The 2013 session of the Maryland General Assembly has approximately two weeks left in it. And as is typical, there are a lot of major issues left unsettled, although with the amount of press some of these have received, you might think they would be!
For example, there is no assault weapons ban yet in maryland, that has yet to pass the House. And the gas tax? Passed the house, but has yet to get through the State Senate.
Coming up quick on the outside (and there always seems to be one of these issues annually in the Assembly too) is medical marijuana. HB1101 would create a medical marijuana commission and would set forth criteria for medical marijuana programs in Maryland. I support this bill, and it seems that the bill is moving towards passage.
It, fortunately, seems highly unlikely that there would be any issue worthy of a special session in 2013. After all, there were two in 2012, so it looks like 2013's was taken up already! Plus, I would suggest that as soon as the sine die gavel falls next month, approximately 188 members of the Senate and House of Delegates are swinging into full campaign mode. In fact I would expect no less.
Yep, we are no entering the silly season for the General Assembly, but the silliest season of all is yet to come.