Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Baltimore, MD
Baltimore, MD
54°
Cloudy
FOLLOW US:

Politics

County to begin budget process for FY25 with public hearings, sessions

The Frederick County government is asking the public to weigh in on priorities for the upcoming budget year, which begins on July 1, 2024. On Dec. 4, County Executive Jessica Fitzwater plans to host the first public hearing on the county’s operating and capital budgets for the upcoming budget year and the county’s Capital Improvement Program for fiscal years 2025-2030.

Howard residents get first chance to comment on Calvin Ball’s proposed 2025 budgets

The first public hearing on Howard County Executive Calvin Ball’s proposed fiscal 2025 budget is set for Dec. 11. The hearing, intended to allow residents to comment on what county services and institutions should receive funding, will be held online at 6 p.m., Dec. 11. It can be watched live from the Howard County Council’s website. The link for the hearing will be listed under Upcoming Events.

FBI in Maryland: What to know about the headquarters coming to Greenbelt

Maryland politicians were gleeful when the federal government announced plans to build a new headquarters for the FBI in the Prince George’s County town of Greenbelt. The decision was the result of a process that stretched more than a decade and pitted Maryland against Virginia for the high-dollar, high-profile project.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore creates ‘state of preparedness’ to ensure government coordination ahead of emergencies

In order for Maryland to more easily preempt emergencies, Gov. Wes Moore issued an executive order Monday establishing what will be known as state of preparedness declarations. “The safety and security of our residents is our top priority, and this executive order empowers us to act proactively in the face of potential threats,” Moore said in a statement Tuesday. Per Moore’s new order, a state of preparedness can be declared when an impending situation is likely to disrupt the lives of Maryland residents.

Read More: Baltimore Sun
King: Higher education recommendations report won’t be ready by Dec. 1 deadline

A legislative work group established to assess Maryland Higher Education Commission policies for authorizing degree programs was tasked with producing a report with recommendations by Dec. 1, but that’s not going to happen. Sen. Nancy King (D-Montgomery), a co-chair of the Program Approval Process Workgroup, said in a recent interview that a report may not be ready until January. So far no recommendations have been offered to improve the commission’s process for approving new academic programs.

 

Anne Arundel County bus system upgrades make free transportation more accessible

Over the past few years, Anne Arundel County has incrementally upgraded its bus system, including launching an app that allows residents to track buses and expanding a feature that enables them to call a bus. Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman told state transportation officials at a meeting last week he was actively trying to improve transit service in the county. “There is the, ‘build it and they will come’ philosophy as opposed to, ‘well people aren’t riding it so let’s not bother to build it,’” he said.

Read More: Baltimore Sun
Maryland handgun qualification licenses still needed until federal court issues mandate

Marylanders interested in handgun ownership still must apply for handgun qualification licenses despite Tuesday’s federal court decision deeming them unconstitutional. According to the Maryland State Police, which is charged with registering firearms owners, the portion of the 2013 Gun Safety Act requiring handgun qualification licenses will remain in effect until the federal court issues a mandate for the licensing process to cease.

Read More: Baltimore Sun
Transparency at stake in early test of Maryland police records law

A Maryland police union says a new law meant to allow access to officer disciplinary records should not apply to those created before the law took effect. Release of the records would be unfair to an officer, the union says, because he was guaranteed confidentiality when the investigation into his conduct took place. The argument is among those from Montgomery County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 35 in a case widely seen as an early test of Anton’s Law, passed by state lawmakers in 2021 to ensure public access to complaints of police misconduct.

Political notes: Rogers on his run, Trone endorsement official

Del. Mike Rogers (D-Anne Arundel) this week confirmed what his filing with the Federal Election Commission last week suggested: He’s joining the race in the 3rd congressional district. “I’m in,” he said in an interview. After almost 30 years in the Army and five years in the House of Delegates, Rogers said he views the potential to be in the House of Representatives as an extension of his public service.

A renewed push to change how vacancies are filled in Md. legislature

Nearly half of the state lawmakers from Maryland’s largest county and about 1 in 4 statewide were not originally elected to their seats. Instead, they were appointed, sent to Annapolis by a handful of local party officials, according to a recent analysis from Common Cause Maryland, a nonpartisan organization that advocates for fair elections. And, with nine vacancies filled through appointments in the Maryland General Assembly this year and a 10th in the works, election advocates are renewing a push to change a process that they say concentrates power into the hands of people on elected but politically-connected local panels.

The Morning Rundown

We’re staying up to the minute on the issues shaping the future. Join us on the newsletter of choice for Maryland politicos and business leaders. It’s always free to join and never a hassle to leave. See you on the inside.