Author: delsandy

March 16 – We should meet next week

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“This is one of the policies that could help men,” Ron Haskins wrote me this past May.

               –help finding jobs (perhaps as part of the child support program; many states are now running such programs)   

When welfare reform passed the Congress, Ron was the majority (Republican) staff director of the House Ways and Means Committee.

I worked with him on Maryland’s law.  I contacted him again last May.

We met with the leadership of the Maryland Department of Human Resources.  After much work on DHR’s behalf, we had a bill.

House Bill 1502 would establish the Noncustodial Parent Employment Assistance Pilot Program to provide noncustodial parents with the resources necessary to make child support payments.

This pilot program would provide unemployed or underemployed noncustodial parents in Baltimore City with assistance in obtaining employment that enables them to meet their child support obligations.

This afternoon, the bill got a favorable report, unamended, from Judiciary.

I wrote DHR’s lobbyist, “We should meet next week to discuss our Senate strategy.”

 

March 15 – On time but not as detailed

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If a committee wants to vote on your bill, don’t slow it down.

An Appropriations Committee staffer informed my Legislative Director that certain amendments are being considered for one of my bills.

This means that the committee expects to act favorably on my legislation. You don’t work on amendments for a bill you plan to kill.

Since the committee needed more information, the staffer was referred to the advocate we’re working with.

The committee could vote on my bill Friday, but if it doesn’t get our response until Thursday, it will be cutting things close.

If you got a good shot, as Bill Russell said, take it.

March 14 – Non-meeting meeting

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The non-meeting meeting was productive.

The Subcommittee on Civil Law was supposed to meet at 4:00 to discuss the Attorney General’s bill on structured settlements.

When I arrived at the committee room to chair the meeting, the AG’s office and representatives of the affected businesses were already engaged in discussions.

No need to interrupt these negotiations, I decided. “Let us know when you’re done,” I told them, “and we’ll convene our meeting.”

Nearly an hour later, I gaveled our meeting to order.

Both sides summarized the status of their talks. They’re close to a compromise but need another 24 hours.

They will submit their amendments by 4:30 Tuesday, and the subcommittee will meet again Wednesday morning.

 

 

 

March 9 – Down the stretch they will still come

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I write to you today as the chair of the Third Saturday in May committee.

That’s when the Preakness is run at Pimlico Race Course.

We took a major step this week to decide if that will be the case for decades to come.

The Maryland Stadium Authority approved a study to evaluate Pimlico’s ability to serve as the permanent home for the Preakness Stakes.

The Authority built Oriole Park and M&T Bank Stadium. Consequently, its work is highly regarded.

If this report recommends that the Preakness remain at Pimlico, it will create the justification and the momentum to do so.

To get this report on the Authority’s agenda, I brought together representatives of the Maryland Jockey Club, the Racing Commission, the City of Baltimore, and the Stadium Authority. We called ourselves the Third Saturday in May Committee.

There hasn’t been a World Series game in Baltimore since 1983. The Preakness is run every year.  Almost without exception, the Kentucky Derby winner is here.

The Park Heights community, Baltimore City, and the metropolitan region all benefit from the Preakness.

Save the track, save the Preakness, help Park Heights.

March 9 – Focusing on lead poisoned kids

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One of the witnesses for property owners would have the committee believe that because of the lead in the water in Flint, Michigan, we’re spending too much money and effort enforcing Maryland’s laws directed at deteriorated rental properties.

“As this committee well knows,” I began my testimony in response, “lead paint in poorly maintained housing is the principal cause of lead poisoning in our state.”

“Our focus,” I continued, “needs to be on enforcing our existing law.”

My bill would increase the annual fee for an affected property to fund more inspections and better computer coordination between the state agencies that deal with lead poisoned children.

I acknowledged that my number was too high, but you would never know that from the landlords’ testimony that followed.

March 7 – Concepts and comrades

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With two weeks left to pass my bills out of the House of Delegates and avoid the Senate Rules Committee…

I spoke to two lobbyists about the amendment I would be offering to my bill, as well as the amendment I won’t be offering. My objective: they won’t oppose the bill in the House, in the Senate, or in the Governor’s Office.

I drafted the amendment to the bill. We don’t vote on concepts.

After the hearing on another bill, I told the advocates that we needed to go down the list of the subcommittee and decide who should follow up with each member.

I had a chance meeting with a Republican colleague.  He supports a higher fee for out-of-state lawyers because they’re not Maryland residents.  I support the higher fee because the money goes to the program that helps repay academic debt of people who take lower-paying public service jobs.

I don’t care why you’re voting with me, just as long as you do so.

 

March 3 – Jump ball and a swish

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Every committee in Annapolis has a pre-meeting meeting.

The leadership meets before a public voting session to discuss the bills the full committee will be considering.

The result is a voting list with up arrows for bills where a favorable report is recommended, down arrows for an unfavorable report, and both up and down arrows for a bill with no recommendation – a jump ball.

My bill to broaden the protections against frivolous lawsuits against individuals exercising their First Amendment rights is a jump ball.

This afternoon, I tried to persuade my colleagues one or two at time.  It helped me refine my argument.

At the voting session this evening, House Bill 263 received a favorable report.  The vote was unanimous!

Democracy in action.

March 2 – Why people hire lawyers

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We spend long hours in bill hearings.

The purpose is to enact sound public policy.

Every person is presumed to know the law.  That’s a centuries old legal maxim.

In reality, however, that’s not the case.  That’s why people hire lawyers.

If you can’t afford a lawyer, you’re at a lopsided disadvantage.

The U.S. Constitution guarantees your right to a lawyer in a criminal case.

But a civil case can also have a profound effect on your life and well being.

That’s how I began my testimony on House Bill 866, which would create a pilot program providing lawyers in protective order cases dealing with domestic violence in two counties.  .

It would be money well spent.

March 1 – Writing laws

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I have four bill hearings tomorrow.

And that’s after I attend the oral argument at the Supreme Court on the Texas abortion law.

So before the end of the work day, I have to:

Make final revisions to my written testimony;

Since I don’t read my testimony at the public hearing, start drafting in my head the opening sentence for my oral testimony;

Meet with representatives of the Comptroller and the Attorney General to learn of their concerns about provisions in two of my bills and see if I can address or minimize their issues;

Confirm the witness lists for each bill;

Since one of my bills deals with guaranteeing a lawyer in protective order cases prompted by domestic violence, find my copy of Gideon’s Trumpet, the book about the Supreme Court decision guaranteeing the right to counsel in criminal felony cases.  It’s autographed:

For Sandy Rosenberg, Who writes laws – Anthony Lewis  (emphasis in the original) 

  • My Key Issues:

  • Pimlico and The Preakness
  • Our Neighborhoods
  • Pre-Kindergarten
  • Lead Paint Poisoning