Thursday, March 1, 2012
The measure will make Maryland the eighth state to legalize gay marriage.
Gov. Martin O'Malley is expected to sign Maryland's same-sex marriage bill Thursday, the Washington Post reported, and many of the bill's supporters expect the issue to go to referendum in November. O'Malley has supported the bill throughout the legislative session, and it lands on his desk after clearing the House and Senate. However, opponents of the bill will likely take the issue to a referendum, and an October poll found that Marylanders were about evenly split on same-sex marriage. What do you think? Vote in our poll and share your views in the comments.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
And if not, do you have a better idea?
- GOVERNMENT
-
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Legislation introduced in the General Assembly on Tuesday would apply the state's 6 percent sales tax to gasoline. The proposal by Gov. Martin O'Malley would raise needed revenue for state transportation projects. But, as O'Malley himself concedes, the bill faces a tough road to passage.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Local elected officials across Maryland may soon have to disclose more information about property holdings and conflicts of interest.
The Rockville City Council and other elected officials in Montgomery County and across Maryland are currently weighing the merits of new ethics code requirements passed by the General Assembly in 2010 and set to take effect locally next year. The new requirements mandate that local ethics ordinances be at least as stringent as the state ordinance, which passed the General Assembly unanimously during the 2010 session. In many municipalities, including Rockville, elected officials will now have to disclose more information about property holdings and potential conflicts of interest. Rockville City Councilwoman Bridget Donnell Newton said at the council meeting on Monday that she thinks the new requirements ask too much of part-time …
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Legislators could take another swing at a gasoline tax in the fall.
ANNAPOLIS—Maryland lawmakers, fresh off a grueling 90-day session where they approved a mix of new fees slated to create about $58 million for road projects, already are eyeing this fall's special session as a way to try and push through a comprehensive transportation revenue package. Such a plan almost inevitably would include taking another shot at increasing the state's gas tax, which has not changed since 1992. Lawmakers this session made some moves to shore up a badly depleted pot of money dedicated for transportation projects known as the Transportation Trust Fund. But in the end, the General Assembly fell well short of finding a way to drum up the $800 million in new revenue for the fund that a 28-member commission on transportation…
Saturday, April 2, 2011
The research fund is once again weighed in state budget negotiations.
ANNAPOLIS—House and Senate budget writers once again are debating how much the state should spend to fund a program that's helped make Maryland a national leader in stem cell research. The issue is one of a cluster of differences between respective budget plans from both chambers that need to be hashed out in the coming days by a panel of House and Senate members. Top fiscal lawmakers from the two chambers have disagreed annually on how much money should go to a program created in 2006 that promotes state-funded research for stem cells. Money for the program, called the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund, comes through an appropriation in the state budget. The Senate historically has sought to trim Gov. Martin O'Malley's proposals for the …
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Add-on of $8.2 million for road upkeep will be shared by state's 157 municipalities.
ANNAPOLIS—Maryland counties and municipalities are set to receive a one-time $13.2 million infusion to help maintain and repair battered roads under spending plans recently approved by the House and Senate. State budgets approved by both chambers set aside the money for fiscal 2012 to help offset a series of funding cuts in recent years that have drastically slashed state aid dedicated for county and city road projects. The $13 million injection amounts to a minor victory for the state's local governments that in recent years have been forced to tap emergency funds, revert to a series of "patchwork" fixes or shelve road projects altogether, said Michael Bennett, president of the Maryland Municipal League. But the money doesn't come close …
But legislators still must reconcile an alcohol tax provision.
ANNAPOLIS—The Maryland Senate on Tuesday gave final approval to a $14.6 billion state spending plan that includes $75 million in fee increases and banks on tens of millions more in revenue from a new alcohol tax to help shore up education cuts. The Senate voted 37-10 to approve the state's budget for fiscal 2012. Two Republicans, Sen. Richard Colburn and Sen. George Edwards, voted for the spending plan that increases a number of fees for things like vanity plates, car titles and filing land records, and restores about $58 million in education cuts to Prince George's and Baltimore. The budget also revamps the state's pension system, which is straddled with $19 billion in unpaid liabilities, and makes changes to the prescription drug plan …
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Gov. Martin O'Malley said he will sign the legislation, which allows direct wine shipping from Maryland wineries.
- GOVERNMENT
-
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
The wine industry is moving into the Internet age with the Maryland General Assembly passing a bill that will allow wineries to ship straight to customers homes. But as CNS-TV's Robyne McCullough found out, not everyone is toasting the victory.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Spending bill moves to the Senate; Chambers differ on alcohol tax.
Capital News Service ANNAPOLIS—The House of Delegates on Thursday overwhelmingly passed a $14.6 billion operating budget that reforms pensions, restores a chunk of education cuts and raises several fees to generate tens of millions in new revenue. The House spending plan closes the state's estimated $1.6 billion budget shortfall for fiscal 2012 without raising taxes but would require Marylanders to pony up twice as much to title a car, purchase a vanity plate and transfer property tax records. The House voted 97 to 42 to send the budget to the Senate, which is expected to start debate on the bill next week. The vote split largely along party lines, with Del. Wendell Beitzel, R-Garrett, casting the sole vote from the minority party in favor…
Delegates looking to slash budget deficit by $803 million; Republicans want further cuts.
Capital News Service ANNAPOLIS—The House of Delegates began debate on Wednesday on a state budget proposal that reforms pensions for state employees, restores a large chunk of cuts to K-12 education funding and raises several fees to generate tens of millions in new revenue to help shore up a dedicated transportation fund. The House Appropriations Committee last week approved a series of budget cuts and fee increases to Gov. Martin O'Malley's budget proposal. Lawmakers will debate a series of amendments to the budget today before giving the bill preliminary approval. A final vote on the budget is expected Friday. The budget approved by the Appropriations Committee would increase several fees to generate more than $60 million in new revenue…
Sam R
12:00 pm on Wednesday, March 7, 2012
It's amazing, but I had to find out here: http://tothecenter.com/2012/03/maryland-signs-same-sex-marriage-bill/. This really isn't getting as much attention as New York's was. Shame, but good for marriage equality. more ›