It’s that time of year. The Governor is making his final decisions on which bills will become law and which ones will get vetoed. And yes, some of the bills we supported are already on the chopping block.

Just last week, the Governor vetoed the RENEW Act, one of our key environmental bills. While the version that passed was scaled back from what we originally pushed for — a bold $9 billion fee on the top fossil fuel polluters — it still laid critical groundwork for future climate action. We also saw the veto of the reparations bill championed by our allies at the NAACP.

Tomorrow is the final scheduled day for bill signings, and we’re excited to share that the Governor’s list includes our long-fought environmental justice win to end subsidies for trash incineration, along with several of our priority healthcare bills. Sign up here to join us at the bill signing tomorrow at 12pm in Annapolis to celebrate these becoming official. 

Curious about what really went down this legislative session? Join us for our Legislative Debrief this Wednesday, May 21 at 6pm on Discord. It’s an informal 30–45 minute discussion where we’ll break down behind-the-scenes moments, highlight major takeaways, and open up space for you to share your thoughts and reflections.

There’s lots more inside this week’s memo, including updates from our issue campaigns, key ways to get involved, and state and national news you won’t want to miss.

In solidarity,

The Progressive Maryland Team

The GOP House in Congress, we see below, is still struggling to pass a tax and spend bill -- question is how mean can they be without being too mean for GOP "moderates" feebly protecting Medicaid funding but definitely fighting for more tax breaks for the owners of pricey houses in high-tax Blue states, where their reelection footing is precarious. How will this turn out? Megan E, federal affairs expert for People's Action, follows the play-by-play below. Failure is not an option for Speaker Johnson and his minions but (considering the bill hits lower-income families hard and enriches the already wealthy) would be a pleasure for us.

Here in Maryland, the federal fund cuts (and state cuts) are hammering universities with layoffs and food programs like food banks with a millions-of-meals deficit and hundreds of thousands of families short of food. The tariff effect is predicted to devastate the Port of Baltimore in the very near future, with empty-shelf effects on our supply chain. Other states are doing no better, as we'll see.

It's bad news for sure, but News You Can Use.

May is AAPI Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the rich cultures, histories, and lasting legacies of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. These communities have helped build this country, often while enduring exclusion, violence, and erasure. At Progressive Maryland we stand with AAPI communities in the fight for justice, visibility, and safety.

Be sure to check out our new section, AAPI Spotlight, where we’ll be highlighting local AAPI-owned businesses across the state throughout the month.

At the same time, Trump is sowing chaos on the national level — from attacks on Medicaid to extreme proposals aimed at undermining immigrant rights, like suspending habeas corpus, a core legal protection. As his agenda gets more dangerous, we're staying vigilant and doubling down on our work here in Maryland. That means organizing harder than ever this spring and summer to protect working families and marginalized communities across our state, including rural and immigrant communities who face systemic barriers to power and representation.

Read on for important updates, action items, and news you can use.

In solidarity,

The Progressive Maryland Team

As the House of Representatives takes out the knife for public health care -- mostly Medicaid -- Maryland and other states brace for a major struggle. Maryland needs Medicaid, for sure, but some Red states in the South REALLY, REALLY need Medicaid, and that could split the already fractious GOP House majority further. How to fight back? Stories. Yep, stories; lots of folks have stories about how Medicaid helped them stave off financial and family collapse. See how you can help And there's lots more -- child care support freeze and big federal cuts, including at UM, here in Maryland; AI bills by (just barely) the thousands in 50 state legislatures this year, the fired chief of the Library of Congress is replaced by one of Trump's criminal lawyers, and more. It's News You Can Use.

Often misunderstood, Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla. Today, it has become a broader celebration of Mexican culture, history, and the deep contributions of Mexican-American communities to the U.S. But this holiday is often culturally exploited, reduced to stereotypes and stripped of its deeper meaning. Let’s commit to honoring its heritage the right way by uplifting the voices, history, and dignity of the communities it represents.

It’s especially important right now to name and honor those contributions. As our government continues to threaten, erase, and criminalize the communities that built this country, we remain committed to fighting back. We will always stand with our Latinx neighbors in the face of injustice.

