A look at bills approved in the general assembly in the 2009 session:

BUDGET

Includes $866 million in total spending reductions, with $162 million cut to local road maintenance and about $140 million made up by using bonds to pay for Program Open Space. Relies on $1.5 billion in federal economic recovery help.

DEATH PENALTY

Legislation to ban capital punishment was amended to limit the death penalty to murder cases with biological evidence such as DNA, videotaped evidence of a murder or a videotaped confession.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Measures require judges to order firearms to be confiscated from people who have final protective orders filed against them for as long as the order is in effect and gives judges discretion to order the subject of a temporary protective order to give up firearms.

GLOBAL WARMING

After failing last year, legislation to reduce Maryland’s greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020 was passed this year. The bill seeks to reduce greenhouse gas with renewable energy and recycling. Business and labor organizations support the bill, because the measure specifically requires the state to ensure there will be no loss of manufacturing jobs as a result of the bill.

MAYOR RAIDED

Legislation requiring law enforcement agencies to issue reports on SWAT team deployments in the state. The measure was prompted after police raided the home and killed the dogs of innocent Berwyn Heights Mayor Cheye Calvo after drug smugglers sent a package containing 32 pounds of marijuana to his residence.

MEDEVAC

Capital budget includes $52.5 million to buy the first three helicopters to begin replacing the aging fleet.

MILITARY CHILDREN

Maryland will join an interstate compact to help children in military families transfer between school districts more easily.

POLICE SURVEILLANCE

Tightens use of covert police surveillance in Maryland police departments, including those on college campuses. The bill would prohibit covert surveillance unless police have reasonable and articulated suspicion of illegal activity. The legislation also would require the head of the police department or a designee to approve any covert surveillance.

PREAKNESS

Emergency measure attempts to bolster state’s efforts to keep the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore by allowing Maryland to purchase race and track through eminent domain authority.

SEWAGE DISPOSAL

The bill requires homeowners who live within 1,000 feet of tidal waterways to upgrade failed septic systems to prevent nitrogen pollution from entering the Chesapeake Bay.

SMART GROWTH

The measure directs local jurisdictions to provide the Maryland Department of Planning with information relating to smart growth measures each year. It creates a statewide goal to increase the current percentage of growth located within priority funding areas and to decrease the percentage of growth located outside priority funding areas.

SPEED CAMERAS

Speed-monitoring cameras will be allowed statewide near schools and highway work zones. Fines would be $40 on people who drive at least 12 miles over the speed limit in those zones.

TEXT MESSAGE BAN

Maryland bill will ban sending or writing text messages while driving, but allow drivers to read text messages.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE

Legislation allows part-time employees to collect unemployment benefits when they lose their jobs.