Friend,

Happy March! As of last Friday, we are officially halfway through the 2024 Maryland General Assembly session. With 52 days behind us and 38 more to go, there’s plenty of action to catch up on – and plenty of actions for you to take!

1. We still need your help on youth justice reform

The Fox45 bill, SB744/HB814, is moving through both chambers. We were glad to see both committees make some improvements, however, the bill will still arrest more 10, 11, and 12 year olds and will have a disproportionate impact on Black and brown kids. We are still advocating for more age appropriate support and services for kids, which are known to improve public safety.

Tell your legislators to pursue proven solutions >>>

2. We’re on the way to protecting gender-affirming care in Maryland!

SB119/HB691 only has one more vote before passage in the Senate, and is making its way through the House committee and subcommittee now. The Senate successfully resisted some harmful amendments, but we aren’t done yet!

Tell your legislators to vote for SB119/HB691 without amendments >>

3. A green, clean Maryland for ALL of us

Last week, the House had their hearing for the MDE Permitting Authority bill (SB96/HB24) which takes a meaningful step toward addressing environmental racism and injustice in Maryland by requiring the Department of the Environment to consider environmental justice in their permitting decisions for certain pollution permits.

4. Improving our energy efficiency

This year, we have a chance to improve and expand the EmPOWER Maryland program, giving more Marylanders support in weatherizing and electrifying their homes. The General Assembly needs to hear from you about why we need the Energy Efficiency Act (HB864)!

5. Larry Hogan is back again

If you haven’t heard, Larry Hogan is running for the U.S. Senate. Here’s a good reminder of what actions Hogan took while Governor from our board member Larry Ottinger.

6. Plenty more!

There’s always more going on than we have room to include here! You can check out our Take Action page to see other action alerts and opportunities to get involved.

And as always, the best place to keep up with our work during the busy and long days of session is our Twitter. You can find lots more information about Annapolis, the General Assembly, and how to get involved on our Legislative Hub page.

Thank you for all you do to make Maryland a safe, welcoming, and prosperous place for all.

Alice Wilkerson

Executive Director, Advance Maryland

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c/o Progress Now

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