Politics

A bill introduced in the Maryland legislature would expedite development review for certain affordable housing proposals — one of several bills the sponsor hopes will help make this year’s General Assembly “the housing session in Annapolis.” Del. Vaughn Stewart, D-District 19, representing the central part of Montgomery County, has formally introduced HB-3, which would require localities to establish and implement expedited development review processes for qualifying affordable housing projects.

The Maryland General Assembly’s 2024 legislative session begins in Annapolis on Wednesday, both sides of the aisle say that juvenile crime and changing justice reforms is a top priority. MoCo360 reached out to Maryland decision-makers on both sides of the political divide. Democrats say that only minor tweaks to clarify the 2022 Juvenile Justice Reform Act are necessary, but Republicans said that some parts of the law need to be completely rolled back.

Health care-focused organizations across the state are hopeful that the 2024 legislative session will be a year that reins in health costs and allows patients to have greater access to the care they need. “We really want to talk about the patient,” said Gene Ransom, CEO of MedChi, The Maryland State Medical Society, discussing the organization’s priorities for the upcoming session.

Mayor Brandon Scott and City Council President Nick Mosby clashed repeatedly last fall over plans to redraw Baltimore’s legislative lines — a dispute that culminated in November with a last-minute veto by the mayor that deprived council members of any chance to respond. Now, Mosby wants to change the once-a-decade redistricting process to bar future mayors from overriding the council-approved map.

Baltimore City students are discovering potential new career paths in classes that cover topics such as coding and graphic design at a local tech center. “I wanted to learn more about technology because this will help when I get older,” said Zaire Blackwell, a 12-year-old student at the Digital Harbor Foundation. “Some of the stuff I want to do has a lot to do with technology.”

Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md), a titan of Maryland politics and the former No. 2 leader in the House of Representatives, will seek a 23rd term in Congress. Hoyer, 84, plans to file for reelection Tuesday in a deeply Democratic area he has represented in Congress since 1981, and before that the Maryland legislature starting in 1967.

Could a run for the county executive seat be in Evan Glass’ future? When asked about the prospect, the departing Montgomery County council president was evasive. But Glass (D-At-large) is clear about one thing: He said he wouldn’t do anything differently about his year leading the largest and most diverse council in the county government’s history and its most diverse in terms of gender, race, ethnicity and LGBTQ+ identity.

In every Maryland General Assembly session, all 188 lawmakers play a role. Some, obviously, are more powerful and influential than others, starting with the presiding officers, committee chairs, minority leaders and so on. As we look ahead to the 90-day session, which begins on Wednesday, and ponder the lawmakers we’ll be watching closely, we don’t feel obligated to include House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones (D-Baltimore County), Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) or the chairs of all 10 standing committees.