WJZ Baltimore
April 10, 2017
Pat Warren
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — This year’s 90-day session of the Maryland General Assembly has officially concluded.
On Monday, lawmakers were making the final push for bills to become laws.
The General Assembly considered 2,800 bills this session, and Monday night, they were going through the last of them.
There were some landmark decisions, as Maryland is the first state to empower the attorney general to go after off drug companies for price gouging.
“This is going to send a message to prescription drug corporations, don’t price gouge,” said Vinny DeMarco.
There were huge disappointments for supporters of immigrant protection.
“We will continue to fight until the last minute,” said one supporter. “If it does not happen, it does not mean we stop what we’re trying to do.”
Baltimore sees a change in civilian police complaints.
“Not to be confused with the trial board that the police do,” said Delegate Curt Anderson. “What it does is it gives a civilian up to a year now to file a complaint instead of the 90 days.”
Dozens of other bills, including ways to deal with opioid abuse find common ground. Governor Larry Hogan calls the session a success.
“You had a few heated moments here and there on different topics, and you know some rhetoric, but the reality was we worked across the aisle and got things done,” said Gov. Hogan.
And the things that got done include a jobs incentives bill that passed. The outcome of medical marijuana law changes came down to the wire, but lawmakers were unable to come to an agreement.
All the bills that did not get passed by midnight on Monday, died.
Last modified: May 9, 2017
