Latest news with #DanielleE.Gaines
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
They like us; they really, really like us: Maryland Matters brings home awards
A flag waves on Maryland Avenue in Annapolis, near the State House. (Photo by Danielle E. Gaines/Maryland Matters) The small but mighty staff of Maryland Matters again punched above its weight, bringing home seven first place and four second place awards from the Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association for our work in 2024. And Thomas Ferraro, a commentary contributor who was competing as an independent journalist, won best of show in the public service category, outclassing all comers in the state for his series on 'Mounting homelessness in America.' The awards were announced Friday. Maryland Matters competes in MDDC's Division C, against the likes of Easton, Salisbury, Carroll County, Cecil County, the Catholic Review and the Baltimore Fishbowl. William J. Ford brought home a first in the breaking news category for his March story on the problem of long-running abuse of students at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 'DOJ investigation finds deceased UMBC swimming and diving coach abused students on team.' Will also won first place in the general news category for his look at the implementation of the hotly debated expansion of the reach of the Department of Juvenile Services, in 'New law extends Department of Juvenile Services' reach to children as young as 10.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE In the state government category, Bryan P. Sears won first place by doing what he does best — relentlessly covering the machinery of politics and seeing the stories others don't. That led to his story on a loophole in campaign finance law that allowed the state treasurer to keep raising money when most other Annapolis lawmakers are prohibited from doing so, 'Davis vows to keep fundraising as treasurer,' which led to a change in the law in short order. Daniel landed a first place in the diversity, equity and inclusion category for her look at the overlooked issue of Marylanders with disabilities who were accidentally kicked off Medicaid programs, and the struggles faced by advocates and family members to fix the problem, in her August story, ''Erroneous' disability waiver terminations stoke anger, confusion for family members.' Maryland Matters founding editor Josh Kurtz won first place in the preelection coverage category for his story that connected all the dots of supporters for then-Sen. Sarah Elfreth in her ultimately successful fight in the wide-open Democratic primary for the 3rd District seat in Congress , 'One candidate, two campaigns.' And Josh won first-place in the business reporting category for his wide-lens look at Senate Bill 1 — last year's energy reform measure du jour — in his pre-Sine Die storyo, 'The strange journey of Senate Bill 1.' Will brought home another first place, in the education reporting category, for one story in his wall-to-wall coverage of the ambitious Blueprint for Maryland's Future. The winning entry looked at how teachers were coping with potential upheaval in the program as they prepared for the start of fall classes, in 'As school year begins, education reform plan faces a reckoning.' Will's blanket Blueprint reporting won a second place in the continuing coverage category for his March story, 'Blueprint implementation continues: New plans reveal ongoing challenges for schools.' And he won second in the local news category for his look at the messy fallout of then-Prince George's Executive Angela Alsbrooks' election to the U.S. Senate, in 'Alsobrooks history win starts teh clock on cascading county elected vacancies.' Dani brought home a second in th medical/science category for her step-back look at childhood vaccinations, that showed they are steadily falling, in her August story, 'More parents using religious exemptions to opt children out of school vaccinations.' And Josh won second place in the local column/critical thinking category for a piece that came from his on-the-ground reporting from Milwaukee at the Republican National Convention, where reporters were frozen out of access to Maryland events and Maryland delegates, in 'What's missing from this Republican convention.' We're already stockpiling stories for the 2025 contest, which will be announced next May. Keep reading until then.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
House Republicans call on Moore to veto fee bills
