Thursday, May 19, 2011

ON EVE OF 136TH PREAKNESS, GOVERNOR O’MALLEY TO VISIT FAIR HILL TRAINING CENTER

Not "legislative news" in particular, but news nonetheless ...


ON EVE OF 136TH PREAKNESS, GOVERNOR O’MALLEY TO VISIT FAIR HILL TRAINING CENTER
Governor will wish Derby winner ‘Animal Kingdom’ well, promote horse industry a day after signing legislation that preserves next year’s racing season

ANNAPOLIS, MD (May 19, 2011) – On the eve of the 136th running of the Preakness Stakes, and a day after signing legislation that preserves next year’s racing calendar and thousands of jobs associated with Maryland’s horse industry, Governor Martin O’Malley will visit Cecil County’s Fair Hill Training Center.  There, he will be lead on a private tour of Team Valor’s stable by trainer Graham Motion, where the Governor will wish Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdomwell as he prepares for the Preakness Stakes on Saturday.  Following the stable tour, Governor O’Malley will discuss the future of horse racing in Maryland, and the importance of preserving horse related agriculture in our State. 

The Maryland horse industry has assets totaling more than $5.6 billion, holds approximately 10 percent of Maryland’s land (587,000 acres), has twice as many horses per square mile as Virginia, Texas, California, or Kentucky and employs more than 28,000 people. There are more than 79,000 horses in Maryland valued at $714 million.

Yesterday, Governor O’Malley added his signature to legislation he sponsored which redistributes existing slots revenues to assist in the operations of Maryland’s racetracks, salvaging the racing season for next year and likely for 2013 as well, and preserving thousands of jobs associated with Maryland’s horse industry.  Late last year, after negotiations between all parties had broken down, Governor O’Malley brokered a last-minute deal that preserved the 2011 racing calendar, helping to keep Maryland’s treasured Preakness Stakes where it belongs and protecting the more than 28,000 people who work in Maryland’s horse industry full time. 

Monday, May 2, 2011

Results on Maryland Sunday hunting legislation

via Ron MacNab (Executive Committee member and TROT representative) ... 


The legislative session in Annapolis has ended and we have the results.
  • The Carroll Co. Bill permitting Sunday hunting on private land passed.  Hunters turned out in mass for a county town meeting with legislators which undoubtedly was effective.
  • The House and Senate Bills delegating control of Sunday hunting to Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) failed.  These bills would have given DNR the authority to permit Sunday hunting on private property from the second Sunday in October to the second Sunday in January in most counties.
  • The Harford Co. Bill permitting Sunday hunting on private land failed.
Government is working as it should.  Legislators do listen to their constituents.  Active citizenship involvement is as important today as ever. 

HB 1039

From Amy Samman (Chair of MHC Legislative Committee) ...


Here is the link to the enrolled version of HB 1039:
http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/bills/hb/hb1039e.pdf


Also, here is a link to Bowie Patch's article, "Bowie Training Center Will Stay Open This Year":

http://bowie.patch.com/articles/bowie-training-center-will-stay-open-this-year?ncid=wtp-patch-headline