Sen. Jacobs: Unresolved End of Session Issues Include Budget, Expanded Gambling Plan, Drugged Driving

From Sen. Nancy Jacobs:

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Lawmakers are meeting today, Saturday, to try and address all the legislation still pending as the Monday midnight deadline looms for the 2012 General Assembly.

We still don’t have a state budget and this morning the budget Conference Committee canceled a planned morning meeting.

There is a plan to expand gambling in Maryland by allowing another facility to open in Prince Georges County. That bill also allows table games at current facilities. The bill is hotly debated and its fate is up in the air.

I hope today the Senate will give final approval to a bill of mine that toughens penalties for causing life threatening injury while driving high on drugs. Another bill I worked on with several senators that creates a penalty for not reporting child abuse is still pending.

CRACKING DOWN ON DRUGGED DRIVERS BILL PASSES HOUSE AND SENATE

Ava DelRicco is a two year old girl whose life was suddenly changed forever in December when a driver, high on PCP, crashed his pick up into the back of her mother’s car in Ocean City. The child spent more than three months in the hospital and it’s unclear if she will suffer permanent brain damage.

Police say the driver who faces charges for causing the accident stated he was high on PCP. The State’s Attorney was stunned to learn the penalty for causing a life threatening injury while driving drugged is less that the penalty for causing life threatening injury while driving drunk.

A bill , sponsored by Senator Nancy Jacobs and Delegate Mike McDermott that makes the penalties equal for driving drunk or drugged, has just passed the House and Senate in Annapolis and awaits the Governor’s signature.