General Assembly

Those things that make Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller a formidable adversary in Annapolis can sure come in handy sometimes. This week, he single-handedly restored to relevancy one of the most important issues facing Maryland - a looming shortfall in transportation funding - that others in his party seem to regard as radioactive. Call him irascible, call him egotistical, call him a bull in a china shop, but the real lesson here is to always call on the longest-serving Senate leader in Maryland history when it's time to pick up an unpopular cause like raising the gas tax. The veteran Prince George's County politician may often be wrong, but he's never in doubt.

Members of Baltimore's legislative delegation in Annapolis chastised city transportation officials Friday for problems with the city's lucrative network of speed cameras. Del. Brian McHale called it "unjust" that the city won't try to identify, and refund, every erroneous ticket issued. Del. Curt Anderson said he thought existing state law barred the city from paying its contractor a share of each $40 fine, a view shared by Gov. Martin O'Malley. And a skeptical Del. Nathaniel Oaks asked city officials what they'll do after finding that a motorist paid a ticket that shouldn't have been issued.

Annapolis boys basketball coach John Brady, Maryland's winningest coach among public schools, and cross country standout Hale Bullen will be honored guests at the Maryland General Assembly on Monday, Jan. 28. Brady, who has a 728-158 career record in his 36 seasons at Annapolis, led the Panthers to a state title in 1990 and three other appearances in the championship game. Bullen was named The Baltimore Sun's Cross Country Runner of the Year after a senior season that was capped with a win in the Class 3A championship race.

House Speaker Michael E. Busch and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller said Wednesday that they have reservations about a plan advanced by the Rawlings-Blake administration to expedite school renovation in Baltimore. Appearing on the Marc Steiner radio show just hours before the General Assembly is scheduled to convene for its 90-day annual session, the two legislative leaders agreed that the proposal raises questions about how it would affect the state's finances. The city is asking for a guaranteed stream of at least $32 million in school construction aid a year for 20 years against which it could float bonds to pay for a $2.4 billion program to rebuild Baltimore's crumbling facilities.

County Executive Kevin Kamenetz on Tuesday reiterated a familiar theme in stating that his top priority for the 2013 General Assembly session, which opens tomorrow in Annapolis, will be funding for education. But Kamenetz also named legislation related to guns and ammunition among his priorities as well, saying such measures are directly connected to school safety concerns. In a statement on his legislative priorities, the executive noted his recent letter to state and federal legislators urging measures that would halt exceptions to national background checks and stop the sale of assault weapons and “high capacity” ammunition magazines of more than 10 rounds.

A state task force studying gun access laws for people with mental illnesses has proposed authorizing police to seize firearms from individuals deemed a credible threat to themselves or others. Such seizures, the panel said Wednesday, would take place after law enforcement "substantiated" reports from mental health providers, social workers and other professionals. The proposal is among nine recommendations by a task force convened months before December's mass shooting at a Connecticut elementary school that sparked a nationwide debate on gun control and access to mental health services.

Sometime this year, the BWI Marshall Airport fire and rescue department will begin billing people for ambulance rides to the hospital. The move, dictated by the General Assembly last year, follows a statewide trend to try to recover some emergency medical costs from insurance companies. Montgomery County, the state's most populous jurisdiction, began charging Jan. 1. "It's become pretty standard in the aviation industry and in EMS in general," said Paul Wiedefeld, the airport's executive director.

Lawyers for the state defended Maryland's new General Assembly districts Wednesday, telling Maryland's highest judges that while the map may not please everyone, it's legal and proper. "Somebody can always draw a better map. That's not the issue," Assistant Attorney General Dan Friedman told the Court of Appeals, as he argued against three challenges to the redistricting map. "The issue is whether this map is constitutional. " Among those challenging the plan are two Democratic state senators from Baltimore County, who asked the judges to throw out the plan created by Gov. Martin O'Malley and General Assembly leaders and tell them to try again.

While Marylanders are consumed with the debate over whether to allow a sixth casino and table games like poker and blackjack, the state is quietly moving ahead with an idea that could make gambling much more pervasive: Internet lottery sales. And in contrast to the state's casino program, which has been playing catch-up with neighboring states for years, the State Lottery Agency is contemplating plans that would instantly catapult Maryland to the cutting edge of this new frontier of gambling - all without the General Assembly ever taking a direct vote on the issue.

The Maryland General Assembly gave final approval to Gov. Martin O'Malley's gambling bill early Wednesday morning, agreeing to allow table games and a sixth casino in the state while also giving new tax breaks to casino owners. Passage came after the House of Delegates amended the legislation to allow veterans' halls in every county except Montgomery to have slots-like machines - a new element in the gambling debate that appeared to be aimed at winning enough votes to pass the governor's bill.