Maryland General Assembly

To Del. Curtis S. Anderson's extreme consternation, despite repeated attempts, he couldn't log on to Facebook from his Annapolis office Thursday night. He walked out into the hallway in frustration and ran into an equally stymied woman. When the Baltimore Democrat got to work yesterday morning, he realized it was no fluke: The Maryland General Assembly had blocked all elected officials and staff from Facebook and MySpace - apparently the first legislature in the country to ban the popular online social networks.

Increase the penalty for those involved in dogfightingOne of our members shared with us the very comprehensive article ("Police raid suspected dogfight," March 22) by Amy Oakes on the dogfight raid in the Villa Nova area. What a telling portrayal -- a bloody plywood fighting ring and a "Beware of Dog" sign posted near a child's slide.It is unfortunate that the Baltimore police think this is merely a sporadic incident. This heinous and atavistic "blood sport" is pervasive throughout the country and, obviously from this incident, dogfighting is well-organized in your area.

Device that shocks hearts could save many Maryland livesCardiac arrest kills more than 360,000 people a year in this country. That is one of the reasons why the Maryland General Assembly deserves applause for passing a bill "public access defibrilation" bill that will expand use of advanced technology for treating dying hearts.Defibrillators are devices, often seen on medical shows, that shock the heart of a cardiac arrest victim. Until recently, they have mostly been used in ambulances and emergency rooms.

Starting with the assumption that it is important to ensure that Maryland jobs are preserved and Maryland businesses remain strong, state elected officials need to provide strong leadership.If Maryland is to grow, prosper and be a great place to create opportunities for our children and provide wages to support families, it must be recognized as a business-friendly state.I, therefore, concur with the spirit of your editorial "Keeping Marriott in Maryland" (March 12) lauding Gov. Parris N. Glendening and Department of Business and Economic Development Secretary Richard C. Mike Lewin on their successful efforts to keep Marriott in Maryland.

Legislation pending before the Maryland General Assembly would order a study of the viability of the state's major racetracks and racing industry, to determine whether they require continued taxpayer subsidy.Del. John R. Leopold, an Anne Arundel County Republican, sought unsuccessfully to delay any further subsidies to the industry until the report could be completed."I happen to think we have higher priorities than to bail out millionaires," Leopold said.Pub Date: 4/02/98

Cheer up. The Maryland General Assembly is back on the job.When one campus pays a legislator to advance its interests, the University System of Maryland is not working.The city school board hired its No. 3 and No. 2 executives to be imposed on a No. 1 yet to be chosen, and calls that reform.Disney owns NFL football, not to be confused with Dumbo, Dopey or Mickey.Pub Date: 1/19/98

An article in yesterday's editions of The Sun incorrectly reported that state Sen. Clarence W. Blount was the first African-American to become chairman of a standing committee in the Maryland General Assembly. Blount was the first African-American to chair a standing committee in the state Senate.The Sun regrets the error.Pub Date: 8/29/98

The Joint Committee concludes that Senator Young violated numerous ethical standards within the jurisdiction of the Joint Committee. Because of the seriousness, scope and consistent pattern of the violations examined above, the Joint Committee issues its recommendations for appropriate sanctions.Senator Larry Young has served in the Maryland General Assembly with legislative distinction for 24 years. In his testimony before the Joint Committee on January 6, 1998, Senator Young spoke of his educational background and stated that he is "not heavy educationally, but I attended one of the best colleges and universities of learning anywhere, the Maryland General Assembly."

Glendening plan for disabled is long overdueGov. Parris N. Glendening's proposal to provide $68.4 million in state funds to reduce the waiting list for disability services represents a most welcome and compassionate response to a problem that has been allowed to worsen for far too long.A new report by the Arc, a national organization on mental retardation, indicates that more than 5,300 Marylanders with mental retardation are currently on waiting lists for needed residential, day and vocational services, with the standard wait for services 10 to 12 years.

Assembly legislation to aid Md. tobacco suit could yield billionsYour editorial "Wrong way to address smoking ills" (March 5) opposing two bills pending in the Maryland General Assembly was especially disappointing in light of your usual sensitivity to tobacco issues. Your readers need to focus on two points.Deaths and illnesses caused by tobacco have cost Marylanders at least $1.5 billion annually for years. Maryland's suit against the tobacco industry could return as much as $3 billion of these costs, as well as punitive damages estimated at $10 billion.

