John's Journal

MD Legislative Session Wrap-Up: Guns, Death Penalty, Taxes

De. John Olszewski Jr. writes about the gas tax, death penalty, gun control and more in this wrap-up piece about the 2013 Maryland State Assembly session.

With the 2013 Legislative Session now officially drawn to a close, I am pleased to provide you with my End of Session Report. This overview covers some of the major developments of the session, though space considerations prevent it from covering every issue discussed. As always, my office would be happy to review the issues covered here in further detail, or to discuss any other piece of legislation that you may have an interest in. Please do not hesitate to contact me anytime at my district office (410-282-1733), Annapolis office (410-841-3458), or by email at delegateolszewski@gmail.com. State Operating Budget: After years of struggling to overcome a stubborn structural deficit, the Fiscal Year 2014 state operating budget continues …

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John's Journal

Legislative Update: Maryland's Gas Tax Hike

Del. John Olszewski Jr. explains why he opposed the bill to increase the gasoline tax in Maryland.

The 2013 legislative session is rushing to its conclusion at a feverish pace. Just in the past week, the Senate (by one vote) recommitted the HOME Act to committee and effectively ended debate on the issue. The state operating and capital budgets have been unveiled and passed both respective chambers. And unfortunately, a massive gas tax increase has already passed both the House and Senate and will soon become law. I strongly opposed and voted against this ill-advised piece of legislation. Without question, there are pressing transportation needs around the state, but we should have been more imaginative about how we meet such challenges. Rather than heaping billions of dollars of taxes on working class families, the legislature should …

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Cwhathadhappened...

7:17 pm on Sunday, April 7, 2013

Edward, all the democrats should get out... that would not solve the problem. One party rule doesn't work. Clear example is what we live today. We need transparency, responsibility, and accountability. As far as John is concerned, at least he reaches out to the people and is accountable. One person cannot please all, plain and simple. We need to hold accountable the big 3, Baltimore City, PG Co…   more ›

6th District Delegates Vote 'Nay' on Death Penalty Repeal

The Maryland House of Delegates voted last week to abolish the state's death penalty.

While Maryland's House of Delegates voted last week, by a comfortable margin of 82 to 56, to repeal the state's death penalty, all three Sixth District representatives voted against the repeal. Delegates Joseph "Sonny" Minnick, John Olszewski Jr. and Mike Weir Jr. all cast "no" votes for the bill that will eliminate capital punishment in Maryland. Reached over the weekend, Olszewski said he had several reasons for voting against the repeal, and added that he had supported changes to the state's law in 2009 that made it much more unlikely that an innocent person would be sentenced to death. The 2009 legislation mandated that eyewitness testimony could not be used to give someone a death sentence, and that DNA evidence, a video-taped …

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John's Journal

MD District 6 Legislative Update: Wind Power Bill

The Maryland House of Delegates will hold its final vote on the offshore wind bill Thursday or Friday, according to Del. John Olszewski Jr.

The House of Delegates recently voted on legislation allowing for the development of offshore wind farms. I supported this legislation for several reasons: to provide for stable energy pricing; improved health, climate and national security outcomes; and most importantly for jobs and growing the economy. Coming as a follow-up to the update I provided last week about workforce training legislation, the EARN (Employment Advancement Right Now) Act, the Maryland Offshore Wind Energy legislation is a fitting complement. Officials are quick to say that they support the growth of new jobs, but not everyone votes to support their creation. Indeed, unlike most products, the supply chain for wind turbines needs to exist close to the source of the …

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Marylanders Rally Against Pit Bull Court Opinion

Protestors argued that pit bulls are being unfairly targeted by the Maryland Court of Appeals.

Annapolis resident Stehle Harris is afraid she won't have a home.  As the owner of a bull terrier, Harris said the recent Maryland Court of Appeals opinion that pit bulls and pit bull crossbreeds are dangerous could lead to a slippery slope. The opinion also states that landlords can prohibit the dogs from their properties. "I think pit bulls' capacity to do damage is no greater than a chihuahua," she said. "I'm more apprehensive about smaller dogs." Harris was one of a group of Marylanders protesting the court's opinion at Lawyer's Mall in Annapolis on Tuesday afternoon.  Erin Harty, of Baltimore, said Harris' fears aren't unfounded. As a volunteer at Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter, she said the center is already being …

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Buzz Beeler

8:20 pm on Saturday, May 19, 2012

Sounds like this could be a - dog-gone court battle.   more ›