With a $223 million property tax hike looming, the hunt is on inside the council building to save money and reduce the tax increase. And a council staff analyst has recommended saving more than a third of that amount in one fell swoop. The catch is that it comes out of the county executive’s recommended budget for MCPS.
Maryland moved closer to offering legal cannabis for adults and enshrining reproductive health care rights into the state constitution, as Gov. Wes Moore signed dozens of bills into law on Wednesday. Lawmakers, lobbyists and advocates packed State House hallways waiting for their turn to witness the governor autograph some of the 2023 General Assembly’s most progressive legislation and pose for pictures while he was signing.
When he testified in favor of the bill that would require American Sign Language interpreters to be licensed in Maryland, Kelby Brick, director of the Governor’s Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, told lawmakers about an incident that made global headlines. At the funeral for former South African President Nelson Mandela in 2013, a sign language interpreter hired for the event was accused of being a fake, signing nonsense throughout the ceremony seen by millions around the world.
Baltimore County landlords who rent out seven or more units will now be required to register with the county as part of an ongoing legislative effort to overhaul housing infrastructure and codify regulations. The bill outlining this, introduced on behalf of County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr., was passed Monday evening, unanimously, by the Baltimore County Council.
U.S. Rep. David Trone, who represents Frederick County and Western Maryland, will become the third Democrat to announce his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by the retirement of Ben Cardin after next year. Trone, 67, the wealthy co-founder of the Total Wine & More retailer who is in his third term in Congress, plans to declare for the race on Thursday with a news release and video.
The Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee (MCDCC) is looking to fill yet another vacant seat in the Maryland General Assembly, this time in District 17 of the House of Delegates. This will be the fifth representative this legislative season who will be picked by the committee and not voters. Del. Kumar P. Barve (D-Dist. 17) announced last month that he is leaving his seat in the Maryland House of Delegates to join Democratic Gov. Wes Moore’s administration as a member of the Maryland Public Service Commission.
City council members are addressing the large number of leadership vacancies at city hall. This comes as Mayor Brandon Scott reportedly shakes up his own staff. Vacancies include key leadership positions at the Department of Public Works, Department of Transportation, and perhaps most notable, the chief of the Baltimore City Fire Department.
Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, is poised to sign legislation Wednesday to increase protections and access for abortion providers and patients who receive care in Maryland. Since the start of the General Assembly session in January, Moore has been a vocal supporter of the package of bills to bolster access to care and shield patients and providers from legal penalties.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) is set to sign into law Wednesday greater access to gender-affirming care for transgender residents on Medicaid, a policy Democrats say sends a practical and symbolic message to the trans community at a time of unprecedented targeting by politicians in GOP-leaning states.
Mayor Brandon Scott has named a behavioral health care executive with a background in social work to join Baltimore City’s board of school commissioners. City officials announced Monday that Mujahid Muhammad, who serves as chief executive officer for KEYS Enterprises, is set to join the 12-person board charged with overseeing the education of 75,000 city students.
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