New Bills Signed by Gov. O'Malley Today

[migtig]

No new school buses

HB 210
St. Mary’s County Delegation
ST. MARY’S COUNTY – SCHOOL BUSES – LENGTH OF OPERATION
Extending to 15 years the period of time that a school vehicle may be operated in St. Mary’s County, subject to specified requirements.
EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2012

 

[migtig]

Hmmm, this one is scary too. Any veteran who has ever been diagnosed with PTSD could wind up having their weapons seized.

HB 618
Delegate Simmons, et al
TASK FORCE TO STUDY ACCESS OF INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS TO REGULATED FIREARMS
Establishing a Task Force to Study Access of Individuals with Mental Illness to Regulated Firearms; providing for the membership, staffing, and duties of the Task Force; requiring the Task Force to report to the Governor and the General Assembly by December 31, 2012, on whether existing law adequately protects the public, as well as the civil rights of individuals with mental illness, and make recommendations as appropriate; etc.
EFFECTIVE JUNE 1, 2012

 

[migtig]

And can someone explain why this is an emergency bill?

HB 1431
Delegate O’Donnell, et al
CALVERT, CHARLES, AND ST. MARY’S COUNTIES – TURKEY HUNTING ON PRIVATE PROPERTY – SUNDAYS
Authorizing a person to hunt turkey on private property on Sundays during the spring turkey hunting season in Calvert County, Charles County, and St. Mary’s County; and making the Act an emergency measure.
EMERGENCY BILL

 

[Dymphna]

It's very open to interpretation (sp?). However I read one that said a police officer can practice law now....It made me I'll see if I can find it again. Nevermind, upon re-reading it's only for Washington County cops who have passed the bar. SB170

Actually, the summary is misleading. The law actually reads:

2–203. 7
(a) A police officer without a warrant may arrest a person if the police officer 8 has probable cause to believe: 9
(1) that the person has committed a crime listed in subsection (b) of 10 this section; and 11
(2) that unless the person is arrested immediately, the person: 12
(i) may not be apprehended; 13
(ii) may cause physical injury or property damage to another; or 14
(iii) may tamper with, dispose of, or destroy evidence. 15
(b) The crimes referred to in subsection (a)(1) of this section are: 16
(4) a theft crime where the value of the property or services stolen is 17 less than [$500] $1,000 under § 7–104 or § 7–105 of the Criminal Law Article or an 18 attempt to commit the crime;

The only change in the existing law is to value limit being raised from $500 to $1000.

 

[Dymphna]

Hmmm, this one is scary too. Any veteran who has ever been diagnosed with PTSD could wind up having their weapons seized.

Perhaps eventually and I agree, that could be problematic, but first they have to study it to death. It would be worth watching what comes out of the "task force"

 

[migtig]

Actually, the summary is misleading. The law actually reads:
The only change in the existing law is to value limit being raised from $500 to $1000.

But isn't that open to the police officer's personal interpretation of the scene?
IE:
Cop: I arrested him because he was attempting to flee the scene.
Innocent Person: I just picked up dinner from the grocery store and was driving home. Here is my receipt.

I don't have a criminal cop mindset so I don't know how this could play out. I just see it being an illegal search and seizure and violation of the Constitution.

 

[Dymphna]

And can someone explain why this is an emergency bill?

HB 1431
Delegate O’Donnell, et al
CALVERT, CHARLES, AND ST. MARY’S COUNTIES – TURKEY HUNTING ON PRIVATE PROPERTY – SUNDAYS
Authorizing a person to hunt turkey on private property on Sundays during the spring turkey hunting season in Calvert County, Charles County, and St. Mary’s County; and making the Act an emergency measure.
EMERGENCY BILL

It just means "effective immediately" You don't have to wait until October to start hunting turkey on Sunday.

 

[Chris0nllyn]

SB 177
Senator Robey, et al
VEHICLE LAWS – NONFUNCTIONING TRAFFIC CONTROL SIGNALS – REQUIREMENT TO STOP
Altering a provision of law requiring vehicular traffic to stop and take specified actions when approaching a nonfunctioning traffic control signal at specified intersections to apply the requirement to all intersections; and requiring vehicular traffic approaching a nonfunctioning traffic control signal at an intersection to stop in a specified manner, yield to other vehicles or pedestrians in the intersection, and remain stopped until it is safe to enter and continue through the intersection.EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2012

We really needed legislation for something that SHOULD be obvious?

 

[migtig]

It just means "effective immediately" You don't have to wait until October to start hunting turkey on Sunday.

Ahhh - thanks. I was seeing the word emergency and thinking we must have been invaded by turkeys.

