Major issues still unresolved as General Assembly session enters final days
By TOM LoBIANCO The Associated Press

11:00 a.m. EDT, March 31, 2011

ANNAPOLIS—
Maryland lawmakers are rushing to approve bills on everything from hot-button social issues to the budget before they leave town in less than two weeks.

The General Assembly is close to adopting its most important measure — a $34 billion spending plan to pay for education, health care and roads.

But most of Gov. Martin O’Malley’s top priorities — including measures to establish a $100 million venture fund and to mandate that utilities buy offshore wind energy — have yet to clear their respective committees.

Those and measures to place a new tax on alcohol sales and to extend in-state college tuition rates to the children of illegal immigrants are still locked in the House Ways and Means committee.

“There’s a lot of big stuff that’s still in our committee,â€