The Week Ahead

MBTPI's analysis of Question 7 (the gambling referendum) continues to attract attention, mostly recently in the Afro-American last Monday. Later in the week Neil Bergsman blogged about his experiences with the Food Stamp Challenge (you can also read his final thoughts about the challenge from earlier this morning). Feeding yourself for $30 a week isn't easy; yet another reason why protecting and expanding social services is so important.

Neil Bergsman is co-presenting a full-day training program on the Maryland legislative and budget process with Henry Bogdan of Maryland Nonprofits. Please see the entry for Thursday for more information and how to register. 

Tuesday, October 16th

• Joint Audit Committee holds hearings on data security and other audit issues.  1pm in room 120, House Office Building, Annapolis.
• Task Force to Study the Laws and Policies Relating to Representation of Indigent Criminal Defendants by the Office of the Public Defender receives presentations on the DeWolfe vs. Richmond decision, the District Court Commissioner System, pretrial release, and the bail review system. 1pm in room 100, House Office Building, Annapolis.
• Task Force on the Establishment of a Statewide Spay/Neuter Fund meets to discuss potential funding mechanisms and program structures. 1pm in room 250, House Office Building, Annapolis.
• Maryland Food Access and Nutrition Network presents the 2nd Annual Fighting Hunger in Maryland Conference: A Call to Action (registration required). The conference will bring together agency leaders, nonprofits, schools and other entities invested in reducing hunger and poverty in Maryland. Topics include: SNAP, child nutrition and WIC policy; changing paradigms in emergency food distribution; local food, local hunger; food security and nutrition strategies for seniors; and community nutrition outreach strategies. 8am to 4pm, University of Maryland, SMC Campus Center, 621 West Lombard Street, Baltimore.
• Witnesses to Hunger Exhibit opening reception follows the Fighting Hunger in Maryland conference.

Wednesday, October 17th

• Joint Committee on Children, Youth, and Families discusses nutrition issues including childhood obesity, eating disorders, and breast milk banks for premature babies. 10am in room 130, House Office Building, Annapolis.
• Joint Committee on Federal Relations meets to discuss federal health care reform and its impact on Maryland. 10am in the William H Amoss Hearing Room (4th Floor), Senate Office Building, Annapolis.
• Joint Committee on Legislative Data Systems meets. 10am in room 218, House Office Building, Annapolis.
• Board of Public Works meets. 10am in the Governor's Reception Room (2nd floor), State House, Annapolis. 
• House Appropriations Committee and House Environmental Matters Committee are jointly briefed on the allocation of mortgage settlement funds. The national Office of Mortgage Settlement Oversight recently published an activity report (go to page 53 for the Maryland appendix). Readers may also be interested in the Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition's (MCRC) analysis of the report. 11am in room 120, House of Delegates Building, Annapolis.
• Senate Budget and Taxation Committee is briefed by the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services on the new youth detention center report. The Committee is also briefed on the allocation of mortgage settlement funds and toll collection issues. 1pm in room 3 West, Senate Office Building, Annapolis.  
• Joint Committee on Transparency and Open Government is briefed on the Open Meetings Act. 1pm in room 130, House Office Building, Annapolis.
• House Ways and Means Committee, House Appropriations Committee, Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, and the Spending Affordability Committee are jointly briefed by the Department of Legislative Services. 4pm in rooms East 1 and 2, Senate Office Building, Annapolis.
• General Provisions Article Review Committee meets to review drafts of Title 2 "Official Oaths" and Title 3 "Open Meetings Act." 5pm in room 240, House Office Building, Annapolis.
• Maryland Nonprofits offers Internal Controls for Nonprofit Finances. This is a Maryland Nonprofits training. For more information or to register, go to their events page. 

Thursday, October 18th

• Maryland Health Care Commission meets. 1pm in conference room 100, Maryland Health Care Commission, 4160 Patterson Avenue, Baltimore.
• MBTPI and Maryland Nonprofits present Navigating the Maryland Legislative and Budget Process. Learn about the internal workings and relationships within the executive and legislative branches; the formal steps in the legislative and budgeting process; what determines whether bills pass or fail; how the state budget is developed, reviewed, modified, and approved; and how you can build legislative relationships and communicate your message effectively. This session covers the ins and outs of the Maryland state legislative and budgetary process. This is a full-day Maryland Nonprofits training. For more information or to register, go to their events page. 

Friday, October 19th

• Bureau of Labor Statistics releases state-level employment figures for September. Maryland's unemployment rate rose in August to 7.1 percent, despite job growth. 
• Friday is also the deadline to register for the 33rd Annual Welfare Advocates Conference. This year the conference is October 30th at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Timonium. MBTPI will be presenting in the afternoon on How to be a Non-Profit Voice for Change in Annapolis, so make sure to sign up in advance.