The Minority Report - Week 7 - The Half-Way Point

The Minority Report 2017 Session Update - Week Seven Greetings from the 437th Legislative Session! We want to connect with you to keep you informed on caucus initiatives and the latest in Annapolis. Please feel free to share this with friends, family, and colleagues, and on your own social media sites. The 45th Day: Halfway There!   Saturday, February 25th marks the halfway point of the 2017 Session. With less than 50 days left to go, much remains unresolved. The only bill that must be passed during the legislative session is the budget - that is the only consitutional requirement. There are still many important pieces of legislation under consideration that have not yet moved forward. The Governor has introduced a number of important pieces of legislation including, redistricting reform, a repeal of the disastrous Road Kill Bill, initiatives to increase transparency in government and reform ethics - all still sit in committee with no action taken. There is still much work to do. Working Across the Aisle In a political climate that grows more divided by the day, it can seem as though Republicans and Democrats can never work together on anything. While  passions and convictions run deep, the members of our caucus still find opportunities to work in a bipartisan fashion with their Democratic colleagues. Delegate Matt Morgan (District 29A, St. Mary's County) has partnered with Delegate Erek Barron (District 24 , Prince George's County) on a bill to combat cyber crime. House Bill 340 specifically targets what is know as "ransomware" - viruses that attack computers and networks and require some type of payment in order to regain access and function to your system. It was ransomware that crippled the computer system at MedStar Health last spring, and similar attacks have happened across the country. HB 340 makes the creation of "ransomware" a felony, punishable by up to ten years in prison. Delegate Brett Wilson (District 2B, Washington County) and Delegate Vanessa Atterbeary (District 13, Howard County) are sponsoring HB 483, the "Outcry Law". Delegate Wilson said the bill will  "allow the first adult to hear a child's disclosure of serious sexual or physical abuse to testify to that disclosure. Often, a grandparent, temporary caregiver or other adult will be the first to whom a child victim cries out. That moment is not presently admissible in a trial of child molestation or abuse. Without it, juries are left to wonder how a case began. This law has existed in Texas for several years. Maryland's children deserve to be heard.My thanks to the grandparents and caregivers who testified, and, my good friend Delegate Vanessa Atterbeary for co-sponsoring." A Few Good Reads GOP legislators offer pension reforms Hogan prods legislature to hold hearing on his video bill, tweaks Miller for using profanity www.houserepublicancaucus.com