Reporter
William J. Ford has worked as a newspaper reporter for more than 20 years. Most recently, he spent seven years covering Prince George’s County, some Maryland politics and other local news in the D.C. area for the Washington Informer. While at the paper, Ford received reporting awards from the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association and was finalist for beat reporting in 2021 and a 2019 award winner for beat reporting from the D.C. chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. Ford previously worked as a correspondent for Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine and for nearly 10 years covering municipalities and other local news for The Morning Call newspaper in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
The House and Senate versions of the bill could be approved within days of each other, then reviewed by the other chamber.
Senate and House committees amend their bills during voting sessions Tuesday.
The House Judiciary Committee held a hearing the same day Senate version was approved.
The immigrant health bill passed the House last year but was bottled up in the Senate in the final days of the 2023 session.
Measures include requiring the Department of Juvenile Services to document even non-fatal shootings involving youth under its supervision.
The legislation, part of House Speaker Adrienne Jones’ ‘decency agenda,’ proposes to protect library resources and staff.
Bill gets preliminary approval in House to let campaign funds be used for childcare services and related matters.
Colleges, nonprofit organizations and agencies will receive money for suicide prevention, family counseling and other services.
Department of Legislative Services recommends the legislature withhold $150,000 until the Blueprint Accountability and Implementation Board submits a report by Sept. 1.
The decency agenda comprises of five bills that include the Freedom to Read Act sponsored by Del. Dana Jones (D-Anne Arundel).