Expelling two members from the Tennessee legislature for a minor infraction, plus the racial factor, is horrific.
I sought out a Republican senator who has served with me on the Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics.
“We would not do this here,” I said to him.
He readily agreed.
I offered this prayer at the start of today’s floor session of the House of Delegates.
“Why is this night different from all other nights?”
That question was asked at Passover seders last night.
Why could this Orioles season be different from other recent seasons?
That question was asked around the seder table last night in Northwest Baltimore and elsewhere in the metropolitan area.
The seder takes place at home, not a synagogue.
Baseball begins at home plate.
The catcher signals the pitcher.
The batter hopes to reach base and begin his journey home.
Opening Day may be postponed for one day.
But the season will last for 162 games.
81 on the road and 81 at home.
And after only 90 days, we too will return home.
To the people who sent us here.
Amendments creating the Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority were adopted this week by the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee.
I knew the substance of these amendments beforehand, but I had not seen them in writing.
This morning, I read that residents from the Pimlico, Bowie and Laurel neighborhoods would be non-voting members of the authority’s board.
But how is neighborhood defined in the bill?
Over the past six years, having residents from both sides of Pimlico involved and meeting together was essential to my strategy to redevelop the race track site.
Today I learned that the language regarding these members reads:
“ONE MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY WHO RESIDES NEAR PIMLICO RACE COURSE”
That’s consistent with what we’ve been doing.
The amendment drafter earns an A.
The amendments to my bill ensured its passage in the House.
They jeopardized its fate in the Senate.
House Bill 410, the Election Reform Act of 2023, would give neighborhoods a voice before a change is made to their polling place.
It would also move the date of next year’s primary to May 14 to avoid a conflict with Passover and Ramadan.
The Speaker added language requiring every local election board to report to the state board on the number of polling places to prevent their reduction in historically disenfranchised communities.
That change guaranteed that my bill would pass the House.
At the Senate hearing, however, the local boards opposed HB 410 because they considered this requirement burdensome.
I learned today, however, that a compromise was reached.
My bill is now on its way to the Senate floor.
It’s not often that I fail to show up for an event with the Governor after receiving a personal invitation.
Eric Luedtke, the Governor’s Chief Legislative Officer (his lobbyist), called me this morning to invite me to a 2 pm announcement of his nominee for Secretary of Service and Civic Innovation.
During the campaign, I spoke with candidate Wes Moore about my passion for encouraging high school and college graduates to make a career in public service.
Like I did.
But there was one problem with my accepting the Governor’s invitation.
I chair the Subcommittee of Health Occupations and Long Term Care.
We were meeting at 1:30.
If we’re done in time, I’ll join the Governor’s event, I told Eric Luedtke.
We met until 2:50.
I’ll make room on my calendar to meet Secretary-designate Paul Monteiro in the very near future.
The work continues after the session ends.
If your bill passes, you need to make sure it’s effectively implemented.
If your bill fails, you need to strategize how to get a favorable outcome next year.
If an issue is on your bills.24 Word document, strategizing is also in order.
Meet with people you didn’t have time to meet with during the 90-day session.
Not all of this happens right away, but it’s better to get started sooner rather than later.
And don’t forget to root for the Orioles!
As you may know, I co-teach the Legislation classes at the University of Baltimore and the University of Maryland Law Schools.
I’m very proud that several of my students are now my colleagues and a greater number serve on our professional staff or are lobbyists.
There was a hearing yesterday on a bill where I’m working with one of these staffers.
“What grade would you give your professor for his Oral Testimony?” I wrote him today.
This afternoon, a first-term legislator met with me to discuss a bill of hers that’s before the subcommittee I chair.
I said to myself, “What are the steps we need to take for this bill to become law? Whom do we need to talk to? Who can be helpful and who might night not be helpful?”
These are the questions I ask on my own bills.
They’re the questions I teach my students to ask.
I read yesterday that a significant number of gun thefts are from automobiles.
The gun is visible to the passer-by.
If concealed, it is more likely not to find its way into the wrong hands.
But gun owners resist mandating how they are supposed to handle their firearms under any circumstances.
Nonetheless, I added the link to the article to my bills.24 file.
By chance, I joined two Republican colleagues at lunch today.
I was thinking of discussing this issue with them.
Before I could, gun control came up.
One of the delegates made it very clear that his constituents vigorously oppose any restrictions on their guns.
The chances of our working together on this issue diminished drastically.
Negotiating by email has its virtues.
You don’t give anything away with your facial or body reaction to the other person’s proposal.
You can draft your response and send it to someone higher up the food chain for approval before you reply to your negotiating partner.
Eventually, however, you’re likely to discuss the bill the old fashioned way – in person or over the phone.
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If your legislation fails, you can still create momentum for it for next year with language in the report accompanying the budget bill.
Last year, my legislation would have required that a certain percentage of state funding for the environment benefit distressed communities.
My bill did not pass, but I had committee narrative added to last year’s budget bill requiring the Maryland Department of the Environment to study this issue.
In response, Secretary of the Environment Serena McIlwain has written that she is taking several actions to prioritize and coordinate environmental justice issues in her department and across state government.
Today, I spoke with someone who has some concerns about language that’s been proposed for this year’s budget.
If this modest change is accepted, his organization is no longer likely to oppose the language.
I went to City College, as many of you know.
Poly, our arch rival, is in my district.
Hundreds of students use public transportation, buses and the light rail, to get to the Poly-Western complex.
They cross Cold Spring Lane, a heavily trafficked street, on foot.
I’ve been looking for a funding source for a pedestrian bridge.
I’ve written you before about House Bill 512, which would have authorized the use of revenue from the speed cameras on the Jones Falls Expressway to enhance pedestrian safety on streets that cross the JFX.
It’s not likely that my bill will get voted out of committee and sent to the House floor.
This becomes a bill for next year’s session.
I’ll also be looking for other funding sources.
My goal is to have the bridge completed in time for the reopening of the rebuilt Poly-Western complex in September 2028.
A few weeks later, I’ll be rooting for City to beat Poly at our 139th annual football game.
