Maryland General Assembly: What Passed, What Didn’t and What’s Still in Play
Patch follows up on in the last hours of the Maryland 2012 General Assembly.
Monday is the last scheduled day of the 2012 Maryland General Assembly session, and lawmakers are still wrangling over details regarding the budget, which faces a midnight deadline.
Failure to reach a budget agreement would require legislators to come back on Tuesday, according to Towson Patch.
In the meantime, Patch checked out the status Monday of some of the bills that garnered interest on our sites in Maryland.
Have a bill status you’d like us to check out? Let us know in comments.
Same-Sex Marriage: A Done Deal. On March 1, Gov. Martin O’Malley signed the bill that takes effect in January of 2013. It would allow same-sex couples to marry, but a new question is being debated: Can same-sex married couples residing in Maryland, which hasn’t up to this point recognized same-sex marriage, get a divorce? Maryland’s highest court is hearing arguments on this question this month, according to ABC News.
Animal Abuse Registry: Dead. The bill would have placed an animal abuser’s photo and address on a registry for 10 years. Representatives from the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council testified against the bill, saying it would create excessive burdens on pet-store owners
Puppy Mill Bill: In Play. The bill that would require pet stores to provide more information on the origin of their dogs and to reimburse consumers if a dog gets sick has passed both chambers, and is awaiting the governor's signature, according to Tami Santelli, the Maryland director of the Humane Society. "I believe the law will improve animal welfare and protect consumers," said bill sponsor Del. Nic Kipke, R-Anne Arundel County.
Gas Tax: Likely Dead. O’Malley has agreed that his proposal to apply the state’s 6 percent tax to gas to raise money for transportation projects is "effectively dead," according to The Gazette. He has now floated the idea of a penny increase to the sale tax, but lawmakers said it doesn’t have much support, the Gazette reported.
High School Drop Out Age: In Play. The General Assembly is expected to pass a bill proposing to increase Maryland's minimum school dropout age from 16 to 18 years old, according to a report by WTOP.
Medical Marijuana: Dead. Gov. Martin O’Malley has said he will oppose medical marijuana legislation, citing the possibility of federal prosecution against state employees who implement medical marijuana programs.
Prince George’s Casino: Uncertain. The General Assembly is still wrangling over details concerning the bill that could bring a $1 billion casino to National Harbor in Prince George's County. Proponents have said the county, facing widening budget deficit, could use the tax revenues generated by gambling. Opponents say the bill has some fundamental flaws over how much revenue the casino would be able to keep.
Statewide Bag Tax: Probably Dead. There was some talk in January of a statewide bag tax. Several groups were pushing for the measure, including the Maryland League of Conservation Voters, which made a plastic bag tax one of its top priorities for the 2012 legislative session. The bill, HB 1247, which would have imposed a 5-cent statewide fee on plastic bags, will likely die in committee, said Del. Al Carr, D-Montgomery.
Teacher Pensions: In Play. Though House and Senate members intend to shift the normal costs of teacher pensions from the state to the counties, joint committees haven't been able to reach a consensus on how to help counties offset the costs.
JH
4:43 pm on Monday, April 9, 2012
Just say no to higher taxes and no to Dems pushing for higher taxes.
T. French
5:10 pm on Monday, April 9, 2012
Yeah like the Repubs are so great at keeping fees and private taxes down.
JustABill
7:30 pm on Monday, April 9, 2012
T. French, I guess you are trying to refer to "fees" that Governor Ehrlich raised once while in office. Fees such as the State Fishing License that he raised from $10.00 to $10.50 to defray the costs of fully computerizing the license purchase and records process that ultimately saved MD tax payers millions of dollars from the state budget. The same "fee" that Gov Owe'Malley raised to $20.50 in his first term. Or perhaps you were referring to the "Flush Tax" that Governor Ehrlich proposed to create the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund that the democrat controlled General Assembly voted on and passed but left themselves a loophole so they could steel the funds to help balance their insane spending. Just like the Transportation Trust Fund that they have been steeling from for years only to now have Owe'Malley begging his own fellow democrats to raise taxes, create new taxes, and expand the reach of existing taxes. If Owe'Malley gets his way he will be responsible for the highest tax increase on Maryland citizens not once but twice in 6 years. He will have raised many taxes and fees more than double the amount of his six predecessors combined. So perhaps you may want to do a little fact finding before making ridiculous comments.