A Maryland state flag flies outside the State House in Annapolis. (File photo by Danielle E. Gaines/Maryland Matters) House Republicans on Monday called on Gov. Wes Moore (D) to veto four bills that would increase state fees on various licenses, permits and other filings. The letter from the 39-member House Republican Caucus was released a day before Moore was scheduled to hold his third post-legislative bill signing of the 2025 session. 'On numerous occasions, you have indicated your concerns about the impact federal actions can have on Maryland families and businesses,' the caucus wrote in its letter to Moore. 'We would respectfully submit that the hundreds of new or increased taxes and fees Maryland's families and businesses have had to absorb over the last several years have had a more significant and immediate impact on every Marylander.' None of the bills objected to in the letter are among the 193 set to be signed during a noon ceremony Tuesday. Moore has until May 27 to decide to sign, veto or allow bills to become law without his signature. 'As Gov. Moore reviews the hundreds of bills put forward this session, he will continue to work with the state legislature, local leaders, and all partners involved to ensure that we are signing legislation that will make Maryland safer, more affordable, more competitive, and the state that serves,' a Moore spokesperson said in an email. Included on the Republican list are four bills: Senate Bills 250 and 425, which increase Maryland Department of Environment fees, and allow the state to collect fees on coal combustion byproducts from former coal plant operators, respectively; and House Bills 719 and 796, which raise boat title, license and other fees, and increase the cost to file a foreclosure action, respectively. Some fees of the Department of the Environment fees in SB 250 have not been increased since the 1990s. Combined, all four bills are projected to bring in tens of millions in additional revenues. Much of that money is earmarked for specific programs such as the clean air and private dam restoration funds. The caucus, in its letter, noted a budget containing 'numerous taxes and fees, representing the largest tax increase in ' state history in addition to the fees contained in the four bills. The budget passed this year by the General Assembly includes roughly $1.6 billion in tax and fee increases. That package includes a new 3% sales tax on data and IT services. 'Our citizens need a break from the state government's relentless attack on their wallets,' the caucus wrote in its letter.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Judge says lawsuit against health department can proceed over missed nursing home inspections
The U.S. District Court in Baltimore. (File photo by Danielle E. Gaines/Maryland Matters) A group of nursing home residents can press their lawsuit against the Maryland Health Department over lapsed nursing home inspections, and the case can proceed as a class-action suit, a federal judge has ruled. Those findings came after U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox denied the department's request to dismiss the case. In that April 22 ruling, Maddox approved 'class certification' for nursing home residents 'who have disabilities and mobility impairment, and who live in nursing facilities' overseen by the Department of Health. Some 9,000 Marylanders fit that description and will be represented as the case continues, according to Justice in Aging, one of the advocacy groups leading the lawsuit. 'At this early stage of the litigation, the Court finds the facts alleged in the Complaint sufficient to draw a chain of causation between MDH's oversight and enforcement failures and Plaintiffs' particularized and unique injuries and risks as mobility-impaired residents of nursing facilities,' according to Maddox's opinion. 'Defendants' motion to dismiss the Complaint … shall be denied.' Attorneys representing five nursing home residents filed the complaint in the U.S. District Court for Maryland last May against the Health Department and its then-secretary, Laura Herrera Scott. The lawsuit alleges that the state's failure to conduct annual nursing home inspections, as required, has led to substandard care for residents of those facilities. 'It's a very positive step that we survived the motion to dismiss and provided sufficient evidence to the court for class certification,' said Liam McGivern, an attorney at Justice in Aging, while noting that there is still a long court process ahead. Health officials cut inspection backlog of nursing homes, advocates demand more The complaint asks the court to force the department to conduct nursing home surveys on the federally required 12-month schedule and ensure that complaints issued against nursing homes are answered in a reasonable time frame. It also asks for attorney's fees and any other relief deemed appropriate by the court. With its motion to dismiss rejected, the department has until May 20 to respond to the complaint. A department spokeperson did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday. Maddox's ruling comes at a time when the health department is actively working through a years-old backlog of nursing home inspections. The department said it is making progress, with more than half of the state's 220 nursing homes receiving an annual inspection within the last 16 months. But with some facilities being more than four years overdue for an inspection, advocates fear that some Maryland seniors may be languishing in unsafe living conditions while the state plays catch-up. 