The governor's supporters said the state has a legitimate public interest in staking a claim to the historic race.
In the final hours, lawmakers finished work on a number of bills, including:
* An O'Malley-backed bill that would allow the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the largest union for state workers, to negotiate service fees from nonmembers as part of their contract.
* A bill, sought by gay rights advocates, to exempt domestic partners who jointly own homes from inheritance taxes after one of them dies.
* A measure to implement an early voting system approved by voters in a November referendum.
But the session was mostly consumed by the state's bleak financial picture. Already prepared to pass one of the leanest budgets ever, lawmakers had to rip up their plan in mid-March when they learned that state revenues were down more than expected, leaving them with a $500 million budget hole. The $13.8 billion operating budget and companion measures only gained final passage Monday. The budget is balanced, as required by law, but relies on more than $1.4 billion from the federal economic stimulus package.
LEGISLATIVE RUNDOWN
ISSUE: BUDGET
WHAT HAPPENED: The General Assembly adopted an annual operating budget of nearly $14 billion that allows state universities to freeze tuition for a fourth consecutive year, a priority of Gov. Martin O'Malley. A long-term imbalance between revenues and expenditures remains unresolved.
THE WINNERS: State employees avoid mass layoffs.
THE LOSERS: Local governments lose $160 million in road money.
DEATH PENALTY
WHAT HAPPENED: Lawmakers decided to make Maryland's death penalty statute among the most restrictive in the nation. Under new rules, prosecutors would be able to seek the death penalty only when they have DNA or biological evidence, a videotape of the crime or a video-recorded confession by the killer. Even though the House of Delegates appeared ready to end capital punishment entirely, death penalty foe O'Malley urged delegates to accept the restrictions approved by the Senate.
THE WINNERS: Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller scored points with the governor, by allowing O'Malley's priority to receive a full debate, and saw the death penalty preserved - which was what Miller wanted; Sen. Bobby A. Zirkin crafted the compromise.
THE LOSERS: O'Malley said he would do everything in his power to end the death penalty in Maryland, but it wasn't enough.
