The Week Ahead

We've added a new section to our website, called Maryland 101. Here we'll provide answers to common questions about the state's budget, legislative process, and state services. Last week we added a budget glossary and a guide to the budget process.

Tuesday, June 12th

• Commission to Study Campaign Finance Law holds hearings to receive testimony from experts and advocates. 10am to 4pm in room 130 of the House Office Building, Annapolis.
• Community Services Reimbursement Rate Commission holds their regular bimonthly meeting. The commission is concerned with issues regarding community services for individuals with developmental or psychiatric disabilities. 6pm to 8pm in the Conference Room of the Maryland Association Community Services, 8835 Columbia 100 Parkway, Unit P Columbia.
• The Workgroup to Consider Gaming Expansion meets for a presentation by the Department of Legislative Services and PricewaterhouseCoopers on the findings of the study of video lottery terminals and table games in Maryland and additional invited testimony. 10am in room 101, House Office Building, Annapolis. 
• Maryland Nonprofits offers "Budgeting Basics" a training session for nonprofit staff who need to understand and use budgets.  The session will cover basic accounting principles and how to use these to develop an accurate annual budget for a nonprofit organization. This is not a training class in Quickbooks or Maryland's state budget. 1pm to 4pm at our Baltimore office, 1500 Union Ave. 

Wednesday, June 13th

• Commission to Study Campaign Finance Law holds hearings to receive testimony of experts and advocates. 10am to 4pm in room 130, House Office Building, Annapolis.

Thursday, June 14th

• InvestMaryland holds a public forum. InvestMaryland is a relatively new program that sells tax credits to raise funds to support startup companies in high tech fields. 10am to noon at the Johns Hopkins University to Montgomery County campus, room 121 of the 9605 Building, 9601 Medical Center Drive, Rockville. Contact Michelle Jackson if you wish to attend.
• The Board of Directors of the Maryland Health Insurance Plan hold their regular meeting. 9am in the 6th floor conference room, 201 E. Baltimore Street, Baltimore.
• Interagency Committee on School Construction holds their regular meeting. 9am to noon in the 8th Floor conference room # 1, 200 W. Baltimore Street, Baltimore.

Friday, June 15th

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics releases May employment figures for states. Maryland's unemployment rate was 6.7% in April, up two tenths of a percentage point since February due mostly to growth in the labor force. The May number will be somewhat affected by the shuttering of Big Huge Games in Timonium, after former Orioles pitcher Curt Schilling's 38 Studios-which owns Big Huge Games-imploded. 
• Friday is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Our friends at the Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition will be taking part in a rally and seminar in Baltimore County on protecting seniors and other vulnerable adults from financial exploitation.  The rally starts at noon, followed by the seminar at 1:15; both at Towson Library, 320 York Road, Towson.