'They're still woefully behind,' McGivern said. 'When complaints are not timely investigated, it often means that they'll never be meaningfully investigated … The backlog is so bad when the state finally gets around to investigating a complaint months or years later, they're not really able to adequately conduct that investigation — records are lost, residents have moved on, staff have moved on, the facility has changed ownership' The initial court complaint outlines some nursing home residents' troubling experiences in their facilities, some of which had not been inspected by the health department for four years. The plaintiffs have mobility-related disabilities and rely on nursing staff for moving around the facility, eating and personal hygiene. The lawsuit alleges that residents were often left unattended for extended periods, leaving them isolated from community events or sometimes left in soiled clothing for hours, among other concerns outlined in the lawsuit. 'When the state does not go in to survey and make sure that nursing facilities are doing what they're supposed to be doing, that falls most harshly on people with mobility impairment – and so, discriminates against them within the meaning of the ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act],' McGivern said. 'They have no way to remedy, for example, their call not being answered or the facility not helping them leave their beds, leaving them confined and isolated in their room.' In the time that has passed since the initial court filing, one plaintiff has died, a 75-year-old identified by the pseudonym 'Herman Dressel.' The complaint said Dressel had mobility limitations that required staff assistance bathing, dressing and getting in and out of bed. But as with other plaintiffs in the case, he did not receive the daily support to help him move about the day and receive the incontinence care that was expected for his services. McGivern noted they are not claiming that his March 30 death 'is the result of any lack of oversight,' but should be a reminder of the vulnerable people who are at the center of the lawsuit. 'Often times, it seems that the issues that arise in a nursing facility are in the shadows,' he said. 'There's not any light shown on them and a lot of that has to do with the fragility of some people in nursing facilities who aren't able to raise these issues for themselves and who unfortunately often times die while waiting on the state to investigate their claims, or that complaint. That is quite common, I'm afraid.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Groups nationwide eye Supreme Court hearing on Montgomery County LGBTQ books in schools case
The U.S. Supreme Court. (File photo by Danielle E. Gaines/Maryland Matters) When the Supreme Court hears arguments Tuesday in Mahmoud v. Taylor, it will be considering whether Montgomery County parents have a right, on religious grounds, to opt their children out of classes in county schools that use LGBTQ+ friendly books. But to the scores of religious, legal and educational groups across the country who have filed friend-of-the-court briefs, it's a case with national implications. 'Whatever rule the Court promulgates in this case will apply far beyond the circumstances of this dispute,' says a 30-page brief filed on behalf of the School Superintendents Association, Consortium of State School Boards Associations, Council of the Great City Schools and National School Attorneys Association. That brief does not support either side in the dispute, but asks the justices to tread carefully. Most of the other briefs, however, are decidedly on one side or the other: With the parents who argue that the county policy infringes on their right to raise their children according to their religion, or with the school board that says the books are part of an inclusive curriculum and are not coercive or targeting any religion. The case began at the start of the 2022-23 school year, when the county unveiled a list of 'LGBTQ+-inclusive texts for use in the classroom,' including books for grades as low as kindergarten and pre-K. After initially saying that parents could opt their children out of lessons that included those and other books, the school board reversed course in March 2023 and said opt-outs would not be allowed beginning in the 2023-24 school year. Parents are allowed to opt their children out of parts of sex education classes, but not other parts of the curriculum, like language arts. The parents sued the school board in May 2023, saying the inability to opt their children out of the classes infringes on their First Amendment freedom of religion rights. They also wanted the schools to notify them when lessons involving the books were coming up, and to plan alternative lessons for their children. But school officials claim the books were not part of 'explicit instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation