A legislative session of big ideas — and big spending

Last Monday night, the Maryland General Assembly wrapped up its 444th legislative session, the annual 90-day hustle of bill-writing, hearings, amendments, debates and voting, with Democrats and Republicans alike pronouncing it highly productive. Even Gov. Larry Hogan, a lame duck Republican not customarily known for his praise of the state’s 188 lawmakers (and especially not Democratic leaders), declared it the most successful of his two terms in office.