Busch To Push For Expanded Voter Registration

House Speaker Michael Busch says he would push for legislation this year allowing for automatic voter registration for anyone turning 18.

Busch tells Maryland's News This Week says that the measure wouldn't necessarily increase voter participation on Election Day, but he says this would make it easier for people, particularly in minority communities to register.

On the same broadcast, Senate Minority Leader J,.B. Jennings dismissed the idea, noting it increases the possibility of fraud.

He also noted Maryland's early voting program, which doesn't necessarily increases voter participation, but just spreads it out over ten days.

If this legislation is approved, it would take effect in time for the 2018 Gubernatorial Election.

Some Republican say the measure is only designed to increase Democratic voter registration.

Busch also says he would hope that lawmakers can approve a budge that allows state universities to cut tuition, noting it would give students and their parents a break financially.

Both Busch and Jennings expect lawmakers to consider overriding some of the six bills Governor Larry Hogan vetoed in 2015, including the measure requiring online travels services collect the state sales tax for hotel rooms, based on the retail rate, rather than the discounted rates the travel services pay.

Busch also expects the House to attempt an override of the governor's veto of a bill that would allow ex-felons to vote while they are on probation. In an interview for last week's Maryland's News This Week, Senate President Mike Miller said he didn't think the Senate would have the the three-fifths vote needed to override that veto.

The 2016 Maryland General Assembly session starts January 13.