Dear Friend,
Happy Monday! Spring is officially here, and we’re excited to welcome this season of growth and renewal with all of you. Today, we also take a moment to recognize International Human Rights Day. This day honors those who have fought against injustice and reminds us of the ongoing struggle to uphold human rights worldwide. At Progressive Maryland, we remain committed to standing in solidarity against these violations—both here in our nation and across the globe.
Whew, last week was a whirlwind! Crossover Day kept us on our toes as we pushed hard to advance our priority bills and now we’re navigating the aftermath of where things stand. There’s a lot to catch you up on, so be sure to check out the Legislative Updates section later in this memo. With only two weeks left in the legislative session, our work is far from over. Our staff and leaders are working tirelessly to get the bills that are still in play across the finish line and onto the governor’s desk. Read on for important updates and news you can use! In solidarity,
The Progressive Maryland Team |
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Here’s what’s in today’s memo: -
Women's History
- Legislative Updates
- Issue Campaign Updates
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State & National News
- PM Job Openings
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Women Who Won’t Back Down: Dr. Lillie May Carroll Jackson
Dr. Lillie May Carroll Jackson was a pioneer of the civil rights movement and a powerful advocate for racial justice. Known fondly as “Dr. Lillie” and the “Mother of Freedom,” she led the Baltimore branch of the NAACP, where her leadership led to significant legal victories and a surge in membership. Dr. Jackson was a trailblazer in using non-violent resistance against segregation, paving the way for the tactics later used by Martin Luther King Jr. Before her passing in 1975, she ensured her legacy would live on by transforming her home into a civil rights museum. You can explore her remarkable impact at The Lillie Carroll Jackson Civil Rights Museum in Baltimore.
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We’re at a crucial point in the Legislative Session—here’s the latest: 🔹 Healthcare -
Safe Staffing (Hospitals) Act of 2025 (SB720): Unfortunately, Committee Chair Pam Beidle is stalling on bringing this critical bill to a vote, but we’re still pushing hard to get it across the finish line. Use our call tool to urge her to bring the bill up for a vote: https://pgmd.us/safestaffing
Regulating AI in Health Insurance (HB820): This bill, which would help the state better understand the use of AI in insurance decisions, passed unanimously in the House (135-0) and will have a hearing this Thursday, March 27, at 1:00 p.m. in the Senate. SB776/HB995 –Creating A Work Group to Study Health Insurance Denials : Great progress! The bill passed the Senate Finance Committee last Thursday, and now we await a final Senate floor vote to get it to the Governor’s desk.
HB848/SB474 –: Strengthens Review and Examination of Insurance Carriers with high denial rates: This bill passed both chambers and is awaiting a final amendment before it heads to the Governor’s desk.
🔹 Environmental Justice -
Reclaim Renewable Energy Act (RREA) (HB0220/SB0010): While the bill did not pass as a standalone measure by crossover, we’re still optimistic that key provisions will be included in Senate President Ferguson’s energy package. We’ll keep you updated as we learn more about what makes it into the final package.
🔹 Housing Justice -
Good Cause Eviction (HB0477/SB0651): Unfortunately, this critical bill did not make it through the session. We’re deeply disappointed by legislators failing to pass this essential protection for tenants.
🔹 Economic Justice -
Fair Share for Maryland Act (SB859): Unfortunately, this critical bill did not make it through the session. We’re deeply disappointed that Maryland’s wealthiest individuals will still not be required to pay their fair share—especially as our state faces a looming budget deficit. This failure means that everyday Marylanders will continue to shoulder the burden while the ultra-wealthy avoid contributing their fair share to our communities. We remain committed to fighting for a fairer tax system that benefits all Marylanders, not just the wealthy few.
🔹 Criminal Justice
Second Look Act (HB853/SB291): This bill, which provides incarcerated individuals with a second chance, made it through crossover and has a Senate hearing tomorrow, March 25, at 1:00 p.m. It passed in the House with a vote of 89-49.
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Task Forces & Issue Campaigns Updates: |
Healthcare Task Force: Calls to Action!
