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It's been one week since legislative session ended and we’ve been taking stock of all that happened in Annapolis. As we reflect on the wins and losses, one thing is clear: we are incredibly proud of this community and everything we accomplished together.

 

This year, we came together to fight for bold, progressive policies in environmental justice, housing, healthcare, criminal justice, and education. Whether it was signing petitions, sending letters to legislators, making calls, or showing up to rallies, you made this movement stronger.

 

It was a tough legislative season, but thanks to your support and the tireless work of our staff and community leaders, we achieved more victories this session than we did last year.

We’re especially proud to have finally ended subsidies for trash incineration in Maryland—a fight we’ve taken up year after year. Several of our key healthcare priorities also passed and are now headed to the Governor’s desk, along with a number of other progressive wins.

 

We’re so proud of our organizers, members, and volunteers who spent countless hours in Annapolis advocating for working families across the state. When we hosted our lobby night in February-in place of our usual membership assembly-you showed up and showed out. From rallying on Lawyers Mall to sharing personal stories in meetings with lawmakers, you brought power and passion to every moment.

 

Fighting for justice takes time, energy, and heart and we’re deeply grateful for every person who contributed in big and small ways this session.

 

You can check out our legislative updates section below for a fuller recap of what happened this year.

 

While session may be over, we know the work doesn’t stop. We’re still up against national and statewide challenges that demand our attention and our organizing. As we transition into spring organizing, we’ve got important updates, opportunities to take action, and more news you can use—so read on.

 

In solidarity,

The Progressive Maryland Team
 
 

Here’s what’s in today’s memo:

  • Legislative Updates
  • Issue Campaign Updates
  • Ally Events
  • State & National News
  • PM Job Openings
 

2025 Legislative Session Wrap Up:

 

For an overview of all the bills Progressive Maryland supported, check it out on our website.

🔹 Healthcare

  • Adverse Decisions Reporting & Transparency (HB848) and Work Group on Adverse Decisions (HB995)--- Both passed and are headed to the Governor’s desk. These bills increase transparency around insurance denials and launch a public work group to investigate care denials and appeal barriers.

  • Regulating AI in Insurance (HB820) — This bill passed and gives Maryland oversight power over the use of AI in insurance decisions.

  • Safe Hospital Staffing Act (HB905) — Gutted by amendments in the Senate. We couldn’t support the weakened version. Thank you to everyone who helped bring public pressure. We’ll keep fighting for safe staffing standards and shorter ER wait times.

  • Commission on Universal Health Care (HB417) — Unfortunately, this bill died in committee.

🔹 Environmental Justice

  • Reclaim Renewable Energy Act (HB220/SB10) — This bill passed as part of the Next Generation Energy Act and removes trash incineration from Maryland’s “renewable” energy list. A big win for clean air and environmental justice. 👉 Read our statement on this win.

  • CHERISH Act (HB1484) — Did not pass. This bill would’ve allowed environmental permits to be evaluated based on cumulative harm, which would have protected overburdened communities.

  • RENEW Act (HB128/SB149) — The original bill language was designed to immediately charge the top 10 fossil-fuel polluters in Maryland with a one-time fee of $9 billion which would be invested into climate adaptation solutions. This session, the bill was modified and passed as a one-year study that would assess the total cost of greenhouse gas emissions in Maryland with findings due by December 2026. It’s a half-win—important groundwork, but not the bold investment we pushed for. 

🔹 Housing Justice

  • Tenant Possessions Recovery Act (HB767/SB442) — Passed with amendments. While not as strong as we pushed for, the bill still ensures tenants receive notice before eviction, offering basic protections.

  • Good Cause Eviction (HB477/SB651) — Did not pass. We’re disappointed lawmakers failed to follow through on promises of landlord accountability. 👉 Read our statement on this bill.

🔹 Criminal Justice

  • Second Look Act (HB853/SB291) — Passed! This bill offers second chances to people incarcerated as youth and recognizes the potential for rehabilitation and redemption.

🔹 Economic Justice

  • Fair Share for Maryland Act (SB859) — Died in the General Assembly. Our push for tax justice and investment in working families isn’t over.
 

