“We are not here long, but our accomplishment is a lot,” declared a speaker before the dinner. I have gone to countless community meetings, religious services, and synagogue banquets over the last 30+ years. Last night, for the first time, I went to the annual dinner of the Ohr Hamizrach Congregation, the religious home of …more >
My work on House Bill 217 began the day before Sandy blew into town. I wanted to thank early voters at the former Pimlico Junior High. I had to park three blocks away. The line inside snaked around both sides of the entire first floor. The expected wait was more than three hours. Perhaps some …more >
The crowds were across the street. And down the block. Five thousand people signed up to testify on the gun measures today in the Senate, a Republican colleague told me. No doubt there were many references to the 2nd Amendment. My committee’s hearing on these bills will attract similar intensity. Today, however, we discussed …more >
The hearing on my bill to create a task force to study phased retirement for state employees was going very well. The group would study how employees could work part time and tutor their successors at the same time. Representatives of management (the Department of Budget and Management) and labor (AFSCME) sat next to me …more >
“The sorest loser that ever lived.” That’s what Earl Weaver wanted inscribed on his gravestone. And that’s how he managed when the pros played the Fantasy Campers, some of his former players recalled last week. Earl aside, Jim Palmer would throw batting practice fast balls. However, you did not want to come to the plate …more >
Bill Ferguson was 27 when he was elected to the State Senate in 2010. (I was 32 in 1982.) Before that, he taught in the Baltimore City public schools as a member of Teach For America and graduated from the University of Maryland School of Law, where he took the Legislation class that I co-teach. …more >
The New York Times reports: Governor Cuomo’s “aides worked with several advocacy groups, including the Brady Campaign in Washington, New Yorkers Against Gun Violence and the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence in San Francisco, to develop a package of measures that would be comprehensive but also politically achievable. They looked to other states; a …more >
All verbal or physical actions threatening suicide or serious violence toward a reasonably identifiable victim or victims should be reported to local law enforcement. Mandated reporting should apply to psychiatrists, psychologists, physicians, social workers, addiction treatment counselors, educators, case managers, and probation agents. That is a recommendation of the Task Force to Study Access …more >
Today was a day to work on the legislation that I didn’t work on yesterday. I emailed the drafts of several bills to supporters and asked for their comments. Their suggestions could improve the bill. Better to incorporate them into the bill before it’s introduced than to present a long list of amendments at …more >
I’m old enough to remember when the clock was literally turned back at midnight to provide additional time for the General Assembly to conclude its business on the last day of the session. To avoid that time travel, we are now guaranteed a bill hearing if we submit our bill requests to our …more >
