Delegate Arora yesterday discussed on the Marc Steiner Show prison reform in Maryland. He called for real investigation of why Maryland is rated as the state with the second-highest incidence of sexual contact between inmate and corrections officers and the need to look at the factors that may create a pipeline into the prison system for too many individuals.

You can listen to Delegate Arora and other guests here:

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The Washington Examiner profiled successful legislation introduced by Delegate Sam Arora in the House and Senator Jamie Raskin in the Senate that will protect Marylanders from a financial harassment and abuse tactic. 

A new Maryland law punishes those who file false financial claims against state residents, a tactic used by anti-government extremists to ruin the finances of public officials. . . .

Bill sponsor Del. Sam Arora, D-Montgomery County, said it's easy for the liens to be filed -- all it takes is some paperwork and $25. He said the authenticity of the liens aren't verified before they are filed.

Having a fraudulent claim for millions of dollars can ruin a person's credit.

"Some of this stuff is so easily patently bogus, but it still messes with your credit," Arora said. "It affects your credit, your ability to refinance your house, sometimes your ability to get a job."

The law makes it a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 for the first offense. Subsequent offenders can face prison sentences of up to five years, though the fine remains up to $10,000. It applies to fraudulent liens filed against any Marylander, not just public officials.

Arora said the law isn't perfect -- Marylanders still won't be notified if a lien was filed against them. He said lawmakers plan to address that issue during next year's legislative session.

You can read the full article here.

The measure sponsored by Del. Arora and Sen. Raskin was signed in to law and becomes effective on June 1.

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The Gazette today reported on the $500 million settlement by generic pharmaceutical giant Ranbaxy for billing states and the federal government for adulterated drugs. The article mentions Delegate Sam Arora's continuing work to make sure Maryland taxpayers are protected from unscrupulous companies that would defraud the state:

Maryland is set to receive $849,259.66 of the settlement, which dealt with claims made under Maryland’s False Health Claims Act, as well as under the federal law, according to a spokesman for Gansler’s office.

The settlement also underscores the need for Maryland to strengthen its false claims law, which is currently limited to claims against the state or under a state health care plan, said Del. Sam Arora (D-Dist. 19) of Silver Spring. Arora proposed a broader false claims law during this year’s General Assembly session, but it died in committee.

Such a law could protect a broad range of state money in areas such as construction and procurement, not just what was related to health care, Arora said.

As proposed, the expanded law would have required offenders to pay up to three times the damages to the government, as well as a $10,000 fine for each violation. It also would have included protections for whistleblowers, who are essential to exposing fraud, Arora said.

Arora plans to continue advocating for the bill, and said the House Judiciary Committee might hold a special hearing on the matter this summer.

You can read the full article here.

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Governor Martin O'Malley Thursday morning signed in to law legislation that will protect Marylanders from a form of financial abuse used by individuals whom the FBI has identified as part of a domestic terrorist movement that has targeted Maryland public servants.

A movement of anti-government extremists calling themselves “sovereign citizens” recently has exploited the legal system in Maryland and across the country, fraudulently placing liens on the property of law enforcement and other government employees. These tactics destroy credit ratimgs and wreak havoc on the finances of victims. The new law, sponsored by Delegate Sam Arora (D-Montgomery Co.) and Senator Jamie Raskin (D-Montgomery Co.), prohibits the knowing filing of a false lien against an individual in Maryland.

"It is amazing that this is not already illegal," said Delegate Sam Arora. "Filing a bogus lien can destroy your financial security, and you wouldn't even know it unless you happen to check your record. I am pleased that we have helped all Marylanders protect their homes and their credit."

In recent years, sovereign citizens have filed fraudulent liens against Maryland public officials. Montgomery County Assistant State Attorney Carol Crawford learned that a sovereign citizen she prosecuted had filed a fraudulent $1.3 million lien against her home. Montgomery County Clerk of the Court Loretta Knight learned that another sovereign citizen had filed a $1 billion lien against her property.

"People have the right to pretend that the law does not apply to them, but they have no right to break the law and harass other citizens and make their lives hell," Senator Jamie Raskin said. "This law is going to help us deal with a really dangerous trend.”

Thirteen states and the federal government protection their public employees from fraudulent liens placed in retaliation for performing their public duty. Maryland currently has no such protection in place.

The law will go into effect on June 1.

