Category: General Assembly

General Assembly

Maryland Owes the Promised Prescription Drug Coverage to Its Retirees

By Peta Richkus. To quote the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB)”.. the GASB believes that the government has an obligation to pay Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB)* based on the level of retirement benefits promised to an employeein exchange for his/her services.” The judge agrees; now its time for the General Assembly to do likewise. Former DGS Secretary Peta N. Richkus updates the status of MD … Continue reading Maryland Owes the Promised Prescription Drug Coverage to Its Retirees

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General Assembly

Hate Symbols have no place in our schools

By Vita Shats. It is 2021 and hate symbols are still not banned from schools. Something needs to be done about it. That something is the passage of HB 418. I tried to do something about it before. I met with my school’s principal a few years ago to talk about implementing a policy. He said it was above a school-level decision. I found it … Continue reading Hate Symbols have no place in our schools

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General Assembly

Make Police Accountable: Repeal LEOBR

By Peta Richkus. In early August, attorney Deborah Katz Levi, Director of Special Litigation, Baltimore City Felony Trial Division, Maryland Office of the Public Defender (OPD), joined approximately 100 Marylanders who spoke before the Police Reform and Accountability in Maryland Workgroup chaired by Delegate Vanessa E. Atterbeary, House Judiciary Committee Vice Chair. In 2016, the (old Baltimore) City Paper gave its “best lawyer” award to … Continue reading Make Police Accountable: Repeal LEOBR

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General Assembly

Public Defender Urges Police Reform

By Peta Richkus. In June 2020, Maryland House Speaker Adrienne Jones, with Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, Luke Clippinger, convened the Work Group to Address Police Reform and Accountability in Maryland. “Policing in America is broken. While we have taken a number of positive steps in Maryland, we can’t be satisfied until every citizen has confidence in their police department…. We need structural reform … Continue reading Public Defender Urges Police Reform

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General Assembly

State Retirees’ Rx Drug Benefit Redux

By Peta Richkus. Older retirees from State service remain in a hellacious limbo about their futures. Thanks only to a federal court injunction, and the handful of employees and their attorney who filed for it (Thank you, Ken Fitch, Deborah Heim, Mary Frye, and Deborah Holloway Hill, Esq.), Medicare-eligible State retirees continue to receive their prescription drug benefit. But for how long? Unfortunately, many legislators, … Continue reading State Retirees’ Rx Drug Benefit Redux

Elizabeth Brown9 Comments
General Assembly

Maryland Overdue on Vulnerable Adults Protections

By Corey Johns. Baltimore County is seeing an increase in the populations of both the elderly and adults with autism. Both groups would fall into the category of vulnerable adults, but under state law, there are no protections against emotional abuse for vulnerable adults like there are for juveniles. District 42B delegate Michele Guyton introduced a bill to the House in the last session to … Continue reading Maryland Overdue on Vulnerable Adults Protections

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General Assembly

Time is of the Essence for Retirement-Eligible State Employees

By Peta Richkus. Subsequent to publication of Ms. Richkus’  Commentary in Maryland Matters and The Daily Record, the MD State Retirement Agency (SRA) removed all reference to SB 946 from its web page (a Search for “SB 946” currently yields no results). The Department of Budget & Management (DBM) link to expanded SB 946 information can be found at the top of the DBM Home page. … Continue reading Time is of the Essence for Retirement-Eligible State Employees

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General Assembly

The Gentleman from Towson: A Conversation with Steve Lafferty

By Pete Munsey. Through all the political changes in Baltimore County over the past 12 or 13 years, one thing, or more specifically one person, seemed a constant. No matter the ups and downs of this or that career, the redistricting tectonics from Annapolis which shifted whole neighborhoods into different districts overnight, or the national mood waxing locally, Steve Lafferty was the delegate from Towson. … Continue reading The Gentleman from Towson: A Conversation with Steve Lafferty

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General Assembly

Maryland Senate Leadership Signaled “TIME’S UP!” to Survivors of Sexual Assault

By Carla Johnson. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. And ironically, at 11:20 p.m., during the final moments of the legislative session on April 8, 2019, Senate President Mike Miller abruptly halted debate on HB 122/SB 209—legislation providing survivors of rape and sexual offenses with access to protective orders. While presenting the conference committee report on the bill she co-sponsored and shepherded through conference committee … Continue reading Maryland Senate Leadership Signaled “TIME’S UP!” to Survivors of Sexual Assault

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General Assembly

Open Letter to Members of the Maryland House of Delegates

We are writing to you as elected representatives to the Maryland Democratic Party in Baltimore County. We feel connected to you by our common values that inspire the work we have done in supporting our party and the work you have done in the Maryland House of Delegates to advance policies that promote equality, equity, and fairness. Maryland was fortunate to have had Speaker Mike … Continue reading Open Letter to Members of the Maryland House of Delegates

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