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Author Topic: Maryland Trying to Pass New Law--Comments?  (Read 8514 times)

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Offline UnitedNut

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Maryland Trying to Pass New Law--Comments?
« on: March 02, 2010, 10:20:20 PM »
I heard about this earlier today and just thought I would see if anyone else was aware and get reactions. I think Maryland will be the first State to do this:

http://www.marriageservices.org/hb65/hb65.pdf

The Maryland State House of Representatives has already voted unanimously to pass HB 65.  It is currently in the Senate SB 129 and is scheduled to be voted on within the next day or two.  This legislation was purposely misrepresented by its backers as a mirror of the existing Federal law IMBRA, (which is why it passed in the House) however it is much more restrictive and will require any Maryland man to be fingerprinted and submit the fingerprints to the website for a criminal background check before they can even view the photos and general information of the singles posted on the site or even write a letter.

The bill is targeting Foreign Dating sites, but the way it is written it will also affect such sites as E-harmany, and Match.com.  Maryland would be the only state in the union that would require its citizens to be fingerprinted and have a complete criminal and marital history completed before they can even view a singles dating website or correspond with a potential mate.

Offline ECOCKS

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Re: Maryland Trying to Pass New Law--Comments?
« Reply #1 on: March 02, 2010, 11:29:31 PM »
Doesn't surprise me. A couple of states have their own versions of this law.

However, as stated on the other thread about IMBRA, I have no problem with letting a gal have my fingerprints and background check before getting married, she has a right to know so I'm okay with it. I really don't even care about the agency having my info as long as the government protects me from liability due to mishandling. It seems they need to strengthen the tasking of the investigation and determination phase but, again, that's a story which has played out before.

Yes, the law isn't perfect, it needs modification and expanded coverage to protect all spouses, not just domestic-foreign pairings. Each should have access to pull the others NCIS record at some reasonable point before the wedding date.

That imperfection is hardly unique, lawmakers are human and as such they make mistakes too. Providing Equal Rights for all citizens went through much the same process and required amending, provision for enforcement and investigation over a period of time. So far it has held up in court and I fail to see how any of my rights are being violated.
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Offline tfcrew

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Re: Maryland Trying to Pass New Law--Comments?
« Reply #2 on: March 03, 2010, 05:50:53 AM »
Quote
Maryland would be the only state in the union that would require its citizens to be fingerprinted and have a complete criminal and marital history completed before they can even view a singles dating website or correspond with a potential mate.

This sounds totally unconstitutional to me.
Echos the gun possession hearings before the SC currently...
 
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Offline Son of Clyde

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Re: Maryland Trying to Pass New Law--Comments?
« Reply #3 on: March 03, 2010, 07:20:24 AM »
I live in Baltimore which is becoming the drug and violent crime capital of the US. Fortunately, I am in the suburbs where life is not so dangerous. As crazy as this law sounds it may make sense in certain parts of Maryland. Maybe the law was written with Baltimore in mind. I think Baltimore had 366 murders last year. Innocent adults were harassed and beaten on a transit bus last year, by a group of school kids. If I were a lady on a dating site looking for a guy in Baltimore, I would want to meet a guy that was not a drug dealer or with a criminal background. I am biding my time and we may move to Frederick, MD in a year or two. A much safer place.
« Last Edit: March 03, 2010, 07:27:56 AM by Son of Clyde »

Offline kievstar

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Re: Maryland Trying to Pass New Law--Comments?
« Reply #4 on: March 03, 2010, 07:43:34 AM »
Makes sense to me.  I have met a couple of physically abused RW recently here in Texas and just to many dirt bags out there to ruin it for the rest of us. 

Really need to kill 50% of the prisoners currently in jail to save on tax dollars and put fear into going to jail.  Right now jail are to weak.  Give prisoners 50% of the food they need each day and let the strong fight it out.  Need to fix the root causes and one is that going to jail is to fun and easy.

Offline Markus

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Re: Maryland Trying to Pass New Law--Comments?
« Reply #5 on: March 03, 2010, 09:51:25 AM »
I have mixed thoughts on this bill.

I know many people who found the love the their life via the web on dating sites. So it's no secret that this method is quite popular. The state is beginning with International
dating sites and my guess is eventually it will extend to all dating sites. Who do you think will have to pay for the background check info, which is quite lengthy in this bill. It won't
be free and the state surely won't pay for it. The international broker only pays for the translation of the information to their client. There will be a cost incurred that translates to
income for the state. I'm sure some people involved in this bill have the statistics on how much revenue this bill will bring the state. Hence, it's a money motivator.

On the other hand, I do like the idea of the International clients knowing more about whom they are corresponding with and possibly leaving their native country to live with.  I would be
more receptive to some of the provisions in this bill if the administrator was in the private sector rather than the Government running it. I'm guessing again in that the dating sites that
don't have International clients are most likely on the radar for future fees (income).


Offline viking

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Re: Maryland Trying to Pass New Law--Comments?
« Reply #6 on: March 03, 2010, 12:07:50 PM »
Similiar to Markus, I also have mixed feelings about this. For sure it is in the best interest of the woman to know the man she is coorresponding with is the real deal and does not have an abusive back ground. On the other hand who wants your criminal record ( assuming just some minor offense) in the hands of a marriage agency. what security do they have to protect this very private information? what if it gets into the hands of the wrong people. ever hear of blackmail? And further how will they handle fingerprints and these records in their databases? Right now the only people allowed to access this information, without your approval, are the police and other enforcement agancies. I think there should be some other middle ground here. How about if a woman was serious about a guy and SHE puts in a request for this data. He refuses, its over. If he says ok, then the agancy can request it with HIS approval but only on a one time instance and the data no longer resides on a server in cyperspace.
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Offline BC

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Re: Maryland Trying to Pass New Law--Comments?
« Reply #7 on: March 03, 2010, 12:40:59 PM »
Freedom is conserved with blood and lost trying to tighten the tourniquet.. Eventually the arm or leg simply dies.