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As I prepare to speak this evening to the Greater Olney Civic Association with several colleagues about what happened during the last legislative session, I thought I might share some of what your General Assembly did as a brief recap:

District 19 Legislators Bring Home $300,000 in Grants
As I have been proud to mention before, your District 19 Team—Delegates Ben Kramer, Bonnie Cullison, and me, along with Senator Roger Manno—working together, secured major funding for projects in our community: $150,000 for the Jewish Foundation for Group Homes to fund renovations; $100,000 for the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy to fund renovations; and $50,000 for St. Luke’s House for renovations and repairs. 

Balancing the Budget, Maintaining Excellent Schools
This year, the Assembly all but eliminated the structural deficits that have plagued Maryland for five years while it constrained spending increases and maintained a healthy Rainy Day Fund. Our budget demonstrates the steadfast commitment to excellence in education that has led Maryland’s public schools to be ranked best in the nation for five years in a row. Our investments include an expansion of the school breakfast program and early college access programs, supporting digital learning, and including $28 million for school construction in Montgomery County and $25 million in new funding for school safety.

Protecting Homeowners, Making Mortgage Refinancing Easier 
On May 2, Governor O'Malley signed in to law a bill I authored with Sen. Brian Frosh to streamline the mortgage refinance process for thousands of Marylanders, which will help these homeowners save money and avoid foreclosure. This measure removes unnecessary legal hurdles that have kept homeowners from securing lower interest rates. This law will become effective October 1.

Safeguarding Marylanders from Financial Abuse
A movement of anti-government extremists calling themselves “sovereign citizens” has exploited legal processes to financially abuse Marylanders. I am pleased that the legislature approved a measure I and Sen. Jamie Raskin introduced to protect Marylanders from being victimized by these individuals who harass others by filing fraudulent liens and damaging Marylanders’ credit. The Governor is expected to sign this bill in to law on Thursday.

Preventing Gun Violence
As a member of the Judiciary Committee, I worked closely on the legislature’s gun violence prevention measure that creates licensing requirements for handgun purchases in an effort to crack down on illegal sales and keep guns out of the hands of criminals. It strengthens Maryland’s existing mental health safeguards to prevent those who may be dangerous from possessing a firearm. The bill also bans the sale of military-style semiautomatic rifles (popularly called assault rifles), reduces the maximum capacity of ammunition magazines, and requires the reporting of lost or stolen firearms. While it by no means is perfect, I hope it has a meaningful effect on reducing gun violence in our state.

Protecting First Responders
A measure I sponsored to protect first responder aircraft pilots was signed in to law on May 2. Some individuals recently have used ordinary laser pointers to illuminate aircraft in flight (especially police and MedEvac helicopters), which created dangerous situations in the air and has temporarily blinded and physically injured first responders. I presented the pen used to sign the bill in to law to Corporal Chris Elrod, a police pilot whose eyes were damaged by a laser strike earlier this year. 

Securing Our Transportation Needs
The legislature passed a measure that will ensure that Maryland can meet its transportation infrastructure needs. Our area is the most congested in the nation, and severe traffic continues to threaten the quality of life for many working families. Nearly half our major roadways are in bad shape, and traffic on them is only increasing. Prior to this measure, Maryland’s tax on gasoline had not been adjusted in 20 years to keep up with inflation, and available resources were not able to keep up with our growing needs. I cosponsored a constitutional “lockbox” amendment to require that transportation monies may be used only for that purpose absent an emergency and a supermajority vote of the Assembly. You will have the opportunity to approve or reject that amendment at the ballot box in 2014.

Buckling Up, Saving Lives
For three years, I have been working together with a coalition of automobile safety advocates, law enforcement, and public health specialists to strengthen Maryland’s seat belt laws. This year we made a breakthrough and finally were able to pass a law to require seat belt usage in the back seat of vehicles (front seat usage already is required), which will save nearly 150 lives each year. This law will go into effect October 1.

Securing Maryland's Energy Needs, Protecting Our Environment
I was pleased this year that the state Senate finally joined the House of Delegates in passing the Governor's Offshore Wind Energy Act, which creates incentives to build a wind energy farm off the coast of Ocean City, an overdue but very welcome development.

Several Notable Changes to Criminal Law

• I cosponsored Governor O’Malley’s successful bill to end the use of state executions in Maryland.
• I also cosponsored a bill that will get much tougher on modern-day slavery in Maryland by allowing the state to seize property used in the commission of human trafficking.
• While a measure to decriminalize marijuana failed this year, we approved a plan that allows the limited distribution of medical marijuana by certain academic centers.

