WYPR News

As the General Assembly hurdles toward Monday night’s deadline, one measure that still hangs in the balance would increase the number of business that can get licenses to grow medical marijuana. The bill aims to give more minority-owned businesses a shot at growing or processing the drug.

The General Assembly's 2017 legislative session ends at midnight Monday night. WYPR News Director Joel McCord spoke with reporter Rachel Baye about what has already become law and what still hangs in the balance.

State Sen. Nathaniel Oaks, who represents northwest Baltimore, was charged in U.S. District Court Friday of accepting cash in exchange for advancing a development project in the city.

This is Del. Sandy Rosenberg’s 35th year representing northwest Baltimore in the House of Delegates, and it’s the third time in those 35 years that the first night of Passover, when Jewish families traditionally gather for the ritual Seder, has fallen on Sine Die, the last night of the Maryland General Assembly session. The last time was in 1990.

“So as we say, why is this Sine Die different from all other Sine Dies?” Rosenberg said.

Fraser Smith, WYPR's retiring senior news analyst, joins news director Joel McCord to thank those who joined him on this segment over the years.

Baltimore County could be on a collision course with the Trump administration over immigrants living in the county illegally. County Executive Kevin Kamenetz signed an executive order yesterday to protect those immigrants.

Before he signed the order, Kamenetz pointed out he was joined in the old County Courthouse by Latinos, Muslims, Jews, Catholics, African-Americans and members of the LGBT community.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is what Baltimore County looks like,” he said.

After months of negotiations, Baltimore police and the U.S. Justice Department reached an agreement on a roadmap to police reform. But now, Justice Department lawyers have asked a federal judge to wait 90 days before finalizing that map.

State lawmakers introduced a bill Tuesday that would prohibit internet service providers, such as Comcast and Verizon, from selling consumers’ private information. The measure would reverse the effects in the state of a congressional resolution President Donald Trump signed Monday.

Gov. Larry Hogan used a visit to a Baltimore charter school today to make good on his promise to veto an education reform bill passed by the General Assembly.  

Hundreds of students filed into the auditorium of the charter school, Baltimore Collegiate School for Boys, to watch Governor Hogan wield the veto pen at a school assembly.

"We’re proud to stand with you by vetoing this legislation right now," said Hogan. "And then I’m going to personally hand carry it right back to the General Assembly this afternoon."