ANNAPOLIS — A Senate committee passed a bill yesterday authorizing speed cameras in neighborhoods and school zones in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.
The number of cameras are “not going to be on the level that they are in the District,” said Senate Deputy Majority Whip Jennie M. Forehand, a Montgomery Democrat who sponsored the bill.
The Judicial Proceedings Committee passed the bill 7-2, with two of the 11 members abstaining.
Mrs. Forehand, who has introduced the bill every year for the past five years, said the bill now moves to the Senate floor for a vote. A companion bill was filed in the House but is stuck in a committee because it was filed late.
“This is supported by the county councils and county executives of both counties,” she said.
However, Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., Republican, has vetoed similar legislation.
Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan and Prince George’s County Executive Jack B. Johnson, both Democrats, were unavailable yesterday for comment.
Sen. Alex X. Mooney, a FrederickCounty Republican who voted against the bill, called it a “big government” plan with “very significant statewide effects.”
Delegate Donald H. Dwyer Jr., an Anne Arundel County Republican who forwarded an essay in an e-mail to the 188 members of the General Assembly condemning Islam as a “militaristic and violent” religion, said yesterday he shared the letter because he thought it was “eloquent.”
The essay, titled “Is Islam really peaceful?,” was written by his nephew, Alex Dwyer, an eighth-grader at a private school in Anne Arundel County.
“I am fed up with the political correctness that comes with religious issues,” said Mr. Dwyer, who also said he distributed the e-mail at Alex’s request.
“I wish there were more men and women with the courage to stand boldly to profess their religious convictions.”
The essay quotes from the Koran to prove that Islam is a “distinctly militaristic culture” and compared the religion to Christianity, which is “quite the opposite,” the essay concludes.
Seyed Rizwan Mowlana, executive director of the Bethesda-based Council on American-Islamic Relations of Maryland, compared the letter to hate mongering.
“He’s talking of the population that contribute tremendously to the land, and he’s trying to demonize them,” Mr. Mowlana said.
Several legislators also replied to Mr. Dwyer’s e-mail in outrage.
Sen. Sharon M. Grosfeld, Montgomery Democrat, called it “inappropriate” and said it “perpetuates hateful stereotypes at a time when building bridges is necessary.”
“I suggest … you keep your nephew’s and your discriminatory diatribe to yourself,” Mrs. Grosfeld wrote.
Sen. Gwendolyn T. Britt, Prince George’s Democrat, agreed.
“I take exception to your assumption that I welcome receiving a message of this nature,” she said. “Please refrain from repeating this in the future.”
Mr. Dwyer, who is a Protestant, said his e-mail was “not sent out as a piece of hate mail” and that he is not a “hateful person.”
“But I am not afraid to boldly profess my religious views,” he said.
“This [essay] does reflect my view. I think [Alex] hits the nail on the head. All you have to do is study the writings in the Koran and see the hate and violence and look at the world and see who is behind it, many times it is a member of the Islamic faith.”
Henry P. Fawell, a spokesman for Mr. Ehrlich, said the governor has not seen the letter and has no comment.
• This article is based in part on wire service reports.
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