Per the State of Maryland (6.24.24): On the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson, Governor Wes Moore and Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller issued the following statements:
Governor Wes Moore:
Maryland
“Pride is about living openly and joyfully as the person you are and being able to celebrate your identity,” said Lt. Gov. Miller. “This administration has demonstrated through recognition, representation, and above all else, through action, that our LGBTQIA+ community in Maryland is seen, valued, and respected. We will continue to fight hand-in-hand as allies to our LGBTQIA+ community to ensure Maryland is a state where every single person can live proudly as their authentic self.”
During a historic first six months in office, the Moore-Miller Administration has demonstrated support for LGBTQIA+ Marylanders and celebrated the contributions, resilience, courage, and joy of our LGBTQIA+ community.
Per the Comptroller of Maryland: Starting on July 1, 2023, adults can legally use cannabis for recreational purposes. Anyone purchasing cannabis products from a dispensary must show their government-issued ID to demonstrate they are 21 or older. A medical card is still required to purchase medical-use cannabis. Cannabis sales tax update:
If you have a medical-use cannabis card:
Back in May 2021, Governor Larry Hogan signed a bill into law that gave a two year extension on the sale of alcohol via delivery and carryout by licensed restaurants. That extension ends at the end of this month (June 2023) and to-go sales of alcohol will end in the state of Maryland.
The Montgomery County ABS, which regulates the sale of liquor in Montgomery County, passed a temporary resolution back on March 24, 2020 that allows holders of on-premise licenses to sell for carry out and delivery. This was one way restaurants were able to stay afloat during the pandemic while dining rooms were shut down. The new bill, SB205, replaced the temporary resolution in July 2021 for two years. Montgomery County’s ABS confirmed via phone call that to-go sales via delivery and carry-out would end on Friday, June 30th.
“Nobody wants to address violent crime more than the people that actually live in communities suffering from violence. Yet we’ve politicized this issue to a point where we believe it’s us against them. Let’s come together on this and focus on the realities of violence instead of emphasizing the deficiencies of certain communities.”
“Elected officials can underinvest in housing and pull the plug on mass transit projects – but because they enhance sentencing, they’re called champions for public safety in the news. Don’t allow yourselves to get spun. Networks that sensationalize violence miss the full story. You won’t hear them talk about bad policies that limit opportunity and increase violence in our neighborhoods. You won’t hear them talk about pipelines from poverty to prison. You won’t hear them talk about the breakage in the system that allows so many of our young people to fall through the cracks.”
A $1.1 million winning Multi-Match lottery ticket sold recently at a Bel Air, MD Wawa remains unclaimed as of June 20. Full story below courtesy of the Maryland Lottery: “The Maryland Lottery is looking for a new millionaire after a jackpot-winning Multi-Match ticket was sold in Harford County. The estimated annuity value of the jackpot for the Thursday, June 15 drawing was $1.1 million. The winner can choose between the annuity, paid in 25 equal installments, or an estimated $710,000 cash option (before taxes). The winning ticket with the numbers 1, 8, 10, 24, 36 and 37 was sold at Wawa #557 located at 1515 East Churchville Road in Bel Air. The store will receive an $1,100 bonus for selling the winning ticket.
Lottery officials encourage the winner to sign the back of the ticket and keep it in a safe location. The player has 182 days after the date of the drawing to claim the prize. This is the fourth Multi-Matchjackpot win of 2023 and the largest so far this year, surpassing a $750,000 jackpot that was hit in the Feb. 6 drawing. The game’s jackpot was hit six times in 2022 and five times in 2021. The Multi-Match jackpot was last hit for $570,000 on April 13. The top four Multi-Match jackpot wins to date were $4.8 million on Sept. 19, 2009; $4.45 million on March 18, 2010; $3.8 million on Dec. 16, 2010 and $3.6 million on June 8, 2015.
Per the State of Maryland (6.19.23): Governor Wes Moore today proclaimed and celebrated June 19, 2023, as Juneteenth in Maryland. Juneteenth is a celebration to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States. On June 17, 2021, President Joseph R. Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, designating Juneteenth as a federal holiday.
Though the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect at the beginning of 1863, many enslaved people did not gain freedom until much later. On June 19th, 1865, Union soldiers traveled to Galveston, Texas, to liberate those who were still enslaved. Newly freed African Americans rejoiced and their celebrations started the tradition that is now known as Juneteenth. In 2021, Juneteenth became the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
CSX announced a gift of $5 million to the Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) Railroad Museum in Baltimore, MD, towards the museum’s $30 million capital campaign in anticipation of the B&O railroad’s bicentennial anniversary in 2027.
“CSX is proud to support the future of the B&O Railroad Museum and help expand its role in the community,” said Joe Hinrichs, CSX president and chief executive officer. “As the successor to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, CSX has been an integral part of the Maryland economy for generations. We are thrilled to be able to deliver this substantial contribution and serve as a catalyst of growth for this iconic institution and the Baltimore community.”
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There are 182 public high schools in Maryland with an approximate average of 1,030 students per school. All of the 20 largest schools when it comes to enrollment have at least double the average. Full list below using data following the 2021-2022 school year (Montgomery County high schools in bold):
20. Duval High School (Prince George’s County): 2,206 students
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With the Fourth of July approaching but America troubled by issues like high inflation and elevated homicide rates, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2023’s Most Patriotic States in America, with Maryland coming in as the 12th most patriotic state.
To determine where Americans have the most red, white and blue pride, WalletHub compared the 50 states across 13 key indicators of patriotism. Their data set ranges from the state’s military enlistees and veterans to the share of adults who voted in the 2020 presidential election to AmeriCorps volunteers per capita. Below are some additional highlights from the report. Patriotism in Maryland (1=Most Patriotic; 25=Avg.):
Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown joined a coalition of 24 Attorneys General in a comment letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services supporting stronger protections for patients’ reproductive health information. The Biden administration is considering adding amendments to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule, the federal law that governs the disclosure of protected health information (PHI). If implemented, the changes would make it illegal to share a patient’s PHI if the PHI is being sought for certain criminal, civil, and administrative investigations, and proceedings against a patient in connection with a legal abortion or other reproductive care.
These changes are critical to protecting patients as the U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade spurred many anti-abortion states to enforce draconian restrictions that could lead to criminal or civil penalties for anyone seeking, providing, or assisting with reproductive care. In the letter, the coalition welcomes the federal government’s proposed HIPAA amendments, which aim to protect against such misuse of this data. The coalition asserts that additional guardrails would help safeguard reproductive health data from being wrongfully accessed and exploited to harm pregnant people or healthcare providers.