Politics

Legislation that would establish a comprehensive health education framework continues to draw criticism from local elected officials.Last week, the Worcester County Commissioners voiced sharp objections to a state bill regarding health education that they said would force issues like gender identification and human sexuality onto students far too early.

Four weeks into his tenure, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has yet to fulfill his pledge to put all of his investments and business interests in a blind trust in order to avoid conflicts of interest. Moore, a Democrat and first-time politician, has an array of investments, ranging from his own companies for promoting his books and developing productions to shares of stock in high-profile companies. He also owns a partial stake in nearly two dozen limited liability corporations whose purpose is unclear.

The Maryland Senate began hearings Wednesday on a bill to remove some of the last blocks to unfettered gaming statewide — a plan that would ask voters to legalize online gaming for sponsors paying a hefty licensing fee. SB 0267 was heard Wednesday. It is sponsored by Sen. Ron Watson, D-Prince George’s, and Senate Majority Leader Nancy J. King, D-Montgomery.

With a Democratic governor now in office, transgender rights advocates and some lawmakers are optimistic that the General Assembly will finally pass a bill that expands gender-affirming health coverage for individuals receiving Medicaid benefits. For the second year in a row, Baltimore and Montgomery County Democrats State Sen. Mary Washington and Del. Anne Kaiser have introduced the Trans Health Equity Act. It’s a bill that former Republican Gov. Larry Hogan threatened to veto in 2022.

Maryland’s new attorney general made his first legislative pitch to lawmakers Tuesday. Anthony Brown argued for expanded powers for his office, allowing it to do prosecutions for police-involved killings. “The bill grants exclusive authority to the Office of the Attorney General to prosecute criminal misconduct in all officer-involved deaths or incidents where death is likely,” Brown told the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee during a marathon hearing Tuesday in Annapolis.

A Senate nominations committee on Wednesday voted along party lines to advance Gov. Wes Moore’s juvenile services Cabinet pick to the full Senate. There was no discussion during the brief committee vote on Acting Secretary Vincent Schiraldi, but Republican senators passed out a statement afterward saying they “cannot in good faith support this appointee.”