Gov. Moore launches a re-election campaign, to nobody's surprise; an environmental icon laments the very faint green tint of legislative output this past session; boisterous May Day rallies follow the masterclass in leadership outlined to Congress by an actual King, and much more. News You Can Use this week notes the state by state chaos that will inevitably follow the Supreme Court's junking of the Voting Rights Act. While the administration and its indentured Congress ignore the promise and peril of Artificial Intelligence, states are shuffling uneasily through the possible effects on shopping, on employment, on our ways of life if we don't tend to the task of making AI work for us instead of vice versa. And, as 401Ks go down, the price of crude goes up. Nothing to see here? That's what Trump and his acolytes hope. It's all News You Can Use.

HERE IN MARYLAND

Maryland lawmakers pass few green priorities amid budget, energy woes
While Maryland legislators struggled to close a $1.5 billion budget gap during their 90-session in spring 2026, some green priorities took a back seat for the 2027 budget. The Assembly took modest first steps toward limiting “forever chemicals” in farm fertilizer and regulating energy-guzzling data centers. They made it easier for homeowners and renters to install solar panels, and they even found time to reach back into the state’s prehistoric past to name the long-extinct megalodon as the state shark. Those were a few bright spots in the meager crop of environmental measures that survived the 90-day legislative rush. Bay Journal

Maryland Is First to Ban A.I.-Driven Price Increases in Grocery Stores
A state law that goes into effect in October prohibits grocery stores and third-party delivery services from using consumer data to boost prices. New York Times

Summaries from Maryland Reporter

Thousands Take To Streets For May Day Rallies: Thousands of protesters across Maryland took to the streets for May Day, with rallies and marches from Baltimore to Annapolis calling for workers’ rights, lower costs and broader economic reforms. Across the region, protesters targeted issues including policing, energy prices and immigration enforcement, blending chants, costumes and personal activism into a day of demonstrations. Baltimore Banner.

Moore Launches Reelection Campaign: Gov. Wes Moore formally launched his campaign for a second term Saturday, pitching a record he said will deliver safer communities, a stronger economy and better schools. Speaking before supporters at the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore, Moore promised a “public safety turnaround,” along with continued efforts to grow the state’s economy, improve public education and rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Later in the day, Moore addressed backers at Prince George’s Community College, where chants of “four more years” echoed through the crowd. Moore, a Democrat first elected in 2022, has made public safety, economic development and infrastructure central themes of his reelection bid as he seeks to extend his tenure in office.  The themes were familiar and the message little changed from September — when Moore also announced in a video that he was running for reelection, the only apparent difference being that this announcement was made before friendly crowds as opposed to just a video drop. Maryland Matters/WTOP-FM

What Can Fire Departments Do With All That PFAS Foam? In firehouses across Maryland sit gallons upon gallons of a toxic firefighting foam that firefighters can no longer use. In 2022, the legislature passed a law banning the use of firefighting foams laden with PFAS, a class of heat- and oil-resistant chemicals, many of which have been linked to cancer, reproductive harms and other ailments. But the state doesn’t have a plan to get rid of the foam, leaving fire departments around the state scratching their heads. Maryland Matters.

Voters To Weigh In On State Wage Negotiation Process: Both chambers of the Maryland General Assembly passed an identical version of the Arbitration Reform for State Employees Act of 2026 this legislative session, which [AFSCME] union President Patrick Moran says has been 30 years in the making. The Arbitration Reform for State Employees Act would create the framework to call in a third-party arbitrator if the two parties cannot reach an agreement. WYPR-FM.

Abrego Garcia's Wife Thanks May Day Attendees For Helping To Free Him: A year ago, Jennifer Vasquez Sura did not know where her husband had been taken or if he was even alive, only that he had been detained by federal immigration agents. Today, she said, Kilmar Abrego Garcia is safe and back with his family in part because of the work and support of labor and immigrant groups like those that turned out for a May Day rally in Washington, D.C. Maryland Matters.

