog says that Currie used his campaign account to pay his legal bills from Miles Stockbridge to the tune of nearly $42,000.
If the name Miles Stockbridge sounds familiar, that was the law firm of choice for former Salisbury Mayor Barrie P. Tilghman and soon to be former Salisbury police chief Allan Webster when they took on Salisbury News Publisher and Maryland Politics Today Eastern Shore Correspondent Joe Albero. Webster’s case was settled in 2008 with no money changing hands. Tilghman’s lawsuit against Albero was scoreboard in favor of Albero (read: she lost). Both sued for the non-normal amount of $9,999.00.
As far as Webster goes, the soon to be former part is due to him announcing his retiring effective this June. WMAR-TV (Channe l 2) says that a feud with current Mayor Jim Ireton had nothing to do with his decision. Last month, WBOC-TV (Channel 16) reported that Ireton asked for the chief’s resignation following several armed robberies and shootings in the city. Guess what the chief said. With Webster announcing his retirement, he withdrew his lawsuit against the city following receiving the first reprimands of his career; while at the same time, Ireton withdrew the four repreimands against the chief (hhhhmmmmmm….)
A press release from Baltimore/Harford Del. Pat McDonough (R-Dist. 7) says that according to a Patrick Gonzalez Poll completed over the weekend, McDonough has the potential to conduct a strong race for Baltimore County Executive.
The press release adds that the poll indicated that the delegate’s name recognition was 44% with 20% favorable and 6% unfavorable. In a match-up with the two leading Democrat contenders, McDonough received 26% with Councilman Kevin Kamenetz (D-Dist. 2) receiving 32% with 42% undecided. Councilman Joseph Bartenfelder (D-Dist. 6) received 32% with McDonough receiving 27% and 41% undecided.
McDonough was thinking about running for governor, but said that he was no longer doing so speaking with reporters at the state house during opening day exercises, citing that he believes that former Governor Robert Ehrlich (R) was going to re-eneter the race. As I tweeted last week from the state house, McDonough says that the signs that Ehrlich is going to enter the race are around him.
The house judiciary committee will hear a bill proposing that those who have had numerous DUI violations be issued yellow tags. Prince George’s Del. Marvin Holmes (D-Dist 29C) got the idea while visiting his native Ohio, when he saw people avoiding one car that had bright yellow plates with red lettering. Holmes later found out from his mother that those tags were to identify repeat DUI offenders.
The proposed legislation (HB 164) that would require the MVA to issue similar looking yellow tags to someone convicted of three or more DUI violations, the violator must surrender his regular registration tags for the yellow tags within 30 days of receiving a notice for each vehicle they own for a $500 fee.
The tags must be displayed for five years. Holmes says that the yellow tags are designed to get similar reaction to that of the ‘Rookie Driver’ program, in that drivers take extra caution around that particular driver.
This will be Holmes second time proposing the idea, with the first attempt being in 2008. A hearing is scheduled for the House Judiciary Committee Next Thursday at 1 p.m.. Del. Holmes says that anyone seeking more information should contact his office.
Radio Report for WNAV (1430AM)/WTTR(1470AM)
ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Prince George’s Del. Marvin Holmes (D-Dist. 23B) will be filing a bill to change how customers to the Maryland Auto Insurance Fund make payments. Currently, premiums for an entire year are paid upfront by the finance company with customers making payments with interest each month. Under the legislation being proposed, premiums would be paid via a model similar to private insurance companies. Holmes is currently seeking co-sponsors for the bill. He has been seeking to change how MAIF is operating since 2006, being the primary sponsor of four similar legislative proposals.
ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Anne Arundel/Prince George’s Delegate Barbara Frush (D-Dist. 21) called the budget present by Governor Martin O’Malley (D) fair but equitable, while House Minority Leader Anthony O’Donnell (R-Dist. 29c) says that the budget does not fix the structural problems with the budget. O’Malley (D) is using a mix of transfers, cuts and hoping on more stimulus money to come from Washington to plug a hole in the budget that is $2 billion big. Frush said that the governor is doing a good job keeping the state on track, citing the top median country and public school system in the country adding that Maryland is doing much better when compared with other states.
O’Donnell had called on O’Malley to not request more stimulus money for the budget on the first day of the session. Speaking to him in his office, he said he did it on principle based on the fact that “our kids and our grandkids are going to have to pay that money back” adding that the federal government could not sustain the current amount of spending. “Clearly, now he had predicated his budget on [stimulus money] and it’s not going to materialize in my opinion.”
As long as other states are asking for stimulus money, Frush said that Maryland should ask for its fair share. “We can’t stand back and say give it to the other states and we’ll just sit here and do without,” she said, “I think if the money is there [and] if every state is applying for it, Maryland needs to apply for it too.”
Here is the report that I foled for WNAV (1430AM) and WTTR (1470AM)
Governor Martin O’Malley (D) unveiled the last budget of his current term in office, one that needs to plug hole that is $2 billion deep.
While there is a $200 million increase for public education included, there are some reductions which includes medicaid payments, bonds for the ICC and a cut to aid for private colleges. (source: WTOP 103.5FM)
The budget is also calling for job cuts and furloughs as well. AFSCME President Patrick Moran tells WJZ-TV (Channel 13) that he is happy that there will not be a whole lot of bleeding as far as the job cuts.
As far as the ‘Hail Mary’ part, the governor is hoping on $389 million of stimulus money through medicaid that is included in the health care overhaul
O’Malley will be presenting the budget to the general assembly tomorrow.
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