As Maryland lawmakers return to Annapolis, one of the first things on the agenda is trying to overturn six of Gov. Larry Hogan’s vetoes from last year.
Among the most controversial is a measure giving former felons the right to vote while on parole or probation.
In the spring, Hogan said he rejected the measure because felons on parole are still paying their debt to society. Felons currently regain voting rights after completing their sentences, including parole or probation.
But House Speaker Michael Busch said he expects to have the votes to override Hogan’s veto.
“The evidence and the data shows that those individuals that come out and can participate in the process once they're on parole, as they're going through the process of working their way back into the workplace, hopefully becoming productive citizens, that it's helped keep them from reoccurrence and crime and re-incarceration," Busch said during a forum hosted by WEAA's Marc Steiner Wednesday morning.
Another bill expected to make a comeback is a measure requiring travel deal websites like Expedia and Travelocity to charge sales tax.
Senate President Mike Miller said the bill creates tax equity among those sites and hotels.
“If we don't override that, there's a good possibility that Marriott and its 2,000 employees are going to leave the state of Maryland," Miller said.
Still another vetoed measure would repeal criminal penalties for possession of marijuana paraphernalia, while a fourth would restrict the police’s ability to seize suspects’ assets.
Miller said he expects to bring the bills back to the Senate floor next week.