Future Legislation & Work Left Undone
While this year was a very busy one, there was some work left undone, which I will be working on over the summer and fall in preparation for the 2014 session. Several projects include:

• Protecting our students. As you may know, I have been working for months to close a legal loophole that has allowed some school employees to have inappropriate sexual relationships with students. While different measures to fix this problem passed both houses, I was deeply disappointed that they were unable to reach a final compromise before the legislature adjourned. I will continue to work to close this disturbing loophole.
• Strengthening Maryland’s small businesses. Despite the success of my bill to make state regulations more predictable for small business and its Senate companion in their originating chambers, this idea did not make it to the finish line in time to become law this year. I plan to work on this good government proposal and help it pass next year.
• Cracking down on fraud. A measure I introduced this year to crack down on fraud targeting taxpayer dollars likely will be the subject of some attention by the House Judiciary Committee this summer. The bill (see video) received initial vetting and was tracked for a special "summer study"  before its reintroduction next year due to allow more time to examine and potentially strengthen it.
• Reasonable religious accommodation for kosher wine. My work to create meaningful access to religious wines in partnership with Maryland's Jewish community will continue over the summer. This year, more than half the House of Delegates sponsored my bill to create a reasonable religious accommodation to Maryland's draconian alcohol shipping laws for kosher wine.
• Dog bite liability. I am disappointed that the Assembly did not overturn the Court of Appeals decision in Soleski, which treats one breed of dogs differently than others for the purpose of legal liability. Undoubtedly, we will be working to resolve this issue with finality next session.

As always, I continue to post updates on Twitter and Facebook and invite you to drop me a line any time. As always, it is a pleasure to serve you in the House of Delegates. -Sam Arora

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In response to the unsealing of the multi-state $500 million settlement with a giant pharmaceutical manufacturer Monday afternoon, Maryland State Delegate Sam Arora (D-Montgomery Co.) praised the success of the state’s whistleblower law focused on protecting health care funds and called for its expansion to protect other state monies. 

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From time to time, I receive emails I think might be of especial interest to our community. Today, I received one of those from the Maryland Capitol Police warning residents about fake debt collectors and how to avoid falling for their scam. Here it is:

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Each year the General Assembly's Department of Legislative Services puts together a volume entitled The 90 Day Report, which touches on many of the issues raised during the session. Here, below, is the 2013 version:

2013's 90 Day Legislative Session Report

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I thought you would be interested to know that the Public Service Commission, the regulatory body that oversees Pepco, will be holding two hearings to address the $60.8 million rate increase that Pepco filed for on November 30, 2012. There will be a hearing at 7 PM on Thursday, May 9, at the Montgomery College (Rockville Campus) Technical Center - Room TC 136 located at 51 Mannakee Street, Rockville, MD 20850. You can also submit written comments to the address below by Friday, May 31, 2013 and reference 'Case No. 9311":

David J. Collins
Executive Secretary
Maryland Public Service Commission
William Donald Schaefer Tower
6 St. Paul Street, 16th Floor
Baltimore, Maryland 21202

Below you can find the announcement about the hearing I received:

Pepco Evening Hearing Notice - 9311

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While I am a lifetime (and long-suffering) Skins fan, it was pretty cool to get a State House visit from Torrey Smith of the Baltimore Ravens in the final days of the legislative session. Thought I'd share. It was a thrill to get the touch the Lombardi Trophy. As you can see below, Del. Ben Kramer had a hard time letting go. Torrey told him what the consequences would be if he did not ;)

From L to R: Del. Kumar Barve, Del. Jeff Waldstreicher, Baltimore Raven Torrey Smith, Del. Ben Kramer, Del. Sam Arora, Del. Jim Gilchrest.

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The Maryland General Assembly permits me to send letters briefly summarizing some of what happened during the 2013 legislative session to those who corresponded with me during the session. Because that information may be of interest to many, I will post the content of that update below. This is a short update, and I probably will be posting more in depth analyses of some of these and other issues in the coming days and weeks. -Sam

The Legislative Session concluded on April 8. I thought you might appreciate a very brief summary of some of the General Assembly’s work during the session:

Balancing the Budget, Maintaining Excellent Schools
This year, the Assembly all but eliminated the structural deficits that have plagued Maryland for five years while it constrained spending increases and maintained a healthy Rainy Day Fund. Our budget demonstrates the steadfast commitment to excellence in education that has led Maryland’s public schools to be ranked best in the nation for five years in a row. Our investments include an expansion of the school breakfast program and early college access programs, supporting digital learning, and including $25 million in new money for school safety.