THE REGION AND THE OTHER 49

As states around the country watch SNAP (food stamp) recipients get stripped out of their populations by new Trump regulations, a state’s error rate on managing SNAP matters – especially in Maryland. ECONOMY: More than 3 million people have lost access to federal SNAP benefits over the last year, likely due to fallout from President Trump’s reconciliation bill, enacted last July 4. SNAP participation dropped by about 8%, an almost unprecedented decline, as states move to adopt new work requirements and reduce error rates to conform with the federal legislation. (Pluribus News)

Only eight states — Idaho, Nebraska, Nevada, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Wisconsin and Wyoming — have error rates under the 6% threshold set out in the reconciliation bill. States with higher error rates will have to shoulder more of the administrative burden that comes with SNAP.

[‘Maryland’s error rate of 13.64% is one of the highest in the country. At that rate, the state would be expected to pay 15% of the $1.6 billion required to put money on Marylanders’ SNAP cards — or $240 million more than it pays now. “It’s not fraud, it’s a question of bureaucracy,” said Webster Ye, chief of staff for the Human Services Department, said of the error rate. “It refers to overpayments and underpayments in which we, the Maryland state agency and the administrative staff, are the ones that make that mistake.” ‘ – Maryland Matters, Dec. 2025. See also PBS News Hour’s coverage (4/31) of SNAP’s new nutritional requirements]

Trump’s new conditions on DEI, immigration could cut off states’ wildfire funding Liberal states may be barred from Forest Service grants and projects if they don’t sign the new terms. Stateline

UNION RESTRICTIONS: Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill that will restrict some union activities, the Florida Phoenix reports. The law, effective July 1, will require that, to win certification, public sector labor unions need at least 50% of the employees in the bargaining unit to vote and that the vote itself wins 50%-plus-one support. Currently, those unions only need a majority of those who voted. Stateline

From Semafor: A bipartisan rebellion against a legal shield for production of the [Roundup-related] herbicide glyphosate — mounted by conservative allies of Make America Healthy Again activists, aligned with Democrats — ultimately prevailed this week during House farm bill debate. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., scored a victory on an amendment that stripped from the bill a provision restricting legal challenges to federal labeling of glyphosate, an ingredient in the Roundup weedkiller that multiple studies have linked to cancer. Luna aligned with the vast majority of Democrats on her anti-glyphosate amendment, while also getting 72 of her fellow Republicans to vote yes. While the Environmental Protection Agency has not deemed glyphosate a carcinogen, it’s conducting a fresh review set to wrap in October. Meanwhile, MAHA activists are also awaiting a Supreme Court ruling on Roundup maker Monsanto’s state liability after oral arguments this week.

Experimenting With Community Schools in Los Angeles

A look at the history and logic of an early Community School experiment that set the foundation for future initiatives and transformed the lives of all those involved. Convergence [News You Can Use has learned that school funding in the 2026 Assembly Session included that, in the 2027 budget, community schools received $572 million, a 16% increase. This now makes 45% of Maryland schools qualify as community schools, up from 18% the first year of the Blueprint.] 

Supreme Court voting rights ruling set to reshape local power from statehouses to school boards

Critics warn the decision will dilute the power of Black and other minority voters, especially in the South. Stateline

And here comes the flood-- HOUSE DISTRICTS: Early voting in Louisiana for the May 16 election began with confusion over whether all the races listed on the ballot are still taking place. Even motivated voters said they weren’t quite sure whether the U.S. House elections were still happening after Republican Gov. Jeff Landry canceled them after the Supreme Court ruled the state's House district map unconstitutional, the Louisiana Illuminator reports. Stateline

