Law student wins unusual motion before Duke-UNC game
Welcome to Monday, the 54th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.‘s assassination. Here are some other news items. — Law student wins “motion” to extend assignment deadline so she could watch her beloved Tar Heels. — Colorado Supreme Court says phrase “with intent to harasss” in anti-cyberbullying law violates free speech. — Elon Musk’s attorne[...]
Richard Montgomery High School wins 2019 mock-trial championship
ANNAPOLIS – Richard Montgomery High School defeated Baltimore City College Friday to win the Maryland 2019 high school mock-trial championship after a two-hour battle at the state’s highest court on a subject all-too familiar to the battling teens: cyberbullying. The Rockville team represented the “prosecution” in charging a student, “Biff Tannen,” with having harassed her […]
Hogan signs bill expanding protections against cyberbullying
ANNAPOLIS – Gov. Larry Hogan on Thursday signed into law legislation to expand Maryland’s prohibition on the cyberbullying of youngsters, as parents of a teenager driven to suicide by online harassment stood behind him. The expanded law, dubbed Grace’s Law 2.0, will outlaw a one-time online bullying incident conducted with the perpetrator’s knowledge that his […]
Lawmakers hail bills barring cyberbullying, child porn, violence against pregnant women
ANNAPOLIS – The Maryland General Assembly this year addressed the dangers posed by social media and increasingly realistic computer graphics in passing legislation to expand protections against on-line bullying of youngsters and to prevent child pornography in the digital age. The legislature, in the 90-day session that ended Monday, also enhanced penalties for violent acts […]
House passes expansion of anti-cyberbullying law
ANNAPOLIS – The House of Delegates passed legislation Thursday to expand Maryland’s law against the cyberbullying of youngsters. The House’s 137-0 vote followed the Senate’s 45-0 passage last month of a substantially similar measure that would outlaw a one-time online bullying incident conducted with the perpetrator’s knowledge that his or her single post would probably […]
Senate passes anti-cyberbullying expansion; attention shifts to House
ANNAPOLIS – The Senate on Thursday morning passed legislation to expand Maryland’s law against the cyberbullying of youngsters, as the mother of a teenager who killed herself after being bullied online looked on. After the Senate’s 45-0 vote, attention shifted to the House of Delegates, where the Judiciary Committee heard testimony Thursday afternoon on cross-filed […]
Senate gives initial OK to anti-cyberbullying expansion
ANNAPOLIS – The Senate on Tuesday gave preliminary approval by voice vote to a bill that would expand Maryland’s law against the cyberbullying of youngsters. Senators could vote as early as this week on final passage of the legislation, which would outlaw a one-time online bullying incident conducted with the perpetrator’s knowledge that his or […]
Cyberbullying bill draws free-speech concerns from ACLU
ANNAPOLIS – Legislation to expand Maryland’s law against cyberbullying of youngsters drew criticism Tuesday from a free-speech advocate, who was in the unwelcome position of testifying after parents whose teenage daughter was driven to suicide by online harassment. “My heart goes out to the families,” David Rocah, senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Maryland, […]
Juvenile justice reform at top of 2019 General Assembly agenda
The 2019 Maryland General Assembly session could become the year of the child in the areas of criminal justice and cyberbullying. Leaders of the legislature’s judiciary panels list reform of the juvenile justice system and the prevention of online harassment of youngsters as top priorities for the 90-day session that begins Jan. 9. Though perennially […]
Melania Trump to address cyberbullying summit in Maryland
WASHINGTON — Melania Trump plans to address a cyberbullying summit in Maryland next week. The White House says the first lady will deliver remarks “addressing the positive and negative effects of social media on youth.” She’ll also attend a panel discussion with representatives from various social media platforms participating in the Federal Partners in Bullying […]
Lawsuit: Baltimore Co. failed to address reported high school cyberbullying
The parents of an Eastern Technical High School student are suing another student for allegedly defaming their daughter in social media postings, as well as the principal and the Baltimore County school board for not taking proper steps to address cyberbullying.
Zirkin says he will revive expanded cyberbullying bill
ANNAPOLIS – A bill to expand Maryland’s law against cyberbullying of youngsters died amid constitutional concerns in the House Judiciary Committee this General Assembly session but will be resurrected next year, the measure’s chief sponsor said Tuesday. “We are going to make this an even bigger push in the next legislative session,” Sen. Robert A. […]