Legislative Updates ~ Mike McDermott

Legislative Field Notes

By Delegate Mike McDermott

October 18th, 2011
Special Session

Morning Session:
We received HB-2 and HB-3 from the Rules Committee. These two bills address redistricting for the Boards of Education districts in Prince Georges and Montgomery Counties. We thought there might be an amendment offered out of the Prince George’s Delegation but it was not forthcoming.

The Senate was moving the governor’s redistricting plan today and spent quite awhile debating the bill. Ultimately it was decided largely along party lines with Senator Muse (D-Prince Georges) being the only cross over vote against the gerrymandered map.

Evening Session:
The House reconvened at 5pm to take up the governor’s redistricting plan passed by the Senate. There are many amendments in the hopper which will be introduced tomorrow as we take up debate on all of the redistricting bills. The session only lasted a few minutes.

Tea Party Rally:
There were about 300 folks from around the state that showed up on Lawyer’s Mall for the House Tea Party Caucus Rally from 12-2pm. Speakers included Grover Norquist (American’s for Tax Reform), Ambassador Ellen Sauerbrey, Charles Lollar (President American’s for Prosperity-MD), Senator Pipkin and myself along with a host of other leaders from various tax payer organizations. Del. Mike Smigiel (House Tea Party Caucus Chairman) was the MC and moved the program along. Many in the General Assembly heard the speakers and stopped to listen in on the clear, resonating message: No gerrymandering and No tax increases. There were plenty of homemade signs with messages for the governor.

Whether it was all of the angst expressed publicly in anticipation of tax legislation during this session, or the recent Gonzales polling which revealed a strong public aversion in Maryland to any tax increases, it seems the leadership got the message…for now.