The 2025 Maryland General Assembly kicked off on January 8 with over 562 prefiled bills! This 447th session is starting off with three vacancies, but committee assignments are nearly complete.

While most committees are having briefings and organizational meetings over the next week or so, the Senate’s Judicial Proceedings Committee has a hearing scheduled for January 14, 2025(!). A full list of our state legislators, their contact information, and committee assignments can be found here, and committee meetings will be posted here.
 
The number one topic of this legislature will be the projected $3 billion Maryland Budget Deficit. The Moore Administration and the legislature are looking at three options: cutting back services, using reserve funds, and raising new revenue, which might include closing corporate tax loopholes, fee increases, or a sales tax on services. Our budgetary restrictions leave room for progress in environmental and social justice legislation, which have smaller fiscal impacts.
 
As you may remember from last year, MLC provides templates and instructions throughout the legislative session for you and your colleagues to use in supporting legislation through  emails and testimony. We use our draft legislative priorities, which can only be described as a living document, to highlight bills that are viable and socially beneficial but need an extra push from activists. So, with just a few clicks, as described in our upcoming emails, you can help support these important bills by sending emails and submitting testimony.

In the meantime, here are some action items:

• MLC’s Climate Justice Wing, the Lower Eastern Shore Sierra Club,  and ShoreRivers just concluded their successful 6th Annual Legislative Summit for the Climate and Environment, hearing from over 20 state officials. You can specify your favorite environmental bill to support in an Action Alert provided by the Sierra Club.
• The Prescription Drug Affordability Board wants to hear from you! Maryland Health Care for All! is asking you to email your issue to the Board at [email protected].
• Indivisible Howard County is hosting a community meeting this Saturday, January 11, at 10 AM, at the Owen Brown Interfaith Center in Columbia. The keynote speaker will be either Leah Greenberg or Ezra Klein, the co-founders of Indivisible! Join those who want to fight and resist the racism, authoritarianism, climate destruction, and corruption by registering here.

Let’s make this a productive year!