Protecting Homeowners, Making Mortgage Refinancing Easier
I authored a successful bill to streamline the refinance process for many mortgages, which will help thousands of Maryland homeowners save money and avoid foreclosure. My measure removes unnecessary legal hurdles that have hurt homeowners and kept them from securing lower interest rates. It now heads to Governor O’Malley’s desk to be signed into law.

Safeguarding Marylanders from Financial Abuse
A movement of anti-government extremists calling themselves “sovereign citizens” has exploited legal processes to financially abuse Marylanders, particularly public employees. I am pleased that the legislature approved a measure I introduced to protect Marylanders from being victimized by these individuals who harass others by filing fraudulent liens and damaging Marylanders’ credit.

Protecting First Responders
A measure I sponsored to prohibit the shining of laser pointers at aircraft pilots soon will become law. Some individuals have used ordinary laser pointers to illuminate aircraft in flight (especially police and MedEvac helicopters), which created dangerous situations in the air and has temporarily blinded and physically injured first responders.

Buckling Up, Saving Lives
For three years, I have been working together with a coalition of automobile safety advocates, law enforcement, and public health specialists to strengthen Maryland’s seat belt laws. This year we made a breakthrough and finally were able to pass a law to require seat belt usage in the back seat of vehicles (front seat usage already is required), which will save nearly 150 lives each year.

If you would like more information about any of these or other issues, please do not hesitate to contact me. It is a privilege to work for you in Annapolis.

Sincerely,
Sam Arora

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Final 2013 Legislative Wrap Up

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The Maryland state Senate Monday approved a measure that would protect Maryland’s public servants from a growing harassment tactic used by individuals who the FBI have identified as part of a domestic terrorist movement.

An alarming network of anti-government extremists calling themselves “sovereign citizens” have been exploiting legal processes to place fraudulent liens on the property of law enforcement and other government employees, destroying their credit and wreaking havoc on their finances.  HB 941 prohibits the knowing filing of a false lien against an individual in Maryland.

“Law enforcement came to us because they were finding that sovereign citizens had placed fraudulent liens on their property,” said Delegate Sam Arora (D-Montgomery Co.), the bill’s lead sponsor in the House of Delegates.  “Typically, you won’t know that a lien has been placed against you unless you proactively check your property records.  I am pleased that all Marylanders now have more protection against this type of financial abuse.”

In recent years, sovereign citizens have filed bogus liens against Maryland public officials.  Montgomery County Assistant State Attorney Carol Crawford learned that a sovereign citizen she prosecuted had filed a fraudulent $1.3 million lien against her home.  Montgomery County Clerk of the Court Loretta Knight learned that another sovereign citizen had filed a $1 billion lien against her property.

Thirteen states and the federal government protection their public employees from fraudulent liens placed in retaliation for performing their public duty.  Maryland currently has no such protection in place. 

Delegate Sam Arora and Delegate Steven DeBoy (D- Baltimore & Howard) introduced the House version of the bill, and state Senator Jamie Raskin (D-Montgomery Co.) sponsored the companion bill in the state Senate.

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Legislative Wrap Up April 1-5 2013

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The General Assembly just passed its annual consolidated bond bill, which provides grants for capital improvement, primarily for non-profit organizations. I am pleased to report that your District 19 Team—Delegates Ben Kramer, Bonnie Cullison, and me, in the House, along with Senator Roger Manno in the state Senate—secured major funding for projects in our community: $150,000 for Jewish Foundation for Group Homes to fund renovations; $100,000 for the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy to fund renovations; and $50,000 for St. Luke's House for renovations and repairs.

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UPDATE:  Governor O'Malley signed this bill in to law on May 2, 2013. It goes in to effect on October 1.

For three years, Delegate C.T. Wilson and I have been together with a coalition of automobile safety advocates, law enforcement, public health specialists, and the O’Malley Administration in championing seat belt usage. Each year, we have proposed that anyone riding in a car must wear a seat belt. Currently, Maryland’s seat belt law has some glaring gaps, e.g. it does not require back-seat passengers to buckle up.

The fact of the matter is that seat belts save lives, and not requiring back-seat passengers to wear their seat belts is killing people. We can change that.

Growing up, I thought this already was the law, because it was the law in our house. This may be a case where Mom's law should be state law.

I am pleased that this year, the Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) has taken a stand in support of this cause, and we have focused our efforts this year on passing a bill (SB 87) they have introduced to move us forward on this issue.

This legislation will prevent people from injury & dying in horrible ways.

