SEARCH ON FOR ROY McGRATH; EX-HOGAN AIDE MISSED COURT DATE: Law enforcement has launched a manhunt for Roy McGrath, the ex-chief of staff to former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, after he failed to appear in federal court Monday for the start of his criminal trial on fraud and theft charges. Pamela Wood and Tim Prudente/The Baltimore Banner.
- McGrath was expected to appear in a Baltimore courtroom for the first day of what was anticipated to be a two-week trial. Instead, U.S. District Court Judge Deborah Boardman issued an arrest warrant and sent the jury home. Bryan Sears/Maryland Matters.
- McGrath was charged in federal and state court in 2021 with dozens of charges stemming from his time working for a quasi-governmental agency he led before serving as Hogan’s chief of staff. By Monday afternoon, McGrath appeared to remain a fugitive as authorities had not announced if he had been located. Ovetta Wiggins/The Washington Post.
MOORE CALLS FOR BIG PUSH TOWARD ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Gov. Wes Moore and state environmental officials announced Monday that Maryland will adopt rules to phase out the sale of new, gas-powered cars by 2035, calling for a seismic shift in the state’s vehicle market in an effort to curb climate change. Adam Willis/The Baltimore Banner.
- The proposal requires an increasing percentage of new cars sold in Maryland to be zero-emission vehicles, starting with 43% in model year 2027. By model year 2035, all new passenger vehicles sold in the state would need to be zero-emission. Plug-in hybrid cars with at least 50 miles of all-electric range are allowed to account for 20% of the requirements. Christine Condon/The Baltimore Sun.
ATTY GEN DELIVERS REDACTED CLERGY ABUSE REPORT TO JUDGE: Attorney General Anthony Brown said his office on Monday sent a judge the proposed redactions for its report on Catholic clergy sexual abuse, meeting the deadline to do so. Lee O. Sanderlin/The Baltimore Sun.
ABORTION LEGISLATION TO GO TO SENATE FLOOR THIS WEEK: The Maryland House of Delegates came one step closer Wednesday to passing legislation that would allow voters to constitutionally secure the right to have an abortion. The legislation will be debated on the Senate floor later this week. Hannah Gaskill/The Baltimore Sun.
BILL WOULD REMOVE GOVERNOR FROM SOME PAROLE DECISIONS: The Maryland Senate has passed a bill that would remove the governor from the parole process for prisoners serving life sentences who are chronically ill or dying and meet strict standards. Lawmakers signed off on the bill on Friday with a vote of 36-10. Dylan Segelbaum/The Baltimore Banner.
COMMITTEE DELAYS STADIUM AUTHORITY NOMINEE: The Senate Executive Nominations Committee held the name of Gov. Wes Moore’s nominee to the powerful and prestigious Maryland Stadium Authority board Monday evening, after hearing testimony from the woman being considered for confirmation. William Zorzi/Maryland Matters.
- Yolanda Maria Martinez said she had moved on from financial issues — which include a personal bankruptcy and lawsuits against her for unpaid debts — and would bring a “fiscally responsible” background to the role that, among other duties, makes decisions about leases and renovations for Baltimore’s sports stadiums. Sam Janesch/The Baltimore Sun.
SUNSHINE WEEK: GATHERING SCHOOL DATA ONLINE CAN BE DIFFICULT: Most school systems make it easy to check in on school board meetings — all of them livestream their sessions. But in many systems, getting agenda packets the board would analyze at an upcoming meeting or figuring out ongoing expenditures for a school renovation proved more difficult. Miranda S. Spivack of Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association/MarylandReporter.com.
LEGISLATIVE NOTES: MINIMUM WAGE; ABORTION; DRUG MARKET: The Senate Finance Committee on Friday night watered down Gov. Wes Moore’s bill to expedite full implementation of the state’s $15-an-hour minimum wage. Legislation to strengthen abortion rights in Maryland continues to move swiftly through the General Assembly. The House of Delegates approved a bill that has a main goal “getting rid of the illicit drug market” on Friday. Josh Kurtz and Danielle Gaines/Maryland Matters.
MO CO URGES STATE TO KEEP FUNDING RENTAL AID: With local jurisdictions across Maryland and the nation on the precipice of a massive funding cliff as pandemic-era emergency dollars run out, the Montgomery County Council is calling on the state to tap its budget surplus to keep rental assistance flowing to Maryland tenants at risk of eviction and homelessness. Katie Shepherd/The Washington Post.
FORMER DEL. MARILYN GOLDWATER DIES AT 95: Marilyn R. Goldwater, an emergency-room nurse by training who served 24 years in the Maryland House of Delegates, where she became known as an advocate for improving and expanding health care across the state, died Jan. 7 at her daughter’s home in Manhattan Beach, Calif. She was 95. Emily Langer/The Washington Post.