THE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FRONTLINE:  The Connecticut House gave final approval to legislation aimed at regulating companion chatbots and protecting workers from AI discrimination. The bill requires disclosure to workers and job applicants when AI is a “substantial factor” in making employment-related decisions. Chatbots would have to remind users they are not communicating with a human and refer users to crisis services in cases of mental distress. (Pluribus News) MORE: Colorado Senate President James Coleman (D) and Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez (D) have introduced legislation requiring developers of automated decision-making systems to share certain information about their systems with deployers. Deployers would be required to notify consumers when AI is used in consequential decisions. Longtime readers will recall that both Rodriguez and Connecticut Sen. James Maroney (D) have been on the front lines of AI legislation for the last several years. . (Pluribus News) [Pluribus News is paywalled]

AI and your employment future: threat or menace? – Two views in the NYT

GLOBAL,  NATIONAL AND THE FEDS

Here is the weekly report on Washington doings (not pretty) from Megan E, federal affairs director for Progressive Maryland’s national affiliate, People’s Action

Hello People's Action!

I hope you all enjoyed May Day! There were an estimated 100,000 students walking out of schools and 3,500 events across the country.  The Guardian has photos from around the country. The rally and March in DC was a strong display of solidarity with large Free DC and anti-Iran War/climate contingencies adding to the always large turnout from immigrants rights and labor groups. 

Last week, the House finally passed the DHS funding bill that the Senate passed months ago, ending the shutdown for all components of DHS except for ICE & border patrol. Congress also passed the budget resolution, the first step to passing a budget reconciliation that separately funds ICE and border patrol. Now the details of the bill will move through committees.

The war with Iran continues though there is still a ceasefire in place; oil prices continue to rise and the stock market continues to be volatile. The war hit the 60 day mark which requires the president to seek Congressional authorization but Trump is trying to argue that the cease-fire means there is an end of hostilities (clearly not the case). At the same time, he rejected a peace deal offered from Iran and is now (again) saying he’s going to have the US military escort oil freighters out of the Strait of Hormuz, so Iran threatened to target our military ships or any ships going through without its permission. 

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth testified in front of both the Senate and House Armed Services Committees last week about the outrageous $1.5 trillion proposed Pentagon budget. The Pentagon says the Iran war has cost $25 billion so far - that’s more than a quarter of the country's total annual Medicaid spending in FY2024. Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) asked Hegseth if he would follow an order from Trump to seize ballots or voting machines in states during the 2026 election. After trying to refuse to answer the question, the Republican committee chair, Roger Wicker, made him answer and he said vaguely that he would not follow an illegal order. Senator Warren asked about reports that Hegseth’s stockbroker tried to buy Black Rock shares right before the war (Hegseth denied it) and staff in the Pentagon making lots of money off betting markets related to the war (he evaded the questions.)

I was having a case of the Mondays until I started reading about the NYC protests of tonight's Met Gala and it boosted my mood. Check out this instagram. Some are calling the Met Gala Amazon Prime Gala or Bezos Ball because Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sanchez Bezos have been named honorary co-hosts and are holding a pre-event party. A group called Everyone Hates Elon has called for a boycott and raised individual donations for a fun poster campaign all over NY. Yesterday, the group displayed video interviews with Amazon workers on the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building and the Bezoses’ penthouse. “On Friday, in a nod to complaints by Amazon workers of having to skip bathroom breaks and urinate in bottles instead, the group placed close to 300 bottles of fake urine inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art.” There are already pro-Palestinian protestors in front of the Met and I’m looking forward to what other creative protests happen  this evening. I hear there is an alternative red carpet… 

In other good news, Maine governor and Democratic establishment-backed candidate for Senate Janet Mills dropped out of the primary last week.  Progressive and Maine People’s Alliance-endorsed candidate, Graham Platner, is certain to win the primary and take on Republican-incumbent Susan Collins in November. 

Finally, Scot Nakagawa’s piece, “Concentrated and Distributed: The organizing axis American politics is already reaching for, and why it matters now” is worth reading. He argues that “organizing along the axis of concentrated power versus distributed power can move majorities, reach across the current coalitions, and address the inequalities the left-right frame has been unable to resolve.” I was struck that this frame, which is broader than but inclusive of the anti-corporate frame, is a theory that unites campaigns across our network, in blue, purple and red states.

In solidarity,

Megan