Politics

Gaithersburg City Councilmember Ryan Spiegel got his ticket punched to Annapolis on Tuesday evening, winning a recommendation from the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee that he be chosen to replace former Del. Kumar P. Barve (D) in the House of Delegates. The central committee’s nomination of Spiegel will be forwarded to Gov. Wes Moore (D), who officially makes the appointment.

City Council members voted unanimously Monday night to hike the annual salary for Baltimore’s top attorney by 30% — a move that would elevate the position to one of the most well-paid in city government. The bill, which members expedited Monday evening from a preliminary to a final vote, raises the salary for the city solicitor position to $245,000 from $188,000.to Scott.

From July 1st, 2023, cannabis will be legal for adults in Maryland. This landmark day came about thanks to voters’ approval of adult use legalization, which was on the 2022 ballot.   Maryland General Assembly passed House Bill 556 and Senate Bill 516 to develop a framework for beginning adult-use sales. As of July 1st, this legislation will become effective, making Maryland the 21st state to legalize recreational marijuana.

Drivers of electric vehicles, and some plug-in hybrid vehicles, in Maryland can once again use HOV lanes on Interstate 270 and Route 50, as long as they get and display a Maryland HOV permit. Because of legislation passed in Annapolis in the last session of the Maryland General Assembly, owners of electric vehicles who display their permits can begin using HOV lanes even when driving by themselves.

An overwhelming majority of Marylanders say they favor increased penalties for those convicted of possession of a stolen firearm. A poll released Tuesday by Annapolis-based Gonzales Research & Media Service found that strong, broad-based support for stiffer penalties exists across a wide spectrum of state voters. “What really surprised me the most is just the unanimity across the board of intense agreement,” said pollster Patrick Gonzales.

County Councilmember Kristin Mink (D-Dist. 5) released an apology Sunday, for comments she made about Muslim families and students who testified at a school board meeting against Montgomery County Public School’s policy on LGBTQ+ inclusive storybooks. “I regret that although my remarks were focused on promoting inclusion, they created an opportunity for misunderstanding and mischaracterization.

Following an informational campaign urging thousands of Marylanders to re-enroll in Medicaid, the Maryland Department of Health released data showing that more than 76,000 people were able to continue federal health care coverage, while 34,600 were disenrolled in the program, during a process referred to as “Medicaid unwinding.”