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| ‘Dramatic new ballgame’: New political era dawns in Annapolis | ‘Dramatic new ballgame’: New political era dawns in Annapolis |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| The sports memorabilia is gone from the office of the Maryland House speaker, replaced by periwinkle walls, a portrait of Frederick Douglass and a photo of a little black girl reaching toward a mural of Harriet Tubman’s outstretched hand. | The sports memorabilia is gone from the office of the Maryland House speaker, replaced by periwinkle walls, a portrait of Frederick Douglass and a photo of a little black girl reaching toward a mural of Harriet Tubman’s outstretched hand. |
| Across the wide marble hall of the State House, workers have made way for a new occupant in the Senate president’s office, too, stripping away the red silk-and-linen fabric that padded its walls for three decades. | |
| As Maryland’s lawmakers return to Annapolis on Wednesday for their annual 90-day legislative session, they will greet new presiding officers for the first time in 17 years. Like their predecessors, the new leaders are Democrats. But they bring a different tone, the prospect for more liberal-leaning policies and an undercurrent of uncertainty. | |
| “I’ve never seen or expected the depth, the breadth and profoundness of all the changes,” said lobbyist Bruce Bereano, who has worked in Annapolis for nearly five decades. “It’s a dramatic new ballgame for everybody — and I mean everybody.” | “I’ve never seen or expected the depth, the breadth and profoundness of all the changes,” said lobbyist Bruce Bereano, who has worked in Annapolis for nearly five decades. “It’s a dramatic new ballgame for everybody — and I mean everybody.” |
| For the first time in the four centuries the General Assembly has convened, a black lawmaker will gavel in a legislative session. House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones (D-Baltimore County) replaces Michael E. Busch, known as “coach,” who died unexpectedly on the final day of the 2019 session and was Maryland’s longest-serving speaker. | For the first time in the four centuries the General Assembly has convened, a black lawmaker will gavel in a legislative session. House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones (D-Baltimore County) replaces Michael E. Busch, known as “coach,” who died unexpectedly on the final day of the 2019 session and was Maryland’s longest-serving speaker. |
| Adrienne Jones is 1st African American, 1st woman to serve as House speaker | Adrienne Jones is 1st African American, 1st woman to serve as House speaker |
| And for the first time in a generation, the Maryland Senate will be led by someone other than Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert), who is ailing from cancer and will hand over the gavel Wednesday and become a rank-and-file member of the chamber. | And for the first time in a generation, the Maryland Senate will be led by someone other than Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert), who is ailing from cancer and will hand over the gavel Wednesday and become a rank-and-file member of the chamber. |
| His presumed successor, Sen. Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City), was a toddler when Miller was first elected president 33 years ago. | His presumed successor, Sen. Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City), was a toddler when Miller was first elected president 33 years ago. |
| Gov. Larry Hogan (R) said at a news conference Tuesday that he looks forward to working with Ferguson and Jones as they usher in a new political and cultural era in Annapolis. | Gov. Larry Hogan (R) said at a news conference Tuesday that he looks forward to working with Ferguson and Jones as they usher in a new political and cultural era in Annapolis. |
| “I was the young punk of the group with Senate President Mike Miller and Speaker Mike Busch . . . the new kid on the block,” said Hogan, who was elected in 2014 and reelected in 2018. “It’s a totally different dynamic. . . . We’re all going to work our way through this together.” | |
| A crop of younger and more liberal committee chairs now wield authority in key areas. Retirements and resignations, including of two longtime lawmakers who left office after being charged with federal crimes, mean several new faces in the chambers. Activists and left-leaning lawmakers are pushing long-stalled or novel legislation, including expanded background checks for private long gun sales, hoping the leadership will embrace it. | A crop of younger and more liberal committee chairs now wield authority in key areas. Retirements and resignations, including of two longtime lawmakers who left office after being charged with federal crimes, mean several new faces in the chambers. Activists and left-leaning lawmakers are pushing long-stalled or novel legislation, including expanded background checks for private long gun sales, hoping the leadership will embrace it. |
| “A new day has dawned,” said Del. Vaughn M. Stewart III (D-Montgomery), a freshman lawmaker who is promoting a “Social Housing Act” modeled after a program in Vienna. “You can’t help but feel a little giddy.” | “A new day has dawned,” said Del. Vaughn M. Stewart III (D-Montgomery), a freshman lawmaker who is promoting a “Social Housing Act” modeled after a program in Vienna. “You can’t help but feel a little giddy.” |