Last week, we joined hundreds of allies and partner organizations from across the state for a May Day rally in D.C., standing strong for workers and working families. We showed up to push back against the injustice this administration continues to inflict on labor and immigrant communities. It was powerful, and we’re bringing that energy into everything we do this month. Make sure you check out our social media to see the action.

We’ve got important updates ahead from our issue campaigns, opportunities to take action, and key state and national news. Read on.

In solidarity,

The Progressive Maryland Team

Because we survived TrumpWorld's first 100 days doesn't mean we should let our defense slack off. This battle continues, but there are heartening signs that the courts are holding the Constitutional line and that other institutions (universities, law firms, maybe even the Dem opposition) are beginning to stand with the courts. Nevertheless, as we see from Megan E's meticulous roundup, Congressional GOP majorities are lining up to do TrumpWorld's dirty work. Some -- just a few -- are wavering and even showing shreds of decency in the face of overwhelming lawlessness. There are tools, as we see below, for reminding the GOP legislators they were elected to help, not hurt their constituents and bucking up the Dems who are showing some spine, too. Here in Maryland we might have to reach out to our friends and relatives in other states to help pressure the critical House and Senate members there, but you had been meaning to call them anyway, right?

It's News You Can Use

As Maryland wrestles with the complexity and, yes, the expense of the Blueprint for school improvement, one of the fragile elements of that plan has been community schools. They require extra resources because they are aimed at enriching the lives and learning of not only the students but their families and the community that hosts them. As national educational report and analyst Jeff Bryant shows, they also require patience as they enhance the learning, wellness and well-being of the entire community. Schools cannot fully succeed unless their community does.

Last Tuesday was Earth Day, a moment to reflect on the importance of protecting our planet and fighting climate change. Climate change is real, and it’s impacting communities across Maryland and the globe. That’s why Earth Month matters; it calls us to action, to organize, and to push for policies that address the crisis head-on. We’re proud of the victories we’ve achieved, like ending subsidies for trash incineration in Maryland after years of persistent advocacy. But our work is far from over. Our state’s transition to clean energy must be a just transition—one that centers communities that have been burdened for far too long. That’s the future we’re fighting for.

This past Saturday, we took to the streets with Progressive Harford County for a Speak Out to Save Medicaid Rally in front of Rep. Andy Harris’ office. We are urging him to vote NO to Medicaid cuts! If you haven’t yet, email Rep. Harris. It was great to see our community out there, chanting about saving Medicaid, taxing billionaires, and standing united. 

Tomorrow, April 29th, our Executive Director, Larry Stafford, Jr., will be speaking at a press conference to reintroduce the Medicare for All Act. Join us in Upper Senate Park, opposite Russell Senate Office Building Delaware Door, at 11:00am. The press conference will also be livestreamed on Senator Bernie Sanders’ social media.

As we prepare to step into May with more organizing, more planning, and more people power, we are looking forward to starting off the next month strong with May Day! More on that below.

In solidarity,

The Progressive Maryland Team

Nothing like being cooped up in the same visible, public space as "the usual gang of idiots" (stole that from MAD comix) to make you look good by comparison. State governments are not always examples of smarts or compassion, but Maryland and other states are sharpening up their push-back skills to combat the lunacy that emerges daily from TrumpWorld. Definitely improves their brand. Along with the states, universities (led by Harvard [!?]), law firms, nonprofits and other institutions are rummaging through the Constitution for (lots of) available evidence that many of Trump's "executive orders" sound good but don't have the kind of legal standing that will get them past a federal district judge, let alone appeals courts or SCOTUS. Add that to the discomfort of the business sector, whose long-range plans for a profitable holiday season are already threatened by the tariff catastrophe and no patch-up with Chinese authorities. In all, the political combat is starting to look somewhat closer to the usual level playing field.  Still falling a lot short, though. It's News You Can Use.

My name is Maxwell. I’m a federal worker here in Maryland, and here’s what’s happening within the government. The onslaught of Elon Musk and Trump’s combined efforts to denigrate and intimidate not just me and my colleagues, but all federal workers has created a sense of disgust and paranoia that has been impossible to shake. Every day, I watch colleagues and friends lose their jobs as essential agencies are gutted and positions are slashed. I still have my job—for now—but it feels like the ground beneath me could give way at any moment.