Winners and losers
The governor succeeded in the General Assembly session (and so did one of his opponents) while the comptroller and Baltimore mayor didn’t fare so well
Our view:
The egislative session in Annapolis started as many do with calls for bipartisanship. But in an odd turn of events, the Republican governor and Democratic leaders in the legislature actually came through on their promises to work together. That was hardly the only interesting thing that happened in Annapolis during those 90 days. Here are The Sun editorial board’s picks for who came out looking good and who’s worse for the wear.
Winners
Gov. Larry Hogan: The governor avoided damaging fights with the legislature and can credibly claim a record of accomplishment this year on health care, economic development, gun control and more as he heads into his re-election bid.
Bipartisanship: It takes three to tango in Annapolis — the governor Senate president and House speaker. That can be tricky when they’re not all in the same party, particularly in an election year, but Governor Hogan, Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller and House Speaker Michael E. Busch worked well together on major issues ranging from taxes to health care to gun control.
Sen. Richard Madaleno: Richard Madaleno is only sitting member of the legislature running for governor, and this was his opportunity to make a mark. He did, getting fifteen bills for which he was the primary sponsor through the legislature — including pro-union measures, and expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit, gun control and more. All that on top of his usual role as one of the legislature’s most influential voices on the budget.
Del. Meagan Simonaire: Republican Del. Meagan Simonaire captivated the State House with her speech in support of a ban on “conversion therapy” for LGBT youth. Her description of the pain she felt when her own parents suggested she go through it after coming out as bisexual marked a moment of real personal and political courage. It’s too bad she isn’t running for re-election.
Del. Cheryl Glenn: The leader of the Legislative Black Caucus came into this session determined to pass legislation providing opportunities for minority-owned firms to have a meaningful stake in Maryland’s new medical marijuana industry. She did that. The black caucus also played a major role in shaping a package of anti-crime bills this year.
#MeToo: Women lawmakers, staffers, lobbyists and others made improving the climate regarding sexual harassment in Annapolis, and they were unwilling to wait for a commission’s study before acting. Del. Cheryl Kagan’s accusation of inappropriate touching by a lobbyist helped fuel the movement.