Minimum Wage Measure Sparks Heated Debate In House

Several Republican lawmakers voiced persisting opposition to Gov. Martin O’Malley’s measure to raise the Maryland minimum wage to $10.10 an hour, proposing a slew of changes to the bill on that would chip away at many of its provisions.

Marijuana Legalization Hotly Debated in Maryland Senate Committee Hearing

Dozens of people testifying before Maryland lawmakers called for an end to the state’s battle against marijuana, one part of the decades-long national war on drugs that supporters of legalization say has done more harm than good.

Marijuana Debate Headed to Maryland Senate Committee

Maryland lawmakers are set to get their first real whiff of marijuana legislation this session with hearings scheduled on measures that look to lift or loosen the state’s ban on recreational use of the drug.

Lawmakers Consider Measure That Would Mandate Paid Sick Leave

The Maryland Earned Sick and Safe Leave Act would make the state the second in the nation to require private sector businesses to provide paid sick days to workers.

Minimum Wage Hike Debated Before Maryland Lawmakers

Business owners, low-wage workers, economists and community leaders crowded into an overflowing House committee room Tuesday to offer testimony alongside Gov. Martin O’Malley on a handful of proposals seeking to change Maryland’s minimum wage.

General Assembly Set to Hear Slew of Minimum Wage Bills Next Week

The options range in scope from one statewide increase to “county choice” measures that would grant jurisdictions the individual authority to set their own base rates of pay.

Inmates Drive Workforce at Anne Arundel Food Bank

The Anne Arundel County Food and Resources Bank relies on a dozen inmates to perform the bulk of the food bank’s heavy lifting in return for time trimmed off sentences.

Lack of Manpower at Maryland Food Bank Slows Flow of Donations to Pantries

The Maryland Food Bank has the supplies to meet the high demands of local pantries. But it doesn’t have the manpower and needs volunteers.

O’Malley Pushes Minimum Wage Increase in his Last State of the State Address

O’Malley urged members of the Maryland General Assembly to pass legislation increasing the state’s minimum wage to $10.10 an hour, telling lawmakers that a thriving middle class is the key to a thriving economy.

With Minimum Wage Debate Set to Take Center Stage, Some Believe the County Makes the Difference

Maryland is primed for a battle between lawmakers who are pushing a statewide increase of the minimum wage and others who believe that one comprehensive hike doesn’t make sense.