Police reform and marijuana legalization are among the bills being pushed through the final three weeks of the Democrat-controlled Maryland General Assembly session.
Yvette Lewis, chair of the Maryland Democratic Party, said she is hopeful the legislation will prevail in the final weeks.
“As we enter the last month of the legislative session, I’m confident that [House] Speaker [Adrienne] Jones and Senate President [Bill] Ferguson can continue to deliver results for the people,” Ms. Lewis said late last week. “The legislation they’re working on is ambitious, it’s bipartisan, and it will improve the lives of Marylanders across our great state.”
Ms. Jones and Mr. Ferguson have been at the forefront of the police reform proposals, which include measures to allow public access to unsubstantiated police complaints, authorize police chiefs to handle disciplinary processes, limit “no-knock’ warrants, require law enforcement agencies to use body-worn cameras and give the city of Baltimore control over its police department.
Dozens of amendments have been made to the bills following hours of debate ranging from whether the bills are overreaching and anti-police to whether they are not tough enough on police.
A package of nine bills passed through the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee on bipartisan terms earlier this month, and Sen. Charles E. Sydnor III said although it is not flawless, it is on track to reform policing.
“As one of our colleagues who talked last week about this package said: This isn’t a monarchy, it’s not a dictatorship, we’re not always going to get everything that we want in this session,” said Mr. Sydnor, Baltimore County Democrat. “But I look at this as a down payment on making things right in terms of how policing is affecting this community.”
Lawmakers also are weighing legislation that would close the state’s three immigration detention centers and prohibit opening any others. Delegate Vaughn Stewart, Montgomery County Democrat and the bill’s sponsor, said he had “urged my colleagues to stand on the right side of history” after the House passed the legislation Friday.
“Affected communities support this bill because less bed space will mean less of an incentive to detain people at all. Far fewer will be detained, and far more will be released from custody with an ankle bracelet,” Mr. Stewart said.
A measure that would allow every Marylander to receive a mail-in ballot each year without having to reapply also is making its way through the General Assembly. Delegate Melissa Wells, Baltimore Democrat, said the bill will “protect and support access to voting.”
“This will increase access to the ballot and maintain the integrity of the process via chain of command and security,” said Ms. Wells.
Republicans expressed concern over ballot harvesting and proposed an amendment to limit the amount of ballots a single person can drop off. The proposal was rejected.
The General Assembly also is considering legislation to legalize recreational marijuana and regulate it with a sales tax that would replenish community reinvestment funds, along with a social equity office and applicant provision.
Opponents say that legalizing marijuana could lead to more impaired driving and an increase in use by young adults.
Lawmakers began the 90-day session in-person in Annapolis with masks on and plexiglass between desks after last year’s session was shortened by the pandemic.
As of Sunday, Republican Gov. Larry Hogan has signed a bipartisan coronavirus relief bill that passed through both of the Democrat-controlled chambers.
• Emily Zantow can be reached at ezantow@washingtontimes.com.
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