When I saw legislative staffers wheeling a TV into the House lounge Monday night, I thought I knew what was coming. Serious as our solons are, they have been known to sneak out to watch big sporting events during a floor session or two. I figured the NCAA men’s basketball championship would be a cool sideshow (and excellent fodder for this blog).

But lo and behold, as Kansas and Memphis battled to a thrilling overtime decision, Delegates were sparring over whether to outlaw video bingo machines. “Such discipline,” I thought.

Alas, we live in the age of laptop computers and streaming video. I couldn’t see this, but photo expert Max Franz found out as he walked the floor: everybody was watching cbssports.com.

You got me. (I may or may not have caught the end of the game on a colleague’s computer in the press pit.)

It took until the final day of the session, but it’s finally happened.

Smith Island Cake appears headed for designation as our state dessert. The House passed a measure to award the many-layered, chocolate-frosted yellow cake with the state’s highest honor (for a cake). The Senate has already passed a similar bill, so it seems a done deal.

The House dawdled on voting for the designation, seeming averse to passing laws with too much levity during a time when the state is having so much budget trouble. But Eastern Shore lawmakers fought hard for their beloved cake, and won.

Even before the vote, delegates cheered the bill when it came up on the chamber’s agenda. Apparently, they were moved by their many chances to try Smith Island Cake. I’ve seen half-eaten cake remnants all around State Circle during the course of the session. I guess you could say the best way to a General Assembly’s heart is through its collective stomach.

Also Monday, the House voted to designate walking as the state exercise. A similar proposal has passed the Senate as well. I’ll try to remember as I stroll over to the House office building for a hearing to do so with a newfound sense of pride.

Wall Street is keeping a close eye on State Circle today as the General Assembly continues to work through a bill that would finalize a proposed settlement between the state and Constellation Energy Group Inc.

The deal is in trouble because the Senate’s version of the bill includes requirements for new power plants in Maryland to be regulated by the Public Service Commission. The Senate gave final passage to its version of the bill Friday morning, but must still agree with the House on a bill to send to Gov. O’Malley.

Constellation is distributing copies of analyst research Friday morning, and from what I’ve seen, investors don’t like the look of the move by the Senate.

“The amendment, if passed by the full legislature, would kill the deal. It would also put power plant investments planned in the state by CEG (a new nuclear plant at Calvert Cliffs) and others in doubt, worsening the supply/demand backdrop,” Citigroup Global Markets wrote in a research note issued Friday.