Joseph S. Kaufman, a trial attorney who helped establish the Maryland Transit Administration, died of a stroke Saturday at Sinai Hospital. The Mount Washington resident was 79. "He represented his clients aggressively and effectively," said Judge Joseph F. Murphy Jr. of the Court of Appeals. "Outside the courtroom, he was a friendly guy whose company I enjoyed." A Baltimore native raised in Forest Park, he was a 1947 City College graduate and earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Maryland, College Park.

WASHINGTON -U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies have not fully responded to requests about data shared from a Maryland State Police spying operation into anti-death penalty and anti-war activists, Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin said Tuesday. Cardin said he remains committed to seeking more information amid concerns that the Maryland data were "potentially made available" to U.S. agencies. He added that the Senate may hold a hearing on the matter this year. The Maryland Democrat made the remarks in a brief interview after the first session of the Senate Judiciary subcommittee on terrorism and homeland security, which he chairs.

The thorny questions of granting driver's licenses to illegal immigrants and how aggressively to regulate electricity markets await the Maryland General Assembly as it enters its final week of the 2009 session. And there's still a budget to balance amid the country's worst fiscal crisis in decades. Senators and delegates have yet to resolve several fiscal disagreements, such as funding to buy land for preservation and how much to cut aid to local governments. Still, the discord could have been worse.

To Del. Curtis S. Anderson's extreme consternation, despite repeated attempts, he couldn't log on to Facebook from his Annapolis office Thursday night. He walked out into the hallway in frustration and ran into an equally stymied woman. When the Baltimore Democrat got to work yesterday morning, he realized it was no fluke: The Maryland General Assembly had blocked all elected officials and staff from Facebook and MySpace - apparently the first legislature in the country to ban the popular online social networks.

Maryland's speeders can rest easy another year. Thanks to the tender concern of the Maryland General Assembly, they are free to race through your neighborhoods and through highway work zones without fear of being nailed by speed cameras. Gov. Martin O'Malley's modest gesture toward highway safety passed both chambers but expired when the House and Senate couldn't resolve their differences. The near-passage of the bill could be taken as a signal that the governor should try again next year.

In early January I was assigned to cover the Maryland General Assembly, which meant I would spend the next several months taking pictures for what is ... well, let's just say it's considered a difficult assignment among The Sun's staff photographers. Nonetheless, I embraced the new gig optimistically and sought to make interesting pictures under the challenging circumstances - covering politicians meeting in dark committee rooms, lobbyists lobbying and the governor speaking at news conferences.

Megan Novak had mixed emotions about her trip to Annapolis. She was assigned to work in the Senate chambers, but she didn't have any idea what to do or where to go. But things quickly changed for the C. Milton Wright High School senior. "At first it was nerve-wracking," said Novak, 17, one of 15 pages at the state capital two weeks ago. "But I knew that what I was doing was a privilege. I was able to get into any building that I wanted, and not many people can do that." Novak is one of 105 high school seniors throughout the state selected to work as pages for members of the Maryland General Assembly during the 2008 session.

A proposal to raise the vehicle titling tax by 20 percent is scheduled for a hearing in the Maryland General Assembly today. Legislators have an opportunity to align Maryland's vehicle taxation process with the 44 states that deduct the value of a trade-in when calculating sales tax on a vehicle purchase. Maryland automobile dealers recognize the need for increased transportation funding. But when a customer trades in a used vehicle with value and is still taxed as if the old vehicle is worthless, that represents double taxation.

Hagaman honored with citation In a tribute by Gov. Martin O'Malley, Dr. Scott D. Hagaman, medical director of Linwood Center Inc., was honored for his accomplishments as president of MedChi (the Maryland State Medical Society), a professional organization. The citation, presented to Dr. Hagaman on Sept. 29, credited him with guiding MedChi through several contentious issues during the 2007 session of the Maryland General Assembly: reauthorizing the Maryland Board of Physicians, which controls licensing and discipline of Maryland physicians; promoting the creation of a task force on health care access and reimbursement to investigate the adequacy of insurance payments to Maryland physicians; and advocating for legislation that banned smoking in indoor public spaces.

Deadly trend continues in city Baltimore remained one of the deadliest cities in America last year, with 275 homicides recorded in 2006, up slightly compared with the number of killings in 2005. Miller backs tougher emissions Maryland Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller threw his support behind legislation to require tougher emissions standards for new cars sold in the state. Meanwhile, Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler pledged at his swearing-in ceremony to do battle with those who spoil the environment, signaling a more aggressive approach for the agency.