Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Both senators representing East Montgomery County vote against putting expanded gambling on the ballot, but delegates split.
State senators and delegates representing Burtonsville, Silver Spring and Takoma Park split Wednesday on whether to put expanded gaming up for a referendum. The measure, which passed the Senate Wednesday morning with a 32-14 vote, would leave it up to voters to approve the expansion of gaming to a sixth location in the area that includes both National Harbor and Rosecroft Raceway. A majority of Prince George's County voters are required to vote in favor of a site in their county—something they rejected in 2008. According to an unofficial roll call, Sens. Jamie Raskin (D-Dist 20, which includes Takoma Park and Silver Spring) and Karen Montgomery (D-Dist 14, which includes parts of Silver Spring and Burtonsville) both voted "nay" on the bill…
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Del. Kaiser, co-sponsor of a bill that would allow student members to vote on collective bargaining, among other issues, said opponents' reasoning, "smacks of a poll tax."
Future student members of Montgomery County's Board of Education won't be voting on some of the more controversial measures--including collective bargaining--anytime soon. A bill that would amend the student member's rights to include a vote on collective bargaining, capital and operating budgets and school closings, openings and boundaries did not pass the state Senate Monday. "It didn’t pass because a few Montgomery County senators didn’t want it to pass and they used all the tools at their legislative disposal," said Del. Anne Kaiser (D-Dist 14), the bill's co-sponsor. After passing the House, the bill was put to a "special order," a measure that delays a vote, in the Senate. The Gazette reports that one of the proposal's opponents, …
Monday, April 9, 2012
Maryland's General Assembly is poised to approve a bill to increase the state's minimum dropout age from 16 to 17, and gradually to 18.
Should Maryland require high school students to be 18 years old in order to drop out? The General Assembly is expected to pass a bill proposing to increase Maryland's minimum school dropout age from 16 to 18 years old, according to a report by WTOP. The change will align Maryland with Virginia and D.C., where the dropout age is already set at 18. "Gov. Martin O'Malley is expected to sign the bill, which is on its third and final reading in the House," the report states. The change — according to the bill — is gradual, with the minimum age first increasing to 17 on July 1, 2015, and to 18 two years later. The bill provides some exceptions for students to dropout early, including: kids who graduate early or get a GED, are married or are in…
Friday, February 17, 2012
A bill to forbid roadside solicitation aims to get everyone--charity groups and panhandlers alike--out of the street, drawing the ire of county firefighters.
There’s a rumble in the streets of Montgomery County. A few state legislators, at least one council member and some residents are working to put restrictions on the use of the county’s curbs, medians and roadways, all the while facing opposition from county firefighters. Roadside solicitation, the act of asking for money on the side of the street, is the subject of two separate bills making their way through Montgomery County’s delegation in the Maryland General Assembly. Should either of the bills pass, they would authorize the County Council to create laws around the practice. “There’s a serious problem with people entering the roadway and interfering with traffic in order to solicit,” said Sen. Jamie Raskin (D-Dist 20), who is …
Monday, December 5, 2011
A cluster of local bills have already been filed by the Montgomery County legislators, ahead of January’s full session.
Sharing the cost of public schools, providing care for an aging population, increasing services for developmentally disabled residents -- state senators and delegates are gearing up to tackle the big issues. “Education funding will be my top priority this session,” said Del. Kaiser (D-Dist 14), chair of the education sub-committee in the House, “dealing with education funding and maintenance of effort, so people understand the partnership between how the state and county fund education and making sure that everyone is paying their fair amount and that we maintain our excellence in the state of Maryland.” Kaiser is also preparing for potential sparring over the state budget. She said she wants to ensure “that during these tough economic …
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Maryland Del. Anne Kaiser (D-Dist 14) plans to introduce a bill that would require panhandlers to have a license.
The intersection of New Hampshire Avenue and Randolph Road in Colesville is a hot spot for panhandlers. In the mornings and early afternoons, men holding signs and cups to collect loose change occupy nearly every corner. Although the practice is legal in Montgomery County, it may not be for long. Earlier this year Del. Anne Kaiser (D-Dist 14), who represents most of East Montgomery County in the Maryland House of Delegates, sponsored a bill to require panhandlers to have a permit. It was withdrawn in March, mid-way through 2011’s legislative season. “I wanted more time working on convincing people to have a permitting system rather than an outright ban,” said Kaiser in March. "At this stage of the legislative session, it seemed to make …
Michael-Ann Henry
10:18 am on Wednesday, April 11, 2012
I think it is sad that so many people doubt the capabilities of young people. As a 20-year old (I may be bias since I am not far from their age), I think when young people are given responsibility and shown the utmost trust, they do not take it lightly. Let's be careful not to assume that all persons under 18 are "children" and that persons who pay their own taxes always make better decisions. more ›