Happy Monday, can you believe it's the last memo of the year? Time flies when you're making progress! Maryland has the power to tackle social, economic, and environmental challenges head-on, but we need YOUR help to push for bold moves. Now, more than ever, we need to organize a large base of supporters who believe in putting working families first. This is the perfect time to get involved and help us organize! Join us in gearing up for our annual membership assembly on February 10th – your chance to connect with fellow members, engage with our leaders, and hear from legislative allies and community activists. Click here to RSVP and secure your spot!

As we gear up for next year's legislative session, our task forces and issue campaigns are working hard to finalize our priorities. Read on to discover what we're up to, what exciting things lie ahead, and most importantly, how you can get involved! And don't forget to check out our State and National news section for the last News You Can Use installment of the year.

Our offices will be closed for a break from December 16th until January 2nd. Wishing you happiness and joy this holiday season!

Until next year,

The Progressive Maryland Team

Support Progressive Maryland! 

Your support has fueled our efforts to put people and working families first, and with your help, we can achieve even greater heights in 2024. Consider making an end-of-year contribution to Progressive Maryland to ensure that our advocacy, organizing, and community initiatives continue to thrive. Every dollar makes a difference and contributes to creating positive change in our state.

Here’s what’s in today’s memo:

• • PM task forces & issue campaigns: HCTF, RCTF & EJTF
  • Events from Allies
  • State & National news

PM Task Forces & Issue Campaigns Updates

Healthcare Justice: Our Agenda!

Join us!

We’re building power in Maryland to lower Rx costs, to stop health insurers from denying care, to increase patient protections when it comes to hospital bills and medical debt, and to expand access to the state health exchange.

We need your help to win! Contact Patty.

➜Pharma is making threats about what will happen if the state expands the authority of the Prescription Drug Affordability Board. But Marylanders will benefit from upper payment limits on drug purchases just as the state and local governments will. We support strengthening the Board and its work to make medicines more affordable. 

➜Too many hospitals in our state place barriers to free or reduced cost care for otherwise income eligible Marylanders. We’re part of the End Medical Debt Maryland’s campaign to remove the barriers and make it less likely that patients get saddled with bills they can’t afford to pay. 

➜The state health exchange should be open to all Marylanders! That’s why we support CASA’s renewed push to pass the Access to Care Act in 2024 which will allow thousands of our neighbors to enroll for healthcare coverage.

➜Private health insurers care more about their shareholders and their profits than about their policyholders. It’s time to stop them from price gouging, and to put an end to denials of doctor recommended care: Sign our petition

We’ll be back in early January with news about specific legislation, actions to take and events to attend. Until then, our team wishes you a healthy and happy holiday season!

Returning Citizens Task Force: 

RCTF looks forward to the New Year and the continuation of our work to strengthen ties with all segments of the returning citizen population striving to regain rights and a place in the community. This includes supporting direct service providers helping individuals after release from prison obtain housing, employment, medical services, and a restoration of the dignity that is challenged while in prison.

In addition, we will act on behalf of legislation (statewide and in Prince George’s County) that addresses the need for affordable, stable housing and challenges the discrimination people with a criminal record often face. If you are interested in getting involved in any aspect of our work, please contact Kurt.

Environmental Justice Task Force: 

This Saturday, December 16, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Enoch Pratt Library Brooklyn Branch, the Environmental Justice Task Force will write handwritten letters to their representatives, advising them to support the Reclaim Renewable Energy Act of 2024. This legislation aims to remove trash incineration from the state's renewable energy program. If you would like to attend this event, please register here.

The dark reality of police pursuit of runaway slaves was once very real, and still has ramifications on how blacks are unfairly treated by police in today's world. Yet, environmental racism also shares a connection to this oppression, in that black communities are often pushed into highly polluted areas. To amplify awareness of this racialized issue, Young People for Progress will host a community discussion centered around 'community control of safety and the environment this Friday, December 15 at 6:30pm. Our Environmental Justice Organizer, SirJames, will be a featured guest speaker at this event. If you are interested in attending register here.

Finally, with the end of the year upon us, the Environmental Justice Task Force would like to wish everyone a safe and joyful new year.

EVENTS FROM ALLIES:

Young People For Progress

Young People for Progress will host a community discussion centered around community control of safety and the environment this Friday, December 15 at 6:30pm. Our Environmental Justice Organizer, SirJames, will be a featured guest speaker at this event. If you are interested in attending register here.

National Harm Reduction Coalition

NHRC is thrilled to offer monthly Foundational Fridays training sessions, which focus on building basic knowledge about various intersectional public health issues. The free sessions, running from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. EST the last Friday of each month, are for providers, peers, and anyone in the harm reduction community as well as anyone looking to learn more about the field. To sign up for the next session happening Dec. 22, visit this link. Stay tuned for more details about the trainings, happening through June of next year! For more information, contact Jose Martinez.

State and National News:

A budget shortfall requires early action to keep the cuts as close to painless as possible. Local governments don't find it painless because many budget cuts are slated for the transportation sector, meaning local roads may not get the upkeep money they are used to. Many early protests are coming from local jurisdictions already worried about the possible increasing costs on the education side of the ledger. Plus, fish with and without PFAS, juvenile justice and mental health and a free speech controversy with roots in the conflict in Gaza. It's all News You Can Use, happy or otherwise, curated for your Monday.

Progressive Maryland BlogSpace:

We value creating space for our members to express their thoughts on any issues related to our campaigns. Have an idea for a blog post? You can submit writing, film, graphic design, etc. to be published on our website to the blog moderator Woody.

• NEW TODAY -- News You Can Use: Maryland faces budget problems, road money cuts in 2024 Assembly session
• Transportation fund needs transfusion or surgery, ending contraceptive deserts and more, plus states and fed news you can use
• Theeey're back: College squabbles about degree programs, state unemployment too low (?!), filling empty seats and more: News You Can Use
• Road workers' safety, stronger state project labor rules, replacing lost streetside trees and other enviro news -- News You Can Use
  

>>Read more on the homepage of progressivemaryland.org

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Progressive Maryland
P.O. Box 6988
Largo, MD 20792