New Law

Advertisements praising Maryland's new gun control law will appear on Baltimore-area televisions soon after the measure is signed Thursday - the first volley in a two-pronged effort to defend the legislation and the politicians who voted for it. The gun control advocates behind the ads want to bolster support among Maryland voters in case there's a referendum next year. But they also want to counter a campaign to oust lawmakers who backed the bill in the General Assembly. "We know that the other side will be attacking the legislators who voted for it, and we want people to know those legislators were doing the right thing to save lives in Maryland," said Vincent DeMarco, president of Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence.

The new gun bill will be the first of hundreds Gov. Martin O'Malley plans to sign at a ceremony Thursday. Key provisions of the 62-page law include:   A ban on the sale of 45 types of assault weapons and their copycats.   A ban on sales of magazines that hold more than 10 rounds.   A fingerprinting and licensing requirement for handgun buyers.   A 4-hour training requirement for first-time handgun buyers.   A ban on gun ownership for anyone involuntarily committed to a mental heath facility, as well as those voluntarily committed for more than 30 days.

National Rifle Association President David Keene said Tuesday that the organization intends to challenge the constitutionality of Maryland's newly passed gun law, as a conservative group readied plans to try to overturn the law through voter referendum. Keene said during a radio interview the group will “absolutely” go to the courts. “We are already in court in New York and we will be in court and aiding those in Maryland - and I am myself a Maryland resident - who want to challenge the constitutionality of this and other provisions here in Maryland,” Keene said to the Washington, D.C., station WTOP.

Advertisements praising Maryland's new gun control law will appear on Baltimore-area televisions soon after the measure is signed Thursday - the first volley in a two-pronged effort to defend the legislation and the politicians who voted for it. The gun control advocates behind the ads want to bolster support among Maryland voters in case there's a referendum next year. But they also want to counter a campaign to oust lawmakers who backed the bill in the General Assembly. "We know that the other side will be attacking the legislators who voted for it, and we want people to know those legislators were doing the right thing to save lives in Maryland," said Vincent DeMarco, president of Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence.

First lady Michelle Obama told the Naval Academy's 4,000 midshipmen that she and the president would honor their sacrifice by making sure the country takes care of them.  "You have a president and a first lady who will keep working to make sure that this country serves you as well as you serve us," Michelle Obama said during brief remarks before sharing lunch with midshipmen.  The first lady was in Annapolis for a State House ceremony where...

The mourners followed the coffin of 15-year-old Grace McComas out of the church and into the morning sunlight of a beautiful Easter season. Christine McComas carried her child's stuffed toy in the crook of her arm. Grief made her look almost wistful. As Grace's parents and her three sisters left the crowded St. Michael's Catholic Church in Mount Airy a year ago, they weren't thinking that their journey of grief would take them to Annapolis. But the determination of that grief-stricken mother to tell her daughter's story - powered by a Ravens player, Maryland's first lady and a state legislator - resulted in "Grace's Law," which Gov. Martin O'Malley is scheduled to sign Thursday.

Maryland public schools will all soon be keeping emergency supplies of epinephrine on hand for students who may have an allergic reaction, and patient advocates are applauding the new law . “Receiving a dose of epinephrine in the critical minutes following exposure to a food allergen can mean the difference between life and death,” said Susan Sweitzer, executive director of the Maryland-DC Chapter of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of...

The Maryland General Assembly passed a measure today that changes unemployment benefits so that the state can tap into nearly $127 million in federal stimulus money. The money will arrive as soon as Gov. Martin O'Malley, a Democrat who pushed for the changes, signs the bill into law. It is emergency legislation, so that could happen quickly. This morning, the House of Delegates overwhelmingly approved a plan the Senate had unanimously signed off on earlier this month. Lawmakers increased the number of people who can tap into benefits by shifting the work period reviewed when calculating claims.

It's been a worry for many years: What happens when older federal workers retire and take decades of institutional knowledge with them? "The last thing any manager or any organization or company wants is for folks that are ready to retire to just walk out the door," said Kenneth J. Zawodny Jr., associate director of retirement services at the federal Office of Personnel Management. With the aging of the workforce, the challenge has grown urgent. More than 40 percent of federal employees in 2010 were 50 or older.

