Tuesday, November 6, 2012
DREAM Act, expanded gambling and congressional redistricting also survive referendum challenges.
UPDATED (2:26 a.m.)—Same-sex marriage is the law in Maryland. The passage of the controversial law was the biggest win among a list of six other statewide ballot questions including the DREAM Act, expanded gambling and congressional redistricting that all also passed. Gov. Martin O'Malley took to the podium to address the Question 6 victory party at The Soundstage in Baltimore early Wednesday to chants of his last name. O'Malley thanked the crowd for all they had done "in this noble battle to move Maryland Forward." The governor praised supporters for all their hard work and for securing support for the controversial ballot question by talking to their families and their religious institutions. "You were carrying this banner of human …
Thursday, October 18, 2012
How will you vote on the Congressional redistricting plan on Nov. 6?
In addition to more notable referendum questions such as same-sex marriage, DREAM Act and expanded gambling, Maryland voters will also be asked to decide the fate of the state's recently redrawn congressional districts. Earlier this week, Comptroller Peter Franchot announced he intends to vote against the maps and asked voters to do the same. The comptroller said the recent maps drawn by Gov. Martin O'Malley and approved by the General Assembly are unfair and make Maryland "the poster child for gerrymandering." A spokeswoman for the governor noted that the maps have survived a number of challenges in the courts and that the process used to create them is legally sound. Voters on Nov. 6 will be asked to vote for the referred law or against …
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Supporters say law gives students who are illegal immigrants "a level playing field."
Karina is a "Dreamer." She says she's not the only one. The 22-year-old illegal immigrant and Montgomery College student spoke Wednesday at a news conference at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County to kick off Educating Maryland Kids, an effort to pass the Maryland DREAM Act. "My mother has always told me that education is the path to my success and I very much believe that," said the woman who was only identified by her first name. Karina, who plans on graduating next year with dual associate degrees in general studies and mental health, called for support for a bill that would grant in-state tuition rates to students like herself who are in this country illegally or are considered undocumented immigrants. The law that would grant…
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Anne Arundel judge rules that voters should be allowed to decide the fate of in-state tuition for illegal immigrants.
The referendum on the Maryland "Dream Act" cleared its first legal hurdle after an Anne Arundel judge upheld the Maryland Board of Elections' ruling that the legislation can appear on ballots this November. Anne Arundel Circuit Court Judge Ronald A. Silkworth ruled on Feb. 17 that the Dream Act—which would allow certain illegal immigrants to pay in-state rates at Maryland colleges—meets the state constitution’s standards for legislation that is subject to referendum. The Maryland legislature passed the Dream Act in the final moments of the 2011 legislative session. Opponents immediately launched a statewide petition aiming to put the issue on the ballot this November. They collected nearly twice the minimum 55,736 signatures within two …
Thursday, July 14, 2011
A key part of the campaign to stop the state tuition law was use of an online petition form.
Republicans and other opponents waged a powerful campaign to halt a new law giving undocumented immigrants rights to in-state tuition rates at public colleges in Maryland. It was an effort that by all rights was doomed to fail, according to The Washington Post. But the petition by Del. Neil C. Parrott (R-Washington) and others succeeded in blocking the enactment of Maryland’s Dream Act, which had been set to take effect July 1. The Maryland State Board of Elections has unofficially certified 63,118 petition signatures, forcing the issue to a vote during November's election. The issue amassed more than twice the required signatures in only two months. According to Michael Laris of The Washington Post, a key component of the campaign’s …
Voice of Reason
2:02 pm on Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Yeah, those non-procreating gays are going to lead to our extinction because under-population is such a huge problem right now, right? Also if the human body decides what is and isn't a marriage ( a ridiculous statement to start with ) then the physical attraction they feel towards their partner just further legitimizes it. more ›