By Steve Crane | Editor-in-chief
“But the key piece right now is to beat them [Republican candidates] at the ballot box. We can still win a lot of those races, in part because Trump is so deeply under water. Also in part, because there’s a lot of African American voting blocs. If we turn out and, as they say, ‘Show up and show out’ like we did for [former President Barack] Obama in 2008 and 2012, we can still win those races.” - Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-4th), on challenges Black lawmakers face after changes to the Voting Rights Act put the seats of many members of the Congressional Black Caucus at risk.
The Congressional Black Caucus begins its annual conference today at a challenging time, and the problem of rising utility bills continues to be a challenge for state officials. Happy hump day.
Voting rights and redistricting are likely to be on the minds of attendees at the Black Caucus conference, which comes months after the U.S. Supreme Court gutted racial protections in the Voting Rights Act. Seats for as many as 20 of the caucus’ 62 members could be at risk, by one estimate. But attendees will also be talking about a range of issues at about 100 panels, and networking at the event that runs through the weekend, as William J. Ford reports.
The Utility RELIEF Act started saving ratepayers money on their bills this year, with more to come in the future, but higher rate requests keep coming from the utilities, state regulators told lawmakers during a briefing Tuesday. They say more are in the pipeline and more are likely to come. Danielle J. Brown has that story.
Those stories, plus news that the state is appealing a court ruling against a digital ad tax that could be worth $250 million a year to the state, along with commentary and headlines from the week are below for your Wednesday. Enjoy!
Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-4th), who will co-chair this year's Congressional Black Caucus Foundation conference, said caucus members are angry over Supreme Court changes this year to the Voting Rights Act that could cost up to 20 members their seats this fall. (Photo by William J. Ford/Maryland Matters)
By William J. Ford
Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-4th) says the annual Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s legislative conference is typically “a big homecoming,” but this year's event could be the last for some members at a time when Black representation is under threat on Capitol Hill.
The conference that starts Wednesday comes just months after the U.S. Supreme Court’s April ruling in Louisiana v. Callais gutted racial protections in the Voting Rights Act, saying states’ use of race-based redistricting amounts to an “unconstitutional racial gerrymander.” Analysts have said the seats of as many as 20 members of the 62-member Congressional Black Caucus could be threatened this year, as Republican states have rushed to redraw congressional boundaries less favorable to minority voters.
“We’re all angry about what happened with the Voting Rights Act. We’re all angry about what the Trump administration’s done,” Ivey said in an interview Monday. Callais will be just one of at least 100 panels at the 55th annual conference, which runs through this weekend, with sessions on voting, election integrity and fighting for representation in the Black community, among others.
Del. Marc Korman (D- Montgomery), chair of the House Environment and Transportation Ccmmittee, during a March hearing. Korman said Tuesday that the state's "work is still not done" when it comes to reining in rising utility prices. (Photo by Christine Condon/Maryland Matters)
By Danielle J. Brown
Savings from a sweeping utilities reform bill passed this year are on the way, but energy regulators told state lawmakers Tuesday that they have seen rising rate requests from power companies this year, and expect to see more.
Those comments came during a briefing for the House Environment and Transportation on the implementation of the Utility RELIEF Act, signed into law this year as lawmakers continued to search for ways to rein in rising energy bills. The law changes the way utilities project their rates, limits the amount of ratepayer money that can use used for executive salaries and focuses new scrutiny on transmission line proposals and other projects. It also cut the monthly surcharge on residents' bills for the EmPOWER program, effective this summer, the fund that supports home energy-efficiency projects.
Still, state regulators said they have already cut steep energy rate increase requests by two major utility companies this summer, and that they expect to see more. With much of the savings under the RELIEF Act expected to play out in 2027 and beyond, lawmakers in Tuesday's virtual briefing acknowledged that there is still work to be done.
IN OTHER NEWS
State appeals loss on digital ad tax: State officials are asking a circuit court to review a Maryland tax court ruling last month that struck down a first-of-its-kind digital ad tax that was challenged by three tech companies, Apple, Google and Peacock TV.
Lawmakers, educators decry Education Department cuts: Maryland’s senators joined three former education secretaries and the union representing Education Department workers to call for an investigation of mass firings there last year.
‘Loyalty' question for federal job applicants barred: Federal agencies can no longer include an essay question that asks job applicants which of President Donald Trump's executive orders are most “significant” to them, a federal judge ruled.
TODAY'S COMMENTARY
The effects of climate change are being felt in Maryland, and the impact is even greater in Black and brown communities, writes Sacoby Wilson, which is why our lawmakers need to fight to restore the climate justice grants the Trump administration stripped away.
MATTERS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED
Court blocks mail-in voting restrictions: The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday kept in place a lower court’s order blocking President Donald Trump’s embattled plan to place new restrictions on mail-in ballots for this year’s midterm elections.
Policing the licensing boards: A new commission set up to address concerns at state health licensing boards, after audits showed slow response times and facility inspection backlogs, met for two hours Monday to discuss information technology challenges.
Rolling back greenhouse gas limits: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will revoke Biden-era limits on greenhouse gas emissions from coal- and gas-fired power plants, according to regulatory documents Administrator Lee Zeldin signed Monday.
‘Public charge’ changes challenged: Maryland signed on to one of two lawsuits filed Monday by states, cities and counties against new federal rules that let immigrants’ use of safety net resources count against them for green cards and asylum applications.
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