Right here in Maryland, the slow-building catastrophe of Trump retribution against Blue states adds up, as our legislature works to manage its way through Gov. Moore's proposed tough-love budget. Federal pullbacks in a wide variety of public benefits, from medical care to food assistance to education to the loss of hundreds of thousands of federal jobs by state residents, leave the cupboard pretty bare. Two years in a row of wrenching deficit solutions have shaken the typical good-natured rivalry between progressive groups seeking funding and legislators holding out on funds. Meanwhile, Trump's ICE paramilitary goon squad continues to terrorize populations, not only in Minnesota but in many cities around the nation. And the response is resistance: "ICE out" in Baltimore and at the Grammies, and 9,000-plus Chicagolanders voted to name their newest snowplow "Abolish Ice" -- nearly three-quarters of those who suggested names. It's all News You Can Use.

HERE IN MARYLAND

Affordable Housing Dilemma: A Dislike for Smaller Lots, Higher Density: A wave of residents say they have been chased from the state by its lack of affordable housing, a tide that Maryland officials increasingly are focused on stemming. Gov. Wes Moore’s administration and legislators have introduced bills this session designed to spur more housing construction. But with the measures calling for increasing density and smaller lots, they face pushback from localities loath to have apartments and town houses too near to their communities of single-family homes.  Baltimore Sun.

$150 Million In Cuts to Disabilities Admin Worries Parents: A recent proposal to cut funding from the state agency that oversees services for people with disabilities may put those supports at risk. Gov. Wes Moore’s fiscal 2027 budget proposal, released this month, calls for $150 million in “cost containment” measures in the budget for the Developmental Disabilities Administration. Reductions in spending on provider wages is just one of the proposed cuts. One mother and her son worry about what will happen if wages drop too low to attract qualified candidates. Maryland Matters.

House Advances Redistricting Plan, Rebuffing Republican Amendments: The Maryland House of Delegates is advancing a bill to redraw Maryland’s congressional map in favor of Democrats to its third and final vote in the chamber, but the bill is likely to sit in a drawer if it reaches the Senate. WYPR-FM. >> The House gave preliminary approval Friday to House Bill 488 after the Democratic supermajority rebuffed a series of Republican amendments over two days. Del. C.T. Wilson (D-Charles), sponsor of the bill, said it makes the state’s congressional districts “fairer.” “We’re, in fact, forcing the issue, and the issue isn’t R and D,” Wilson said. “The issue is standing up to this current administration.” Maryland Matters.

Climate Advocates Seek to Protect Energy Funds: For the second straight year, the General Assembly is looking to tap a large state energy fund as legislators grapple with another significant budget deficit. This time, climate advocates hope they’re better prepared to defend it. The Strategic Energy Investment Fund is meant to be used for programs that help reduce energy bills, minimize energy waste and bring new renewable energy online. Maryland Matters.

H5 Avian Flu Found On Commercial Farm In Caroline County: State agriculture officials announced last week that the highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza, known as bird flu, was detected on a commercial farm in Caroline County, the first case detected in Maryland this year. Maryland Matters.

Carroll Sheriff Joins Challenge To Ban On Ice Agreements: Carroll County Sheriff Jim DeWees joined other Maryland sheriffs last week in challenging a proposed state bill to ban local agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Carroll County Times.

Hundreds Protest ICE In Baltimore: Bundled in parkas and armed with “ICE OUT” signs, hundreds of people gathered and listened as speakers doled out advice on dealing with immigration officers. The rally, held in front of Baltimore City Hall on Saturday afternoon, was a bit more than a protest against ramped-up immigration enforcement. Inspired by protesters and legal observers in Minnesota, local organizers held a public training session for encounters with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Baltimore Banner>> “Baltimore was built on the backs of immigrant labor,” one protester reminded the crowd. “Migration is natural,” said another sign, which included an orange and black Baltimore Oriole. Other groups made their feelings known with “Teachers against fascism,” “Vets say: no war in our cities” and “Nurses against cruelty.” Baltimore Brew.

THE REGION AND THE OTHER 49
Nearby   DC: DC went 3 weeks in 2026 without a homicide as violent crime drops | The Washington Post via Stateline

Also nearby  WV: West Virginia lawmakers approve changes to proposed microgrid, data center rules | West Virginia Watch via Stateline

Also nearby VA: Virginia bill would limit locations of high-voltage transmission lines | Virginia Mercury via Stateline

Connecticut law requires cops to intervene if they see excessive force by feds, Connecticut police officials say | CT Mirror  via Stateline

Feature: States that once led in child vaccination fall as they expand exemptions -- Mississippi and West Virginia lose top spots to Connecticut and New York, a Stateline analysis finds.

