There is no spring training before the regular session/season in Annapolis.

This afternoon, we were fifteen minutes into the discussion of a bill I’ll be introducing before the thought hit me. As drafted, this bill would not be heard by my committee.

There’s certainly no guarantee that it will pass if it’s considered by the Judiciary Committee, but at least I’ll be in the room – for the public hearing, the voting session, and the pre-meeting meetings with the Chairman, legal staff, and committee leadership.

It’s a point I’ve made many times over the years in this diary, but it had slipped my mind today. You want to be in the room when your bill is discussed and voted on.

The corollary: when possible, have legislation drafted to amend a section of the Maryland code which falls within the jurisdiction of your committee.

“Research which committee heard other bills on this topic and what section of the code they were drafted to,” I asked one of the people at the meeting.

With that information in hand, we’ll revise the bill.

Same words, different pew. We hope.