Happy Earth Day! As we gather this week to honor our planet, we’re given the opportunity to highlight the intersectionality of environmental issues and social justice. This week, let's broaden our understanding beyond traditional eco-actions like tree planting and plastic reduction. Let's acknowledge that a sustainable future requires equitable environmental policies that address the disparities faced by marginalized communities. While we are greatly disappointed by the legislature's failure to enact key environmental laws this year, like the Reclaim Renewable Energy Act, our fight for enviro ..read more

Most of the news in Maryland is not great, and a lot of it concerns health -- both the wait times in Maryland's ERs, among the nation's worst, and the poor value of behavioral health coverage in many insurance plans. And even though Maryland has a firm right to reproductive health on the books, nobody should overlook how some Supreme Court cases under way might threaten those rights (withouit a constitutional amendment, that is). On the good side, despite the looming costs, polls show "overwhelming support" for the education reforms in the Blueprint for Maryland's Future. How about good news e ..read more

Thank you for being a supporter of Progressive Maryland. We are off to a strong start in 2024 thanks to you and to the dedication of our members, leaders, and staff. With the 2024 legislative session behind us, I’m writing to share some exciting successes, some areas where we fell short, and what we hope to achieve going forward. Before I continue – we are a grassroots, member-led organization. Our work to oppose corporate influence and pass progressive legislation is only possible through the power of our organized membership. If you share our vision and are excited by what you read below, th ..read more

Up Front: With the recent conclusion of the legislative session, we've publicized our endorsements for the upcoming 2024 primary elections. Find out who we're supporting in Baltimore City and Prince George's County below. Additionally, don't miss out on our important event tomorrow in Annapolis. For more details, check out the PM events section of this memo.   First and foremost, we want to honor Kurt Stand, our beloved Returning Citizens Taskforce Organizer, who is retiring this week. His monumental work in advocating for and assisting returning citizens has left an indelible mark on our ..read more

Lots of news from Maryland, other states and the Feds this week. Maryland's in the national news because some of the Assembly's work,  along with collaboration from the Governor's office, is providing models for other states. Even so, some of our state-level advocates are grumbling that the Assembly could have done a lot more. In the other states, we can see soime models growing there, too -- some progressive, some not so. And a flurry of international news over the weekend is deftly analyzed by People's Action's Megan E, who shows how the brakes can be put on dangerous conflict when legi ..read more

The Memo will be posted here after the email version has been sent ..read more

As the import of our loss of the Key bridge – compounded by the losses to families of the workers still awaiting recovery – sinks in, the General Assembly is hoping to bring the session to a close today, even though Gov. Moore has given them an extra ten-day extension if needed. There are certainly excellent bills still in danger of staying stuck in committee that would make all our lives better if they got to the governor’s desk. This Memo has today’s details on unfinished business, plus increasing curiosity about how such big ships made their way to the Port of Baltimore despite the known d ..read more

For Maryland, even with federal help promised, getting through the loss of both the Port of Baltimore and a major piece of our traffic availability is a heavy, heavy lift. News You Can Use has, well, overloaded on that topic, trying to build context with both local and more distant sources. But as always there is more – the home stretch for the General Assembly session complicated by Topic A, what is going down in other states, and the report on federal activity, brought to you by our strong-stomached experts so the rest of us can, well, look away. For better or worse, it’s News You Can Use ..read more

As we step into the final week of March, we're reminded of the impactful journey we've taken throughout Women's History Month, celebrating the resilience and achievements of women who have shaped our world. Don't forget to check out the last edition in our Women's History Month section later in this memo.   But first, let's dive into some crucial legislative updates following last week's crossover day. In a wave of positive news, we're thrilled to announce that House Bill 1337 unanimously passed out of the House. Sponsored by our dear ally Delegate Jamila Woods, this bill pushes for great ..read more

Taxes, taxes... two locomotives are a-bound to bump as the Maryland House is putting together a tax package and the Senate (no doubt considering that this is an election year and wondering "what are they thinking") is digging its heels in from the Senate Prez on down. And in the halls of Congress (officially empty for the next two weeks) a tax bill that would keep some child care subsidies alive is languishing. Nothing new there. Around the country, in state legislatures and administrations, some serious problems about housing are getting bemoaned and sometimes addressed. Landlords beware. But ..read more