Grace's Law, Death Penalty Repeal, Other Bills to Be Signed Thursday

Hundreds of new bills, including the repeal of the death penalty, anti-cyberbullying legislation and a bill to allow voter registration during early voting, will become Maryland law Thursday in Annapolis.

Gov. Martin O'Malley, Senate Pres. Thomas V. Mike Miller and House Speaker Michael E. Busch will preside over the bill signing at 10:30 a.m. in a ceremony that will be live-streamed on the Internet. 

(Click here for the live stream.)

Among the bills to be signed into law:

• "Grace's Law," or Misuse of Interactive Computer Service, prohibits using a computer program to harm or inflict "serious emotional distress" on a minor. Effective Oct. 1. This bill was named for who committed suicide last year after she was bullied online. 

• Death Penalty Repeal—Substitution of life without the possibility of parole. Effective Oct. 1.

• Changes to election law that allow voters to register during the early voting period and to request absentee ballots online. Effective July 1. 

• A new requirement for county boards of education to evaulate the emergency management plan in all public schools and report back to the state board by March 2014. Effective June 1. 

A full list of bills is online, here.