✤ Urge the Senate Finance Committee to vote on the Safe Staffing Act this week. It passed overwhelmingly in the state House. This policy, if adopted by hospitals, will help Maryland end the crisis in ER wait times by improving conditions for front line staff. Maryland ranks worst in the country for 9 years in a row. Call Committee Chair, Pam Beidle, to ask her to bring the vote. Call Senator Beidle Now!
✤ Medicaid Fight: We’re working with People’s Action and dozens of organizations across the country to prevent the gutting of Medicaid by Musk/Trump/Johnson. They plan to cut $880 billion from our country’s life saving and life sustaining Medicaid program. Why? To fund MORE tax breaks for billionaires. We stand with the millions of people and families who need Medicaid for health services and care. Please join us in this fight! It’s our health against their wealth. With people power we can win: https://pgmd.us/hcvolunteer and read this report: Medicaid Cuts Would Rip Away Health Coverage from Millions of Americans, Disproportionately Harming People of Color
Environmental Justice: Media Attention Increases Around RREA
During three legislative sessions advocating for the Reclaim Renewable Energy Act, 2025 marked a significant milestone for the Environmental Justice Task Force, garnering unprecedented media attention and backing for the initiative aimed at terminating ratepayer funding for waste incineration companies.
Unexpectedly, a press conference held on Monday, February 3, featuring Senate President Bill Ferguson, House Speaker Adrienne Jones, and other legislative leaders, unveiled a series of energy bills designed to reduce utility costs for ratepayers and enhance in-state energy production. This energy package includes the Renewable Energy Certainty Act (RECA), which aims to accelerate solar energy generation and battery storage, while the Next Generation Act (NGA) could facilitate the development of three gigawatts of new natural gas facilities.
Subsequently, it was revealed that following the Senate and House hearings on the RREA in February, legislators opted not to schedule a vote on the bill due to ongoing discussions about whether to merge RREA with NGA or RECA. As a result, leaders from the Environmental Justice Task Force, along with advocates and allies, are awaiting clarity on whether RREA will advance as an independent bill or be integrated into one of the energy package proposals.
On crossover day, March 17, at the Maryland General Assembly, Mary Randall, a member of Progressive Maryland and an EJTF leader, shared her insights with Maryland Matters regarding RREA. In her interview, she recounted the experiences of four acquaintances who underwent chemotherapy due to hazardous emissions from a decades-old incinerator.
Finally, last Thursday, SirJames delivered the keynote address at UMBC's Alternative Spring Break (ASB) program, part of the University's Center for Democracy and Civic Life. Invited by ASB student leaders, he discussed Progressive Maryland's role in addressing the Win Waste incinerator and the broader environmental justice issues facing Baltimore City. The twelve students present felt a sense of empowerment after learning more about our work and hope to be a part of our campaign achieving environmental justice in Baltimore.
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News You Can Use: Maryland's struggles with TrumpWorld get more granular; Assembly session draws to a close
Maryland – and its Assembly– is struggling to preserve its nationally-praised Blueprint for school excellence even as the federal Department of Education appears in danger of being dismembered by the DOGE fanatics and their enabler-president.
Our and other states may find themselves having to struggle with services and coordinated planning that the DoE has, for better or worse, provided. And, with some justice, conservatives argue that student performance nationwide, especially since the Pandemic, could scarcely be worse, DoE or no.
Some suggest this will open the door to more states providing taxpayer money for private schools. , a struggle that the Assembly waged with Larry Hogan for nearly every year of his two terms. Public money for private schools seems inevitably to morph into a subsidy for parents who would already be placing their young-uns in the nonpublic sector.
Nevertheless, keeping good teachers and good teaching – and good learning – in the public system is a critical need for every state, and Kal Hettleman, one of those who fashioned Maryland’s groundbreaking Blueprint, argues in this commentary that more than just an improved teacher pipeline is among the necessaries for reversing the trend – across this and all the states. It recently appeared in Maryland Matters.
So the struggle goes on. News You Can Use tries to keep you up on significant stuff happening here, in other states and at the national level. Usually, the news requires action on our part to keep the bad people from gaining. No excuses, let's get to work and keep on working.
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P.O. Box 6988
Largo, MD 20792
United States
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