It’s not too early to look ahead. The Administration’s pre-kindergarten bill passed the House of Delegates today. It has also passed the Senate. Minor differences in the two versions should be easy to resolve. This legislation will create a $4.3 million competitive grant program to stimulate innovation and expand access to high-quality early childhood education. …more >
The moral of this story is don’t keep your friends in the dark. The crossfile (identical Senate version) of one of my bills was amended in that house. I didn’t learn about it until after the committee adopted the changes. I then checked with two advocates. They had no problems. I didn’t contact another supporter, …more >
Perhaps you remember the scene. Alvy Singer (Woody Allen) is in a line at a movie and has to listen to an uninformed critic. Out steps Marshall McLuhan from behind a poster to set things right. At a Judiciary Committee voting session today, I tried to make the case for my bill that would allow …more >
Leo Bretholz leapt to freedom after bending two parallel bars on a railroad car headed to a Nazi concentration camp. He spent much of the rest of his life telling his story. I was honored that he was a witness for my 2011 legislation that required the French national railroad (SNCF), Leo’s transporter to the …more >
I’ve gone to several Drug Court graduations. It’s very inspiring to be among people who are successfully dealing with their addiction, instead of spending time in jail. Shortly before the legislative session began, I met with two people who deal with the Drug Court on a regular basis. “What can we do to improve the …more >
House Bill 536 would do two things. It would provide scholarships for public service internships for college and graduate students in the fall and winter semesters. We already do that during the summer break. It would also allow graduates of Maryland high schools, but now going to school out of state, to receive a limited …more >
You need the merits to succeed but you can’t succeed on the merits alone. Two examples from the last two days. The bill that I learned about yesterday would have prohibited the use of eminent domain by state or local government to condemn an underwater mortgage, where the debt exceeds the current value of a …more >
You don’t take things for granted in Annapolis – except when you do. We had a very good hearing yesterday on my bill creating an internship program for students and veterans interested in a technology career. Today it was time to count votes. I spoke with the members of the subcommittee that will take …more >
This is how I learn things. Someone was testifying on the first of 30 gun bills being heard by my committee today. I turned to my pro-gun seatmate and lamented, “This will be a very long afternoon, especially if none of these bills will be sent to the House floor.” Both of us assumed that …more >
A down arrow in the Judiciary Committee’s back room usually means an unfavorable report in the public voting session. Not this time. When I testified on my reporter’s shield bill last month, it was clear that the legislation would die unless I narrowed the proposed definition of “journalist.” House Bill 385 had a down arrow …more >
