Maryland House Bill to Move Presidential Primary to April Unanimously Passes Senate

The Maryland Senate for the second time in as many weeks passed a bill designed to move the Old Line state's presidential primary from the second Tuesday in February to the first Tuesday in April. Last week the Senate passed and sent off to the House SB 501, but today state senators voted 46-0 to pass HB 671. That bill has now passed both houses of the legislature and will head off to Governor Martin O'Malley for his signature.

A few other notes:

1. The bill was originally proposed by the governor's office and had/has support of the leadership in both parties in both houses of the legislature.
2. HB 671 would also move the primaries for state and local offices from September to the last Tuesday in June.
3. If the move to February for the 2008 primary season is any guide here, the Senate bill will pass the House first and the two will be concurrently signed in to law together.

Hat tip to Matt Verghese for the tweet and the news.

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