Monday, April 8, 2013
The governor says a plan to give Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker more control over the schools system "is a good thing."
Gov. Martin O'Malley had nothing but praise for a bill that gives Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker more power over the school system. "I think it's a good thing," O'Malley said while speaking to reporters Monday afternoon in the waning hours of the 2013 General Assembly session. The powers granted to Baker in the bill surpass any other Maryland county executive. The bill passed Saturday in the House of Delegates gives Baker broader powers over the selection of the next superintendent of the Prince George's County Public Schools system. The legislation gives the county executive the ability to select the next superintendent of the $1.7 billion schools system from a list of three names provided to him by a search committee. It …
New legislation gives the Prince George's County Executive expanded powers over the public school board of education.
The search process for a new Prince George's school superintendent candidate will begin anew in the next few months, this time with county excecutive Rushern Baker at the helm. Legislation passed by the Maryland General Assembly Saturday gives Baker the authority to select the next superintendent of the county's public schools, a position that will now be called the chief executive officer. The legislation, pending Gov. Martin O'Malley's signature, goes into effect on June 1. Under the new legislation, O’Malley will select a three-person search committee, which will then select three candidates for the school CEO position. Baker will select the new CEO from this list of finalists. The three original finalists, who were selected by the …
Thursday, April 4, 2013
The 28-19 vote helps Gov. Martin O'Malley's top legislative priority avoid a conference committee some believed would kill the legislation.
Maryland senators voted Thursday night to approve an amended gun control bill rather than send the legislation to conference committee. Senators approved the bill by a vote of 28-19 just one day after the House debated the bill for 10 hours over two-days and added 17 amendments to a bill previously approved by the Senate. The bill was a major component of Gov. Martin O’Malley’s legislative priorities for the 90-day legislative session. “The fact is, the Firearm Safety Act of 2013 provides no safety,” said Sen. EJ Pipkin, Senate Minority Leader. The concurrence means that the bill goes to Gov. Martin O’Malley for his signature rather than to a conference committee with just four days left in the session. Sen. Brian Frosh, a Montgomery …
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
The amended bill, passed by a 78-61 vote, will go back to the Senate and possibly a conference committee.
The Maryland House of Delegates Wednesday passed gun control legislation proposed by Gov. Martin O'Malley by a vote of 78-61. The amended bill bans 40 kinds of rifles including the AR15, requires fingerprinting and licensing of all purchasers of new guns and broadens the law prohibiting firearms purchases by anyone who is involuntarily committed because of mental illness. The bill was a major component of O'Malley's legislative package announced at the beginning of the 90-day session. The House of Delegates debated the bill for nearly 10 hours over two days. The amended bill will return to the Senate. The bill could go to a conference committee if the Senate does not accept the changes made by the House. Both the House and Senate must …
Monday, April 1, 2013
Greater Greater Washington: Even with a tax increase, driving in Maryland is “a bargain.”
The Maryland House of Delegates passed a bill last week that would increase the state gas tax by more than 20 cents—to 43.7 cents—in July 2016. The news angered and frustrated Maryland residents—including commenters on Patch. One small business owner wrote that he fears the increase could hurt the growth of his business. While a 20-cents-per-gallon increase may seem enormous, a writer on the Greater Greater Washington blog claimed that overall, “The taxes the government collects on gas will still remain very near their historical low.” Between 1933 and 1973, the “inflation-adjusted” Maryland gas tax per mile was $0.03 per gallon or more, peaking at $0.04684 in the late 1930s, David C. wrote. Claims by Del. Justin Ready (R-Dist. 5A) of …
A hearing on the bill is scheduled for April 3.
Friday, March 29, 2013
The bill that increases the gasoline tax by as much as 20 cents by 2016 now heads to Gov. Martin O'Malley for his signature.
A tax that will increase the cost of gas by as much as 20 cents by 2016 was given final approval Friday by the Maryland Senate. The bill passed largely along party lines by a vote of 27-20. Eight Democrats joined all 12 Republicans in opposing the tax increase measure. The bill now goes to the desk of Gov. Martin O'Malley, who is expected to sign the tax into law. The final vote came after legislators suspended the rules, allowing them to take both a preliminary and final vote in the same day and allow many lawmakers to leave the capital to observe Good Friday. The bill increases the state's tax on gas by more than 20 cents to 43.7 cents per gallon on July 2016. The tax would increase to 44.6 cents per gallon if the federal government …
Thursday, March 28, 2013
A preliminary vote in the full Maryland Senate could be scheduled as early as Friday.
The Senate Budget and Tax Committee Thursday approved a bill that would increase the gas tax by as much as 20 cents by 2016. Sen. Ed DeGrange, an Anne Arundel County Democrat, joined Republican Sens. David Brinkley, Richard Colburn and George Edwards in voting against the bill. The nine remaining Democrats on the committee voted in favor of the bill as approved last week by the House of Delegates. With the committee's approval, the bill could be scheduled for a preliminary vote by the full 47-member Senate as early as Friday. The bill would increase the state's tax on gas by more than 20 cents to 43.7 cents per gallon on July 2016. The tax would increase to 44.6 cents per gallon if the federal government fails to pass an Internet sales tax…
Friday, March 22, 2013
The final debate on the bill turns contentious amidst accusations that House Speaker Michael Busch cut short the debate and opportunity to vote.
Tempers flared Friday afternoon following the debate and final vote by the House of Delegates on a proposal to raise the gas tax in Maryland. When the final vote was taken, the House approved the bill 78-56 but the actual outcome, and roll call vote, remains a matter of contention amidst accusations from Republicans that the debate and final vote were ended too quickly. The bill would increase the state's tax on gas by more than 20 cents to 43.7 cents per gallon on July 2016. The tax would increase to 44.6 cents per gallon if the federal government fails to pass an Internet sales tax. The tax is also tied to the consumer price index, which would allow for automatic increases without any additional legislative action. Those increases are …
Friday, March 15, 2013
The bill now goes to Gov. Martin O'Malley for his signature.
The Maryland House of Delegates passed a bill repealing the death penalty in Maryland. With the 82-56 vote, the bill will go to Gov. Martin O'Malley for his signature.
Lynn
6:41 pm on Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Remember when our ELECTED school board was removed back in early 2000's? THAT was when Rushern Baker was a delegate and head of the PG delegation. He was hiding in his office when we went to Annapolis to protest. The state put in their appointees...Big improvement...NOT! When Wayne Curry and his bunch of AAA's (Affluent African Americans) took over the county with their elitist atttitude and UN- … more ›