A round up of all the need-to-know news from Thursday’s General Assembly session.
Maryland
Bills Aim to Use Video Technology to Cut Medical Costs
The bipartisan legislation aims to increase the use of technology such as video cameras to allow doctors to interact with patients outside the office.
Next Phases Underway in FBI Headquarters Relocation
Federal officials have begun the next phases in the possible relocation of the FBI’s headquarters to Maryland.
Maryland Bill Would Require Sexual Abuse Awareness Education in Schools
Delegate Eric Luedtke, D-Montgomery, called the proposed bill “the single most effective thing we can do to stop abuse.”
Cummings Grills Pharmaceutical Execs on Drug-Price Increases
Rep. Elijah Cummings, D- Baltimore, charged Thursday that huge drug-price increases amounted to “blood money” that hurt vulnerable patients and caused hospital budgets to soar.
Cybersecurity Council Is ‘Critical’ to the State, Says Google VP
“I can’t think of anything more critical to our future than figuring out how to secure ourselves in cyberspace,” Google Vice President Vinton Cerf told the Maryland Cybersecurity Council on Thursday.
Two Presidential Candidates with Maryland Ties Face Tough Road
Ben Carson and Carly Fiorina, the two remaining presidential candidates with ties to Maryland, didn’t do well in the Iowa caucuses and it’s difficult to see where they can do better in the primaries ahead.
Hogan Takes Bipartisan Tone for Second State Address, Focuses on Fiscal Conservatism
Hogan praised bipartisan efforts in the past year and pledged for more inter-party cooperation in the coming year. Some Democratic county executives, however, were not impressed.
Senate Budget and Tax Committee Discusses New Ways to Assess Property Taxes, Income Tax Return Claims
Members listened to various bill proposals and voiced their thoughts during the committee’s meeting Wednesday afternoon.
January Homicides in Baltimore Reach Lowest Point Since 2013 Following Months of Above-Average Highs
There were 14 homicides recorded in Baltimore city in January 2016, according to The Baltimore Sun.