Category: Uncategorized

As the Godfather Said

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There is an art to amending a bill that has already passed one house of the legislature.

The bill is no longer the idea of one member.

It’s the work product of a committee, which is then ratified by the full body.

Twice in the last few days, people have sought my advice.

Don’t surprise people in the house of origin, I told them.

If your amendment gets adopted, the other house must agree to it or reach a compromise.

Once you’ve decided how you want to change the bill, share it.

Don’t testify against the bill or make your amendment known for the first time at a public bill hearing.

Talk to people in advance.

As the Godfather said, “Keep your friends close but your enemies closer.”

Domestic Terrorism

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This is how I began my testimony on House Bill 1075, which would establish an Office of Domestic Terrorism Response in the Department of Emergency Management.

 

We have seen the carnage violent extremism leaves on minority communities.

Just last month, the FBI intervened to thwart a plot by two neo-Nazis to target several BGE electric substations with gunfire in Baltimore County.  Earlier this month, Jewish communities across the country encountered online threats for a “Day of Hate” from far-right groups, forcing extra police patrols, extra security, and extra vigilance at synagogues and in heavily Jewish neighborhoods.

In other states, we have seen murders against the LGBTQ community in Colorado Springs resulting in 5 people killed and 25 wounded, and the racism-inspired shooting in a grocery store in Buffalo resulting in 10 people killed and 3 wounded.

Let us not forget the 2017 murder of Richard Collins, a Bowie State ROTC Candidate, who was murdered by an “alt-right” extremist. We must take the initiative against extremist behavior so that we keep Maryland families and communities safe.

We can and must do so consistent with the First Amendment.

 

This legislation received a favorable committee report and was debated on the House floor yesterday.

These are the unedited remarks of one of my Republican colleagues.

 

A few comments, Madam Speaker:

When this bill popped up, I was just happy that we found an organization of a police department we wanted to fund.

You know, crime is on the rise, and this body has something to do with that, right?  You look at bills like justice reinvestment, juvenile justice reform, no cash bail bond, police reform – it’s all made our citizens significantly less safe.

And when I see this bill come up here, it probably was a good idea – about 22 years ago.

Right now I just feel that it’s ripe for abuse.

When you look at this, it doesn’t really set up a law enforcement.  If you read the bill, it deals with teaching and communicating with higher ed and reporting back to the General Assembly.

What I’m really afraid of is that this is going to end up turning into another political witch hunt.

About ten years ago we saw the political witch hunts first come about, when you had President Barrack Obama weaponize the IRS against Republicans.

It was about 5 years ago, the Democratic Caucus here in Annapolis, had its guy, Congressman Adam Schiff, kind of an unscrupulous congressman, that perpetrated the lies of Russian collusion, for two years now, and lied to the nation.

It was less than a year ago that President Joe Biden, on a nationally-televised stage, lit up Freedom Hall in Pennsylvania, lit it up bright red, and said you know what, Republicans, compared them to Nazis.  And then turned around and said well anyone that believes in this America First agenda – which is about half the voting population by the last election in 2020 – well they’re domestic terrorists, they’re a threat to freedom.

And look, one of the most scary things is that we’ve spending the last two to three weeks talking about bills dealing with parenting and taking rights away from parents.

It was only a year ago that the attorney general of the nation came out, because of the teacher’s union, Merrick Garland, compared people that were protesting at school board meetings, compared them to domestic terrorists.

For all those reasons, just for the chance of being misused, I’m going red on this bill and I urge other people to do the same.

 

House Bill 1075 passed the House of Delegates, 101-35.

Protecting Privacy for Reproductive Health Care

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This afternoon, the House passed the bill protecting the privacy of women who receive reproductive health care in Maryland.

There was no floor debate.  I attribute that to the merits of House Bill 812.

As the bill’s sponsor, I prepared the following remarks.

When this General Assembly codified the holding of Roe V Wade and the voters of this state approved that law on referendum, 62-38%, there was no mention of the provision of care for women from out-of-state.

There was no need to do so.  No one expected people to come to Maryland for reproductive health care.  Roe protected that fundamental right throughout the United States.

That, as we all know, is no longer the case.

Patients will seek care in Maryland because they face criminal prosecution and civil liability if they do so in the state where they live.

However, they don’t escape that threat if they obtain reproductive care in a state where it is legal, such as Maryland.

In addition, their health care providers are also liable under the laws of several states.

Marylanders who travel to certain states and need health care are also vulnerable.

HB 812 protects those patients and their health care providers by regulating the disclosure of medical information relevant to their reproductive health care by custodians of public records, health care providers, health information exchanges, and dispensers.

The bill’s language is the result of discussions with the relevant parties – most notably the Maryland Health Care Commission and CRISP, the state-designated health information exchange.