The prevailing 'no tolerance' attitude is the reaction to a sick society that is way out of control.

I fear it will only get worse.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intentional_homicide_rate

An intentional homicide rate 4 or 5 times greater than most of Europe is quite shocking.





Offline BillyB

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Re: Maryland Trying to Pass New Law--Comments?
« Reply #8 on: March 03, 2010, 01:26:48 PM »
  This legislation was purposely misrepresented by its backers as a mirror of the existing Federal law IMBRA, (which is why it passed in the House) however it is much more restrictive and will require any Maryland man to be fingerprinted and submit the fingerprints to the website for a criminal background check before they can even view the photos and general information of the singles posted on the site or even write a letter.

Violent criminals have already been fingerprinted and had their DNA taken. Why should every man be treated as if they're violent?

If a criminal has served his time for his crime, then he has a right to live life and even get married. If we feel these people are repeat offenders, we should keep them in jail longer or forever, not punish all men based on the fear a few criminal men. Your elected officials need to get their act together and target the actual problem which is the men who proved they are violent instead of targeting your average law abiding male citizen with more hassles in meeting the opposite sex. A little law creating a little hassle seems acceptable to some but soon these laws will just add up to ridiculous proportions.

We know who back this law and it's another anti men women's group. If this Maryland law was fair, they would require women to get fingerprinted to for men's protection too but no.... can't create hassles for a woman in an effort to protect men.
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Offline SMS60

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Re: Maryland Trying to Pass New Law--Comments?
« Reply #9 on: March 03, 2010, 01:49:47 PM »
Reading this and topics on the IMBRA. I come to the conclusion that some men will hand their balls over in a velvet bag to the goverment without making a sound.

Putin and company will look good one day.
Quote from: Simoni on Today at 09:06:15 AM
But my understanding is that "Anything Goes" does not really mean "anything" if that "anything" violates the TOS.

Offline tfcrew

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Re: Maryland Trying to Pass New Law--Comments?
« Reply #10 on: March 03, 2010, 02:10:41 PM »
All of our members, guests, and visitors should examine [however briefly] the IMBRA laws as passed...i.e.

Quote
The definition also exempts nonprofit religious or cultural matchmaking services, and dating services that do not match U.S. citizens/residents with aliens as their principal business and that charge comparable rates and offer comparable services to all clients, regardless of gender or country of citizenship.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Marriage_Broker_Regulation_Act

Blatant discrimination.
We are aware that a certain culture believes in the punishment of the wife including death for 'disrespect' or some seemingly overt conduct.
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Offline XMan

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Re: Maryland Trying to Pass New Law--Comments?
« Reply #11 on: March 03, 2010, 02:39:51 PM »
I read the IMBRA information, but I am still not clear on what my responsibilities are. 
If the agency does not request specific information, what am I required to provide? 
Is it my problem or the agencies problem? 
If someone can clarify, it would be much appreciated.
Thanks.

Offline Shadow

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Re: Maryland Trying to Pass New Law--Comments?
« Reply #12 on: March 03, 2010, 03:31:03 PM »
Some foreign hackers will be very interested in these data. The amount of information submitted will allow a complete identity theft.
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Offline Jack

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Re: Maryland Trying to Pass New Law--Comments?
« Reply #13 on: March 03, 2010, 03:35:26 PM »
XMan it would be real good if someone could clarify.  Some things you will just have to work out on your on.  But some things to think about.  If you meet a Russian/Ukraine woman while walking down Khershatyk or Nevesky Prospect, if you meet a Russian/Ukraine woman at a disco, club, restaurant, park, museum, sitting next to her on a bus, and you marry this women, you have no concerns, no forms, no nothing. IMBRA does not apply.

Today if you meet a Russian/Ukraine woman on Luckylovers.net, or mamba, or E-harmony, many various other web sites, and you marry her, you have no concerns, no forms, no nothing. IMBRA does not apply.

geeeez, come to think about it, depending on how I met a Russian/Ukraine woman I wanted to marry, things would sure be a lot easier if we met while walking down the street, in a local market, sharing a berth on a train, through a friend of a friend, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc, et


Offline Son of Clyde

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Re: Maryland Trying to Pass New Law--Comments?
« Reply #14 on: March 03, 2010, 05:06:56 PM »
I was married before IMBRA. Doesn't it make sense to know the person you are going to marry? Immigration does background checks on the ladies. There must be a way to rewrite IMBRA to make it realistic and fair to both parties. Knowing some of the horror stories I can see the need for a law that is fair.

Offline ECOCKS

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Re: Maryland Trying to Pass New Law--Comments?
« Reply #15 on: March 03, 2010, 05:16:54 PM »
Seems simple enough to just make the access available to anyone who receives a marriage proposal. FOreign or domestic, no matter what state or what country. Embassies could provide the access upon receipt of a valid K1 request or provide autmatically when someone circumvented and did a K3. Making foreign agencies responsible for enforcing American laws is fundamentally unsound but is at least a step in protecting from abuse and fraud. towards the spouse. Rather than inventing a rights issue, dealing with getting it fixed should be the emphasis.Since there is an international consideration seems more likely the only practical way to catch it is to have the Embassies and Homeland Security police it in addition to their other responsibilities.
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