Politics

A leading Maryland lawmaker said Thursday that top legislators were misled about the seriousness of a cyberattack on the state health department. Sen. Paul Pinsky criticized Maryland Chief Information Security Officer Chip Stewart during a hearing on Thursday, a day after Stewart announced that the Dec. 4 attack involved ransomware. Pinsky, who chairs the Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee, cited a Dec. 22 briefing he participated in about the attack with House Speaker Adrienne Jones and Senate President Bill Ferguson.

The Kirwan Commission, access to health care, the environment and economic development were the focus of Monday’s pre-legislative discussion with the 36th District delegation of Sen. Steve Hershey and Delegates Jay Jacobs (Kent), Steve Arentz (Queen Anne’s) and Jeff Ghrist (Caroline) — all Republicans. Hosted by the Kent County Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Kent County, the discussion was held via Zoom. A recording can be accessed on the Kent County Chamber of Commerce’s YouTube channel.

As is the case every year, Maryland lawmakers have limited time to get a lot of legislation passed. The session that started Wednesday will wrap up 90 days from when the gavels first fell, and in that time they’ll be approving new legislative districts and passing a budget, actions that will provide no shortage of partisan bickering and squabbles over spending. This also appears to be the year that lawmakers will pass some sort of legislation to legalize recreational use of marijuana.

In response to a nationwide rise in heating costs, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced Friday that recipients of the state’s utility and electric assistance program will be provided enhanced benefits. “The relief we are announcing today will help our most vulnerable residents keep up with higher energy costs and stay warm throughout the winter months,” Hogan said. “This is all part of our commitment to devote some of our record budget surplus to helping Marylanders in need.”

The Maryland Senate spent nearly $200,000 to construct a flag-draped platform for members of the chamber to conduct television interviews, Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore) announced on Thursday. The money was used to install television lights, monitors, an audio system, a Capitol Hill-style lectern, American and Maryland flags, plush candy apple red carpeting, and a raised platform. Ferguson used the set-up for the first time on Wednesday, the first day of the legislature’s 90-day session.

Gubernatorial candidate Ashwani Jain has named longtime Maryland resident LaTrece Hawkins Lytes as his running mate in the crowded race for the Democratic nomination. Jain’s campaign describes Lytes as a longtime Maryland resident, wife, mother of four, juvenile Type 1 diabetes survivor, transplant recipient and a community activist.

State health and cybersecurity officials misled legislators about the cause of a website shutdown at the Department of Health, according to one top lawmaker. Sen. Paul Pinsky, D-Prince George’s and chair of the Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee, expressed outrage over new information he said contradicted a briefing last month. Pinsky said he was angered by the department’s announcement Wednesday that the incident was a ransomware attack — information he said officials withheld for more than six weeks.