Legislative & Political Hub

The Biden-Harris Administration has been consistent in its pursuit of a better future for all Americans. Their commitment to improving the lives of citizens and communities is reflected in an unprecedented record of achievements. While acknowledging that there is still much work to be done, it's essential to highlight the administration's significant accomplishments.

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As U.S. Representative John Sarbanes (D) prepares to conclude his nine-term tenure, the race to succeed him has captured the attention of Maryland State Legislators. Six Democratic lawmakers have thrown their hats into the ring for the coveted seat, each vying to represent the district covering Howard and Anne Arundel counties, along with a sliver of Carroll County. 

Click to read more about the current candidates.

Maryland currently allows corporations that make multi-billions of dollars in profits to not pay their fair share of taxes. Combined Reporting is needed to stop this inequity and is already the law in 28 states. Combined Reporting will help create a more level playing field for local businesses to compete by requiring corporations who claim their headquarters are located in other states - to file with the state that is listed on their federal returns.

Over the next four years, the State of Maryland will face deficits that will accumulate to over $1 billion by 2028, according to projections from... [READ ON...]

Maryland can now bring in federal dollars to cover the cost of health services that are already being provided in schools. This will allow the hiring of additional staff and expand services to provide care to more children and improve healthcare access for low-income children.

In 2014, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) reversed the 1997 Medicaid policy known as the “Free Care Rule” that limited the ability of schools to bill Medicaid for student healthcare services. This reversal provides reimbursement for in-school services for children with special health care needs (CYSHCN). To implement this reversal, many states needed to pass legislation to conform with the federal policy, including Maryland. 

AFT-MD brought this issue to the Moore Administration to see if they were willing, by executive order or by asking the federal government to override state law, to accept the money from CMS. 

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The hard right members of the US House of Representatives are calling for a government shutdown if they do not receive the senseless funding cuts they demand, including an 80% reduction in public education Title I funding, which would highly impact low-income students. 

The cuts could lead to a nationwide reduction of 220,000 teachers, a catastrophic outcome for our nation’s students at a time when schools are already dealing with an educator shortage. 

In a monumental decision that could benefit millions of retirees, President Joe Biden, as part of the Inflation Reduction Act, announced his plan to have Medicare, for the first time ever, negotiate the cost of several prescription drugs with the pharmaceutical industry. 

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Governor Wes Moore gave the keynote address at the annual Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) conference in Ocean City. Touting the impressive accomplishments achieved in the first nine months of his administration – including raising the minimum wage, providing state employees with significant COLA and step increases, shepherding legislation to address the teacher shortage, and making significant investments to public transportation infrastructure – Moore noted his first term has set a foundation for economic growth moving forward not by a hackneyed “trickle down” system, but by building from the ground up and to “build new pathways to prosperity,” the Governor noted. 

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Just in time for Labor Day, faculty at two of the state’s community colleges – Frederick County and Howard County – had their unions automatically recognized last week with over 50% of the faculty supporting unionization. Faculty at both colleges overwhelmingly stated their wish to be unionized with the AFT and AAUP (American Association of University Professors).

The colleges’ faculty unions are among the first to successfully be recognized under the state’s new “card check” law, which requires the majority of workers to show support for unionization.

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