He says the seizure training bill has received a ‘favorable report.’
Annapolis, Md. (KM) – It looks like legislation to require seizure training for teachers and other school employees is making progress, according to Frederick County Delegate Ken Kerr, whose sponsoring the legislation. “It got a favorable report from the subcommittee on Monday. It will now move on to the full committee for a vote which I expect will be favorable and then it will move on the House floor,'” he says.
It it passes, teachers and other school personnel would undergo a short on line training course every two years on what to do if a student has a seizure in the classroom.
Delegate Kerr says he has another bill addressing abandoned property, particularly bank accounts. “Assets that are unaccounted in a bank that hasn’t had activity in three years are turned over to the state as abandoned. We put some consumer protections in. And that bill just passed the Economic Matters Committee vote unanimously. So that will move on to the House floor next week,” Kerr says.
He says a bill setting up a statewide 311 phone system regarding government services is also making it sway through the Maryland General Assembly. “37% of the phone calls that go into 911 are not emergencies,” he says. “A tree fell on my car, or my trash didn’t get picked up. So this 311, no matter where you are in the state, will connect with the local agency who can answer your question, give you the assistance.”
Delegate Kerr says cyber-security is also generating some discussion in Annapolis. One bill he’s sponsoring would provide funds to schools K through 12, community colleges and four-year institutions to train ;people in the field of cyber-security. “There are 20,000 vacancies in cyber-security in Maryland right now. We just don’t have the people with the qualifications to fill the jobs. So this is going to provide some incentives for a workforce development,” he says.
“And that I have a cyber-security critical infrastructure bill that’s going to provide some additional security for the essential services: water, sewer, electricity, gas lines, telephones lines that would be under cyber attack and would disrupt out lives and our economies,” he continues.
Kerr says the pace is picking up in Annapolis as lawmakers try to get their bills passed before Crossover Day which is March 21st. On that day, all bills that have passed the House of Delegates need to cross over to the Senate for consideration, and all bills passed in the Senate must move over to the House.
By Kevin McManus