| Page 2 of 3 < > |
State Weighs Tabling Stem Cell Funding
|
TOOLBOX
   Resize
COMMENT
 Discussion Policy
 CLOSE
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Who's Blogging  |
A bill adding homeless people was approved by the Senate, 40 to 4. An identical bill, sponsored by Sen. Alex X. Mooney (R-Frederick), passed the chamber a year ago but died in the House.
Hate crimes against the homeless gained national attention in 2006, according to legislative analysts, when teenagers beat three homeless men with baseball bats in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., killing one.
In 2006, the National Coalition for the Homeless documented 142 crimes against homeless people nationwide, including 20 deaths and 122 nonlethal attacks. One violent incident was reported in Maryland that year, in Takoma Park.
Expansion of hate crimes to include attacks on homeless people has also been considered in California, Florida, Massachusetts, Nevada and Texas, according to the coalition.
-- John Wagner
Senate Passes Harsher Penalties For Attending Animal Fights
A bill to increase penalties for people who attend illegal dogfights was approved yesterday by the Maryland Senate. The measure passed 44 to 0 but had been amended so that it is not nearly as strong as initially proposed.
The bill would have made it a felony to knowingly attend an illegal dogfight or cockfight, but the Senate kept the crime a misdemeanor. The bill also was amended to increase the maximum penalty to one year in prison and a $2,500 fine, instead of three years.
A separate animal fighting bill has been rejected by a House committee, raising questions about whether lawmakers will address animal cruelty this year.
-- Associated Press
