Politics

Riding the legislative momentum of a voter-driven mandate, the 2023 Maryland General Assembly arrived Saturday at a policy destination the state has been inching toward for years — establishing rules for recreational cannabis sales. Should Gov. Wes Moore sign the bill into law, which he is likely to do, Marylanders 21 and older will be able to buy recreational cannabis on July 1.

After some procedural maneuvering and heated debate, the Senate gave final approval on an expansive gun bill about 30 minutes before midnight Friday. The 28-13 vote passed House Bill 824, which raises the age for legal gun possession to 21 and expands prohibitions on who cannot possess firearms. The vote may not have happened if Sen. Antonio Hayes (D-Baltimore City) didn’t make a motion to reconsider a special order that would have postponed additional debate until Monday.

The Maryland Senate unanimously confirmed two of Gov. Wes Moore’s latest executive appointments Friday, days before the adjournment of the legislative session. Senators scheduled the candidates’ confirmation hearings and floor votes in between moving landmark legislation on gun control and setting up a regulated recreational cannabis market in the waning days of the 2023 General Assembly.

A bill that advocates and elected officials say would empower Baltimore to tackle its vacant housing crisis appeared stalled on Friday after the city raised concerns about the legislation. The bill would allow the city to overhaul its controversial tax sale system, an annual auction of homeowners’ property tax debt, which can leave residents owing thousands of dollars to investors or risk losing their homes.

Gov. Wes Moore (D) on Thursday evening confirmed one of the worst-kept secrets in Annapolis: That he’s nominating Del. Kumar P. Barve (D-Montgomery) for a slot on the Maryland Public Service Commission. Barve, who has served in Annapolis since 1991 and been the chair of the House Environment and Transportation Committee since 2015, will bring his expertise on climate and technology to an important if obscure regulatory body that will play an increasingly prominent role in the state’s efforts to combat climate change.

There’s a new push to encourage more healthy food options for residents in Prince George’s County, Maryland. The county council is considering a bill that would bring more options to the county and support businesses that offer more balanced meals. Prince George’s County Council Vice-Chair Wala Blegay introduced the bill and said it would provide free advertising and promotion for businesses who choose to participate in the program. That means 30% of a restaurant’s menu would need to be deemed healthy by the county’s dietitian.

The Maryland House of Delegates voted Thursday to give final approval to legislation that will authorize the state’s Attorney General’s Office to prosecute police for unjustly killing or seriously injuring civilians. Senate Bill 280, sponsored by Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee Chair Will Smith, passed on a vote of 99-37. Because it was not amended in the House chamber, it does not need final approval from the Senate before it is signed into law by Gov. Wes Moore.

A week after the University of Colorado ended a controversial deal with a sports betting sponsor, Maryland legislators are on the brink of passing legislation to limit agreements between universities and gambling companies. But some say the legislation doesn’t go far enough in that it would not stop the companies from marketing to students and does not fully address the need for transparency. The University of Maryland College Park is the only school in the state with a betting sponsorship.