On Wednesday, January 19, 2011, the re-inauguration of Maryland’s Governor Martin O’Malley took place, marking the beginning of Governor O’Malley’s second four-year term. The official swearing-in occurred at 12 noon in the Senate Chambers of the Maryland State House, and the Governor’s inauguration remarks were given at 12:30 on the front steps of the State House. His remarks included a brief commentary on such pressing topics as jobs and the economy. This year, in an effort to scale back due to the recession, Governor O’Malley did not have an inaugural parade, as he had at the beginning of his first term. He also held a less formal ticketed inaugural celebration on Wednesday evening in Baltimore City. Attendees of this celebration were asked to bring a canned or non-perishable food item as a donation for the Maryland Food Bank.
On Friday, January 21st, the newly re-inaugurated Governor O’Malley submitted his 2011 budget to the Maryland General Assembly. Though the budget took into account the State’s $1.6-billion deficit, Governor O’Malley’s budget plan does not raise any taxes. The legislature will review the Governor’s submission and must approve a final budget by April 4th.
January 25th is the date for the deadline for any bill requests and February 4th is the deadline to introduce any bills. I have introduced the following bills:
Senate Bill 18 (Vehicle Laws – Registered Sex Offenders – Drivers’ Licenses and Identification Cards) would require the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, within 5 working days after receiving a specified sex offender registration statement, to send a copy of the statement to the Motor Vehicle Administration and require the Administration to place a notation on a driver’s license or identification card issued or reissued to the individual who is the subject of the statement indicating that the individual is registered on the sex offender registry (Tier II and Tier III). Last Session (2010), Eastern Shore legislators worked on a comprehensive sex offender bill that revolved around the sad rape and murder of Sarah Foxwell. The result was the late introduction of a House and a Senate bill. Senate Bill 1065 and House Bill 1413 (Sexual Offenders Omnibus Act of 2010) did not pass. According to Wicomico Sheriff Mike Lewis, a key provision in the Eastern Shore Delegation bill dealt with an identification code on a driver’s license which could only be read by law enforcement officers and would identify convicted Tier II or Tier III sex offenders. Therefore, I successfully amended House Bill 936 to include these drivers’ license provisions. The Senate voted 45 – 1 in favor of the amended House Bill 936. However, the Governor’s office and the House would not accept the amendments. I believe that if we’re serious about cracking down on sex offenders, we need to give our police officers this tool which is why I am again introducing this very important piece of legislation.
Senate Bill 26 (Creation of a State Debt – Dorchester County – Replica Choptank River Lighthouse) would authorize a bond bill in the amount of $300,000 to be used as a grant to the Board of Directors of the Choptank River Lighthouse Society for the development of Choptank River Lighthouse replica in Cambridge. The lighthouse would be used for educational purposes and would increase tourism for Cambridge and Dorchester County.
Senate Bill 19 (Vehicle Laws – Gross Weight Limits – Farm Vehicles and Vehicles Carrying Farm Products) would allow registered farm vehicles or vehicles that are carrying farm products a gross weight limit tolerance for agricultural purposes.
A key issue during the 2011 Session of the Maryland General Assembly will be capital punishment. Since 2006, Maryland has had a de facto moratorium on the death penalty due to the inaction of the Administrative, Executive, and Legislative Review (AELR) Committee in approving the three-drug-cocktail/lethal injection method of execution. The AELR asked the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to delay final adoption of the death penalty procedure regulations so that the Committee could conduct a more detailed study of the regulations and issues raised by them well over a year ago. Many legislators have pushed for a revisit of this controversial issue during the current Session. The President of the Senate, Mike Miller, urged the AELR Committee to reinstitute Maryland’s Death Penalty via adoption of the regulations. There is a scheduled AELR Committee hearing on the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services death penalty regulations for Wednesday, February 16, at 3:00. All indications are that there are enough votes on the AELR Committee to approve those regs.
In the 2009 Session, the Senate and the Maryland House of Delegates approved a bill that would require DNA evidence of guilt if in fact the death penalty is sought. The purpose of the bill was to lessen the possibility of executing an innocent person. The bill, which Governor O’Malley called “a step forward”, would limit the capital cases to those with biological or DNA evidence of guilt. It is likely that legislation will be introduced that will once again utilize fingerprints as evidence for first degree murder.
On Tuesday, January 25, 2011, at 3:45, the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee will hear Senate Bill 23 (Election Law – Absentee Ballots). The bill would authorize a voter to designate a duly authorized agent to complete the process involved for the voter regarding absentee ballots. It would also prohibit candidates from directly or indirectly collecting a voter’s completed absentee ballot. The bill would correct inconsistencies in how absentee balloting takes place.
On Wednesday, January 26, at 3:15, the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee will hear Senate Bill 25 (Dorchester County – Land Acquisition – Approval Required). The bill would prohibit the State from acquiring land, of more than 100 acres, for open space purposes in Dorchester County unless the County Council of Dorchester County approves the purchase. Currently the State of Maryland owns approximately 41,637 acres of property in Dorchester County which includes agriculture property, forestland and marshland. The State provides a payment in lieu of taxes for 11,659 of those acres. The county receives no compensation for the remaining 29,978 acres. Since property taxes are approximately 41% of Dorchester’s FY 2011 budgeted general fund revenues, any additional purchase of land by the State in Dorchester County will have a significant impact on future budget years which may result in the reduction or the elimination of programs and services to the public. Prior notification of any proposed State land purchase in excess of 100 acres will give the County Council the opportunity to assess the financial impact of that potential purchase to the County’s budget and to make any adjustments as necessary. This same bill was introduced last year; it passed the Senate (47 – 0), but did not get out of the House.
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