Politics

Now there are six. Del. Mark S. Chang (D-Anne Arundel) will become the sixth state legislator to seek the 3rd District congressional seat, which U.S. Rep. John Sarbanes (D) is giving up at the end of next year after serving for nine terms. Chang, who will officially announce his candidacy for the May 14 Democratic primary on Tuesday, said in an interview that he’s running for Congress to become “a voice for the voiceless.”

Since the pandemic struck and hotel stays in downtown Baltimore took a dive, city taxpayers have been paying to prop up the Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor hotel to the tune of millions of dollars annually. This week Baltimore leaders will consider spending nearly $1 million more. The city’s Board of Estimates is set to vote Wednesday on a grant of $989,000 of American Rescue Plan Act funds to the Baltimore Hotel Corp. for use at the struggling city-owned hotel adjacent to the convention center and ballpark.

“Whatever mode you like or whatever part of the state you’re in, it’s obviously cause for concern,” says Del. Marc Korman, chair of the House Environment and Transportation Committee, about proposed cuts to transportation projects and services. Maryland state lawmakers on Monday were hesitant to accept plans from Gov. Wes Moore’s administration to manage a multibillion-dollar shortfall by drastically trimming budgets for all modes of transportation.

Mayor Brandon Scott on Monday signed a bill that requires Baltimore City’s vehicle fleet to be 100% electric by the year 2030. Scott was joined by other city leaders at the Central Garage on East Biddle Street in Baltimore. “It shows here our shared commitment to making Baltimore a leader as a climate conscious and sustainable government,” Scott said. “We are working to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases entering our environment and doing everything to ensure that city government is taking steps to modernize along side those goals.”

The Baltimore County Council postponed to later this month an anticipated vote to permanently enshrine the Office of the Inspector General into law after Council Chair Julian Jones introduced last-minute amendments to his own bills that would severely limit the watchdog agency’s investigative powers. Jones, a Woodstock Democrat, released a draft bill less than two hours before Monday’s council meeting.

Changes to Maryland’s marijuana laws continue to raise questions — and challenges — for police trying to enforce laws against driving under the influence. During a meeting with members of the Montgomery County Council’s Public Safety Committee, Montgomery County police officer Jayme Derbyshire told council members, “as far as admissibility goes, really, what we have are validated tests for alcohol impairment, and that’s essentially” it.

The Baltimore City Council failed to adopt a resolution condemning Hamas, moments after pro-Palestinian protestors interrupted the meeting. All but four councilmembers voted in favor of the resolution officially condemning the terrorist organization. Those who abstained were Kristerfer Burnett, Ryan Dorsey, Phylicia Porter and Odette Ramos. Before the vote, protestors, calling for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war, shouted, “Free, free Palestine!” The group was then calmly escorted out of the chambers.

When someone is facing only months to live due to terminal illness, they may consider a physician’s assistance to ease the pain of dying and have more control over what their final moments may look like. But in Maryland, a physician is currently prohibited from participating in so-called “medical aid-in-dying.” Maryland lawmakers have tried year after year, but so far, no bill to legalize medical aid in dying has passed.