PUBLIC DEFENDER OVERLOAD: Across Maryland, especially in suburban and rural areas, public defenders are asked to represent hundreds more clients than legal experts say they can juggle and still provide effective legal representation, Jesse Coburn reports in the Sun.

POLICE LEGISLATION, CHANGES EXPECTED: Baltimore City Del. Jill Carter expects more police accountability legislation to be considered next year in the Maryland General Assembly, as a result of of the Justice Department report critical of the Baltimore City Police. Carter told Maryland’s News This Week at WBAL-AM that the Legislative Black Caucus will take the lead on the legislation to call for greater police accountability, though the specifics need to be worked out.

• Carter also said that the changing police recruitment practices was on the list, according to WYPR-FM. “We will mandate and oversee the recruitment of officers by the Baltimore Police Department and require Baltimore residents, particularly African Americans and women, to be recruited and hired to fill the more than 3,000 officer positions comprising the agency,” state Del. Jill Carter, a Democrat who represents northwest Baltimore, said at the Black Caucus’ press conference.

HOGAN TO ROLL BACK SEPTIC, TRANSIT REGS: Gov. Larry Hogan said Saturday that his administration will roll back an O’Malley-era regulation on septic systems and demanded that the General Assembly repeal a new transportation law he dubbed “the road kill bill.” Michael Dresser reports for the Sun that in a speech that turned combative at times, the Republican governor said that today the Maryland Department of the Environment will issue a new regulation allowing counties to permit septic systems that are less than the best available technology to be installed on properties outside environmentally critical areas.

 

 

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State Roundup, August 22, 2016