Proposed Legislation Will Harm Way Of Life
Editor:
It’s Deja vu all over again. At least as far as legislation in Maryland is concerned.
Most of the bad legislation that we have fought so hard over the last few years is back again, with the addition of the “Blueprint for Maryland’s Future – Implementation of Kirwan Recommendations” which expands state control over education and requires $32 billion in additional spending over 10 years. Please keep in mind that this bill calls for no accountability as to student performance or behavior.
Additionally, has anyone noticed how the more involved state and federal governments become with education and the more money spent, the worse the results? The bill numbers for the “Blueprint” are SB1000 and HB1300.
A good bill to support is SB78 which would require county Boards of Education to implement regulations on remedial behavior expectations of students; to require restitution to students and teachers who have been harmed by the offending student; and modify the schedule of the individual who violated so that contact with the person harmed is minimized.
Of course, our Second Amendment rights are under attack in several bills. One of the worst is SB208/HB4 which would require background checks on a person (including family members) to whom you might loan a weapon (such as loaning your rifle to your cousin to try out). And SB422 requires that every person with a permit issued or renewed must complete on separate calendar days each year an approved course on situational awareness and a course on competent handling of a firearm.
That’s two days out of your life and two fees out of your pocket, every year.
Physician Assisted Suicide is back again this year. It was defeated last year by only one vote.
Sanctuary State Legislation is up again this year. SB850 and HB677 would prohibit state and local government entities from entering into agreements facilitating immigration-related detention by private entities and would prohibit government entities from entering into certain agreements to house immigration-related detainees. This would also require governmental entities to terminate existing contracts for the detention of immigration related detainees. I don’t know how many times we have to say it before it sinks in: “We are in favor of and enthusiastically support legal immigration. Illegal immigration is exactly that – illegal”.
In opposition to this legislation is SB197 which would require a state or local correctional facility to notify the US Department of Homeland Security that an individual subject to an immigration detainer is ready to be released – the notice would need to be provided 72 hours before the individual is released. Had this been in place, several terrible crimes with young victims could have been prevented.
I urge my fellow Eastern Shore citizens to take the time to research these bills and others and to let our elected representatives know where we stand. You can find out all about current proposed bills by going to mgaleg.maryland.gov. You can call or email the senators and delegates with your opinions.
I hope we can work together to defeat some of these proposed bills which will harm our way of life if passed.
Carol Frazier
Ocean Pines
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OC’s Wind Turbine Renderings Questioned
Editor:
For at least two months, the Ocean City government has known wind farm renderings on their taxpayer funded web pages that contain major inaccuracies. This point was also made quite clear in a letter to the editor published in this paper on Dec. 25, 2019.
Ocean City government has had plenty of time to fix these inaccuracies, but instead, they are now doubling or even tripling down on their lies.
Up to now, I have been kind and called these inaccuracies rather than lies. However, given the fact that the mayor is publishing new web pages and used these known inaccurate renderings at the Public Service Commission hearing, I believe we are well past the point of being kind and calling these inaccuracies.
I hope that people in the Ocean City community will speak up to their politicians about this issue. Ocean City is rightly concerned with issues that may have an adverse effect on their economy. I can think of few worse things a tourist destination could do to their economy than convince their customers that they are dishonest.
Doug Miller
Jessup
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Harris Positions Need Voters’ Attention
Editor:
1st District of Maryland Representative, Andy Harris, recently was one of 11 members of congress to vote against House Bill H.R. 2932. This bill — the Homeland Security for Children Act — would require the Dept. of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans to review and incorporate policy feedback from organizations representing the needs of children into DHS policy. Additionally, it would direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to identify and integrate the needs of children into activities to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate against the risk of natural disaster, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that enacting the bill would require no additional costs. The vote was 374 yea and 11 nays. Harris voted nay.
What is wrong with our representative in congress? Harris has recently voted against the interests of senior citizens, women veterans and now children. What happened to President Bush’s 1,000 points of light? Where is compassion in our government? Contact Harris’ D.C. office at 202-225-5311 or his Eastern Shore office at 410-643-5425 and voice your displeasure with Harris’ voting record on H.B. 2932.
We do have a choice in who represents us. Vote. Running against Harris in 2020 is a Republican from Ocean City, Jorge Delgado, or Democrat Mia Mason.
For more information on this bill visit: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/2932
Christopher A. Koch
Easton