| Departure of longtime leaders means a new day in Maryland General Assembly | Departure of longtime leaders means a new day in Maryland General Assembly |
| Ferguson and Jones are focused on a sweeping education reform package endorsed by the Kirwan Commission that aims to end disparities and elevate Maryland schools to become the envy of the world. | Ferguson and Jones are focused on a sweeping education reform package endorsed by the Kirwan Commission that aims to end disparities and elevate Maryland schools to become the envy of the world. |
| They have staked their political capital on passing the program, which carries an eventual $4 billion annual price tag. And they have coupled the overhaul to a separate multibillion-dollar construction plan that would launch every school-related maintenance project in the state within the next five years. | They have staked their political capital on passing the program, which carries an eventual $4 billion annual price tag. And they have coupled the overhaul to a separate multibillion-dollar construction plan that would launch every school-related maintenance project in the state within the next five years. |
| “That’s going to take up a lot of the energy,” Ferguson said recently, surrounded by moving boxes in his old office. “This is a generational moment for public education.” | “That’s going to take up a lot of the energy,” Ferguson said recently, surrounded by moving boxes in his old office. “This is a generational moment for public education.” |
| Debate will center on how quickly to implement the reforms and — especially — how to pay for them. Both presiding officers have pledged not to raise income, property or sales tax rates this session to cover the costs, and floated the idea of taxing Internet commerce to help generate some of the roughly $325 million needed for the first phase of the plan. | |
| Lawmakers will also consider asking voters to legalize sports betting to help pay for the proposals, and they’ll debate whether to restrict sports betting to the state’s existing casinos. Jones said she is compiling a list of underused business tax credits she can eliminate as well. | Lawmakers will also consider asking voters to legalize sports betting to help pay for the proposals, and they’ll debate whether to restrict sports betting to the state’s existing casinos. Jones said she is compiling a list of underused business tax credits she can eliminate as well. |
| “This will be the session for Maryland children,” she said Tuesday at a pre-session Democratic lunch. | |
| The Republican caucus, which is outnumbered by a veto-proof Democratic majority in both chambers, intends to harness all its influence to beat back any type of tax hike, which House Minority Leader Nicholaus R. Kipke (R-Anne Arundel) called “a non-starter.” | The Republican caucus, which is outnumbered by a veto-proof Democratic majority in both chambers, intends to harness all its influence to beat back any type of tax hike, which House Minority Leader Nicholaus R. Kipke (R-Anne Arundel) called “a non-starter.” |
| Analysis: Here’s what D.C. suburbs can expect from Virginia and Maryland legislative sessions | Analysis: Here’s what D.C. suburbs can expect from Virginia and Maryland legislative sessions |
| Hogan has launched a public campaign against the boosted education spending, calling it tantamount to a $6,000 tax increase on Maryland families, and vowing to oppose any tax increases. He’s proposed his own reforms, emphasizing community control of failing schools and modeled after a program in Massachusetts. | Hogan has launched a public campaign against the boosted education spending, calling it tantamount to a $6,000 tax increase on Maryland families, and vowing to oppose any tax increases. He’s proposed his own reforms, emphasizing community control of failing schools and modeled after a program in Massachusetts. |
| At the news conference, the governor said lawmakers should focus on holding local school systems, violent criminals and even themselves more accountable. He noted the recent indictments and resignations of two longtime lawmakers, following several other indictments in the last few years. | At the news conference, the governor said lawmakers should focus on holding local school systems, violent criminals and even themselves more accountable. He noted the recent indictments and resignations of two longtime lawmakers, following several other indictments in the last few years. |
| “It should also be about more accountability for public officials. . . making sure they are deserving of the trust that people have placed in them,” he said. “Ensuring that public officials are serving the people and not simply themselves.” | “It should also be about more accountability for public officials. . . making sure they are deserving of the trust that people have placed in them,” he said. “Ensuring that public officials are serving the people and not simply themselves.” |
| Hogan proposed tougher ethics laws, increasing penalties for bribery to up to $100,000 and codifying into statute that convicted elected officials would lose their pensions. | Hogan proposed tougher ethics laws, increasing penalties for bribery to up to $100,000 and codifying into statute that convicted elected officials would lose their pensions. |