A 9-year-old Edgewater girl who inspired a new federal law was honored by President Barack Obama at a White House ceremony Friday for Americans with disabilities. Rosa Marcellino, who has Down syndrome, is the namesake of a new law that removes the words "mentally retarded" from most federal health, education and labor statutes. Replacing that terminology in the federal code from now on will be the phrase "intellectual disability. " "It's so inspiring to have her here," Obama said, looking over at Rosa, who had a first-row seat at the East Room event.

One day after Gov. Martin O'Malley signed legislation to abolish capital punishment in Maryland, death penalty supporters said Friday they will launch a petition drive to give voters the opportunity to overturn the new law. At a news conference, Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger said he plans to lead the effort to "repeal the repeal" of the state's death penalty. "We need to retain the death penalty for those prosecutors who wish to seek it because it is simply the right thing to do for public safety," said Shellenberger, a Democrat.

The mourners followed the coffin of 15-year-old Grace McComas out of the church and into the morning sunlight of a beautiful Easter season. Christine McComas carried her child's stuffed toy in the crook of her arm. Grief made her look almost wistful. As Grace's parents and her three sisters left the crowded St. Michael's Catholic Church in Mount Airy a year ago, they weren't thinking that their journey of grief would take them to Annapolis. But the determination of that grief-stricken mother to tell her daughter's story - powered by a Ravens player, Maryland's first lady and a state legislator - resulted in "Grace's Law," which Gov. Martin O'Malley is scheduled to sign Thursday.

First lady Michelle Obama told the Naval Academy's 4,000 midshipmen that she and the president would honor their sacrifice by making sure the country takes care of them.  "You have a president and a first lady who will keep working to make sure that this country serves you as well as you serve us," Michelle Obama said during brief remarks before sharing lunch with midshipmen.  The first lady was in Annapolis for a State House ceremony where...

First lady Michelle Obama came to Annapolis on Wednesday to praise a new Maryland law, saying it sets a national standard for removing barriers for veterans in transition to the civilian workforce. The legislation - unanimously approved by the General Assembly - was signed into law by the governor Wednesday as Obama looked on. It requires agencies to expedite the processing for veterans of 70 professional licenses, including those for nurses, paramedics and teachers. The measure also spells out how agencies and universities should translate military education and experience for licensing purposes and college credits.

I noticed with all the gun control talk and various politicians knocking each other over for the microphone to create a new law to save lives, those same politicians failed to do the same for the seven inmate deaths in the last seven months ("Senate gives final approval to gun control bill" April 4). How could this be? A controlled environment (government run) where no weapons are allowed, let alone guns, has seven homicides in seven months! Surely, a politician during this most recent session in Annapolis would have sponsored some bill, right?

Vice President Joe Biden, speaking Tuesday at an event in Baltimore, said he was unsure whether there is enough support in the Senate for what would be the biggest change to federal gun laws in decades. "We may not get it this week, but we will prevail," Biden said of the bill, which senators will vote on Wednesday. Sixty votes are needed to pass the measure. Police closed city streets and increased security at nearby Penn Station in anticipation of Biden's arrival at an event to preview the University of Baltimore's new law center.

Could crowdfunding work for entrepreneurs who need capital for their private startup and are willing to sell a stake in it to the masses? Congress seems to think so. Charities and artists successfully raise money for their causes via crowdfunding, a method of soliciting hundreds or thousands of small donations over the Internet. Could it work for entrepreneurs who need capital for their startup and are willing to sell a stake in it to the masses? Congress seems to think so. The bipartisan Jumpstart Our Business Startups — or JOBS — Act loosens restrictions so business can more easily raise capital and, it's hoped, create jobs.

As the legislative session closed last week, I was happy to see that we made great progress on behalf of Maryland's children. We made strides in health, child welfare and education. However, one of the standout accomplishments was in juvenile justice. Before the General Assembly session began, juvenile justice public policy advocates came together to hammer out a five-piece legislative package aimed at right-sizing the Department of Juvenile Services and stopping the transfer of youths to the adult system.

National Rifle Association President David Keene said Tuesday that the organization intends to challenge the constitutionality of Maryland's newly passed gun law, as a conservative group readied plans to try to overturn the law through voter referendum. Keene said during a radio interview the group will “absolutely” go to the courts. “We are already in court in New York and we will be in court and aiding those in Maryland - and I am myself a Maryland resident - who want to challenge the constitutionality of this and other provisions here in Maryland,” Keene said to the Washington, D.C., station WTOP.