The Maryland General Assembly gavels in for its regular 90-day session Wednesday, the third that will be shaped dramatically — procedurally and for policymaking — by the COVID-19 pandemic.
But the coronavirus isn’t the only element that brings uncertainty to this year’s proceedings.
Election-year sessions have unique dynamics of their own. On top of that, lawmakers will need to vote on a measure to redraw legislative district boundaries by late February — a topic near and dear to their hearts. And it’s the last legislative session for Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R), who is term-limited and continuing to try to elevate his national political profile.
How the governor approaches the legislature is “the major variable” heading into the 2022 session, said Sen. James C. Rosapepe (D-Prince George’s), a senior member of the General Assembly who has served alongside five governors.
