Del. Impallaria Updates on Same-Sex Marriage Bill, Off-Shore Wind Energy Bill

From the offices of state Del. Rick Impallaria:

Same-Sex Marriage Bill

Last evening, the Judiciary Committee (JUD) and the House Health and Government Operations Committee (HGO) met around 4:30 pm, on very short notice, to vote on the same-sex marriage bill. The bill passed both the JUD and the HGO.

I am providing you a list of the Voting Record. The bill went to the floor of the House this morning on second reading and was special ordered for amendments and set for hearing tomorrow. We believe it will be set for vote on Friday, or maybe not, depending on whether the Governor and the Speaker have strong-armed enough votes for O’Malley’s premier
legislation for this year.

Off-Shore Wind Energy Bill

Also yesterday, the Governor had Senate hearings on his wind bill and today the hearings will be held in my Committee, the House Economic Matters Committee (ECM).

The Governor is attempting to place a $2.00 charge on your electric bill to subsidize using wind energy to produce electricity. However, it is more than likely that the power produced will not go to the Maryland service area. And I believe that the $2.00 charge is only the beginning of the charges that will be added to our utility bill to subsidize wind power.

Maryland’s Fallen Heroes

And finally, on a positive note, as a member of the Veterans Caucus, I would like to invite you, and especially veterans, to the General Assembly tomorrow to honor Maryland’s Fallen Heroes, those who have given the ultimate sacrifice to preserve our freedom over the past year. It is a somber and honoring memorial service to their families and to them. This service will be held on the floor of the Assembly, House of Delegates side, either before or after Session business (as time allows).

Voting Record on Same-Sex Marriage Bill

House Judiciary Committee

Yeas

Dumais, K. (Vice Chair), Lee, S., Waldstreicher, J., Clippinger, L., Carter, J., Mitchell, K., Valderrama, K., Conaway, F., Anderson, C., Simmons, L.

Abstain

Arora, S.

Nays

Valllario, J. (Chair), Kelly, K., Alslton, T., Valentino-Smith, G., Dwyer, D., McComas, S., Parrot, N., Smigiel, M., Hough, M., Cluster, J., McDermott, M.

House Health and Government Operations Committee

Yeas

Hammen, P. (Chair), Pendergrass, S. (Vice-Chair), Bromwell, E., Costa, R., Cullison, B., Hubbard, J., Kelly, A., Morhaim, D., Murphy, P., Nathan-Pulliam, S., Oaks, N., Pena-Melnyk, J., Reznik, K., Tarrant,S., Turner, V.

Nays

Donoghue, J., Elliott, D., Frank, W., Kach, W., Kipke, N., Krebs, S., Ready, J.

Absent

McDonough, P.