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Md. legislation would permit partial record expungements
Proposed legislation before the General Assembly would allow people with multiple criminal charges from one incident to expunge the ones that qualify for removal from their record, but prosecutors say the law is cost-prohibitive and comes hard on the heels of last year’s broadening of expungement laws. House Bill 220, introduced by Del. Erek L. […]
Senate easily passes gay rights bill, but House outlook dim
WASHINGTON — Reflecting Americans’ increasing acceptance of gays, the Senate on Thursday approved legislation that would bar workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Gay rights advocates hailed the bipartisan, 64-32 vote as a historic step, although it could prove short-lived. A foe of the bill, Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, has signaled that […]
Committee guts measure to limit ticket surcharges
A Baltimore City Council bill that would have capped ticket surcharges at a percentage of the box office price was changed Tuesday to allow licensed ticket vendors to set the rate freely.
Bill would change health FSA policy
A bill that would allow workers who put money in a health flexible spending account to recover unspent funds at the end of the year, rather than having the funds revert to their employers, has been introduced in the U.S. Senate by Sen. Ben Cardin, a Maryland Democrat, and Mike Enzi, R-Wyo.
General Assembly passes strict gun-control legislation
ANNAPOLIS — Maryland’s already-strong gun laws will become among the strictest in the nation with a measure passed by the General Assembly Thursday, sending the bill to the Democratic governor who proposed the legislation in the aftermath of December’s massacre at a Newtown, Conn., school. The state Senate voted 28-19 for final passage, agreeing to […]
Pit bull measure headed for negotiations
The Maryland House of Delegates has passed a measure to change the impact of a court ruling that designated pit bulls as an “inherently dangerous” breed. The House voted 133-0 Monday to change a Senate bill to reflect how the House wants to address the issue. The difference in this legislative dog fight is over […]
Senate approves budget bill
The Senate has voted 42-5 to approve a roughly $37 billion operating budget, altered only slightly from Gov. Martin O'Malley's initial proposal. In less than three hours, the Senate sped through proposed amendments to the bill and complementary legislation, the Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act, then unanimously voted to suspend the usual Senate rules to also hold a final vote on Wednesday.
Senate decriminalizes pot, but House may be different matter
ANNAPOLIS — The Maryland Senate voted 30-16 on Tuesday to decriminalize the possession of less than 10 grams of marijuana, but the bill sponsor conceded the measure faces an uphill fight in the House of Delegates. “We have a challenge over on the other side from what I understand,” said Sen. Robert A. “Bobby” Zirkin, […]
Lawmakers look to criminalize violent threats
ANNAPOLIS — A Maryland House panel will consider a bill that would make threatening to commit an act of mass violence illegal. Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela Alsobrooks will testify Wednesday in support of the measure during a House Judiciary Committee hearing. Alsobrooks lobbied legislators to introduce the bill in the wake of two […]
Cummings sponsors bipartisan gun control bill
WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Baltimore, joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers in announcing a bill Tuesday to combat weapons trafficking — an issue he said is personal. “It is a painful thing to see your blood splattered on the walls of an apartment,” Cummings said, speaking of his nephew, Christopher Cummings, who was […]
Week in review – 8/17/12
Mechanic’s time almost up The ultra-modern Morris A. Mechanic Theatre, once part of Baltimore’s urban renaissance, could be removed from the city’s Special List for historic preservation next month following a public hearing, clearing the way for its demolition by year’s end. The 45-year-old theater, formerly home to traveling Broadway hits like “Annie” and “South […]
