“The states are the laboratories of democracy.”

I didn’t think of that.

Justice Louis Brandeis did.

For example, a minimum wage law was first enacted by Massachusetts in 1912.  FDR made it part of the New Deal in 1933

Maryland became one of the first states to set aside a separate fund for the settlement we received from the tobacco industry in 2000.

I sponsored the bill, along with Delegate Peter Rawlings.

The veto override of House Bill 732 was before the House yesterday.

The bill included an increase in the tobacco tax  Every year, at least $18.25 million of this new revenue would be used to prevent people from starting to smoke and to get others to stop smoking.  Those are the two principal goals of the fund we created 30 years ago.

The bill would also impose a tax on digital advertising.

One of the arguments made by the Republican opponents of the bill was that Maryland would be the first state to impose such a tax.

I rose to speak, “Justice Brandeis said that ‘The states are the laboratories of democracy.’”

The House voted to override the Governor’s veto, 88-48.