NUCU_logo_new.pngThe Maryland General Assembly kicked off its 2025 session this past Wednesday and the bill hopper is filling up despite hopes that the workload can be reduced (endless committee hearings) and the end of the regular session can see the passage of bills that will keep the state afloat despite a formidable current revenue deficit. Read on below about how this is being handled by the Governor and the top officers in House and Senate.

There's much more about Maryland, the other 49 states' good or bad examples, and the imminent change of administrations (brrr). Read all about it in News You Can Use.

HERE IN MARYLAND

Senate Caps Number Of Bills Introduced: Maryland senators are being asked to prioritize legislation they sponsor after passing a new rule Thursday that puts a cap of as few as 20 bills per senator. The Senate voted unanimously for the rule — perhaps more of a guideline this session — that lets senators introduce up to 20 bills, and allows them five more if those five are prefiled bills. Senate Majority Leader Nancy King (D-Montgomery) said the goal is to ease the workload of committees that have been crushed by the number of bills introduced in recent years. Maryland Matters/Maryland Reporter

BUT A joint resolution was introduced on the first day of the 2025 Maryland General Assembly session to exonerate settlers accused of witchcraft nearly 400 years ago. Del. Heather Bagnall, an Anne Arundel County Democrat, is the sole sponsor on the resolution, which would require the state government to formally apologize to colonists who faced witch trials prior to the nation’s independence. “At least seven individuals were accused of or indicted for the crime of witchcraft, at least two individuals were convicted, and at least one individual was executed in the Providence [that’s what they called it] of Maryland prior to the American Revolution,” the resolution says. (Baltimore Sun/Fox45)


If the General Assembly is in session (it started last Wednesday), our allies at the Maryland Legislative Coalition must be launching their weekly cheat sheet on upcoming committee hearings scheduled on bills filed. Check it out and keep up with the action.


Filling The Deficit A Tough Challenge For Gov. Moore: After a two-year sprint that’s taken the political newcomer in Maryland’s governor’s office from an Oprah Winfrey-featured inauguration to a primetime speech at the Democratic National Convention, Gov. Wes Moore is about to face his most formidable challenge yet, one that has deep implications for the rest of his term and beyond. A $3 billion hole in the next state budget — and an even worse five-year forecast — has, as everyone acknowledges, no easy solutions.  Baltimore Sun/Maryland Reporter

>>Gov. Wes Moore (D) on Friday identified one strategy behind the $2 billion in cuts he plans to make to close the state’s massive budget deficit: stopping state agencies from overpaying for commonplace items such as laptops. WaPo

Tax increases are not popular, as “Poll: Taxes to erase deficits pose political problem for Moore”   shows, but taxes on the wealthy and corporations may get more traction. The Maryland Center on Economic Policy has a tax-equity proposal.

Moore Talks Efficient, Modern Gov't in Calvert Visit: Gov. Wes Moore chose a modern, state-of-the-art building in rural Calvert County to begin his effort for “government modernization.” Aware he was addressing Calvert’s leaders who are all Republican, Moore, a Democrat, talked about bi-partisanship as a component for making Maryland’s government “the most efficient in the country — make sure we’re good stewards of taxpayer dollars.” Southern Maryland News/Maryland Reporter

 

Bird Flu Found In Commercial Maryland Chickens: Bird flu outbreaks have been detected at three poultry operations in Maryland and Delaware, impacting more than 500,000 chickens and leading to heightened alert among officials in the Washington region. WaPo

>>State officials have quarantined the affected properties, which are undergoing “depopulation” procedures – meaning chickens, usually thousands, will be killed in order to prevent the spread of the disease. That’s important, say state officials, public health researchers and farmers’ representatives, as bird flu has the potential to evolve into a harder-to-manage virus that, in the worst case, could lead to another pandemic. Maryland Matters/Maryland Reporter.

 

25 State Agencies Outline Climate Change Action Plans: Twenty-five state agencies in recent weeks have outlined their plans for helping Maryland combat climate change. The documents are in response to an executive order on climate last year from Gov. Wes Moore (D), which among other things directed government agencies to develop climate implementation plans to help reduce carbon emissions in the state. Maryland Matters/Maryland Reporter

Blueprint Board Votes To Ease 'Collaborative Time' Timeline: Faced with a teacher shortage, counties could get more time to implement a Blueprint school-improvement proposal calling for teachers to have more planning time. Maryland Matters

Health Department Sued Over Jailing Of Mentally Ill: A disability rights group is suing Maryland’s health secretary and health department in federal court for leaving mentally ill people accused of crimes to languish in jail rather than admitting them to psychiatric hospitals as required by state law. Filed Thursday, the lawsuit by Disability Rights Maryland claims Health Secretary Dr. Laura Herrara Scott and the Maryland Department of Health are violating the U.S. and Maryland constitutions and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Baltimore Sun/Maryland Reporter

Prison Inmates Charged For Phone Calls: Three cents a minute may not sound like much, but it adds up to millions of dollars every year for those incarcerated in Maryland prisons, and Sen. Jeff Waldstreicher (D-Montgomery) has sponsored a bill that would force the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to pick up the cost of phone calls for people in state prisons, who are now charged for their calls. The $8 million price tag might hurt its chances in this deficit year. Maryland Matters

More Buses for Local Transit Systems: The Board of Public Works has approved $1.23 billion for projects across Maryland during the board’s first meeting of 2025. Funds will be allocated among 70 initiatives and projects in the state. The Maryland Stadium Authority had its request approved for $135 million in Taxable Revenue Bonds to pay for capital improvements to Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The BPW also approved a $387 million award for the Maryland Transit Administration to purchase more than 300 heavy-duty buses for the Locally Operated Transit Systems. These buses would provide services for Marylanders across the state. /Baltimore Fishbowl/Maryland Reporter

