Politics

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore is standing behind the head of the Department of Juvenile Services as state lawmakers said they are working on legislation for the upcoming 2024 session to modify some juvenile justice laws. Some have called for changes regarding how quickly juveniles are released after being arrested, and others have taken aim at the Child Interrogation Protection Act, which prohibits police from interviewing juveniles until the child has consulted with an attorney.

Standing with a portable oxygen tank slung across one shoulder, Sylvia Duvall stood in the pavilion at The People’s Park and recounted the tale of how she nearly lost her home in West Baltimore this year. Unable to work due to a disability, Duvall lives on a fixed income and relies on support from her partner, Abdul Muhammad, to make the monthly rent. Then in June, Muhammad’s car fell victim to the rash of auto thefts plaguing Baltimore City drivers. He lost his job, and the eviction notices began to pile up.

During a news conference Wednesday, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott weighed in on a judge’s ruling to transfer an 18-year-old Brooklyn Homes mass shooting suspect to a juvenile detention facility. “The judge’s decision is the judge’s decision,” Scott said. “He’s having an adult trial and that’s where I wait for him to be held accountable for his adult actions.” Tristan Jackson, 18, was charged with with seven counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, seven counts of attempted first-degree murder, and 41 related charges back in August with connection to the July 2 shooting.

Mayoral hopeful Sheila Dixon appeared on a Fox45 public safety town hall in South Baltimore with ally Councilman Eric Costello and local neighborhood leaders, giving residents a glimpse into the messaging her campaign will likely employ as the May 14 Democratic primary approaches. The panelists argued that, while violent crime is down under Mayor Brandon Scott, Baltimoreans do not feel safe.

Residents along Maryland Route 210 in Prince George’s County are calling for higher fines for speeding drivers and repeat offenders. The 210 Traffic Safety Committee held a meeting Wednesday afternoon in Oxon Hill to garner support for a bill expected to be introduced in the new session of the Maryland General Assembly. The new legislation, PG/MC-102-24, would significantly increase speeding fines in some cases, depending on how fast the driver was going, from $40 to $90 or more than $500.

As Maryland officials put the finishing touches on a plan for how the state should hit its aggressive goals for combating climate change, an adjacent report from a longstanding advisory body offers some clues on what the final recommendations might include. The annual report of the Maryland Commission on Climate Change, which guides the work of the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), was released last week, and it’s an expansive document with a range of short-, middle and long-term strategies.

A bill that would require most new residential buildings in Anne Arundel to include affordable units failed to pass the Anne Arundel County Council on Monday night. The bill, which was voted down by the three Republicans and Council member Allison Pickard, a Glen Burnie Democrat, would have mandated developers to allocate 15% of units in each large-scale building project to be affordable for renters earning around $62,000 or less and buyers earning about $83,000 or less.

Baltimore voters will be asked once again to weigh in on local control of the Baltimore Police Department. The Baltimore City Council approved a proposed charter amendment Monday that would create a structure for the city’s police department within the city charter in hopes of finalizing the transition from state to local control. The amendment, which still requires the approval of Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, would appear on ballots in November. Scott, a Democrat, has said he supports the measure.

Baltimore’s mayor is trying a new strategy to fight gun violence: suing the federal agency that traces the sources of “crime guns” but won’t share the data with local policymakers. Mayor Brandon Scott on Tuesday announced a new lawsuit against the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which in September denied a public records request from the city of Baltimore for gun crime data.