| Other elements of his agenda include tougher sentences for violent offenders who commit crimes with guns; stronger penalties for those who intimidate witnesses; and greater transparency of judges’ records on sentencing in violent criminal cases. Hogan is also proposing that the state use 100 percent clean electricity by 2040. | Other elements of his agenda include tougher sentences for violent offenders who commit crimes with guns; stronger penalties for those who intimidate witnesses; and greater transparency of judges’ records on sentencing in violent criminal cases. Hogan is also proposing that the state use 100 percent clean electricity by 2040. |
| The governor faces a battle with the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, which wants the state to settle a nearly 14-year-old lawsuit over inequitable funding to four historically black colleges and universities. Last year, Hogan made a “final offer” of $200 million after a coalition, made up of graduates of the historically black institutions, proposed a $577 million settlement. | The governor faces a battle with the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, which wants the state to settle a nearly 14-year-old lawsuit over inequitable funding to four historically black colleges and universities. Last year, Hogan made a “final offer” of $200 million after a coalition, made up of graduates of the historically black institutions, proposed a $577 million settlement. |
| One of the first decisions for the legislature will be whether to override eight Hogan vetoes issued last year, including of a bill that would ban employers from asking about a job applicant’s criminal record before an interview and another that would expand a program that offers in-state tuition to some undocumented immigrants. | One of the first decisions for the legislature will be whether to override eight Hogan vetoes issued last year, including of a bill that would ban employers from asking about a job applicant’s criminal record before an interview and another that would expand a program that offers in-state tuition to some undocumented immigrants. |
| Hogan vetoes ‘ban the box’ legislation, bill to abolish handgun permit review board | Hogan vetoes ‘ban the box’ legislation, bill to abolish handgun permit review board |
| More than anything, veteran lawmakers from both parties and lobbyists say the next 90 days will be marked by uncertainty. “The theme of the session will be getting to understand the way they [the presiding officers] operate,” Kipke said. | More than anything, veteran lawmakers from both parties and lobbyists say the next 90 days will be marked by uncertainty. “The theme of the session will be getting to understand the way they [the presiding officers] operate,” Kipke said. |
| Jones predicted lawmakers would pitch a statewide ban on plastic bags and flavored e-cigarettes, but she didn’t forecast whether they would pass. | Jones predicted lawmakers would pitch a statewide ban on plastic bags and flavored e-cigarettes, but she didn’t forecast whether they would pass. |
| Ferguson said lawmakers would attempt to enshrine protections of the federal Affordable Care Act into Maryland’s code. But he stopped short of promising it would happen. | Ferguson said lawmakers would attempt to enshrine protections of the federal Affordable Care Act into Maryland’s code. But he stopped short of promising it would happen. |
| Several liberal Democrats said they were optimistic the traditionally more centrist Senate would shift their way. Del. Vanessa E. Atterbeary (D-Howard), vice chair of the Judiciary Committee, said legislation that often died in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee — such as requiring background checks for private sales of long guns — might get a better reception now that former chairman Bobby Zirkin has retired. | Several liberal Democrats said they were optimistic the traditionally more centrist Senate would shift their way. Del. Vanessa E. Atterbeary (D-Howard), vice chair of the Judiciary Committee, said legislation that often died in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee — such as requiring background checks for private sales of long guns — might get a better reception now that former chairman Bobby Zirkin has retired. |
| “I’m very excited about the things we might be able to pass,” she said. | “I’m very excited about the things we might be able to pass,” she said. |
| Not all left-leaning lawmakers expected a lurch, however. | Not all left-leaning lawmakers expected a lurch, however. |
| “We’re still the same state and a legislature with most of the same members,” said Sen. James C. Rosapepe (D-Prince George’s), who has spent 23 years in Annapolis. “I think people expecting big zig and zags will be either reassured or disappointed, depending on their point of view.” | “We’re still the same state and a legislature with most of the same members,” said Sen. James C. Rosapepe (D-Prince George’s), who has spent 23 years in Annapolis. “I think people expecting big zig and zags will be either reassured or disappointed, depending on their point of view.” |
| Maryland approves $9 million settlement for five wrongly convicted men | Maryland approves $9 million settlement for five wrongly convicted men |
| ‘We lost our speaker’: Maryland lawmakers mourn Busch as they adjourn | ‘We lost our speaker’: Maryland lawmakers mourn Busch as they adjourn |
| Maryland panel approves new school funding formula that calls for heavy investment | Maryland panel approves new school funding formula that calls for heavy investment |
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