Gov. Martin O?Malley on Thursday signed his first bills into law since he was inaugurated Jan. 17, including emergency legislation banning the creation of any new ground rents in Maryland.

O?Malley supported the bill (SB 106) as part of his legislative package, along with other measures that curb the abuses of ground rents as documented in a series by The Baltimore Sun. In some cases, houses have been taken from residents of Baltimore City and Anne Arundel County for failing to pay small amounts of money. One of those residents, Vernon Onheiser of Baltimore, was on hand for the signing.