Government Matters Committee

Maryland legislators will hear testimony next week in committee on five bills proposed by Carroll County commissioners. The bills and hearing times are:* House Bill 548 on school performance audits, at 11 a.m. Wednesday in the House Ways and Means Committee. The bill, which the same committee killed last year, would allow commissioners to audit the Board of Education's management practices.* House Bill 549 on fire police lights, at 1:15 p.m. Wednesday in the House Commerce and Government Matters Committee.

Gov. Parris N. Glendening's bill raising the state's minority contracting goal from 14 percent to 25 percent appeared on the road to passage yesterday after clearing two important hurdles in the General Assembly. With prodding from the governor and Speaker Casper R. Taylor, the conservative-leaning House Commerce and Government Matters Committee approved the legislation by a 17-3 vote. The panel acted after rejecting an amendment that would have cut the goal to 21 percent. Earlier in the day, the Senate turned back a series of Republican amendments, including one that would have cut the goal to 18 percent.

Bill to require simultaneous use of lights, wipers advancesA bill that would require motorists in Maryland to turn on their headlights or parking lights whenever they use their windshield wipers was approved yesterday by the House Commerce and Government Matters Committee.Proponents say the goal is to make cars more visible in inclement weather.The measure, sponsored by Del. Betty Workman, an Allegany County Democrat, goes to the full House of Delegates for consideration.Easing of helmet law for motorcyclists defeatedA House of Delegates committee has killed a bill that would have allowed adults to ride motorcycles in Maryland without wearing helmets.

House Speaker Casper R. Taylor Jr. said yesterday that supporters of Gov. Parris N. Glendening's proposal to increase the state's minority contracting goal to 25 percent might have to compromise to get the bill out of committee. Taylor, a backer of the governor's bill, said that he has not given up on winning approval of the 25 percent goal, but that he wouldn't be surprised if the number were "slightly reduced" to win over a few swing votes in the Commerce and Government Matters Committee.

ANNAPOLIS -- No one opposed three Carroll County bills heard in committee yesterday. Committee members will vote on the bills later.The bills were:* House Bill 545 -- To allow county commissioners to appoint at least nine of the 25 members of the Economic Development Commission. Current law says the commissioners must nominate members from a list provided by the EDC.The bill, heard in the Commerce and Government MattersCommittee, also would eliminate a section of the law that says the EDC must submit an annual operating budget to the commissioners.

THIS MORNING, members of the House Commerce and Government Matters Committee will hold a hearing on Senate Bill 649, sponsored by Sen. Larry E. Haines. The committee members would be doing the people of Carroll County -- as well as the rest of the state -- a great favor by killing it before it reaches the House floor.This ill-conceived measure shouldn't have gotten this far. Billed as legislation to save farmland, it would actually end up destroying productive agricultural land and create havoc with efforts to manage Carroll County's explosive residential growth.

THIS MORNING, members of the House Commerce and Government Matters Committee will hold a hearing on Senate Bill 649, sponsored by Sen. Larry E. Haines. The committee members would be doing the people of Carroll County -- as well as the rest of the state -- a great favor by killing it before it reaches the House floor.This ill-conceived measure shouldn't have gotten this far. Billed as legislation to save farmland, it would actually end up destroying productive agricultural land and create havoc with efforts to manage Carroll County's explosive residential growth.

Glendening urges reconsideration of dairy price supportGov. Parris N. Glendening turned lobbyist yesterday, making a rare trip across the street to the Senate office building to urge that a dairy price-support bill be reconsidered.The governor urged members of the Economic and Environmental Affairs Committee, which had rejected a previous version of the bill, to change their minds and support a proposal to allow the state to join a regional dairy pricing consortium. Glendening said surrounding states are taking such action, and he fears Maryland's dairies will suffer alone.

Two House of Delegates committees will hold a joint hearing Monday on a package of bills aimed at curbing property "flipping." The hearing by House Economic Matters Committee and Commerce and Government Matters Committee is scheduled for 3 p.m. in the Legislative Services building in Annapolis. The committees are to hear testimony on measures that would require the licensing of all real estate appraisers, would require city real estate transactions to be entered on the Web site of the State Department of Assessments and Taxation more quickly and would limit the fees and points charged by mortgage brokers and lenders.

ANNAPOLIS -- One House committee approved Carroll County's "right-to-farm" legislation Friday, but another rejected the commissioners' request for authority to audit school management performance.The House Environmental Matters Committee voted Friday to send House Bill 544 to the floor. The bill would allow the commissioners to write an ordinance to protect the right to farm.County farmers say such a law is needed to reduce the number of complaints and lawsuits filed against them by suburban neighbors bothered by the smells and noise of agriculture.

