From the Harford County Sheriff’s Office:
On Tuesday, Sheriff Jeffrey R. Gahler and other Sheriffs from around the state joined Delegate Teresa Riley, District 35, and Senator Ed Riley, District 33, as Governor Hogan signed the Statewide Warrant Intercept Bill into law. This program is modeled after an effective program currently utilized throughout the State of Maryland that withholds services provided by the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration until the wanted person’s obligations have been met and the arrest warrant served.
The “Warrant Intercept Program”, established in 2012, by members of the Anne Arundel County delegation, authorizes an official of the federal, state, or local government, charged with serving a criminal arrest warrant to certify to the Comptroller that an individual has an outstanding warrant and request the Comptroller withhold the individual’s income tax refund. This legislation applies to individuals who are residents of Harford County or have an outstanding warrant from any Maryland county and are residents of the State of Maryland.
Other counties followed suit in recent years, and the legislation expanded to include Baltimore City and Washington County. Harford County Delegate Teresa Riley thinks “this bill makes meaningful improvements for Maryland law enforcement and changes a culture that has rewarded those who have historically avoided prosecution.” Delegate Riley applauds Sheriff Gahler for his work on this commonsense legislation and for strengthening the safety and security of his community.
On any given day, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office has approximately 2,500 active arrest warrants. Of the program, Gahler commented, “It is my strong belief that this program will be beneficial in helping reduce the current number of warrants and provide an incentive for citizens to address warrants in a timely manner when they are issued. I am deeply appreciative of the efforts of our local delegation with the exception of one member, Delegate Glen Glass, who worked to derail this common sense effort and remained directly opposed to most every matter supportive of public safety considered in Annapolis this past session.”
Jeff Gahler is a crybaby. Anyone that goes against what he wants gets attacked by him and his staff. So Glenn Glass didn’t support it, maybe he has his reasons why. But crybaby Gahler has to make a personal jab at Glass instead of just talking about what passed.
Hi Glen. I guess the Sheriff hurt your feelings.
Delegate Glass has a right to his beliefs and thoughts. He also has the right to express them. Sheriff Gahler has that same right. Kudos to Sheriff Gahler for expressing his views just as Delegate Glass has expressed his, both verbal and through his votes.
This artical is confussing. Since when does the DMV handle tax returns from the comptroler? and why isn’t the official name of the bill listed so I can look it up?
Read it again….it says it is modeled after a bill that with holds services provided by the dmv.
Great job Sheriff Gahler and Delegate Riley!
Nice job on everyone’s part for getting this law passed and way to go Sheriff for making sure Delegate Glass does not get the same credit the rest of our delegation deserve. Glass has repeatedly shown himself to be a complete embarrassment to the County and it is about time someone had the guts to tell it like it is!
I do not see why anyone would have a problem with this. It makes total sense. If you have a debt to pay to society, that needs to be paid first before you get your taxes back. Great job Sheriff Gahler.
“On any given day, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office has approximately 2,500 active arrest warrants”
Anyone have the estimates on how another law is going to reduce this number? I can only imagine all those wanted felons will give themselves up in order to get a drivers license.
Another ridiculous law that will make no difference but lets the politicians grand stand.
Reading comprehension 101
This is modeled after the MVA program
This program has to do withholding tax refunds for those with active warrants.
Read the entire article not just the preceding comments.
Seriously is a poster child for the broken Harford County School system…. A fine example of what you get when you under pay teachers.
“This program is modeled after an effective program currently utilized throughout the State of Maryland that withholds services provided by the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration until the wanted person’s obligations have been met and the arrest warrant served.”
2nd paragraph.
Comptroller and tax refund.
Its hard I know.
Reading comp 101
So out of the 2500 active warrants how many will this law reduce?
I’ll wait for your answer.
Criminalizing the poor. Tickets can’t be paid, turn warrant, worsen their circumstances.
Sadly, you are correct.
I see in the article they used the term “common sense” in reference to the legislation. That is very interesting…I read somewhere that common sense is a basic ability to perceive, understand, and judge things, which is shared by (“common to”) nearly all people and can reasonably be expected of nearly all people without any need for debate.
Everyday we get ready for work, we use the electric for our hair dryer and the sink to brush our teeth. Why? Because it is common sense. So why won’t folks use common sense when it comes to transgender bathrooms…
After all IT IS all about the plumbing.