WBAL.com

With one week to go in the 2009 session, Delegates and Senators return to Annapolis Monday night with a full agenda.

Lawmakers have to agree on a final state budget.

Over the weekend, a House-Senate conference committee began negotiations on a compromise budget.

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Lawmakers have to come to an agreement on hundreds of other bills before the session ends next Monday night at midnight.

The Senate last week approved a bill to re-regulate electricity. It would allow the state to dictate when power companies should build new generating plants. Supporters say the bill would increase the electricity supply, and lower customer electric rates in the long run. Lawmakers have received complaints from constituents about electricity bills that have increased this year.

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Lawmakers also have to come to an agreement on a speed camera bill. The Senate passed a bill last week to allow speed cameras in highway work zones and school zones. Senators approved the bill last Thursday, less than 24 hours after rejecting it. Four senators changed their vote. They were Senate President Mike Miller, and Democrats Ulysses Currie, Nancy King and Bobby Zirkin. The House version of the bill only applies to work zones.

Delegates and Senators also have to come to an agreement on a bill to ban text messaging while driving. The Senate and House have each passed their own bill. Both bills would fine drivers $500, and would ban writing or sending text messages.

However, the House bill allows motorists to read text messages while driving. The Senate bill bars motorists from reading text messages.

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Lawmakers also have to come to an agreement on legislation to comply with the federal Real ID law. The state must do that by the end of the year, or risk losing billions in federal highway money.

The House and Senate have passed separate bills.

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House and Senate Committees will be holding hearings this week on the bills that have already passed the opposing chamber, in an attempt to get the measures out of committee before the session ends next week.

One of those bills is HB 1115, which would delay any civil or criminal court proceedings involving a member of the General Assembly until ten days after the session ends. The measure sponsored by Baltimore County Republican Delegate William Frank extends the state exemption that already applies to lawmakers who are attorneys.