Between 2007 and 2011, there were 127 rear-seat passenger deaths in Maryland. Three out of four of those deaths were individuals who were not wearing their seat belts. Unbelted backseat passengers are 67% more likely to have “moderate to severe” injuries than belted ones.

One of the more gruesome types of preventable injuries and deaths is from ejection from the vehicle during an accident. Among those who are ejected, 77% are killed. In accidents with more than one fatality, 30% of unrestrained occupants are ejected; compare that with the only 1% of belted occupants who are ejected during a crash. The difference is staggering.

Unbelted passengers also are a threat to others in the car. Experts call this the “back-seat bullet” phenomenon, where the unbelted passenger goes flying into other passengers, injuring them as well.

Simply put, this will protect Marylanders and make our roadways safer. I am proud to have fought to move this issue forward for years and look forward to passing it into law this year.

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UPDATE: The bill has passed the Senate and now heads to the Governor's desk to be signed into law.

The House recently approved my bill (HB 941) that would protect Maryland’s public servants from growing harassment from individuals who the FBI have identified as a domestic terrorist movement.

A frightening network of anti-government extremists calling themselves “sovereign citizens” have been using legal processes to harass law enforcement and other government employees, destroying their credit, and wreaking financial havoc. Recently, the Washington Post noted this phenomenon:

Sovereigns break other laws, too. They sometimes don’t register their cars with the local motor vehicles department, driving around instead with self-styled license tags. And they cause headaches for those who investigate them, targeting officials for retaliation by filing million-dollar liens on their properties. Police officers, judges and other public officials have had to take time off work or turn to lawyers to untangle their land records, several public officials said. 

“I can promise you that every state has had their challenges with these guys,” said Carol Foglesong, a land records official in Orange County, Fla., and past president the National Association of County Recorders, Election Officials and Clerks.

States have begun making it a felony to knowingly file a false lien. Virginia’s General Assembly passed such a bill this year, and a similar measure is pending in Maryland.

Everyone has a right to express their views but not to use the legal system to abuse others. Those who serve the public need protection from these extremists, and I am pleased to work with Del. Steve DeBoy and Sen. Raskin to make give that protection to them and to every Marylander.

The bill has received preliminary passage in the state Senate and awaits a final vote on Monday.

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UPDATE: Governor O'Malley signed the bill in to law on May 2, 2013. It becomes effective on October 1.

The Maryland state Senate Wednesday morning approved a measure that would help Maryland homeowners take advantage of low-rate mortgage refinancing options that will save them money and protect them from the threat of foreclosure. The proposal now heads back to the House of Delegates, where it passed in February, to reconcile minor changes made by the Senate before it can be signed into law.

Even with the availability of low-rate mortgage options that allow homeowners with low, no, or even negative equity to refinance at lower rates, some homeowners remain trapped in higher rates because unresponsive second mortgage lenders have blocked the refinance process. Introduced by Montgomery County Delegates Sam Arora (D) and Brian Feldman (D), the proposal would streamline the approval process so qualified borrowers can take advantage of lower interest rates available without unnecessary delay, afford their mortgages, and stay in their homes. Senator Brian Frosh (D-Montgomery) has introduced a companion bill in the state Senate.

“We are on the threshold of removing an unnecessary barrier to refinancing at lower interest rates,” said Delegate Sam Arora. “If you have two mortgages, it will be far easier and quicker to refinance in Maryland after October.”

When a homeowner with two mortgages seeks to refinance the first mortgage, the second mortgagor must affirmatively agree to remain in second lien position, or else the refinance lender will not agree to the refinancing. The process to seek this permission is complicated, costly, and very time consuming—and can block qualified borrowers from securing lower interest rates. This has trapped homeowners in higher mortgages that place them at a greater likelihood of default and financial trouble than if they were able to refinance their primary mortgage at a lower rate.

HB 88 would eliminate the need to obtain approval of second mortgage holders when a homeowner refinances a primary mortgage at a lower rate; the junior mortgage does not exceed $150,000; and where any cash out for closing costs does not exceed $5,000. HB 88 is nearly identicalto Virginia’s successful law, which was adopted in 2000, when it was championed by then-Delegate (and now U.S. House Majority Leader) Eric Cantor (R).

The bill won the support of a broad range of groups, including the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP-Maryland), Associated Black Charities, the Maryland Association of Mortgage Professionals, the Maryland Bankers Association, and the Maryland Association of Realtors. The senate companion bill, SB 199, has passed the Senate already and is in the House of Delegates.

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