Frederick Delegation withdraws bill for new Frederick CREST center

by CMA 303 Comment Closed
By: Katie Misuraca Frederick County senators withdrew the Frederick’s CREST funding bill after the bill was about to receive unfavorable votes from Senate committees. The bill would of allowed spending for Frederick’s Center for Research and Education in Science and Technology (CREST) through 2020. Originally, the funding bill had been introduced after the planned regional higher education center initially received no funding in Gov. Hogan’s yearly budget for the state. However in early March, when Hogan delivered his State of the State address, he included some of the funding for the Fredrick CREST in a supplemental budget. The House and Senate committees retained the funding. The bill was also known as a bond bill. “A bond bill which means rather than being legislative – writing policy – it is local districts requesting funding for very important projects,” Dominique Marsalek, chief of staff to Senator Ronald Young, said. Each representative is limited to around three requests each because funding is limited. With a Republican governor, Larry Hogan, funding...
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Bill to raise home builder fees approved, going into effect October 1

by CMA 303 Comment Closed
By: Amy Madert The Home Builder Registration bill, sponsored by Senator John Astle, will raise fees on a state level, also having a local impact. The bill would increase specified fees that are related to home builders and home builder sales representative fees that go toward supporting the Home Builder Guaranty Fund. (more…)...
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Emergency Cold Weather Planning Bill is Heard in the Senate Financial Committee

Emergency Cold Weather Planning Bill is Heard in the Senate Financial Committee

by CMA 303 Comment Closed
By: Bre Harwood The bill regarding emergency cold weather planning, aimed to give a voice to the homeless and provide specific plans to the Department of Human Resources in every county in Maryland. The bill was heard in the finance committee on March 17, to determine its fiscal impact at the state, local, and small business level. The bill proposes establishing cold weather councils in each of the Maryland counties, as well as establishing council members in each county who would work together to create certain plans to better the livelihood of individuals who are homeless. In addition, it would require the creation of a reporting system from cold weather deaths of those who identify as homeless. The plans made by the cold weather councils must be provided to the Department of Human Resources “on or before” Oct.1 of each year. The bill ultimately went on to be passed in the financial committee; however, there were various opposing positions to this bill. “It has...
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Legislation for funding of downtown Frederick hotel project goes through first hearing

Legislation for funding of downtown Frederick hotel project goes through first hearing

by CMA 303 Comment Closed
By: Carly Berkowitz Advocates for the downtown Frederick hotel and conference center are hoping for the passage of a bill that would approve certain state funding for the project. The bill would authorize the Maryland Stadium Authority to issue bonds and use the proceeds from the sale of the bonds to help pay for the public infrastructure of the conference center. “Our goal is to get some kind of funding from the state this year so we can get some kind of state commitment and move the project forward,” said Delegate Carol Krimm, representative of District 3A and sponsor for the bill. (more…)...
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Maryland Consumer Protection Legislation Not Passed in Senate Finance Committee

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By: Chloe Scott The Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday voted against a bill that would alert consumers if stores are using technology to monitor their shopping behavior. Delegate William Smith of District 20 of Montgomery County introduced  House Bill 305 with multiple co-sponsors as a simplistic measure to ensure people have a visible notice that their information is being obtained. This notice allows customers to opt out of consumer profiling by turning off their Wi-Fi option on their phones. Customer profiling is a marketing opportunity that local stores use to monitor behavior through mobile devices. (more…)...
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Community of Frederick Still Plans to Educate About Drug Awareness

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By Jamone Davis After a long journey of debates and heated discussions, the Maryland Senate voted 35-12 to pass SB 627, a bill that would allow people who fit the requirements to receive medical marijuana from their doctors. People who are caught with 10 grams or less of marijuana would receive a citation and/or be fined without the incident going on their record. The bill is set to take effect in October this year. It does not make paraphernalia legal by any means and any officer that pulls someone over that smells weed has probable cause to search the vehicles. Now, some delegates felt different about this new law. In no way, shape or form do they feel this new law is acceptable. “House of Delegates, you can do better. Our people deserve better. Our kids deserve a better message, and this is not it,” said Del. Michael McDermott, a representative of Somerset County. What message is this bill actually sending to the students still...
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Maryland’s New Marijuana Laws’ Influence on Frederick Workplace Drug Policies

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By Alexa Franklin To what degree will Maryland’s new laws involving the decriminalization and legal medical use of marijuana affect businesses, prospective employees, and drug policies and testing in Frederick County? Probably less than you think. Starting October 2014, the use or possession of 10 grams of marijuana or fewer will be decriminalized and will instead be considered a civil offense. Offenders will be subject to a fine of up to $100 for a first offense. For a second offense, the fine jumps up to $250. The fine can be up to $500 for subsequent offenses. In addition, marijuana has been approved for medicinal use for patients suffering from nausea, seizures, severe pain, and muscle spasms, and will be sold at licensed dispensaries. The employee handbook for the City of Frederick states that the city holds a drug and alcohol-free workplace policy, which applies to all employees who work for the city. Donna Kuzemchak, of Frederick’s Board of Aldermen, said in a video interview that...
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Sheriff Department Captain Raises Awareness of Marijuana Decriminalization’s Impact on Law Enforcement

by CMA 303 Comment Closed
By Erin Droneburg Beginning in October 2014, Maryland will decriminalize use or possession of up to ten grams of marijuana. This offense will be lowered from a criminal offense to a civil offense. Any person who is found with a decriminalized quantity of marijuana will be issued a civil citation. The citation will come with a monetary penalty, all of which will be allotted to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The law will bring a good deal of change for the state as a whole, especially within law enforcement agencies. Captain Tim Clarke of the Frederick County Sheriff’s Department says that the new law will alter the way that deputies carry out drug-related responses. He also points out areas of the bill that are not specific enough, which make adapting agency procedures more difficult. One change will change current conditions that provide probable cause for conducting searches. Now, Clarke says, the odor of burnt marijuana is probable cause to search for drugs; with the...
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Recent marijuana legislation leads to more questions: Will Md decide to legalize?

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By: Lloyd Thompson-Taylor Maryland’s decision to decriminalize marijuana and approve medical marijuana usage has led to questions among Hood students about campus policy changes. The new law has not legalized marijuana but has simply made the offense of having it less severe. Persons caught with less than 10 grams will be fined. rather than facing criminal prosecution. Also,medical dispensaries and licensed cultivators are now permitted to distribute synthetic marijuana to prescribed patients. Student reaction to the changes and the possibility of legalization of marijuana vary. Strong reactions exist on both sides of the legalization issue but most students are waiting to hear more. “I don’t think weed should be legalized,” Cayleigh Wolf, a junior, said. “There are much more productive ways for people to spend their time.” Wolf is studying to be a teacher and also had concerns on the effect that current and future legislation might have on her teenage students. She worries about the educational aspect of drug prevention programming in schools. Other students do...
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