Commentary

With a recession looming and federal emergency rental assistance running out, tens of thousands of Marylanders could face eviction in the coming months, and the vast majority — more than 90% — of these households are families with dependent children. Just a handful of days remain in this legislative session, and Maryland leaders have a historic opportunity to turn proven strategies created in response to the pandemic housing crisis into a sustainable framework for housing policy that works for Marylanders at all income levels.

Each year during Maryland’s legislative session health care costs, needs, and other issues dominate the headlines for good reason — affordable and accessible health care is essential to a thriving, healthy, and productive Maryland. However, when lawmakers debate the complex issues surrounding prescription drug affordability and health care access, one key detail is typically overlooked: that a majority of Marylanders are covered by employer-sponsored health plans, which employers and employees depend upon to provide affordable access to health care and prescription drug benefits.

Baltimore is one of the country’s preeminent health care cities. Yet studies have shown that hospitals here as well as all Maryland hospitals have the longest wait times in their emergency departments for seven years running. The legislature has put forth HB274/SB387 to find out why. SB387 proposes creating a task force to study the problem. The original bill recommended a task force consisting of one member each from the Senate and House of Delegates, a designee of the secretary of health, a representative from the Maryland Hospital Association, someone who actually works in an emergency department, and two patient advocacy representatives.

“But the end is reconciliation, the end is redemption, the end is the creation of the beloved community.” ~Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Restorative Justice Practices (RJPs) in schools are intended to strengthen relationships in a school community and foster an inclusive, equitable, collaborative, and positive school climate. RJPs require training, practice and above all a mindset shift away from powering over- towards powering with- a school community and away from punitive responses to harm and towards restorative repairs with accountability measures.

The transition team appointed by Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater to help guide her new administration has produced a report that challenges the executive to meet many goals. Fitzwater has accepted the challenge and promised last week that she will take on the transition team’s blueprint and use it to prioritize the work of her administration for the next four years.

The Baltimore Sun is pleased to announce the 2023 class of inductees into our Business and Civic Hall of Fame, chosen for their leadership and community endeavors. We will honor these 14 accomplished women and men and at an awards banquet to be held at The Center Club in Baltimore on June 8 and in a special section to be published shortly thereafter.

Voters in November demanded lawmakers rethink the Free State’s cannabis policies. Lawmakers should also re-evaluate Maryland’s antiquated and discriminatory cannabis drug testing policies. With adult-use legalization around the corner, this is the ideal time for legislators to overhaul these unnecessarily punitive policies that sanction employees who consume cannabis while away from their jobs.

Here in Maryland, you might have noticed our beautiful trees and flowers blooming early this winter. In fact, the region’s National Cherry Blossom Festival has been moved up to accommodate these early blooms. While the colorful flowers certainly brighten and beautify our communities, they also signify a darker reality. This unseasonably warm winter is just the latest development in a string of hot temperatures and extreme weather in the Chesapeake region — impacting all industries relying on our lands and waters. Some farmers, for instance, are acknowledging the challenge and stepping up to support solutions.