Happy New Year! We’re excited to get 2024 off to a great start and—after ending 2023 with some significant milestones—make this one of our best years yet! 

The countdown is on! In just 8 days, on January 10th, the 2024 legislative session kicks off. This session presents a crucial opportunity for us to advocate for working class families and push for transformative legislative changes. Our commitment to holding elected officials accountable remains unwavering, and we are determined to prioritize the needs of our communities. We will be fighting for important legislation in areas related to: healthcare justice, housing justice, support for returning citizens, environmental justice and more.

If you're not already part of our movement, take this moment to join us! Your membership amplifies our collective voice and fuels the work of our task forces.  Becoming a member is easy and flexible! We offer many membership levels and the option of choosing specific issue campaign interests. We'd also love it if you would join us for our 2024 Power Summit set to take place on February 10th. The 2024 Power Summit promises to be a groundbreaking event, filled with engaging discussions, presentations from influential speakers, appearances from lawmakers and a powerful direct action. RSVP today!

Together, we can achieve significant milestones when we unite our strengths and harness the power of community. The work for the year ahead starts now, and we're excited to have you on board with us for this journey.

In Solidarity,

The Progressive Maryland Team

Here’s what’s in today’s memo:

• • PM task forces & issue campaigns: HCTF, EJTF & RCTF
  • State & National news

PM Task Forces & Issue Campaigns Updates

Healthcare Justice: Our 2024 State Healthcare Issues Agenda!

Happy New Year! It’s Time to Advance the Cause of Health Justice in 2024! 

Help us the build grassroots power we need in Maryland to:

➢Lower the high cost of prescription drugs

➢Stop health insurers from denying and delaying our care

➢Eliminate unnecessary barriers to free and reduced cost hospital care  

➢Expand access to the state health exchange to all Marylanders

There’s an opportunity to pass legislation during this state legislative session to do all of the above! These measures will make it easier for us to afford the treatment, medicines and care we need. Unfortunately, and as expected, corporate lobbyists are already pulling out the stops and pouring in money to stop this agenda from going through! 

That’s why we need you to help us stop them. Join us for these upcoming events: 

In January: come to our virtual briefing/teach-in! We’ll share the date and time this week, look for an email with a link to sign up. This is the briefing on our 2024 healthcare priorities and the things you can do to support their passage!

In February: Attend our Power Summit and annual member meeting on Saturday, February 10th in Annapolis. RSVP today! Save the date for the Healthcare Justice Rally in Annapolis on Monday, February 26th.

Contact Patty to learn about our work, our Task Force, and the ways you can get involved. Thank you!

Returning Citizens Task Force: 

We are looking forward to the New Year and continuing our work to defend the rights of people after their release from prison and helping individuals find the services and possibilities they need to go forward in their life. RCTF will hold its first meeting in the New Year on Monday, January 8 at 6:30 pm. Please contact Kurt for more information.

 In addition, as part of our re-grant program, we are sponsoring a free online webinar “How to Make Your Website Work for You,” on January 9 from 10:00 – 11:00 am. Register here.

Environmental Justice Task Force: 

Last November, we united for a significant public forum in South Baltimore, bringing together residents and allies alike to confront the urgent environmental issues stemming from the Baltimore Incinerator. It was a powerful gathering where courageous community members openly shared personal stories, shedding light on the health impacts we are actively addressing. Watch this video we recently released that showcases the passion and commitment of our community members who are dedicated to the fight for cleaner air.

State and National News: Everyone has ideas about the General Assembly session

We hope you had a restful, productive holiday. We did. Now we are back with news of the Maryland General Assembly session, where opinions about what ought to happen there are emerging. Several states, including our neighbors in Pennsylvania, are starting their sessions today, but Maryland more calmly will see the gavel fall on the 2024 madness Wednesday, January 10. That gives everyone two full working days to find Annapolis and the State House. Lots happening in other states too, as we outline for you -- plus Congress will be in session next week with an almost impossible agenda. It's all 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.

• NEW TODAY -- News You Can Use: Everyone has ideas about the General Assembly session
• News You Can Use: Maryland faces budget problems, road money cuts in 2024 Assembly session
• Transportation fund needs transfusion or surgery, ending contraceptive deserts and more, plus states and fed news you can use

>>Read more on the homepage of progressivemaryland.org

Don't forget to follow us on social media!

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