in elementary school, and that no student or adult is asked to change how they feel about these issues.' In its December filing that urged the Supreme Court to reject the case, the county said, 'MCPS (Montgomery County Public Schools) believes that representation in the curriculum creates and normalizes a fully inclusive environment for all students and supports a student's ability to empathize, connect, and collaborate with diverse peers and encourages respect for all.' It went on to say 'teachers are not permitted to use the storybooks to enforce a particular viewpoint.' Lower courts have rejected the parents request for a preliminary injunction, with a divided panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that the county policy did not have the coercion required to make it a burden on religious exercise. In their petition to the Supreme Court, the parents cited a few of the elementary-aged books the school board includes as 'LGBTQ-inclusive' and the guidance for teachers that went with each: 'Born Ready,' a story about Penelope, a student who identifies as a boy. 'Teachers are told to instruct students that, at birth, doctors guess about our gender, but we know ourselves best'; 'Love, Violet,' a story about two young girls and their same-sex playground romance. 'Teachers are encouraged to have a think-aloud moment to ask students how it feels when they don't just like but like like someone'; and 'Intersection Allies,' a picture book for children to ponder what it means to be 'transgender' or 'non-binary' and asks, 'what pronouns fit you?' Mark Graber, a regents professor at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey Law School in Baltimore, said in an interview Monday that a Supreme Court decision in favor of the petitioners, or parents, would create 'an administrative nightmare.' 'There are a lot of religions out there. Schools have to figure out what violates religion, what parents they have to contact,' he said. Graber said the court will have to determine whether county teaches the topics 'as secular' subjects. 'The parent has the right to go in and say, 'What are you teaching?' Public schools can teach one plus one equals two, regardless of what your religion says about the simpleness of mathematics,' he said. 'They can teach about different forms of couples, regardless of what religion says about the simpleness of different kinds of relationships. 'The crucial thing is public schools must teach it as secular,' he said. 'They may not praise or condemn any religion for holding opinions consistent with the public schools, or inconsistent.' Even though parents have lost in lower courts on their preliminary injunction request, Graber said it makes senses for them to press the case with the current Supreme Court, given the justices' openness to free exercise claims. 'The court has been extraordinarily sympathetic to free exercise claims brought by evangelical Christians,' he said. 'They think they got the most sympathetic court they've ever had, so why not [petition the court]?' The fact the high court will be hearing the case based only 'on an undeveloped and untested, preliminary injunction record,' and not hearings on the full merits of case in lower courts, was concerning to the school groups that filed the brief in support of neither side of the case. 'There are great risks presented by asking the Court to potentially adopt new rules for evaluating Free Exercise claims or constitutionalizing notice and opt out requirements,' said the brief from the School Superintendents Association, Consortium of State School Boards Associations, Council of the Great City Schools and National School Attorneys Association. One other brief that supports neither side in the dispute came from the California Parents for the Equalization of Educational Materials (CAPEEM), a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization that focuses on 'eradicating the disparaging treatment of Hinduism' in that state's public schools. The organization's brief proposes the court adopt a four-part test to determine if school policies violate free exercise rights: Does the curriculum material negate religious beliefs or practices?; does the curriculum material itself or the process through which it was adopted reflect targeted hostility toward religion or a particular religion?; does the material or the adoption process lack neutrality toward a particular religion?; and is the curriculum material coercive? 'The outcome of this case is going to clearly affect my client's rights, but whatever test the court comes up with … we have ideas in what would make sense in litigating the case,' Glenn Katon, counsel representing CAPEEM, said in an interview Monday. 'We're not there to help either party. We're there to try and get the court to adopt the test that makes sense, that will help Hindus get treated fairly in California,' he said. 'This case is very important for schools in California [and] even across the country.'
