Maryland state employees are rallying behind a bill that would provide binding arbitration when unions and employers bargain.

Current Maryland law prohibits state workers from striking if their contract negotiations reach an impasse. A neutral party could make recommendations, but with no legal authority.

House Bill 159 would change that, allowing a neutral arbitrator to step in, with legally binding recommendations.

Patrick Moran - president of American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees' Council 3, which represents 30,000 state employees - said the bill would create a process that gives equal weight to unions and management.

"We want a process that's fair," said Moran. "And what I mean by that is, if we can't come to an agreement, then an arbitrator will get us both at the table and look at the evidence, and say, 'This side is asking for this. The other side is asking for that, and I think I can split the decision down the middle.'"

Opponents of the bill have said binding arbitration doesn't incentivize unions or management to compromise - an act they view as a vital pillar of union negotiations.

The legislation has been filed each year since 2022, but had never passed in either the House of Delegates or Senate until this session. Now, all eyes are on the Senate.

Moran said the need for an arbitrator depends on management's buy-in to the bargaining process.

"We didn't have an impasse procedure - so we were stuck with whatever the employer at the end, if we couldn't come to an agreement, decided we should take," said Moran. "That's not true bargaining. When we're dealing with rational people across the table, it's easier to come to a mutual conclusion."

If passed, the legislation would go before the Maryland voters as a ballot question.




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A new report highlights record-breaking investments in the Appalachian region, driven largely by federal climate and infrastructure funding over the past few years.

However, Congress is considering a budget reconciliation bill that could cut funding and put a damper on union jobs and private investment.

Dana Kuhnline, program director for the coalition ReImagine Appalachia, said funds included in the Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act could be lost.

"One of the reasons that's so harmful for our region is that a huge percentage of the Inflation Reduction Act was targeted with special provisions for communities that had seen a downturn from manufacturing and other industry loss, to try and build those industries back up," Kuhnline explained.

According to data from the Center for American Progress, Ohio has seen a record $11 billion in investments and created more than 4,700 jobs since the Inflation Reduction Act passed in 2021.

Rike Rothenstein, senior research associate for ReImagine Appalachia, said Ohio leads four Appalachian states with a total of $40 billion in public and private investments. She noted federal money helped spur economic growth and drove companies to the region.

"It is really the private investment that was significantly responsible for that renaissance," Rothenstein emphasized. "For that push and strengthening of U.S. manufacturing in the region."

The report shows federal investments in clean energy manufacturing and transportation technologies totaled about $128 billion between 2022 and 2024.

The dismantling of the 30-year-old AmeriCorps national service program by the Department of Government Efficiency will have significant effects in New Mexico.

Last year, AmeriCorps recruited more than 4,500 participants in the state to help meet local needs and strengthen communities. Program grants are administered by the Serve New Mexico Commission, working under the Department of Workforce Solutions.

Kristin Hsueh, executive director of the commission, said funding was eliminated for a planning grant and six of 10 operational programs, leaving only four still functioning.

"These program were offering services to the communities, everything from tutoring to after-school programming, mentorship, trail restoration," Hsueh outlined. "It's a significant cut, it's almost about two-thirds of our programs."

New Mexico has joined 24 states and the District of Columbia in a lawsuit suing over the Trump administration's cuts. The state's Attorney General said the action will hurt students, families and underserved communities. In New Mexico, a fourth of all AmeriCorps workers identify as Hispanic or Latino, the highest percentage in the nation.

Hsueh pointed out at least 84 AmeriCorps members in New Mexico were affected immediately, and 100 who were expected to participate this summer have been notified their positions have been defunded. She noted members and senior volunteers have previously served at more than 300 locations across the state.

"They are gaining a lot of experience," Hsueh observed. "They are serving something that's greater than themselves, which is really what AmeriCorps is all about, dedicating a portion of your life to make sure that you are improving the lives of others."

Initially known as Volunteers in Service to America or VISTA, AmeriCorps was created by President Lyndon Johnson in 1965 and renamed under President Bill Clinton. Nationwide, more than 75,000 people work in service each year, with land trusts, schools, public agencies and community and faith-based groups. Funding made up less than 1% of the federal budget.


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As the Appalachian Trail turns 100, conservation groups are sounding alarms over federal funding freezes and staff cuts.

The trail runs through the broader Appalachian region, including parts of southern Ohio and is a popular destination for thousands of Ohio hikers. Conservation groups warned recent layoffs at the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service could slow maintenance and repair work on the 2,200-mile trail.

Hawk Metheny, vice president of trail management for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, said Federal funds remain tied up in Congress, leaving local volunteers to carry the weight.

"We're carrying on. We've been here 100 years and we'll endure through this," Metheny emphasized. "It is the people's trail, the citizens' trail, so it's an all-hands effort."

More than 3 million people visit the Appalachian Trail each year. In Ohio, the outdoor recreation economy supports more than 125,000 jobs and brings in $11.8 billion annually, according to the Outdoor Industry Association.

Metheny noted recent extreme weather, such as flooding from Hurricane Helene, has damaged hundreds of trail miles. Volunteers have stepped in to relocate or reinforce affected areas but long-term stability requires federal support for land conservation and public access.

"It's an important resource for scenic values, recreational values, wildlife habitat, biodiversity protection," Metheny outlined. "The AT provides all those values across the entirety of the Appalachians from Georgia to Maine."

Several Ohio-based groups, including the Buckeye Trail Association, said public lands and trail systems provide vital health and tourism benefits. Events along the Appalachian Trail this summer aim to raise awareness and celebrate a century of stewardship and public access.