By Tashi McQueen
AFRO Political Writer
tmcqueen@afro.com
Photo credit: Photo courtesy of the Maryland Office of the Governor
At the fourth and final bill signing ceremony of the 2024 Maryland General Assembly, Gov. Wes Moore (D) signed several much anticipated and controversial public safety measures into law.
“When we entered office, we said that public safety was going to be our number one priority. In order to actually get the results we wanted it meant that we were going to have to move differently,” said Moore at the live-streamed bill signing on May 16. “Baltimore had endured over 300 homicides every year for eight straight years before we took office. The issue of public safety mattered too much to think that we could call on everyone else to take action without being willing to take action ourselves.”
That action includes passing several major public safety bills, including legislation to create the Center for Firearm Violence Prevention and Intervention, the Juvenile Law Reform, the Pava Marie LaPere Act and the Pava LaPere Legacy of Innovation Act of 2024.
“There was a challenging issue that we came into session this year dealing with youth who have committed crimes. It was an issue that we heard from constituents, from law enforcement, from defense attorneys, from the Department of Juvenile Services, that the juvenile service system was not working as effectively as possible,” said Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Md.-46). “This is probably one of the most controversial and hard issues that we have because, at the end of the day, what we’re talking about are kids.”
“I am very proud of the work that we are going to be putting into law today to create greater accountability, rehabilitation and coordination, or ARC, within the juvenile justice system,” said Ferguson.
The Juvenile Law Reform bill permits the juvenile court system expanded jurisdiction over 10 through 12-year-olds who have allegedly committed car theft, animal abuse, offenses involving firearms and third-degree sexual offenses. The law previously stated that no child under 13 can be charged with a crime.
The two LaPere bills are in homage to Baltimore Tech CEO Pava La Pere, who was allegedly murdered in her downtown apartment by a convicted repeat sex offender in September 2023.
“Pava was a friend. You never forget meeting Pava,” said Moore. “She was an entrepreneur– someone who had a brilliant mind, someone who committed herself to building a brighter and a better future for all of us.”
“These two bills in concert do two things, they both make sure that the tragedy that happened to Pava never happens again,” said Moore. “They also celebrate the light that Pava was and that she still is.”
The governor’s office also released a list of vetoed bills from this session, including legislation that would have modernized the state’s public notice requirements concerning estate administration and a bill that would have allowed out-of-state RV dealers to temporarily participate in Maryland RV shows.
In a letter to House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones (D-Md.-10), Moore said he vetoed the public notice bill because it did not adequately address the multifaceted issue of the current requirement, which costs the state a lot of money but helps local news stay alive and thriving in a time when they are dwindling throughout the country.
In a letter to Ferguson, Moore said he vetoed the RV bill because it would take business away from Maryland-licensed RV dealers without affording them the same opportunity as the bill did for licensed out-of-state RV dealers.
Moore also signed the fiscal year 2025 (FY25) budget into law.
“By working together, we made significant investments in public safety, education, housing, child care,” said Moore.
Moore also highlighted that state officials and legislators made these investments without raising personal income tax, corporate income tax, sales tax or state property tax.
Legislators were at odds in addressing the $761 million projected deficit for FY25. House delegates believed in raising taxes and fees to close the gap, while the Senate and the governor opposed raising taxes.
The House and Senate reconciled $257 million of revenues by increasing vehicle registration fees, generating a Transportation Network Company impact fee, an annual registration surcharge on owners of zero-emission and plug-in electric vehicles, raising the dealer processing charges and raising fines for speeding in work zones.
Tashi McQueen is a Report For America corps member.
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