Legislative

A number of academic professional organizations have authorized a boycott of Israel-- including the American Studies Association and the Modern Language Association (which is the professional organization for English professors, as well as Language faculty). The argument is that the State of Israel has severely restricted the movement and communication abilities of a number of Palestinian academics, a violation of each organizations principles of academic freedom.

Maryland Senators and Delegates have introduced a bill, however, that would cut funding to any state higher ed institution which

The Washington Post has an article this morning on the status of key bills introduced in the past month in Annapolis. What has passed, what has not passed, and what is still pending in the legislature.

Read more at The Washington Post.

2/14/14 Todd Reynolds, Political Action Coordinator
 

The governor's plan to add $4.3 million to the pre-k program had a hearing in Annapolis yesterday, and Anthony Brown testified how this plan does much more than Doug Gansler's proposal to expand pre-k. Gansler's plan is more gradual, and would only offer all-day pre-k to low-income families. As I think Phil has detailed to us, O'Malley's plan would make pre-k expansion available to folks making upwards of 300% of the poverty level.

Read more at the Baltimore Sun.

2/13/14 Todd Reynolds, Political Action Coordinator

In an op-ed in yesterday's Baltimore Sun state senator Paul Pinsky (D, Prince George's County), detailed the problem of multi-state and multi-national corporations paying zero state corporate taxes. They do this by reporting all their revenues in an out-of-state subsidiary. Senator Pinsky argues that a bill requiring combined reporting would force these corporations (Wal-mart, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, etc.) would put them on equal footing with local/state businesses, as well as generate needed revenue for the State's budget.

Read more at the Baltimore Sun.

2/13/14 Todd Reynolds

Marylandreporter.com details the fight brewing between the Governor's administration (and especially the Maryland State Department of Education) and other state lawmakers and state teachers over the implementation of the Maryland School Assessment standardized test. Those who want the test waived this year argue that it is out of date and is based on curriculum that is being phased out. But the Governor and the MSDE argue that the MSA gives the administration good measurable data about the status of student performance. A bill to require the state ask for a waiver from implementing the MSA had

Mizuer's bill wouldn't make the drug entirely legal, just change the penalty to $100. Mizeur argued that this idea, to gradually decriminalize marijuna rather than immediately legalizing it is more realisitic.

Read more at the Washington Post.

Meanwhile, Brown publicly announced his support for Mizeur's bill in the Baltimore Sun...

Read more at the Baltimore Sun.
 

2/11/14 Todd Reynolds, Political Action Coordinator
 

Tuesday is the first scheduled hearing for the proposal to raise the state's minum wage to $10.10, indexed to inflation. Thursday the bill gets a hearing in Senate Finance. Anthony Brown is schduled to testify on behalf on the administration at both hearings.

Read more at the Baltimore Sun.

2/11/14 Todd Reynolds, Political Action Coordinator
 

While the Governor announced his plan to balance the budget by lowering contributions to the state employee and teachers pension plan while not raising any taxes at all, other Annapolis leaders have floated ideas about lowering tax rates on the highest earners. Among these is Senate President Mike Miller and House Speaker Michael Busch's plan to lower the estate tax, a move that that, according to the Legislature's budget analyst Warren Dechaneaux, as reported by WYPR, would severely cut into state revenues by $80-90 million per year.

Listen to the story on 88.1 FM WYPR.

2/11/14 Todd

President Obama was in Maryland yesterday to announce a plan to forge a public-private partnership in expanding access to high-speed internet access to the nationas public schools and libraries.

Read more at the Washington Post.

2/5/14 Todd Reynolds, Political Action Coordinator