The dates of implementation are staggered, and consultation with the General Assembly during this process is mandated.

 

Action on the House Floor and Elsewhere

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There’s language I’m trying to add to the budget bill.

There’s language in the budget bill I’m trying to revise or delete.

I was told that my legislation on domestic terrorism would be reported to the House floor.

Then I ran into the floor leader for the bill.

He asked me for my thoughts on two issues he expected to be asked about during the floor debate tomorrow.

My Election Reform Act of 2023 passed  House,

The bill moves next year’s primary election date to avoid a conflict with Passover and Ramadan.

It also requires better notice to a community about a proposed change in its polling place.

Tomorrow, I’ll be defending my bill protecting the privacy of women who receive reproductive health care and the people who provide that care, when it’s debated on the House floor.

Where decision making happens

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When one of my bills is in my committee, I make the case for its passage to my chairwoman.

If my legislation is in another committee, I still talk with the chair.

Then I ask a delegate who’s in the leadership group for that committee.

He or she will be in the room where decision making happens.

If my bill addresses a Baltimore City issue and the delegate is from Baltimore City, that’s even better.

As I said to one of my colleagues after today’s floor session, “You know how your committee works better than I do.”

On my seat, getting across the street

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Sometimes I do my best thinking on my seat.

I had testified on my bill to broaden the permitted uses of the money from speeding tickets on the Jones Falls Expressway.

One of my objectives with House Bill 512 is to fund  a pedestrian bridge over Cold Spring Lane for the hundreds of Poly and Western students who now cross the street on foot – to and from the light rail stop.

This revenue could be used to “enhance pedestrian safety at intersections” near exit ramps.

I was still at the witness table. answering questions from committee members.

The last one was from the committee char.

Delegate Barve made the point that when the committee authorized the speed cameras on the JFX, it wanted the money generated to be used for the roadway.

Enhancing pedestrian safety would be outside that standard.

I responded, “If the committee amends the bill to apply only to the Poly-Western students, I would not object.”

Getting the Job Done, On Time

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This is Crossover Week.

If a House bill passes the House by the close of business next Monday, it’s guaranteed a hearing in the Senate.

Same guarantee for Senate bills coming to the House.

But, as I remind people, you’re guaranteed a hearing on your bill, but not a vote.

After that deadline, you’ve got to get your bill out of the Rules Committee.

Time, in the legislative process, is not on your side.

The crossover date used to be the Monday with two weeks remaining in the session.

With the likelihood of a veto of important bills by a Republican governor, the date was moved to the Monday with three weeks remaining.

Several of Governor Hogan’s vetoes were overridden before we adjourned.

That’s no longer a problem.

That also means that you no longer have to count to 85 votes to override a veto.

71, a constitutional majority,  gets the job done.

Protecting the Right to Vote

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When I first wrote you about the need to change next year’s primary election date because it was the first day of Passover, I said the following:

“The Passover holiday celebrates our exodus to freedom.  Centuries later, Election Day celebrates our fundamental right in a democracy – the right to vote.”

Two weeks later, election law bills in both houses have been amended to move next year’s primary from April 16 to May 14.

My legislation, the Election Reform Act of 2023, now includes Delegate Dalya Attar’s amendment.

The new date does not conflict with either Passover or Ramadan.

Over the years, sponsoring laws that protect the right to vote is one of my proudest accomplishments.

When the system works in Annapolis, it is a great thing.

A Defeated Amendment May Reappear

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Sixteen amendments were offered during the House of Delegates floor session today.

They all failed on party-line votes.

Republicans voted yes, and Democrats voted no.

Why did this happen?  Is it a good way to make laws?

The work of the House is done in our six committees.

They hold hearings on bills.  They study the bills in subcommittee and in full committee voting sessions.

This is the place to offer your amendment and make the case for its enactment.

Sometimes, however, a defeated amendment will reappear.

It can be found in campaign literature that criticizes an incumbent for his or her vote.

Making omelets and schools in limbo

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“Building a new school,” I began my testimony on House Bill 798, “is like making an omelet.  You need to break eggs.

As part of the legislation funding the construction of new schools in Baltimore City, a significant number of schools have to be closed.

The decline in enrollment meant there were too many empty seats in classrooms.

But a school is a hallmark of a neighborhood.

What will take its place?  Will the community have adequate input in making that decision?

My legislation, as amended, would create a process that guarantees consultation with the neighborhood.

Issue #2: When a new school is under construction, the students must move to a swing school.

Two closed schools in my district, Northwestern Senior High and Garrison Middle, are scheduled to be a swing school for the third time.

That leaves the neighborhoods surrounding those schools in limbo.

My bill began a discussion of alternatives to the current use of swing schools.

I hope to introduce a new bill to address this issue next year.

  • My Key Issues:

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