Two House of Delegates committees will hold a joint hearing Monday on a package of bills aimed at curbing property "flipping." The hearing by House Economic Matters Committee and Commerce and Government Matters Committee is scheduled for 3 p.m. in the Legislative Services building in Annapolis. The committees are to hear testimony on measures that would require the licensing of all real estate appraisers, would require city real estate transactions to be entered on the Web site of the State Department of Assessments and Taxation more quickly and would limit the fees and points charged by mortgage brokers and lenders.

Senate committee OKs bill increasing state police pensionsA state Senate committee voted yesterday to approve the governor's $10 million plan to increase state police pensions, offering troopers a boost in retirement pay and letting them start accumulating pension money five years before they leave work.Gov. Parris N. Glendening says the pension deal is needed to stem the flow of top-flight troopers to police departments that offer better pay and benefits.Because of the unique -- and expensive -- deferred retirement option, the Budget and Taxation Committee added wording to the bill indicating similar deals will not be offered to other state employees.

Glendening urges reconsideration of dairy price supportGov. Parris N. Glendening turned lobbyist yesterday, making a rare trip across the street to the Senate office building to urge that a dairy price-support bill be reconsidered.The governor urged members of the Economic and Environmental Affairs Committee, which had rejected a previous version of the bill, to change their minds and support a proposal to allow the state to join a regional dairy pricing consortium. Glendening said surrounding states are taking such action, and he fears Maryland's dairies will suffer alone.

Bill to require simultaneous use of lights, wipers advancesA bill that would require motorists in Maryland to turn on their headlights or parking lights whenever they use their windshield wipers was approved yesterday by the House Commerce and Government Matters Committee.Proponents say the goal is to make cars more visible in inclement weather.The measure, sponsored by Del. Betty Workman, an Allegany County Democrat, goes to the full House of Delegates for consideration.Easing of helmet law for motorcyclists defeatedA House of Delegates committee has killed a bill that would have allowed adults to ride motorcycles in Maryland without wearing helmets.

THIS MORNING, members of the House Commerce and Government Matters Committee will hold a hearing on Senate Bill 649, sponsored by Sen. Larry E. Haines. The committee members would be doing the people of Carroll County -- as well as the rest of the state -- a great favor by killing it before it reaches the House floor.This ill-conceived measure shouldn't have gotten this far. Billed as legislation to save farmland, it would actually end up destroying productive agricultural land and create havoc with efforts to manage Carroll County's explosive residential growth.

THIS MORNING, members of the House Commerce and Government Matters Committee will hold a hearing on Senate Bill 649, sponsored by Sen. Larry E. Haines. The committee members would be doing the people of Carroll County -- as well as the rest of the state -- a great favor by killing it before it reaches the House floor.This ill-conceived measure shouldn't have gotten this far. Billed as legislation to save farmland, it would actually end up destroying productive agricultural land and create havoc with efforts to manage Carroll County's explosive residential growth.

Senate committee OKs bill increasing state police pensionsA state Senate committee voted yesterday to approve the governor's $10 million plan to increase state police pensions, offering troopers a boost in retirement pay and letting them start accumulating pension money five years before they leave work.Gov. Parris N. Glendening says the pension deal is needed to stem the flow of top-flight troopers to police departments that offer better pay and benefits.Because of the unique -- and expensive -- deferred retirement option, the Budget and Taxation Committee added wording to the bill indicating similar deals will not be offered to other state employees.

A House panel yesterday endorsed Gov. Parris N. Glendening's proposal to raise the speed limit to 65 mph, but opposed a ban on radar detectors that the administration wanted tied to the higher limit.The Commerce and Government Matters Committee voted to strip the ban, and tough new penalties for speeders, from Mr. Glendening's proposal to increase the speed limit on 271 miles of rural interstate highways.Still, Bonnie A. Kirkland, the governor's chief lobbyist, said she was pleased by the panel's endorsement.

If a landlord evicts two men because they are homosexual, the couple has no legal recourse in Maryland. And if a lesbian loses a job because of her sexual orientation, she is equally out of luck.A group of ministers, gay rights advocates and others urged a House committee in Annapolis to help change that yesterday by approving legislation that would outlaw housing and job discrimination because of sexual orientation.The proposal, which is supported by Gov. Parris N. Glendening, would give homosexuals and bisexuals the right to file a complaint with the state government to keep their jobs and homes.

A House panel yesterday endorsed Gov. Parris N. Glendening's proposal to raise the speed limit to 65 mph, but opposed a ban on radar detectors that the administration wanted tied to the higher limit.The Commerce and Government Matters Committee voted to strip the ban, and tough new penalties for speeders, from Mr. Glendening's proposal to increase the speed limit on 271 miles of rural interstate highways.Still, Bonnie A. Kirkland, the governor's chief lobbyist, said she was pleased by the panel's endorsement.