The cannabis industry, education and healthcare are among the issues the Maryland Legislative Black Caucus will focus on during the 2023 General Assembly.
At the group’s first press conference for Wednesday’s session, Baltimore Senator Jill P. Carter noted the importance of including the Black community in establishing the state’s recreational cannabis industry. Caucus wants to prioritize cultivation, possession and distribution licenses for those who have faced undue harm from past criminalization of cannabis.
The Caucus also seeks to establish concrete reforms to rectify past losses and prevent future damages. Examples of this include eliminating cannabis-related fines and fees and eliminating cannabis odor as a reason for law enforcement stops and searches. They contend that the profits from these businesses must be returned to the communities most affected by the criminalization of drugs.
“We have a legal and moral obligation to ensure that black people throughout Maryland who have borne the brunt of prohibited criminalization are placed in a position to recover their damage, We will not cause any more future harm,” said the Democrat.
Baltimore City Representative Stephanie Smith said the need to ensure quality education for all students and to support black teachers and students was an overarching theme of the caucus’ educational priorities. said it is. Recruiting and retaining more diverse teachers at all levels is a key goal, strengthening Maryland’s community school programs that provide students and their families with other services, such as job placement assistance, and providing tax credits to students. Another important goal is to double funding for programs that provide Debt to borrow for education expenses. The caucuses are also seeking more input on plans to spend billions more on public schools, teacher training and other education programs.
“We are executing a blueprint for Maryland’s future, and we believe execution requires oversight of the Black caucus,” said Smith, a Democrat. More likely to attend underfunded schools. ”
Access to healthcare is also a priority.
“In this session, we plan to save lives with the bills we have introduced,” said Karen Toles, Prince George’s County Delica Democrat.
Goals include automatically enrolling people who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits on Medicaid and expanding access to preventive care and testing. One of the bills Toles mentioned would require state insurance companies to cover biomarker tests that could provide personalized information for cancer treatment. Another bill, drafted in partnership with the Susan G. Komen Foundation, will eliminate out-of-pocket costs for people who need additional mammograms not covered by insurance.
Baltimore Democratic Rep. Robyn Lewis assesses the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, examines racial disparities in maternal mortality, and pays special attention to behavioral health and addiction, among others, Maryland We talked about a massive public health overhaul for black people. thing.
Legislative priorities rounded out goals in the areas of wealth, black businesses, and housing.
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Caucus advocates taking steps to improve Black-owned businesses and address racial wealth disparities, including expanding the Minority Business Enterprise Program. Another priority is to set aside a budget of $2 million from FY2026 to FY2031 to establish a Tech Diversity Incubator.
Residential priorities include combating bias in the appraisal industry and tackling the nationwide shortage of Maryland appraisers by providing an alternative route to certification. In addition, it created a state-level housing voucher program and is about to pass legislation requiring a landlord to give her 120 days’ notice if a tenant’s rent rises by more than 4% of his.
Founded in 1970, the group is the largest legislative black caucus in the country. Its 64 members make up more than a third of her 188 seats held by members of the Maryland Legislature.
callan.tansillsuddath@thebaltimorebanner.com
