The Year of the Starter Home
Lawmakers across the country are introducing bills that would make it easier to build smaller single-family homes on small lots.
Maryland
The Contradictions of Supply-Side Socialism
Zohran Mamdani signs executive orders to speed up new construction. His housing policy picks also want to abolish private property.
He Died of Thirst in Solitary Confinement. Now His Family Is Suing for Answers.
After 51-year-old Lamont Mealy was found dead in a Maryland prison cell, officials called it “natural causes.” His family’s lawsuit says guards intentionally shut off his water.
Audit Finds $400 Million in Questionable Lease Spending After Maryland's Governor Bragged About Savings
A costly lease for the Maryland Department of Health, along with other findings in a state audit, raises questions about the millions in savings touted by Maryland Gov. Wes Moore.
Maryland's New 3 Percent Tax Will Chill the State's Emerging Tech Sector
The Chamber of Commerce has called the tax a “disastrous” policy that threatens the state’s economy and its future as a tech hub.
School Choice Could Defuse Culture War Fights
A Supreme Court case about religious parents' rights underscores a deeper problem: Without choice, public schools become a culture war battleground with no exit.
Parental Opt-Outs for Controversial Books
Plus: Cornell's cancel culture case, Trump's immigration policy approval ratings, and more...
Maryland Cop Who Recklessly Shot a 5-Year-Old Boy Got Qualified Immunity
The Cato Institute is urging the Supreme Court to take up the case and reaffirm that the liability shield does not apply to "obvious rights violations."
Taxpayers Outside Maryland Shouldn't Pay To Rebuild a Toll Bridge Inside Maryland
Part of the 1,500-page spending bill Congress is expected to pass this week would obligate federal taxpayers to fund the Key Bridge replacement.
Pro-Choice Abortion Initiatives Pass in Seven Out of Ten States
Most of these weren't close calls at all.
University of Maryland Sued for Canceling Student 'Expressive Activity' on October 7
The university caved to pressure to target pro-Palestine events.
Drive-Thrus Are Booming. Why Are Cities Banning Them?
Despite increasing demand, cities across the U.S. are pushing bans on new drive-thru restaurants in the name of reducing traffic and promoting walkability.
Baltimore's Tax Sales Are Robbing People of Their Equity
The Edmondson Community Organization accrued a modest property tax debt. The group paid dearly for that.
A Day Care Worker Who Says She Was Documenting Diaper Rashes Got 126 Years for Taking 8 Photos
The Maryland Supreme Court deemed the evidence sufficient to convict the defendant on sexual abuse and child pornography charges.
2 Contradictory Decisions on AR-15 Bans Reflect Clashing Views of Supreme Court Precedents
Does the Second Amendment allow the government to ban guns in common use for lawful purposes?
Baltimore Brings Back Controversial Cellphone Hacking System
A year after a court told Maryland police that Cellebrite searches were too broad, Baltimore quietly resumed using the software.
Maryland Governor To Issue Mass Pardon to More Than 100,000 Marijuana Offenders
The blanket pardon is one of the largest yet, and another sign of the collapse of public support for marijuana prohibition.
Maryland Elementary School Tries To Force Students To Say The Pledge
Students have a constitutional right to refuse to say the Pledge of Allegiance, no matter what school officials think.
Elementary Schools Ban Tag, Football, and Fun During Recess
"It really feels as though maybe we've lost touch with what's developmentally appropriate," says one Montgomery County mom.
The Obscure Protectionist Law That Will Slow Clean-up of the Baltimore Bridge Disaster
The best time to repeal the Foreign Dredge Act was before the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed. The next best time to repeal it is right now.
The Immigrant Workers Who Died on the Baltimore Bridge Were Hardworking Heroes
The Key Bridge collapse highlighted the valuable contributions of immigrant workers, many of whom take on foreseeable—and, in this case, unforeseeable—risks.
Laws Requiring Permission to Obtain Guns Look Vulnerable
The 4th Circuit’s rejection of Maryland’s handgun licensing system suggests similar schemes in other states are unconstitutional.
Maryland Roommates File Lawsuit After Police Shot Their Dog During Alleged Illegal Home Search
Officers barged into their house without a warrant, shot their dog, and mocked them, a federal civil rights lawsuit says.
The 4th Circuit Says Maryland's Handgun Licensing Law Is Unconstitutional
Before buying a handgun, residents had to obtain a "qualification license," which could take up to 30 days.
A Federal Judge Enjoins Several Maryland Restrictions on Carrying Handguns
The decision is another rebuke to states that have imposed broad, location-specific limits on the right to bear arms.
Maryland Law Lets Colleges Veto Competitors' Classes
Colleges and universities in the state are required to get approval when they want to offer new degree programs.
The Government Has Made College an Overpriced Scam
Thankfully, you don't need fancy dining halls or a college degree to have a good life or get a good job.
Baltimore Orioles Owners Demand Even More Unnecessary Taxpayer Money
Apparently $600 million to improve a very nice stadium isn’t enough.
Maryland Supreme Court Limits Testimony on Bullet-Matching Evidence
The ruling is likely the first by a state supreme court to undercut the popular forensic technique.
Even After Legalization, Maryland Cops Wanted to Search People Based on the Odor of Pot. Legislators Said No.
Police have a long history of using the real or imagined smell of marijuana to justify outrageous invasions.
No Degree? That's No Problem for These Government Jobs
A bipartisan solution to degree inflation
Why Won't Maryland Sell Me a Goddamn Beer?
Maryland bars and restaurants have a tendency to turn away vertical ID holders. But there's no state law mandating this.
San Francisco Sits on Carry Permit Applications As Legislators Consider New Gun Restrictions
The city has not granted a single permit since the Supreme Court upheld the right to bear arms last June.
Yet Another Senator Bungles the First Amendment To Justify Censorship
This week, a clip of Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin claiming that speech that espouses "hate" and "violence" is not protected by the First Amendment made the rounds on Twitter, sparking sharp backlash.
The Election Betting Markets Fell Short. They're Still the Most Flexible Predictor.
People with money on the line try harder than pundits to be right, and they adjust quickly when they've made a mistake.
Democrats Spent Millions Boosting Far-Right Republicans. How Did It Pan Out?
And is this a good precedent to be setting?
Pot Prohibition Continues Collapsing, and Psychedelic Bans Could Be Next
Two more states legalized recreational marijuana on Tuesday, while decriminalization of five natural psychedelics looks like a winner in Colorado.
Maryland Becomes the 20th State To Legalize Recreational Marijuana
Voters approved a constitutional amendment allowing adults 21 or older to use cannabis and instructing legislators to authorize commercial production and distribution.
Adnan Syed's Exoneration Shows How Hard It Is To Free Innocent People
Convincing evidence of his innocence has been available for years. But the criminal legal system prioritizes procedure and bureaucracy over liberty.
Six More States Could Legalize Recreational Marijuana This Fall
If all of the ballot initiatives succeed, pot will be legal in 25 states.
