Monday, December 31, 2012
Numerous key laws passed in 2012 by the Maryland General Assembly take effect on Jan. 1.
Same-sex marriage, a first-in-the-nation arsenic ban for chicken feed and a law designed to protect children's credit reports are among the Maryland laws taking effect on Jan. 1. Some, including the marriage law and a Baltimore City charter amendment, were passed by voters in November. Others tweak existing rules, like renewable energy credits and car insurance. Here are the key laws you need to know about that take effect, according to a Maryland General Assembly document. Same-sex marriage: The Civil Marriage Protection Act, passed in the 2012 session, petitioned to referendum and ratified by Maryland voters in November, takes effect as scheduled on Jan. 1. Maryland was one of the first three states to ratify same-sex marriage at the …
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Thursday is the first day Maryland's circuit courts could start issuing same-sex marriage licenses.
Timonium residents Bruce Eicher and Jorge Gaitan went to Baltimore County Circuit Court Thursday afternoon to get a marriage license—at the advice of their lawyer. "He said it was safer. If one of us died, we want to make sure the other is taken care of," said Eicher, who is 80 years old. Thursday marked the first day same-sex couples in Maryland could obtain a marriage license, but Baltimore County's gay and lesbian residents didn't appear to be in a huge rush late in the day. An employee at the licensing department in circuit court declined to comment on the number of same-sex couples who had sought licenses on Thursday. Eicher and Gaitan, a 67-year-old native of Colombia, were one of a few couples to obtain a marriage license at the …
Friday, October 19, 2012
A newly released Washington Post poll shows residents favor upholding the same sex marriage law.
A Washington Post poll found that 52 percent of likely Maryland voters would uphold the state law allowing same-sex marriages, while 43 percent would vote against upholding it. If approved, the law will go into effect next year. Same-sex marriage won a narrow legislative approval earlier this year, but opponents petitioned to have a referendum placed on the November ballot—Question 6. The Post poll, which telephoned 1,106 Maryland adults, found likely voters divided on the issue by race, region and political party: In September, Gonzales Research, an Annapolis polling firm, found similar results in its poll. The firm polled 813 registered voters across the state and found that 51 percent of likely voters would support Question 6, while 43 …
Friday, August 3, 2012
The younger you are, the more likely you are to support same-sex marriage. What does this mean for Maryland?
Based on Maryland's age distribution and a changing national attitude on same sex marriage, one could expect–surprise–a close referendum fight in November. Earlier this week, you may have read that increasing acceptance of same-sex marriage is not the result of a nationwide change of heart, but because those opposed tend to be older and are literally dying off. A study by the Pew Forum on Religious and Public Life found that the increase of acceptance for same-sex marriage is the result of changing, aging demographics and "generational replacement," defined by Pew as "the arrival of younger, more supportive generations making up a larger share of the population." Nationally, 48 percent of Americans support same-sex marriage, up from 35 …
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Steady flow of customers shows support for company's stand on same-sex marriage.
Customers were lined to the back of the restaurant--and snaking from the drive-thru window to the parking lot--at the Lansdowne Station Chick-fil-A on Aug. 1 in support of the company and its stand on same-sex marriage. Watch the video to see what people had to say.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
The younger you are, the more likely you are to support same-sex marriage. What does this mean for Maryland?
Based on Maryland's age distribution and a changing national attitude on same sex marriage, one could expect–surprise–a close referendum fight in November. Earlier this week, you may have read that increasing acceptance of same-sex marriage is not the result of a nationwide change of heart, but because those opposed tend to be older and are literally dying off. A study by the Pew Forum on Religious and Public Life found that the increase of acceptance for same-sex marriage is the result of changing, aging demographics and "generational replacement," defined by Pew as "the arrival of younger, more supportive generations making up a larger share of the population." Nationally, 48 percent of Americans support same-sex marriage, up from 35 …
Fast food chain the focus of outrage and displays of support since controversial remarks of company's president.
It seems that you can't even talk about a chicken sandwich without sparking a debate these days. Ever since Chick-fil-A president and chief executive officer Dan T. Cathy made remarks condemning same-sex marriage a couple of weeks ago, the fast-food chain has become a flash point. As Stephen Colbert said last week, "a line has been drawn in the lard." Two events are scheduled this week at Chick-fil-A. On Friday, supporters of same-sex marriage are calling for a National Same Sex Kiss Day, scheduled for 8 p.m., presumably at Chick-fil-As throughout the country. Follow Arbutus Patch at Facebook and on Twitter Mike Huckabee, former Governor of Arkansas and former Republican presidential candidate, has designated Aug. 1 "Chick-fil-A …
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
In an interview on ABC News, the president says he supports same-sex marriage. The issue is likely to go to referendum in Maryland this fall.
President Barack Obama picked the day after a decisive vote in North Carolina to announce that his "evolution" on the issue of same-sex marriage was complete—he now supports it. In an interview with ABC News on Wednesday, Obama said: I have to tell you that over the course of several years, as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors, when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together, when I think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that Don't Ask Don't Tell is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage—at a …
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Law goes to governor for signature and a likely referendum challenge.
The Maryland State Senate passed same-sex marriage by a 25-22 vote Thursday night. The passage of the bill comes less than a week after the House of Delegates passed the identical bill. The bill now goes to Gov. Martin O'Malley for his signature. The law, which goes into effect January 1, 2013 is expected to face a referendum challenge and could end up on the November ballot along with the bill that grants in-state tuition rates to some children of illegal immigrants. How they Voted: Baltimore City William Ferguson How They Voted: Baltimore County
Follow along with Patch and other area reporters as the Maryland Senate takes up the bill.
A bill to allow same-sex marriage in Maryland is now being debated in the Maryland Senate. Follow along with Tweets from Patch's Bryan P. Sears other area reporters, and join in with your thoughts. Listen to live Senate proceedings on the General Assembly website.
Michelle L
10:55 am on Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Wow....we actually needed a law to ban arsenic in our food supply. more ›