First Click -- Maryland

Your Daily Download of Maryland's Top Political News and Analysis

Tuesday, September 29, 2009:

There Ought To Be a Law... Continued
   The countdown to Thursday's effective date for a slew of new laws continues today, with a joint appearance in Montgomery County by Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown (D) and Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler (D).
   Brown and Gansler, potential rivals for the 2014 Democratic gubernatorial nomination (we're planning ahead here at Maryland Politics), will highlight a pair of bills designed to get guns out of the hands of more domestic abusers. They appear together at a press conference at the Montgomery County Family Justice Center.
    Brown was the O'Malley administration's point person on domestic violence legislation during this year's session of the General Assembly. Gansler has also focused on the issue, establishing domestic violence dockets during his tenure as state's attorney for Montgomery County, an issue he highlights in his official biography.

O'Malley Makes a Confession
   "I have a confession to make to you. I have never received a seasonal flu shot before."
   That changed yesterday, as Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) joined other state employees taking the preventive step in Glen Burnie, reports Baltimore's WJZ, which includes video of the event on its Web site.
   "Getting your seasonal flu shot will protect you from H1N1, but it will help protect our public health infrastructures, our hospitals, our doctors, waiting rooms and alike," O'Malley said, urging the public to follow his lead.
   O'Malley returns to Glen Burnie today, for another made-for-TV event, this one highlighting an effort to keep physical education in public schools.
   O'Malley is scheduled to appear at Corkran Middle School with players from the Baltimore Ravens to talk about the NFL Network's Keep Gym in School Fitness Program.

A Fiscal Tremor in Prince George's
   One of the major Wall Street ratings firms has released a report saying the fiscal outlook in Prince George's County has gone from "stable" to "negative," reports The Post's Jonathan Mummolo.
   The report by Fitch Ratings comes just days after Prince George's announced plans to lay off up to 125 employees in response to funding cuts from the state. While the outlook worsened, Fitch did not change the county's actual bond rating of AA+.

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