Maryland is facing a $1.6 billion shortfall in the state budget. Gas prices are climbing toward $4 a gallon. And unemployment remains stubbornly high. Still, the Maryland General Assembly had other priorities Wednesday. The House was debating same-sex marriage and the Senate was wrestling with whether illegal immigrants should get a break on college tuition.
| Potomac divide |
| Gay rights |
| Maryland: The Senate approved legislation legalizing same-sex marriage; the House votes Friday. |
| Virginia: The Senate passed a measure this year intended to protect gays from discrimination in state hiring, but it was killed by a House panel. |
| Immigration |
| Maryland: The General Assembly is weighing whether to allow illegal immigrants to pay lower in-state tuition rates if they first go to a community college in the jurisdiction where they attended high school. |
| Virginia: The House approved several strict immigration measures, including one barring illegal immigrants from attending public colleges, but most were killed by a Senate panel. |
| Marijuana/drugs |
| Maryland: Lawmakers are debating legalizing medical marijuana, though advocates suffered a setback when the state’s top health official expressed concerns about it. |
| Virginia: The legislature killed a measure that would have decriminalized simple possession of marijuana, but approved bans on synthetic marijuana and hallucinogenic bath salts. |
Despite the fiscal woes facing the state and the country, the 2011 session in Maryland has been dominated by such social issues, including whether to legalize medical marijuana. Some observers argue that, given voters’ concerns about the economy, legislators should hone in on getting the state’s fiscal house in order first.
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