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Budget, ‘Blueprint,' immigration loom on final day of legislative session
The steps of the Maryland State House. (File photo by Danielle E. Gaines/Maryland Matters) Legislators enter the final day of the 2025 General Assembly session Monday with no budget, no energy reform and no bill to alter the Blueprint for Maryland's Future, the state's sweeping education reform plan. And no particular worries. While lawmakers will have hundreds of bills to work through today, legislative leaders have more or less agreed on most of the big items. It will just be a matter of logistics to keep desired bills on track, to beat back opposition from lawmakers looking to use the midnight deadline to their advantage, and to navigate the unexpected, last-minute crises that invariably pop up. House Majority Leader David Moon (D-Montgomery) said that with agreements in hand on most of the 'big-ticket controversial items,' such as the budget and a three-bill energy package, he expects Monday to be relatively smooth, even if there are still some official actions needed to pass those bills. Moon noted that there's 'always something' that could throw a wrench into the last day's proceedings, but he said that the General Assembly worked hard to ensure to 'get controversial bills done before Sine Die.' One potential point of contention is legislation related to the state's undocumented immigrant population. Several bills were advanced to protect migrant communities in response to the Trump administration's crackdown on undocumented residents, but the House and Senate appear to be at odds over a proposal to eliminate so-called 287(g) agreements between local law enforcement agencies and federal officials with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. House Bill 1222, sponsored by Del. Nicole Williams (D-Prince George's), would prohibit the agreements that let ICE delegate some federal enforcement authorities to local officers, including the authority to arrest and check a person's immigration status through a federal database. But her bill is currently bottled up in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, which held a hearing on it just last week. House, Senate quickly come to agreement on spending and tax plan Supporters say residents in immigrant communities are afraid to go outside and do daily routines because of the federal crackdown. Advocates said they will be pressing hard for the bill Monday. 'We're going to be present, and we're going to be putting the pressure on to make sure that they [lawmakers] pass the entire immigrant justice package,' said Cathryn Jackson, public policy director with the immigrant rights group CASA. She pointed to the erroneous detention and deportation of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a CASA member from Prince George's County, to a prison in El Salvador recently. A federal judge ordered Friday that the administration return him to the U.S., but so far the government has refused to comply. 'It would be deep disservice for the entire immigrant community in Maryland, and all Americans, if the Senate doesn't do what they need to do,' Jackson said. But a lot has to be done before those bills can happen. Even though deals have been reached on the 'bigger-stress, higher-ticket items,' which should make for a less-intense Sine Die than normal, Del. Brian Crosby (D-St. Mary's) expects the day will still be unavoidably busy, in part because of the procedural items left on the docket, Crosby said. 'It's not just pass a bill in both chambers,' he said. 'Then you've got the yeas and nays, and the concurrences. So you know, it will be busy.' And some obstacles may be intentional, as lawmakers work to churn out the hundreds of remaining bills that need final approval before time runs out Monday. Senate Minority Leader Stephen S. Hershey Jr. (R-Upper Shore) said that the hard midnight deadline can work to the minority party's advantage and gives Republicans another chance to debate some of the issues. 'Sine Die is a little different. Republicans have a little more influence because we're running out the clock,' he said Saturday. He said that in previous years, Republicans have scored 'minor victories' by stalling bills long enough that they blow past the midnight deadline, which kills the bills for the session. Energy bills speeding toward passage in session's final days Some bills have already run the gantlet. Already this session, legislators passed a bill to create a Reparations Commission to study inequality among African descendants, making Maryland one of the few states in the nation to do so. Another successful bill removes a criminal penalty for intentionally transferring HIV to another person, eliminating what some call an 'antiquated' and 'discriminatory' law after years of failed attempts going back to 2013. Ann T. Ciekot, partner with Public Policy Partners of Annapolis, said most of the work for her clients has been decided. While she still plans to pay 'close attention' to what's going on Monday in Annapolis, Ciekot said the next day will be a major focus. 'I am much more concerned about actions at the federal level and how they are going to impact Marylanders and my clients and the people that my clients work with,' said Ciekot, who highlighted behavioral health care and other health services. She specifically mentioned the federal Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department Health and Human Services, which recently announced thousands of layoffs and the shuttering of some offices. Sen. Joanne C. Benson (D-Prince George's) called Monday 'bittersweet' and said she, too, is looking ahead. 'We do need a break because we have been working very, very hard down here trying to maintain and keep the money in the budget to save some of the programs we have committed ourselves to,' Benson said after the Senate adjourned from a second session Saturday afternoon. 'I think that we're going to have to come back before January because of what's being projected and what we think is going to happen as it pertains to … Washington,' she said. 'There's still some uncertainty.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
