By Shauna Miller — The condition of the Thomas J.S. Waxter Center for female juvenile offenders is so bad that Department of Juvenile Services Secretary Donald DeVore told Capital News Service during a tour Thursday that the facility recently stopped accepting girls into its high-security program.

Also Thursday, several girls who have lived at Waxter reported through the American Civil...

By Brady Holt — Maryland needs to strengthen its "rainy day" reserve fund to prepare for future budget crises, a state senator testified Wednesday at the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee.

Sen. Jim Rosapepe, D-Prince George's, was speaking in support of his bill that would divert unexpected budget surpluses — extra money that the state's analysts had not projected — into the rainy...

By Rachel Leven — Supporters of a dime-a-drink tax told a Senate committee Wednesday they need the fee in order to provide essential funds for mental health, disabilities and substance abuse programs to Marylanders. But opponents claimed the alcohol tax would deprive retailers of their livelihood in the midst of an economic recession.

The Lorraine Sheehan Health and Community Services...

By Adam Kerlin — The General Assembly has been reluctant to raise taxes in an election year, but 39 legislators across both chambers are cosponsoring an act that would place a 5-cent tax on disposable carryout bags.

The Chesapeake Bay Restoration Consumer Retail Choice Act would require Maryland businesses to tack the 5-cent fee onto each disposable bag used by a customer. Businesses...