Attorney General Gansler Releases Legislative Priorities List

Attorney General Doug Gansler has announced his legislative priorities for the coming year, including raising the minimum wage and allowing certain offenders to shield their criminal records so they can get jobs.

Gansler, who is running for the Democratic party's nomination for governor, proposes raising the state’s minimum wage to $10 an hour from $7.25 per hour.

He is also proposing the General Assembly pass legislation that would allow residents who are convicted of non-violent misdemeanors to shield their record after an unspecified amount of time.

He is also urging the state to require electricity suppliers to generate 40 percent of their electricity from renewable sources.

Gansler would also like the General Assembly to pass a bill to increase penalties for residents who commit acts of domestic violence in the presence of children.

A final action Gansler would like the General Assembly to approve is opening a branch of the Attorney General office’s Consumer Protection Division in Prince George’s County.

The Maryland General Assembly begins its 90-day session on Jan. 8.