April 9, 2011:
The Session's Last Saturday
Today, the Senate and House will both start their Saturday
sessions at noon. Legislators will be attempting to move bills
in preparation for last day of the 2011 legislative session this
Monday, April 11. If you would like to listen to democracy in
action, you can tune in on the "listen" feature of the Maryland
legislative services website (click
here).
Key bills still in play over the last three days of the session
include:
In-state tuition for illegal immigrants: The House
has amended the Senate version of this bill and passed it on
third reader on Friday. It must go back to the Senate for
consideration of the House amendments. (See
Baltimore Sun click here)
InvestMaryland: A key initiative of Gov. Martin
O'Malley, the bill would create a venture capital fund. That
it hasn't passed this late in the session should trouble the
O'Malley administration but at least it has not already been
killed like his other two signature bills (septics &
offshore wind). The House bill passed on Friday and awaits
action in the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee. (see
The Gazette click here)
Unionization of Private Home Health Care Workers:
A controversial O'Malley measure to make private health care
workers (who deliver services to private homes) become
members and/or pay service fees to unions passed the Senate
and will now be considered by the House (see
our prior post click here and updated status in
MarylandReporter.com click here).
Maryland Human Relations - Transgender. A bill
that passed the House last week that would add transgender
to a list of discrimination actions under the purview of the
Maryland Human Relations Committee will likely be voted on
by the Senate Judicial Proceedings committee this morning (See
Washington Post click here)
The loss of O'Malley's offshore wind power bill was a major
blow to the Administration. Any claims by O'Malley that this was
overall a successful legislative session will ring hollow after
the loss of his premier wind power initiative. All hands were
"on deck" - this was the one bill where key Administration
resources, efforts, time and talents were used to lobby
legislators.
Both Blair Lee (click
here) and Barry Rascovar (click
here) covered the various nuances of O'Malley's
misguided wind power folly in their Gazette columns this week.
They prominently raised the concerns felt among many legislators
that the friendships and personal relationships of those
positioned to benefit under this bill were too cozy with
O'Malley:
Lee - And dark rumors abound that O'Malley's pals
in the wind farm industry will make millions if O'Malley's
wind farm bill passes.
Rascovar - Then there's the appearance of padding
the pockets of a close O'Malley pal: The governor's former
chief of staff and boyhood friend is leading the charge by
one energy company to build those offshore turbines.
O'Malley better hope Michael Enright's firm doesn't end up
with the contract. The governor would be pulverized by the
ever-skeptical and distrusting American public. It would end
his dreams of ascending to national office.
Depending upon which bills live and which bills die, it
should be a roller-coaster on Monday as legislators wrap up
their 90-day session. Then as the clock chimes midnight on
Monday night - POOF! - it is all over.
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