From Del. Kathy Szeliga:
You Can’t Watch Them
Citizens deserve to see what their lawmakers are doing. Today, there was a bill hearing on my bill to require video of the House and Senate floor proceedings. Currently, citizens can only listen to the audio of floor proceedings. With 141 delegates from across our state, it’s almost impossible to know who is speaking. We do have video live and archived of our committee hearings, but the leadership in the House and Senate have blocked video on the floor of their chambers. It’s long overdue and now is the time for transparency, HB 933, General Assembly – Live and Archived Video Streaming of Meetings. 41 other states already do this.
In addition to my bill, Governor Hogan also had two bills in the Rules Committee today. One is also a transparency bill that puts video cameras in the House and Senate. Governor Hogan has provided the funds for this common-sense measure in his budget.
Redistricting Reform
Maryland ranks near the top for gerrymandering – with some of the most partisan legislative and congressional districts in the country. Today, Governor Hogan introduced a bill to form a non-partisan redistricting commission. It’s time to make government serve the people instead of special interest groups.
Former Governor O’Malley, who was the architect of the current partisan election maps, is even admitting that Maryland needs redistricting reform!! This is a non-partisan issue that 73% of Marylanders support. Governor Hogan is right – let’s get this done this year.
You won’t believe this one!
This week in Annapolis, there was a bill to make Maryland a sanctuary state. HB 1362 makes Maryland a Sanctuary State. The hearing was held on February 28th. I oppose this bill because I believe illegal immigration hurts Americans. With limited financial resources, I believe Maryland should focus on helping our own. And allowing those who have broken the law to enter our country illegally to jump the line in front of those immigrants hoping and praying to be granted a visa to enter and even become citizens is unjust.
I don’t think this bill will pass – but you can count on me to oppose this bill.
How can you get involved?
Friends and supporters always ask how they can help get common sense ideas across in Annapolis. Follow Governor Hogan and me on Facebook and Twitter – as well as others who represent you and your ideas – share our posts and share our emails!
Oh my redistrict the gerry mndered districts and Andy Harris is going to be looking for a new job.
Let’s start with districts 3 and 7 before we look at adjusting the map for 1.
We should be able to view our elected officials in the assembly. After all, we pay them and they work for us.
Can you imagine running a business or company and not being able to see what your employees are doing? I hope this passes, but with this group of clowns probably not.
This video taping could help decide who takes charge on the floor as other constituent just play nice… Go along to get along has to end, long live the Mighty Magna Carter 1215…. Dear Kathy, Thank you for being TRANSPARENT!
magna carta…. Excuse me!
Whatever happened to the plan for a comprehensive immigration bill at the national level? Such a bill had being talked about with the intention of managing illegal and legal immigration without leaving such problems as children separated from their parents and people with a legal right to be in this country detained for days. As for Maryland being a sanctuary state, I wonder how many businesses would benefit because they have been hiring illegals and count on them to get their work done. Sanctuary states might be what is needed to get the U.S. congress to come up with a sensible plan in place of what we have now, which is edicts from one man who is rife with prejudices and controlled by a white supremacist. When Del. Szeliga says we should focus on helping our own I am reminded of what Jesus said, when you do it for the least of these, you do it for me. Just a thought.
Here’s another thought. Since you wonder how many businesses would benefit because they have been hiring illegals and count on them to get their work done, have those businesses been paying them a living wage of a least $15 per hour? Businesses should be doing it for the least of us.
And that plan you ask about regarding comprehensive immigration included a provision that the first action required was securing the boarder. Once that had been accomplished then the rest of the plan could be implemented.
She’s my girl. I back her 100%. I’d follow her anywhere. No, seriously.
Indeed, Ms. Szeliga is transparent, as are most conservatives when they speak or write about helping our own.
Every study available, including those from such conservative bastions such as the Heritage and the Enterprise Institutes, point out that Maryland–the woeful state with the “limited resources”–has the highest per capita income of any state in the country. And that’s averaging in those persons locked in the opportunity deserts of Baltimore, the Eastern Shore and Southern Maryland.!
The True Test of Government…