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May 21, 2005
Disappointed To Be From Maryland
At my previous job, we often had a good-natured debate on the relative merits of Maryland and Virginia. I had always supported the Maryland side of the debate, but I might need to rethink my position.
Ehrlich Vetoes Bill Extending Rights to Gay Couples
Increase in Minimum Wage Among 24 Measures Rejected
Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. vetoed a bill yesterday that would have granted rights to gay partners who register with the state, concluding after weeks of intense deliberations that the legislation threatened "the sanctity of traditional marriage."
First of all, why on earth would allowing your life partner to be in the recovery room with you after major surgery undermine the "sanctity of traditional marriage"? Can you even explain to me what "the sanctity of traditional marriage" is?
The emotionally charged bill was among 24 that Ehrlich (R) rejected yesterday afternoon, including legislation to raise the state's minimum wage by $1, allow early voting in elections and heighten oversight of the state's troubled juvenile justice system. Another measure sought by gay rights activists that would have extended a property transfer tax exemption to domestic partners was also scuttled.
The minimum wage veto is another thing I'm baffled by, as there is a well-documented correlation between poverty and divorce. Governor Ehrlich, why not protect the "traditional sanctity of marriage" by getting families closer to a living wage?
Among the Bills Vetoed by Ehrlich
Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R) vetoed 24 bills yesterday, in addition to others rejected earlier this spring. Here are some of the measures and what they would have done:
· Senate Bill 796: Provide domestic partners certain medical and funeral rights afforded to married couples.
· House Bill 1298: Exempt domestic partners from real estate transfer and recordation taxes.
· HB 391: Increase the minimum wage for workers in the state from $5.15 to $6.15 an hour.
· HB 443: Allow Montgomery County police to use speed-monitoring cameras.
· SB 281: Create a commission to study Southern Maryland's transportation needs.
· HB 979: Create a legislative oversight committee to monitor the Department of Juvenile Services.
· HB 1342: Transfer the state's independent juvenile justice monitor office to the office of the attorney general.
· SB 849/HB 479: Begin a study of ways to independently verify ballot results from computerized voting machines.
· SB 287: Revise procedures for challenging a voter's identity and counting provisional ballots.
· SB 444: Reconstitute the State Elections Board.
· SB 478: Allow voters to cast ballots at the polls in advance of Election Day.
Reading this partial list makes me want to move to Virginia.
Comments
Agreed. Thank God for DC and its cute Home Rule distraction. Its like we're in a timewarp sink hole here...
Posted by: DeeK at May 21, 2005 08:50 PM
While I'm also disgusted at Erlich's actions and the Maryland voters who elected him, Virginia also has its share of problems, especially regarding GLBT rights. In 2004, the Virginia legislature passed a bill declaring "a civil union, partnership contract, or other arrangement between persons of the same [gender] purporting to bestow the privileges or obligations of marriage is prohibited. Any such civil union, partnership contract, or other arrangement entered into by persons of the same [gender] in another state or jurisdiction shall be void in all respects in Virginia and any contractual rights created thereby shall be void and unenforceable." The law went into effect in July 2004, and a 2005 effort to repeal is was unsuccessful.
With so many states enacting so many pieces of discriminatory legislation, you'd be hard pressed to find a truly inclusive environment. So, maybe the best thing to do is dig in your heels and try to affect change from within. With amazing delegates like Richard Madaleno and Ana Sol Gutierrez, we Marylanders do have leadership in the state legislature working extremely hard to expand and protect the rights of all Maryland citizens.
Food for thought anyway...
Posted by: Amy at May 22, 2005 01:17 AM
I can't disagree with his decision to veto HB 443: Allow Montgomery County police to use speed-monitoring cameras. Experience in other states and municipalities have shown that these are more often than not revenue-enhancing devices for the government that set them up, rather than the safety-enhancing measures they're meant to be. If I'm speeding, have a cop pull me over so that I know when it happened and what the circumstances were, so that I may more adequately represent myself in traffic court.
Posted by: Rich at May 22, 2005 05:52 AM