JH
7:56 am on Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Sorry --- no more free rides. Pay your own way and take responsibility for your own family. Too many deadbeats want their neighbors to pay more so they can ride free.
David J Iacono
6:02 pm on Monday, April 9, 2012
Republicans want the services that government provides without the taxes needed to provide those services.
JustABill
7:33 pm on Monday, April 9, 2012
Actually David, Republicans are the ones working for a living and end up paying the taxes needed to support for government entitlement programs they never want or need.
Buck Harmon
9:37 am on Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Our Country is in a state of being equally screwed by two parties...greed driven reasons in either direction. We have not bottomed out yet, but the quickest road to recovery can't possibly begin until we have. I think both parties are pushing for the bottom ...
please hurry and get it over with so the REAL recovery can begin.
Michael
6:17 pm on Monday, April 9, 2012
No, Republicans want a balanced budget that will keep both services and taxes at reasonable and affordable levels. Democrats just was to keep raising taxes and keep on spending more.
T. French
9:10 pm on Monday, April 9, 2012
JustABill, Locally I'm referring to the MVA fees among many others raised by Erlich just so he could pander and claim he didn't raise taxes. But actually I'm also referring to the moronic administration that gave a top heavy tax cut while engaging in 2 unfunded wars...that were going to lower our gas prices and living costs...a fantasy rolled into one. All that it did accomplish was get back the land and refineries that Oil Companies had lost under Saddam on the public dime and fuel rampant speculation and drive up the deficit and gas prices at the same time. Last. you've got one in process if Darrell Issa and the party-ers get their way and privatise the Postal Service. All politicians lie to some extent. Republicans just excel at it since they have so many angry and gullible followers. I won't waist any more time or ink with such dogmatic knee jerk logic.
JustABill
9:28 pm on Monday, April 9, 2012
I know how you feel T.French. I am sure it is hard for you to keep spinning the same BS like a circus performer trying to spin plates in a hurricane. You do know that your boy Owe'Malley has also raised MVA fees and intends to raise them once more if he does not get his gas tax increase. Privatizing the USPS would save US tax payers billions of dollars every year and will certainly lower the day to day operating costs of the post office by eliminating the wasteful spending created by years of pandering to the postal workers union. One more example of a ridiculously corrupt and unnecessary government workers union. You just go on spinning those plates and I will continue to follow the path of fiscal conservative logic.
Brook Hubbard
10:30 pm on Monday, April 9, 2012
What was the final resolution of House Bill 579? That was supposed to be voted on today, but I can't find any information. Was this resolved or is this still in the works?
T. French
10:37 pm on Monday, April 9, 2012
Not one dime of tax payer money supports the post office. More lies by Repub leaders who hold up boogeymen for fools to be angry about while their cronies pick your pocket and steal you blind. Ya know what I mean welfare queens, Unions, immigrants, blacks, Hispanics, women, Muslims......so many boogeymen!!!.....how's your pocket doing? Corporate America is doing just fine. Let me know when some of it either results in jobs or just trickles down....
Brook Hubbard
8:26 am on Tuesday, April 10, 2012
I'm not gonna get in the usual Right vs Left debate that seems so prevalent (and often full of fallacy and immaturity). Regardless, T. French is correct regarding the Post Office, as seen here:
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/five-things/the-u-s-postal-service/11433/
Please do some research before regurgitating the usual rhetoric shoved down the unthinking masses' throats.
Lisa Rossi
8:31 am on Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Heads up-- I'll be doing a follow-up on the bills in question people posted here and emailed me about. Stay tuned... - Lisa
Madmachare
5:36 pm on Thursday, April 19, 2012
Bottom line is Owe'Malley sucks and is already campaigning for 2016 for bigger and better things………Owe’Malley is not looking out for the people of Maryland. He is looking out for himself and his future in politics……..anyone who wants to implement a gas tax when regular gas is over $4 a gallon is an idiot……