 

[Chris0nllyn]

That worried me too. My son told me about a cop who walked up to a few of them parked in a parking lot that were talking. The cop asked to search his car and he told the cop, "Show me your search warrant." The cop said, "You got something to hide? Why won't you let me look around?" My son repeated, "Show me your papers." The cop went back to his car and made a call in to somewhere and came back and said, "Nevermind."

My son was not breaking the law nor was there any cause for a search. I'm proud that he knew his rights and handled it in an adult manor. But it sure looks like we are headed in the direction where we will no longer have the right to be minding our own business without being "cop'd".

Good for him. Unfortunately, this happens A LOT...people get pulled over for a tail light being out, window tint to dark, etc. and then cop will ask, "Mind if I take a look around your car?", or "I smell Marijuana, mind if I search?"

Hell yea I mind...

 

[Dymphna]

But isn't that open to the police officer's personal interpretation of the scene?
IE:
Cop: I arrested him because he was attempting to flee the scene.
Innocent Person: I just picked up dinner from the grocery store and was driving home. Here is my receipt.

I don't have a criminal cop mindset so I don't know how this could play out. I just see it being an illegal search and seizure and violation of the Constitution.

But the law already says that. That part of the law isn't changing. It's only written into the bill in order to put the change of $500 to $1000 into context.

Here is the link to the existing law... MGA Statutes Text Page 1

 

[migtig]

But the law already says that. That part of the law isn't changing. It's only written into the bill in order to put the change of $500 to $1000 into context.

Here is the link to the existing law... MGA Statutes Text Page 1

First time I've seen it and I still think it's a concern and violation. That's what I'm trying to say. Don't care if it was originally written during 1910.

 

[Dymphna]

First time I've seen it and I still think it's a concern and violation. That's what I'm trying to say. Don't care if it was originally written during 1910.

Ah, but when the perp is running down the street with your stuff and you are screaming, "stop thief" and the cop is standing there saying, "Sorry, I don't have a warrant." You might feel differently.

 

[Chris0nllyn]

Ah, but when the perp is running down the street with your stuff and you are screaming, "stop thief" and the cop is standing there saying, "Sorry, I don't have a warrant." You might feel differently.

Do you support the NDAA also?

 

[Vince]

SB 848
Senator King
EDUCATION – MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT
Authorizing a county governing body, for a specified purpose and under specified circumstances, to set a property tax rate that is higher than the rate authorized under the county’s charter or to collect more property tax revenues than are authorized under the county’s charter, notwithstanding any provision of the county charter that places limits on the county’s property tax rate or revenues; etc.
EMERGENCY BILL – VARIOUS EFFECTIVE DATES

Sounds like all they have to do is come up with a reason that schools need money and voila....raise you property taxes. Hell, mine have been going up every year anyway. What the hell is the difference....except that it will probably go up even higher now. :shrug: I am going to retire some day and get the hell out of Maryland.

 

[migtig]

Ah, but when the perp is running down the street with your stuff and you are screaming, "stop thief" and the cop is standing there saying, "Sorry, I don't have a warrant." You might feel differently.

Perhaps. I sometimes see a different angle to things.

 

[kwillia]

Sounds like all they have to do is come up with a reason that schools need money and voila....raise you property taxes. Hell, mine have been going up every year anyway. What the hell is the difference....except that it will probably go up even higher now. :shrug: I am going to retire some day and get the hell out of Maryland.

I believe that one is a direct result of the state being successful a month or so back in pushing the educator's retirement from being a state expense to being a county expense. Open your wallet wider.

 

[Dymphna]

Do you support the NDAA also?

Apples and oranges.

 

[Chris0nllyn]

Apples and oranges.

How so?

The MD bill allows officers to detain someone they suspect of commiting a crime.

NDAA allows the military to detain someon they suspect of being a terrorist indefinately.

Granted, the MD bill still allows due process, but how is it different? Because the NDAA protects us from those big, bad, terrorists?

 

[Tomcat]

I'm suprised Vrai & RR haven't commented on this one:
SB 755
Senator Young, et al
CONSUMING WINE NOT BOUGHT ON PREMISES – RESTAURANTS, CLUBS, AND HOTELS
Allowing an individual in a restaurant, club, or hotel for which a specified alcoholic beverages license is issued the privilege of consuming wine not purchased from or provided by the license holder; requiring, for an individual to exercise the privilege, that the wine be consumed under specified circumstances; requiring a local licensing board to issue a specified permit at no cost to specified license holders; authorizing a license holder to determine and charge an individual a fee for the privilege; etc.
EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2012

Starting in July I can charge you a ridicules amount to unscrew the cap on your own bottle of wine!