>>> Every area that has experienced drought (looking at you, Maryland) has to be asking themselves (officially?) – can California happen to us? Here are the 20 countries with the most fire risk and damage. In the US, who is most at risk? Maryland does not make the top 10. Yet. Are your local officials assessing our risk? WSSC, the water system for Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, is asking customers to conserve water while they deal with nearly 50 water main breaks due to the cold weather. One of their rationales is to be sure there is enough water to fight fires…


 

THE OTHER 49

HOUSING: Washington State Democrats will push once again to restrict rent hikes, after a similar bill died last session. The bill would cap rent hikes at 7% for existing tenants and requires 180 days notice before raising rents 3% or more. (Washington State Standard) Pluribus

A slew of new housing laws take effect this month to streamline building, protect tenants

Accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, are finding bipartisan support. New state laws taking effect this month aim to confront the nation’s ongoing housing crisis in various ways, from expanding housing options, to speeding up the development process, to protecting struggling tenants from eviction. Similar bills are in store for this year’s legislative sessions. Surveys show most Americans, of all backgrounds, communities and political persuasions, want to see more housing built. The need, experts say, is overwhelming. Housing finance agency Freddie Mac estimates the current housing shortage at about 3.7 million homes. Stateline Daily

ENVIRONMENT: New York Sen. Zellnor Myrie (D) has reintroduced legislation that would allow citizens to sue oil and gas companies over damage caused by climate change. The new version, which stalled last year, also gives the state attorney general the right to go after energy firms. The legislation relies on a provision in the state constitution known as the green amendment, guaranteeing New Yorkers the right to clean air and water and a healthy environment. Montana and Pennsylvania have similar provisions on the books. [Myrie says he got the idea from Texas, which has legally enabled civil suits against abortion.] Pluribus

CALIFORNIA: Gov. Newsom has signed an executive order suspending environmental review processes for homeowners and businesses whose property was damaged or destroyed by the wildfires in Los Angeles. Newsom is likely to sign other orders streamlining permitting processes. (Los Angeles Times) Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara (D) ordered a year-long ban on insurance policy cancellations. The order applies to property owners around the Palisades and Eaton fires. (Sacramento Bee) via Pluribus

On a Mission From God: Inside the Movement to Redirect Billions of Taxpayer Dollars to Private Religious Schools

Private letters reveal the strategy behind the decadeslong quest — successful in 12 states and counting — by politicians, church officials and activists to make taxpayer-funded school vouchers available not just to the poor but to the wealthy. ProPublica


 

NATIONAL, D.C. AND THE FEDS

Here’s a weekly report on congressional and administrative action as we are about to actually change administrations and Donald Trump can actually be president instead of pretending to be president. It is from Megan E, federal affairs director for our national affiliate, People’s Action.

Hello People's Action,

Last week, the House passed an anti-immigrant bill, HR 29, (roll call here) that Republicans are using to cast all immigrants as violent criminals. The number of House Democrats voting in favor of the bill increased from 37 last year to 48. Senators Fetterman (D-PA)  and Gallego (D-AZ), a newly elected Senator seeking to replace Senator Menendez as a leader in immigration, promptly announced their support for the bill. As more Democrats announced their support for the bill, Minority Leader Schumer decided to try to plan an amendment strategy to weaken the bill. On Thursday, the Senate voted an astounding 84-9 on a procedural motion to open debate on the bill. The nine Senators who voted no were Sanders (I-VT), Schatz (D-HI), Smith (D-MN), Warren (D-MA), Booker (D-NJ), Hirono (D-HI), Kim (D-NJ), Markey (D-MA), Merkley (D-OR). The California Senators did not vote as they were in California due to the wildfires. 

HR 29 requires mandatory detention for undocumented people with a theft arrest (regardless of whether it results in a conviction) and gives anti-immigrant states extraordinary powers to challenge federal immigration policy. It will result in family separations, community disruption, and chaos in the federal judiciary. It also empowers states to sue the government on any immigration policy, including DACA and other temporary statuses, stripping discretion for future Democratic administrations. 

Who benefits? More than 90 percent of migrants detained by ICE end up in for-profit facilities. GEO Group, which maxed out its campaign contributions to Trump last February,  told its investors that they could make almost $400 million per year supporting "future needs for ICE and the federal government" in a second Trump term. Their stock price roughly doubled in November.

The next Senate vote will be as soon as Wednesday, the last opportunity to block passage of the bill with a 60 vote threshold. Democrats are seeking to offer amendments to tone down the bill. I encourage outreach to any Senators except for the ones who are bolded above (though thanking them via social media would be appreciated). All senate offices need outreach, but the following senators especially need to hear opposition: Kelly and Gallego (AZ); Ossoff (GA); King (Maine); Peters and Slotkin (MI); Shaheen and Hassan (NH); Cortez Masto and Rosen (NV); Fetterman (PA).

 

  • NILC’s 5 Things to Know About the Laken Riley Act – HERE in English and HERE in Spanish.
  • The National Immigrant Justice Center and National Immigration Project template vote recommendation HERE.
  • Please see here the contact information for the Senators on the list of those who need outreach.

 Local op-eds on this discriminatory bill would be helpful.

 Some Trumpworld nominations are coming up:

The Department of Energy & EPA hearing are scheduled. The People and Planet First team have been in touch with member orgs with Senate champions on the appropriate committees. 

In solidarity, 

Megan

woody woodruff

About

M.A. and Ph.d. from University of Maryland Merrill College of Journalism, would-be radical, sci-fi fan... retired to a life of keyboard radicalism...