The General Assembly wraps up its 2014 session tonight at midnight; still on the agenda include bills dealing with the state’s minimum wage, marijuana decriminalization, medical marijuana, and bail hearings. Lawmakers have passed the state’s FY15 operating budget, a bill creating a hybrid school board for Baltimore County, and a measure dealing with dog bite liability. Plus: a preview of todays’ Baltimore City Council meeting, President Obama’s visit to MD, and more…
Obama Comes To MD: President Barack Obama is coming to Maryland today. The Baltimore Sun reports that he’ll talk about a $7-million federal grant that’ll expand a Prince George’s County program that helps students prepare for jobs. This will be the fifth time this year that Obama has come to Maryland to deliver a speech.
MD’s Budget: Over the weekend, lawmakers granted final approval to a nearly $39-billion operating budget for the coming fiscal year. It increases state spending by about 3 percent, and includes $4.3 million dollars for an expansion of the state’s pre-kindergarten program. The Baltimore Sun has more.
MD’s Minimum Wage: The House of Delegates will vote today on a Senate bill to raise the state’s minimum wage. The rate is currently $7.25 an hour; the Senate bill would raise it to $10.10 an hour, by the middle of 2018. The House had already passed a measure that would get the higher rate in effect by the beginning of 2017. The Senate's bill also creates a "training wage" for younger workers during their first six months on the job and freezes the minimum wage for tipped workers at its current rate. If the House doesn’t sign off on the Senate’s bill, a conference committee could be assigned to reconcile the two measures. There’s more here from the Baltimore Sunand here from the Annapolis Capital.
Marijuana Decriminalization: The House of Delegates has approved a bill to decriminalize marijuana. Under the bill, adults caught with ten grams or less of marijuana would receive a fine of $100 for a first offense, with fines rising up to $500 for subsequent offenses. The state Senate has approved a similar measure, but any House changes will require Senate approval to pass the bill before the legislative session ends tonight. Backers of the bill say it would save the state money, an ACLU study showed that Maryland spent more than $100 million enforcing marijuana possession laws in 2010. That same study showed significant racial disparities in marijuana-related arrests. There’s more here from the Baltimore Sunandhere from the Annapolis Capital.
Medical Marijuana: Lawmakers have also reached a deal to revise the state’s medical marijuana program. The compromise measure would let certain physicians essentially prescribe the drug, and let patients fill their prescriptions at dispensaries located around the state. The Baltimore Sun reportsthat the measure would let 15 marijuana growers to be licensed to grow the drug. The state’s existing medical marijuana commission would be tasked with setting and enforcing rules on how growers and distributors could operate.
MD’s Bail Hearing System: One of the thorniest issues members of the General Assembly have had to deal with this session is fielding a response to a controversial decision handed down by the Maryland Court of Appeals. WYPR’s Christopher Connelly takes us into the issues raised by a ruling that could cost the state millions.
Box Could Be Banned Tonight: The Baltimore City Council meets this afternoon at 4:30; once again, a final vote on the “ban the box” bill is on the agenda. WYPR City Hall reporter Kenneth Burns talks with Nathan Sterner about the measure… and about crime in the city, after Baltimore Police announced fewer homicides in March than in any month since 1983.
A Dog Bite Compromise... Finally: WYPR's Fraser Smith and Frederick Kunkle of the Washington Post talk about the General Assembly's compromise on a law that addresses liability for dog owners when their pets injure someone. It’s this morning’s look Inside Maryland Politics.
Recycling Bins Coming To Baltimore City Parks: New recycling bins will soon be showing up in city parks. Baltimore has been chosen to receive a grant for six full-size outdoor recycling bins as part of a program being run by the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group and the Keep America Beautiful non-profit organization. The City’s Department of Public Works says the bins will arrive in May.
Baltimore Baseball: The Orioles beat the Detroit Tigers 3 to 1 in yesterday’s game. The O’s will be in the New York this afternoon, for a game against the Yankees.