States that were leaders in childhood vaccination before the pandemic are among those losing ground as exemptions and unfounded skepticism take hold, encouraged by the Trump administration’s stance under U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Expanded exemptions for parents are likely to drop both Mississippi and West Virginia from the top national rankings they held before the pandemic, according to a Stateline analysis of federal data. Other states like Florida, Idaho, Louisiana and Montana also are pushing the envelope on vaccine choice. At least 33 states were below herd immunity [% of vaccination/immunity to limit spread]  in the 2024-25 school year, compared with 28 states before the pandemic in 2018-2019, the analysis found. Stateline

SOCIAL MEDIA: Lawmakers are advancing bills to require app store operators Apple and Google to age-gate their products as a way to protect minors. The Alabama House passed a measure last month, while bills have received hearings recently in Kansas and New Hampshire. Other measures are still alive in at least ten states. (Pluribus News) [paywalled]

CANNABIS: Cannabis is here to stay in Texas, lawmakers and industry leaders say, as efforts to ban consumable hemp are losing steam. However, figuring out how to regulate the market remains a glaring problem that lawmakers will likely address in 2027, The Texas Tribune reports. Stateline

26%: The share of homes in the Las Vegas metropolitan area that are owned by corporate investors. That’s the second-highest share of homes owned by investors in any metro area, after Asheville, N.C. (Nevada Independent) via Pluribus

More than 13,300: The number of suggested names Chicago residents offered for the city’s newest snowplow. About 9,200 of those suggestions were for the name “Abolish ICE.” Other favorites: “Blizzard of Oz,” “Derrick Froze,” “Live, Laugh, Plow,” and “This Isn’t Florida.” (WTTW) via Pluribus

 Punxsutawney Phil saw his [groundhoggy] shadow Monday morning, forecasting six more weeks of winter. Phil’s handlers held up signs reading “Brrr! More Snow” and “Freezing Rain.” (Associated Press) via Pluribus Friendly (and hopeful) reminder: Phil is wrong more than half the time.

WATER AGREEMENT: With the deadline to reach a water usage agreement looming, leaders from the seven Colorado River Basin states expressed cautious optimism that their “historic” meeting in Washington, D.C., will spur the compromise needed to reach a consensus, according to the Nevada Current. The states blew past a Nov. 11 deadline to reach an agreement and now face a Feb. 14 deadline. Stateline

Maryland is Da Bomb: Worcester County, Md., has requested federal assistance to deal with unexploded ordnance from World War II that keeps washing up on beaches near Assateague Island. The Ocean City Fire Marshal’s office deployed bomb squads to deal with two relics that washed ashore this weekend. (Baltimore Sun) via Pluribus

 More than 13,300: The number of suggested names Chicago residents offered for the city’s newest snowplow. About 9,200 of those suggestions were for the name “Abolish ICE.” Other favorites: “Blizzard of Oz,” “Derrick Froze,” “Live, Laugh, Plow,” and “This Isn’t Florida.” (WTTW) via Pluribus

GLOBAL, NATIONAL AND THE FEDS

US exit from the World Health Organization marks a new era in global health policy – here’s what the US, and world, will lose

The U.S. departure from the World Health Organization became official in late January 2026, according to the Trump administration – a year after President Donald Trump signed an executive order on inauguration day of his second term declaring that he was doing so. He first stated his intention to do so during his first term in 2020, early in the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. severing its ties with the WHO will cause ripple effects that linger for years to come, with widespread implications for public health. The Conversation

And speaking of stiffing: U.N. Says It’s in Danger of Financial Collapse Because of Unpaid Dues The world body warned it would run out of money by July and have to close its New York headquarters if countries, namely the United States, did not pay annual dues that amount to billions of dollars. The United States is responsible for about 95 percent of the money owed to the United Nations, about $2.2 billion, according to a senior U.N. official who briefed reporters on the agency’s budget crisis. That amount is a combination of the U.S. annual dues for 2025, which has not been paid, and for 2026, the U.N. official said.

Minnesota: Judge says she won’t halt the immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota as a lawsuit proceeds | The Associated Press via Stateline

What’s happening in DC and what you can do about it Is our weekly report on capital doings and local resistance from Megan E, federal affairs director for Progressive Maryland’s national affiliate, People’s Action

Hello People's Action,

The government is in a partial shutdown today (which some parents don’t hate since we still don’t have school for the 6th day in a row). The House will try to level up with last week’s Senate compromise as early as today but the math is tough for Speaker Mike Johnson (see below).

Last week, Trump called Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to broker a deal on the shutdown. The NY Times reports that the White House first tried to reach out to moderate Senators for a “briefing” to try to pick them off. They refused -- and I’m certain that was because of all of the protests and calls into their offices. So Trump was forced to deal with Schumer. They agreed to split the funding bills and pass a two week continuation of Homeland Security funding [a classic CR] and separately pass the rest of the agency funding bills through the rest of the fiscal year ending on September 30th. The Senate passed those bills on Friday night. Now on to the House. 

House Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries was not party to the negotiations and does not feel obligated to deliver votes on the deal. Speaker Johnson is trying to go it alone. His first problem is the House Rules committee is packed with right wing extremists (this was a condition of his becoming Speaker) so he may not get it out of the Rules committee today. 

Reps. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) and Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) are demanding some nonsense provisions against noncitizens voting in elections. 

Once the House passes this package, then negotiations will begin on the Homeland Security package. Right now, it sounds like Democrats are only demanding procedural protections. This is not enough. They should seek to claw back funding and the firing of Kristi Noem and Stephen Miller. 

Also, this week Speaker Johnson will swear in Christian Menefee, a newly elected Democrat to represent a district in Houston. Menefee was elected in a special election for a vacant seat. Speaker Johnson will now only be able to lose one vote and still pass legislation which will pose problems if he has members who are absent for session. 

Please join -- Our United Ratepayers Launch is Tomorrow! 

We have a great lineup of resource people for Tuesday’s launch of our Blueprint for Affordable Energy --  Be sure to register yourself at ppls.ac/blueprint or at unitedratepayers.org. 

In solidarity, Megan