BUDGET APPROVED BY SENATE: The Maryland Senate unanimously accepted a plan Thursday to balance the state budget through the subsequent fiscal 12 months, with huge assist from the federal authorities in COVID-19 response funds, Brian Witte stories for the AP within the Frederick Information-Put up. Lawmakers in each events used phrases like “beautiful” and “distinctive” to explain how federal assist reshaped an ominous finances quandary final 12 months into the flexibility to deal with projected deficits by fiscal 12 months 2024. The state’s revenues additionally held up higher than initially anticipated shortly after the pandemic started.
PROTECTING TEENAGERS: Del. Luke Clippinger (D-Baltimore County) is emphasizing his help for laws that will order youngsters who’ve shared sexually express photographs with one another to take part in age-appropriate academic applications on the risks of sexting as a substitute of touchdown in jail, Bryan Renbaum stories for Maryland Reporter.
MD RECOMMENDS STUDENTS CAN BE 3 FT APART: Maryland is adopting new pointers from the CDC for college students to be spaced at the least three feet apart in school rooms with masks on, relatively than six, Elizabeth Shwe writes for Maryland Issues. The choice ought to make it simpler for varsity programs to renew in-person studying.
SUMMER SCHOOL EXPANSIONS PLANNED: U.S. Rep. David Trone met with native faculty officers in Washington County on Thursday to debate the right way to assist college students succeed regardless of the COVID-19 pandemic, selling a plan to considerably develop summer school, Dave McMillion stories for the Hagerstown Herald-Mail.
- Summer time faculty can also be a subject of dialogue in Baltimore County, the place the county council desires faculty officers to carry in-person summer season lessons and supply solutions and information a couple of ransomware assault and digital studying, Taylor Deville and Lillian Reed report for the Solar.
SPORTS BETTING DETAILS BEING WORKED OUT: Companies advocated for extra cellular, or app-based licenses as legislators maintain hearings on the right way to implement sports activities betting in Maryland, Bruce DePuyt stories for Maryland Issues.
- The state would obtain 15% of the gambling proceeds within the type of a tax, Pamela Wooden.
MORE VACCINATION SITES COMING: Maryland is opening up COVID-19 vaccinations to millions more residents, Ethan McLeod writes for the Baltimore Enterprise Journal.
- A brand new vaccination web site has opened in Hagerstown, the sixth web site, and with six extra on the best way Disco Harrison stories for WMAR that Gov. Larry Hogan is optimistic about getting extra Marylanders vaccinated for a normal Memorial Day.
- The Western Maryland mass vaccination web site has been a “hope superspreader,” Colleen McGrath stories for the Hagerstown Herald-Mail. The Maryland Nationwide Guard guard troops helped the positioning do 750 vaccines on the primary day of the positioning, with the aim of administering 11,000 this week.
ADVOCATES PUSH FOR EVICTION PREVENTION BILL: Maryland housing advocates and renters are mounting stress on the Basic Meeting to go laws that will protect renters from evictions, serving to weak renters keep of their houses, Sarah Kim stories for WYPR.
UNEMPLOYED MDERS GET BILLS FOR OVERPAYMENT: Hundreds of jobless Marylanders have been counting on unemployment advantages however now are discovering out that the state wants money back, Alison Knezevich stories for the Solar. Greater than 44,000 have been notified that they obtained overpayment totaling over $145 million in six months.
POLICE OFFICER TRANSPARENCY BILL PASSES HOUSE: A invoice that will improve transparency for incidents the place regulation enforcement companies attain a settlement or judgment in opposition to a police officer has handed the Maryland Home of Delegates, Jacob Steinberg stories for the Capital Information Service in Baltimore Fishbowl.
ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS CONCERNED ABOUT CONOWINGO DAM: Environmental teams referred to as a brand new 50-year license settlement a missed opportunity to compel the proprietor of the Conowingo Dam to cease pollution flowing down the Susquehanna River and into the Chesapeake Bay, Christine Condon writes for the Solar.
ARCHEOLOGISTS DISCOVER ORIGINS OF STATE: After practically a century of looking out, archaeologists discovered the beginnings of Maryland, the oldest recognized colonial settlement in Maryland, in St. Mary’s County on Maryland Day, Amy Lu stories for WBALTV. They’re calling it the discover of a lifetime.
