DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
WHAT HAPPENED: The legislature adopted a proposal championed by O'Malley that would allow judges to confiscate the firearms of the subjects of temporary protective orders and that would require judges to seize weapons from those who receive final protective orders.
THE WINNERS: Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown, whose cousin was killed in a domestic assault, took the lead in lobbying on the issue. Victims rights advocates notched a victory and said families would be made safer by this legislation.
THE LOSERS: Gun-rights advocates discover once again they don't have much pull in the General Assembly.
DRIVER'S LICENSES:
WHAT HAPPENED : Lawmakers were hashing out a last-minute compromise plan to remove Maryland from the list of four states that allow illegal immigrants to receive driver's licenses. People already licensed would be able to renew without proving they are in the United States legally until 2015 but would receive "not federally compliant" licenses that would not be accepted to board airplanes.
THE WINNERS: The governor and legislative leaders needed a plan to meet a federal October deadline and made sure it happened. Republicans have championed this issue for years, though many were unhappy with the compromise.
THE LOSERS: The flow of undocumented immigrants to state motor vehicle offices could be staunched.
ELECTRICITY
WHAT HAPPENED: With consumers buffeted by rising utility costs, O'Malley backed a plan to partially re-regulate the electricity market by allowing regulators to order utilities to build power plants and to set the rates charged. The initiative passed the Senate, but those in the House said the complex proposal could not be fully vetted in time for passage this year.
THE WINNERS: Constellation Energy Group opposed the plan as did retail energy suppliers, who said the move in 1999 to deregulation is working for commercial customers and should be allowed to develop for the residential market.
THE LOSERS: O'Malley couldn't convince Del. Dereck E. Davis, chairman of the Economic Matters Committee, and others on the panel to adopt the plan.
MEDEVAC
WHAT HAPPENED : A fatal helicopter crash in September, coming not long after a critical audit, cast attention on the state's medevac helicopter fleet. Some lawmakers pushed to privatize the system. Instead, some reforms were passed, and the planned replacement of the fleet's 11 helicopters will continue.
