Category: Sandy’s 2012 Legislative Diary

Early press and game date

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             Bad press can be good – if it’s early. 

            A critical article can make the arguments against your bill, giving you time to prepare a response to the issues opponents will raise at the public hearing. 

             An opinion piece masquerading as a news story in the Annapolis Capital presents that opportunity for my legislation exempting university professors from the Public Information Act. 

             However, criticism doesn’t always arrive early.

             I’m interested in House Bill 8, which would make it a crime to harass someone over the Internet by social media.  (Several technologies ago, I sponsored the law making it a crime to harass with email.)

            The American Civil Liberties Union submitted a letter at yesterday’s hearing asserting that the existing law and the proposed change were both unconstitutional.

            I advised the sponsor to ask the Attorney General’s Office to respond to the ACLU position and then circulate that analysis to Judiciary Committee members.

 —

             News is not often made at the weekly meeting of the Baltimore City delegation.  Our agenda is more often “show and tell” about a worthy project back home than debating or voting on legislation. 

             This morning, the head of the Baltimore Convention Bureau told us that Camden Yards was in the running for the All-Star Game in 2016. 

             I emailed the two friends who sat with me at the 2003 mid-summer classic.  The subject heading: Hope your calendar is clear.

 

Losing Leverage

| by delsandy | Sandy's 2012 Legislative Diary | No Comments

     Our first deadline is next Tuesday.

     That’s the day I must request that a bill be drafted and be guaranteed that it will receive a public hearing.

      So I began the day by reviewing the ideas and conversations – not to mention my dead bills from last year, that could become legislation and change public policy.

     The list will grow shorter.

     A problem has been solved.  My plate is already too full.

     But if I don’t introduce a bill this session, the leverage it provides will not return until next year.

Networking for jobs and votes

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             I’m not going to Orioles Fantasy Camp this year.

             Instead, I spent the day at Camp Amherst College, where students are on campus but classes don’t resume until next week.

             I was on a Career Choices panel on Non-profit and Public Service.

             Networking was the buzzword among my fellow alumni.

             “In politics, networking is a little different,” I stated.  “When I ask people to help me get a job, I’m asking for their votes.” 

             “We try to create consumer excitement for new apps,” said a Media and Communications panelist.

             “That’s what advocates try to do every session,” I said to myself.  “We try to return the favor every 4th year on Election Day.”

 —  

             “Follow your desire,” I said to the students. 

             That’s what I’ve done.

On the job for 50 years

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“Our focus must be jobs, jobs, jobs,” declared a Democratic leader.  “The Republicans will say, ‘Taxes, taxes, taxes.'”
The individual or party that frames the debate usually wins it.
We’ll know the outcome in 83 days.
—
“As legislators, we make a lot of decisions – from answering a constituent’s email questioning why we voted for a bill to actions in the operating budget conference committee that preserve Maryland’s AAA bond rating.
Our decisions are based upon our ideology and politics, but in many instances, we benefit from the advice of our staff.”
I said those words on the House floor as we honored Bill Ratchford for his 50 years of work with the General Assembly.
After heading the legislature’s Department of Fiscal Services, a semi-retired Bill now crunches numbers for Baltimore City’s lobbying team.
He remains an adviser and friend.

Three of a different kind

| by delsandy | Sandy's 2012 Legislative Diary | No Comments

At the race track, when you try to pick the first three finishers in exact order, it’s called a trifecta.

I had a trifecta of sorts this afternoon – consecutive meetings with the lobbyist for Planned Parenthood, the lobbyist for the Catholic Conference, and the Senator who is the leading proponent of marriage equality.

We talked about abortion, a tax credit for donations to parochial schools, and the death penalty, in that order.

The Catholic Church and I are on opposite sides on social issues (choice, stem cells, and gay rights) but on the same side on death penalty repeal, poverty issues, and aid to parochial schools.

You don’t always count to 71 the same way. (71 votes are needed to pass a bill in the House of Delegates.)

But when you do reach that number, you always cash your ticket.  And move on to the next race in the Senate.

  • My Key Issues:

  • Pimlico and The Preakness
  • Our Neighborhoods
  • Pre-Kindergarten
  • Lead Paint Poisoning