Deterrence through stiff penalties works let’s make it work for everyone
Jessup Correctional Institution. Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services photo
In the last six months, three Baltimore MTA employees have been violently attacked, two fatally. That hardworking innocent public servants would fall victim to Baltimore’s rampaging violence should outrage us all and spur us to action to clean up Charm City’s streets.
Baltimore City Sen. Cory McCray and his fellow progressive Sen. Jeffrey Waldstreicher of Montgomery County want to increase the penalty for those who attack and injure public transit employees to be a felony (up from a misdemeanor) and have introduced SB 91 to do just that.[1]
State Roundup: House overrides vetoes on Kirwan, taxes; Rep. Brown slams Hogan vaxx rollout
Legislators meeting in the House annex for social distancing. From Del. David Moon s Facebook page
OVERRIDE OF VETOES BEGINS: The Maryland General Assembly is poised this week to override the vetoes of several landmark bills that Gov. Larry Hogan (R) issued last year, including a multibillion-dollar overhaul of the state’s public education system and two taxes that would help pay for the restructuring: a tax on digital streaming and a first-in-the-nation tax on digital ads, Ovetta Wiggins and Erin Cox report in the Post.
The Maryland House of Delegates voted Monday to override Gov. Larry Hogan’s veto of a comprehensive K-12 education measure that would boost school funding by billions of dollars over a decade’s time, Brian Witte of the AP reports.
McCray defends bill that would allow civil suits against those who make unwarranted calls to the police
Police body camera shown on Main Street of Laurel. Photo by City of Laurel.
@BryanRenbaum
If you call the police on someone without just cause you may find yourself the subject of a civil suit under legislation being considered by the Maryland General Assembly.
The bill, SB0363, Courts –Improperly Summoning a Police Officer –Civil Liability, would authorize a “certain civil action to be brought against a person who knowingly summons a police officer with the intent to infringe on the person’s constitutional rights, unlawfully discriminate against the person, cause the person to feel harassed or humiliated or to be expelled from a certain place, or damage a person’s reputation or certain other interests.”
Hogan expresses optimism amid pandemic in State of the State address
Gov. Larry Hogan delivered his 7th State of the State address on Wednesday evening (Screenshot)
@BryanRenbaum
Gov. Larry Hogan painted a picture of hope in his 19-minute virtual State of the State address on Wednesday evening and said he is confident that Maryland will ultimately triumph over the hardships associated with the coronavirus pandemic.
“This crisis will not end overnight, but together we will bring it to an end,” Hogan said. “We will get our kids back to school, get people back to work, and get life back to normal once again. A better future is on the horizon where we can get back to doing the everyday things we all miss, like celebrating with friends and family at a crowded restaurant or taking our kids and grandkids to a baseball game. A better future where our kids are thriving, our communities are safer, and our economy is booming once again. We will get there, but we must continue looking