We kept it simple but said it differently.

            My bill would extend Maryland’s public accommodations law to business websites and prevent discrimination because of someone’s physical disability.

            “If you want to buy a plane ticket or purchase a book at Amazon, it’s a very simple transaction,” I told the members of the Health and Government Operations Committee, “but if you’re blind, it isn’t – unless the website is designed correctly.”

            My goal: put my fellow legislators in the shoes of a blind person.    

            “Wheelchair ramps that provide accessibility to a building are now commonplace,” stated the next witness, Andy Freeman.  “Websites that the blind can use should be as well.” 

             A practicing lawyer, Andy used a precedent for what our bill seeks to accomplish. 

             “Shopping is a good thing, but for us, this is a civil rights issue,” declared Sharon Maneki, the leading advocate for the blind in Maryland.

                Sharon made it personal. 

                Each of us brought a different perspective to the legislation. 

                Our goals were identical.

March 8

             Hard work.  Real results.

            That’s the campaign slogan I’ve used in several elections.

            Real results were the subject at a community meeting on Saturday. 

           Neighborhood residents are discussing how to spend slots money for economic and community development in areas near Pimlico Race Track.   

           My 41^st District colleagues and I worked very hard to keep that money in the slots bill in 2007.

           There once again will be a grocery store at Liberty Heights and Hillsdale Avenues.  The lot has been an eyesore for a decade and a major concern for both the community and the delegation.

            Mayor Rawlings-Blake announced the contract with a developer this week.  There’s still hard work ahead to meet concerns about hiring people from the community and other issues.

             My actions today, on the other hand, won’t bring real results this legislative session.

             I talked to a staffer about drafting language for the budget bill. (The process that led to the Thornton formula for funding public school education began with similar action.)

             I discussed a witness list for a bill hearing next week, with the goal of generating momentum to pass the bill next year.

March 7

         “Wouldn’t this bill would help both the left and the right?” the Minority Leader asked.

           “Yes it does.  That was my intent,” I responded.

            My bill would prohibit force, deceit and intimidation by those gathering signatures to have a referendum on a bill passed by the General Assembly.  The same prohibitions would also apply to those opposed to having the issue decided by the voters.

            Delegate O’Donnell sits one row in front of me on the House floor.   So he was speaking to me, not the entire body. 

            We agreed that the right is more likely to be asking the electorate to reverse a law passed by a Democratic legislature.  I pointed out that my bill would take effect June 1, so that it would apply to petition gathering for the marriage equality bill. 

            No commitments were made, but the conversation should be helpful – for both the left and the right.

March 1

I did not expect this delegate would be flattered by my attention.

During the House floor session, a colleague told me that a member of his committee had raised concerns about my bill to allow used car dealers to be open on Sunday if Saturday was their Sabbath. 

I walked over to that delegate, discussed why the bill was needed, and asked if I could answer any questions.

My colleague was not a freshman – far from it.  So unlike the instance where a new member was flattered that I had personally responded to his concerns, my goal here was to let this veteran delegate know that I knew who might be causing problems for my bill. 

It received a favorable report from the Economic Matters Committee this afternoon.

I also had a friendlier lobbying moment on the floor.

I spoke with the chairman of the Appropriations subcommittee with jurisdiction over the budget staff’s proposed funding cut for loan repayment program for people who take lower paying government or public service jobs. 

 “We don’t put enough money in that program,” responded Delegate Bohannon.

No further lobbying needed on this in the House. 

February 25