Task Forces & Issue Campaigns Updates: 

Healthcare Task Force: State and National Health Care Campaign News 

 

Hands Off Medicaid Campaign: We’re fired up to be in this fight with so many  great advocacy groups and the tens of millions of people who use Medicaid for their health care. In Maryland, one out of four of us use Medicaid or CHIP (the Children’s Health Insurance Program) for our health care needs: seniors in nursing homes, people with disabilities, children, and people who are struggling financially and can’t afford to buy health insurance and many others.

 

We want our tax dollars to support all of them and all of us, not Elon Musk and his businesses and greedy allies! That’s  especially true now, in these uncertain economic times with all that Trump is doing to decimate the Federal government work force, small businesses, and schools and universities.  ALL of us benefit when people have access to good health care and when our rural and urban clinics and hospitals have the resources they need to stay open, deliver services and create jobs. 

 

We need you in this fight! No prior experience is necessary, all are welcome. Sign up now! 

 

If you live in Congressional District 1 please use this tool to call Rep. Andy Harris to urge him to vote NO on cuts to Medicaid: Click here to make the call. Contact Patty for more information.

 

Environmental Justice Task Force: EJTF Earns Colossal Victory over Incinerator Companies!

 

The 90-day legislative session came to a close on April 7, known as Sine Die, the last day for lawmakers to convene. On this day, legislators voted to end the financial strain on Maryland ratepayers by enacting the Reclaim Renewable Energy Act (RREA) within the framework of the Next Generation Act. This milestone reflects the dedicated work of Environmental Justice Organizer, SirJames, and the Environmental Justice Task Force (EJTF), who raised awareness among South Baltimore residents about the misleading practices of incinerator companies, effectively concluding 14 years of economic exploitation.

 

In light of this legislative modification, now, only 17 states throughout the country will grant subsidies for the incineration of garbage.

 

We also want to highlight that this significant legislative achievement is partly due to the groundwork laid by the South Baltimore Community Land Trust and its coalition allies before Progressive Maryland's involvement in 2021.

 

Recently, Jeff Barnes, a member of the EJTF and a resident of the Brooklyn neighborhood, was interviewed by Adam Willis from the Baltimore Banner about this significant victory.

 

With the excitement growing after this significant legislative achievement, Progressive Maryland's Communications Department has produced an Instagram reel showcasing EJTF leader and former Cherry Hill resident Mikal Rashid. We encourage you to view and share it on your Instagram.

 

To commemorate this significant achievement against incinerator companies and to support the financial relief of frontline residents in South Baltimore and across Maryland, SirJames and the EJTF are organizing a victory party, likely to take place at Federal Hill Park in mid-May. 

 

Further details about this event will be shared soon. This celebration will energize our efforts as we move into the next phase of our campaign to permanently shut down the Win Waste incinerator. No cash for trash!

 

Acknowledgments: 

 

We extend our gratitude to Neka Duckett-Randolph of Out4Justice, CASA Baltimore chapter, Jennifer Kunze from Clean Water Action, Food & Water Watch, the Sunrise Movement Baltimore Chapter, and the South Baltimore Community Land Trust for their efforts in advocating for the termination of funding for incinerator companies.



Victory!
 

EVENTS FROM ALLIES:
 

News You Can Use: Winners and losers in MD Assembly Session; nothing but losers in chaotic trade wars

 

This week, Marylanders' eyes shuttle back and forth between weighing the work (and failures) of the just-completed General Assembly session and the outrages of the latest Trump follies and lawlessness. The Orange Menace has bypassed Congress's role in setting tariffs, recklessly setting and unsetting tariff rates to the great disadvantage of US economic standing as well as perceptions here and overseas about the sanity and stability of national leadership. Trump and others' behavior during the wild gyrations of tariff-setting has raised questions about market manipulation and insider trading. Even more lawlessly, having kidnapped a legal Maryland resident and dumped him without due process in a notoriously brutal prison in El Salvador, Trump and his minions claim they have no duty to seek his return.

 

The General Assembly appears to have preserved the Blueprint plan for the state's education system more or less intact and delivered a balanced budget despite a revenue deficit, but there were many failures of nerve and succumbing to the blandishments of lobbyists as well. Next year the Assembly members face election or re-election (many were appointed to vacancies but have not yet faced the voters) and they are dodging any appearance of the burning of bridges with potential donors.

 

It's News You Can Use.
 
 

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.

>>Read more on the homepage of progressivemaryland.org

 

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