Gov. Larry Hogan started signing some of the hundreds of bills passed by the General Assembly over the 90 day session on Tuesday, and it was a packed house where everyone was on their best behavior.
You'd never guess that less than 12 hours earlier, Hogan and the legislature’s Democratic leaders were settling irritably into a budget stalemate. Democratic lawmakers criticized Hogan for changing his mind at the last minute about the extra $200 million they’d directed to schools, state workers and safety net programs. Hogan panned their plan as irresponsible and said he would not spend the money they’d earmarked.
But that was the night before. At the bill signing, Hogan was flanked by House Speaker Mike Busch and Senate President Mike Miller, all of them joking and smiling for the cameras at the traditional end-of-session bill signing.
Every issue has it’s advocate. And even if the advocates are fairly few and the issue’s relatively niche, they all get to photo op with the three most powerful men in Annapolis and watch their bills become law.
And no one wants to interrupt that cheerful moment with last night’s fights.
For more on notable legislation passed this session, the Washington Post has this nicely alphabetized list.
