Politics

Turning one of his hallmark campaign promises into reality, Gov. Wes Moore signed into law the creation of a program that will allow recent high school graduates to participate in a year of paid public service before entering the workforce or continuing their education. The program was among more than 100 bills the Democratic governor put his signature on Monday afternoon — including a $63.1 billion state budget, fixes to the troubled 529 college savings program, election process reforms and the creation of new government entities to manage racetracks and study Baltimore’s water system.

A plethora of pens, handshakes, signatures, official snapshots and selfies proceeded on Monday as Maryland Gov. Wes Moore enacted more than 100 pieces of legislation during his third bill signing of his time in office. A team of two rotated each bill’s numbers on signage, and a civil servant carried the placards back and forth while lawmakers, advocates and ordinary citizens came behind the state’s presiding officers for picture after picture, after picture.

Fisheries scientist Allison Colden has been named the new Maryland executive director of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, effective immediately. An Annapolis resident, Colden will succeed the foundation’s previous director, Josh Kurtz, whom Gov. Wes Moore appointed to be the secretary of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources in January. “It’s my pleasure to announce Allison Colden as the new leader of CBF’s Maryland team,” said Alison Prost, CBF’s Vice President for Environmental Protection and Restoration, in a statement.

On a cloudy Thursday morning in March, state Sen. Paul Pinsky walked out of the Maryland State House for a new life on the cutting edge of climate policy he’s helped hone in the state. Just moments earlier, Pinsky, 73, who spent 36 years representing Prince George’s County in the General Assembly, was presented with the First Citizen Award from Senate President Bill Ferguson in recognition of his long public service.

One of the biggest changes to state education policy to come out of the Maryland General Assembly this session didn’t actually originate from lawmakers — it came from the new attitude in the governor’s office. Gov. Wes Moore emphasized access to a good education for all in Maryland, and demonstrated he isn’t afraid to spend money on ensuring that.

The Supreme Court on Friday preserved women’s access to a drug “mifepristone” used in abortion, and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore responded to the decision. Moore said he was “glad” about the Supreme Court’s ruling. He added the “battle is far from over.” “Glad to see the Supreme Court preserve access to mifepristone and not further escalate attacks on reproductive rights across the country,” Moore said in a tweet.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and the Department of Public Works on Saturday hosted the 23rd annual Mayor’s Spring Cleanup. Scott kicked off the event in south Baltimore. The project encourages those in the community to pick up trash and to recycle. Ben Jealous, executive director of the Sierra Club, said federal money in the Inflation Reduction Act has helped improve the environment in places like west Baltimore.