What's In Store For The 2018 Maryland Legislative Session?
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ)-- Maryland lawmakers are tuning up for the 2018 legislative session, which starts Wednesday.
The Democrat-majority General Assembly and the Republican governor are expected to be at odds with an election year in the mix.
Paid sick leave, medical marijuana, gun control; there is lots to do this session. It's all against a backdrop of an election year in which everybody: the House, the Senate, and the governor is up for reelection.
The Democratic Party luncheon Tuesday was the warm-up.
"When we start this legislative session, we're going to be on the attack," said Maryland Speaker of the House Michael Busch. "We're going to come after and protect the things we believe in. We're going to be out there and tell people why they should be Democrats."
Gov. Larry Hogan's eve of session salvo is a call for term limits.
"We're calling legislators on both sides of the aisle to come together in a bipartisan way to bring this legislation to the floor of the House and Senate for an up or down vote which would allow this measure to be put on the ballot this November for the voters of Maryland so that they may decide this issue for themselves," Gov. Hogan said.
While the Maryland Speaker and Senate President have held their offices longer than anyone else, Gov. Hogan says his proposal is not aimed at them.
"It has nothing to do with the Senate President and Speaker who I have respect for," he said. "There are a lot of legislators, there are a lot of people in Congress that, quite frankly, in my opinion, have been there too long."
One of the first orders of business the General Assembly is expected to take up is an override of Gov. Hogan's veto of paid sick leave.
Healthcare, federal taxes and sexual harassment are also on the agenda.
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