D20 Watch

The Baltimore Sun update on the last day of the session:

One strictly political matter that could be addressed today is a last-minute proposal to move the state's primary from September to June.

Democratic supporters of the proposal have argued that it would give the party's gubernatorial candidate more time to regroup for the November general election. Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley and Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan are gearing up to seek the Democratic nomination to run against Ehrlich in 2006.

Several potential congressional candidates also favor the date change, particularly with the retirement of U.S. Sen. Paul S. Sarbanes (D-Md.) leaving an open seat in the 2006 election.

The Senate passed the proposal Saturday night on a vote that fell largely along party lines. Busch said there has been resistance to the idea in the House, particularly from Ways and Means Committee Chairman Sheila E. Hixson (D-Montgomery), who had yet to schedule a vote on the bill.