Come back blue back

I haven’t lost one in 27 years, but I had my doubts this morning.

To introduce a bill, a member must take it to the House Clerk’s office. One copy of your proposed legislation is stapled to a sheet of blue paper. It’s called the blue back.

Two days ago, I took a blue back to that office, but this morning it was not on the list of bills I’ve introduced on the General Assembly’s web site.

Did I not take it there? Had I lost it?

We called the Clerk’s Office. They said they’d look for it. My aides anxiously awaited a return call.

One traumatic half hour later, a staffer came up to me on the House floor.

“Your blue back affects the Maryland Health and Higher Educational Facilities Authority,” he told me. “It’s been so long since we had a bill dealing with the Authority, we’re not sure what committee to send it to. That’s why it’s not on your list.”

“The last bill was probably mine,” I replied. “The very first legislation I introduced – 26 years ago, dealt with the Authority because Loyola College wanted to buy an apartment building, finance it with the Authority, and convert it to student housing, displacing my constituents.”

“That bill went to the Appropriations Committee,” I concluded.

Thirty minutes later, so had this year’s.

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“Your written statement mentions dirty tricks performed by Republicans but not any by Democrats,” complained a Republican delegate after I had testified on my Voter’s Rights Protection Act.

“I have a left leaning Google,” I replied.

Afterwards, I kicked myself for not giving a less humorous but politically accurate response.

So when I saw my colleague in the hallway, I told him, “It’s only the Republicans who are trying to suppress the vote in minority communities.”