Public safety, juvenile crime among top issues as Maryland lawmakers open session

BALTIMORE -- The first day of the 446th session of the Maryland General Assembly started with great fanfare, but lawmakers quickly pushed for the issues they wanted to see addressed.

The two biggest topics this session are public safety and juvenile crime.

"This is a unique moment and we have to provide the right resources and supports to make sure that kids are held accountable, that they get the right services to change their behavior," Senate President Bill Ferguson said.

During his remarks Wednesday, Senate President Bill Ferguson brought up the first homicide victim of the year in Baltimore City, 16-year-old Noah Gibson.

So did Mayor Brandon Scott who traveled to Annapolis for the first day of the session.

When it comes to youth falling victim to gun violence, Mayor Scott tells WJZ his administration is seeing an alarming cycle with young people in Baltimore.

"We're continuously seeing the same young people, same folks, over and over again which is why we have to change these laws so that we are preserving life," Scott said.

Scott not only wants to see laws that will get more young people out of the cycle of crime and violence but also ones that would reform the state's home monitoring program as well as laws to prevent certain violent offenders from getting out of jail early.

"We need to change and build and rebuild better systems," Scott said.

Governor Wes Moore is sponsoring a package of public safety bills this session.

Those bills would provide compensation for victims, resources to recruit and retain law enforcement and create a state center for firearm violence and prevention.

WJZ asked Moore how he plans to get all of these priorities passed this session. He said it can be done through partnership.

"Maryland is doing big things again and the reason Maryland is doing big things again is because we're actually doing them together," Gov. Moore said. "We're doing them in partnership."

Other topics that were discussed Wednesday included transportation and the state budget.

The governor will present his budget proposal next week.