My mother passed away peacefully Thursday afternoon. She had hoped to come to Opening Day in Annapolis with my brother Bruce, as was her custom. Mother was my Election Day coordinator when I first ran for the House of Delegates in 1982. Her handwritten charts of who was volunteering in each precinct are atop a …more >
With Steve’s passing today, some stories where our paths crossed. He argued a case before the Maryland Court of Appeals seeking to establish a civil Gideon – a right to counsel in civil cases comparable to that right in criminal cases. After the oral argument, a reporter asked Steve’s client for her thoughts. “Mr. Sachs …more >
Del. Samuel I. Rosenberg (D-Baltimore City), the longest-serving current member of the General Assembly, said the level of activity in any legislative session — including in election years — is often dictated by outside forces. He observed that even though the legislature is expected to take action on abortion rights and gun control legislation this …more >
Our democracy is being tested. What was routine is now in question. Will the winner of a fair election assume the office? For the last two sessions, my response to January 7 was legislation criminalizing domestic terrorism. But even my liberal friends had problems with the term. Would a misguided prosecutor indict people for engagining …more >
The Baltimore Country Club property is precious open space in Roland Park. I sledded down this hill with my brother Stewart. I drove past the site on my way to City College. To this day, we call Hillside Avenue “Snake Lane.” In 2008, I joined the community in opposing the construction of a retirement facility …more >
Hard work. Real results. When Maggie McIntosh first ran for the House of Delegates in 1994, we ran together, along with Senator Barbara Hoffman and Delegate Jim Campbell. That was the slogan we used. Early Monday morning, I read the op-ed where Maggie announced that she would not be running for reelection next year. I …more >
All infrastructure is local, as Speaker Tip O’Neill might say. What impact will the Biden infrastructure law have on Baltimore City and the neighborhoods I represent? I started emailing our professional staff in Annapolis on Saturday morning. The Red Line could be reconsidered under specific language in the new law.. What steps does the General …more >
The neighborhoods I represent are determined by the lines drawn during redistricting by the Governor and the General Assembly. A group of community leaders in the 41st District submitted the following statement to a public hearing of the Legislative Redistricting Advisory Commission this past Tuesday. Testimony of 41st District Community Leaders Submitted to the …more >
You need to start working on your bill months before you introduce it. I’m currently in the drafting stage. Bills that failed last session need to be revised. Under House Bill 499, if a property owner violates the consumer protection law, any monetary penalty would be deposited in a fund for rental and housing assistance. …more >
“You can’t plan for a blatantly false or unconstitutional court ruling like this [Supreme Court decision on the Texas abortion law],” said Representative Conor Lamb of Pennsylvania, a Democrat who is running for his state’s open Senate seat next year. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/02/us/politics/scotus-abortion-decision.html Pro-choice health care providers, activists, and legislators are now responding to the Supreme Court’s decision late …more >
