Among the list of legislative proposals discussed by area political leaders this week in St. Mary’s County, support was given to a proposed state law that would create a one-day temporary liquor license to allow wine and beer tasting events for license holders and non-profit organizations.
Joann Woodard attorney for the St. Mary’s Alcoholic Beverage Board brought the request on behalf of the county Licensed Beverage Association, a hold-over request from last year.
None of the legislators present Wednesday at the St. Mary’s Commissioners’ 2006 Legislative Proposals meeting objected to the idea.
St. Mary’s Commission President Tommy McKay (R-Hollywood) said he believes Calvert County already has a similar law on the books.
Other state law proposals received by visiting state legislators included several tax changes, stronger sex offender notification rules, stronger erosion and sedimentation protection, and a grant request to help rebuild the historic St. Clements’s Lighthouse. (See complete list below.)
Sex Offender Notification Issues
Proposed legislation regarding registered sex offender notification included a request to make the registration into the program automatic for convicted sex offenders, a change from the “by order of the court” language in the 2002 law.
“It’s misleading to the public not to have everyone on that list,” said Keith Harless, who presented several proposals on the issue.
Other sex offender proposals included making it illegal for sex offenders to resident within a half mile of schools, and other seeks to make the public notification process more effective.
The sex offender lists are now available on the Internet, at local jurisdiction Web pages and a state database (Click HERE for zip code sex offender search on the state database).
Advocates sought to require county government to publish legal advertisements of the list, or show information on county government cable channel.
St. Mary’s Commissioners supported changing the request to require local newspapers to publish information on acquiring sex offender information.
Though when it was suggested Wednesday that the law state counties display information on local public access channels, McKay said the board generally accepted the idea, but didn’t want the state “to legislate the county to do that.”
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