Public News Service

Vote 16 USA reported 16- and 17-year-olds turned out at higher rates than older voters. (Adobe Stock)

Some Maryland Communities Lowering Voting Age to 16

Today is National Voter Registration Day and in addition to urging you to check your registration advocates are making the case for lowering the votin…

Households with income at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines are eligible for the ACP. (Adobe Stock)

Thousands of Maryland Households Qualify for Internet Subsidy

Maryland residents struggling to pay for web access can get help from two connected programs. The Federal Communications Commission's Affordable …

Maryland's voting system produces a voter-verifiable paper record. (Lisa F. Young/Adobe Stock)

Advocates Call Machine Counting of Ballots Faster, More Accurate

With the likelihood of a long wait for election results nationwide, Maryland's decision to pre-process mail-in ballots may pay dividends in the …

Maryland was the last state in the union to still forbid any kind of mail-in ballot counting before election day. (Adobe Stock)

Maryland to Begin Pre-Processing of Mail-In Ballots

Maryland's back-and-forth over the pre-processing of mail-in ballots is over, as the state's highest court has weighed in. Earlier this year the …

The number of Maryland residents who identify as white has decreased to less than half the state's population, according to 2020 Census data. (Adobe Stock)

Maryland Dems Push for Early Primary Election Date in 2024

The Maryland Democratic Party is asking for the state to be considered for an early primary for the 2024 presidential election. The party submitted a …

Some lawmakers say Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan's use of a smartphone app that auto-deletes messages erodes government transparency. (PxHere)

MD Bill Would Curb Hogan’s Use of Auto-Delete Messaging Apps

As states continue to grapple with widespread use of messaging apps by government employees, one of the first proposed measures in Maryland's 2022 …

People of color in Maryland's 43rd legislative district are worried their votes won't have impact if the latest proposed redistricting map is approved. (Adobe stock)

MD Redistricting Panel Pushed to Rethink Communities of Color

Maryland's Legislative Redistricting Advisory Commission released its revised district maps last week, and voting-rights groups are concerned the …

Civil rights groups are pushing Baltimore County to create a second majority Black council district to better represent its diverse population. (Flickr)

MD Civil Rights Groups Threaten Legal Action Over Redistricting Map

BALTIMORE, Md. -- Maryland civil rights groups are proposing a lawsuit against Baltimore County if it adopts its current redistricting plan, claiming …

Lakeland High School Class of 1930. Maryland's Lakeland was a once-thriving Black community that was destroyed by urban renewal in 1975. (Lakeland Community Heritage Project)<br />

New MD Redistricting Map Complicates Town’s Quest for Restorative Justice

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- A last-minute change to a Maryland county's redistricting map is throwing a wrench into a restorative justice process, which …

Marylanders who choose to use free software and create legislative redistricting maps must follow legal requirements before submitting them. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Voting-Rights Groups Urge Marylanders to Help with Redistricting Maps

BALTIMORE, Md. -- As two competing Maryland redistricting commissions offer multiple chances for public input, voter-advocacy groups say technology …

Census data from 2020 show Maryland's population moving to the center of the state, and fair-map advocates say district lines need to shift to represent the change. (maryland.gov)

MD Groups Hope Public Joins in New Redistricting Panel Meeting

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- One of Maryland's two competing redistricting commissions is holding an observation meeting for the first time tonight, and …

After George Floyd's murder last year at the hands of police, residents in Talbot County, Md., renewed efforts to remove this Confederate monument from the county courthouse. (Matthew Straubmiller/Flickr)

On Juneteenth: Protest Aims to Remove MD’s Last Confederate Monument

EASTON, Md. -- President Joe Biden just signed a law creating a federal holiday for Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in Texas…

Food insecurity in Maryland increased 88% during the pandemic, according to the Maryland Food Bank. (Adobe stock)

Health Group Launches New Faith-Based Grants for MD Community Projects

ANNAPOLIS. Md. - More and more people are turning to faith-based groups for help during the pandemic. In Maryland and other East Coast states…

Many incarcerated Marylanders don't realize they have the right to vote if they're being held pre-trial or serving time for a misdemeanor. (Adobe Stock)

Watershed MD Bill Would Expand Ballot Access for Incarcerated

BALTIMORE - After a Maryland coalition expanded voting rights for people in jails and prisons during the 2020 presidential election, a landmark bill …

More than 860,000 AARP Maryland members support a Prescription Drug Affordability Board, citing the need to corral skyrocketing drug prices. (Adobe Stock)

MD Groups Urge Override of Drug Affordability Bill Veto

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - A coalition is urging Maryland's General Assembly to override Gov. Larry Hogan's veto of a bill to fund a first-in-the-nation state …

Experts advise using compassion if the conversation veers into difficult political topics around this year's holiday dinner table. (Adobe Stock)

How to Have Tough Holiday Talks about Misinformation

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Holiday conversations can be stressful, especially in a year filled with misinformation and disinformation about the election…

Advocates of the push for D.C. statehood say it became more urgent this summer after federal forces were used to confront protests of racially motivated police violence. (Wikimedia Commons) <br /><br />

Election Fervor Spurs D.C. Group to Push for Representation

WASHINGTON -- The 2020 election season saw 35 U.S. Senate races, but one jurisdiction still has no representation in Congress - the District of …

Be prepared for delays when early voting in Baltimore. As a precaution, the city will be checking temperatures at Voting Centers. (Adobe stock)

What to Expect When Voting Early in Maryland

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - With only 12 days left before Election Day, early voting in Maryland starts on Monday and runs for eight consecutive days, including …

At least 7,000 people in Maryland jails awaiting trial have the right to vote. A coalition wants to make sure they are able to do so. (Adobe Stock)

A Push to Help Eligible Marylanders Vote, Even from Jail

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- As Election Day approaches, a coalition of voting-rights groups is urging Maryland's Board of Elections to help eligible citizens …

U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., is urging Congress to fight partisanship and bring civility back to Washington. (Adobe stock)<br />

MD Congressman Launches Bipartisan Coalition to Defend Democracy

SILVER SPRING, Md. -- Addressing fears partisanship is undermining people's trust in democracy, Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin, D-Md., launched a …

Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh says he doesn't trust Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's claims that he'll end cost-cutting measures in the U.S. Postal Service. (Wikimedia Commons)

Maryland AG: Legal Action Against U.S. Postal Service Will Advance

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- As Postmaster General Louis DeJoy testifies in a Senate hearing today about controversial cost-cutting measures, Maryland's …

Nearly 40% of all poll-worker jobs in Maryland were vacant as of last week, mostly as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

Amid Pandemic, MD Replaces Polling Places with Voting Centers

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Facing a shortage of poll workers because of the pandemic, Gov. Larry Hogan has given the go-ahead to use "voting centers" in …

Protesters are calling on Gov. Larry Hogan to change from in-person voting to mail-in ballots for the November presidential election. (Adobe stock)

Protesters Push Hogan to Change His Mind on In-Person Voting

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- With mail-in voting for the presidential election becoming a partisan issue across the nation, a coalition of lawmakers and …

Residents of Washington, D.C., have no voting representation in Congress, despite paying the highest federal taxes per capita in the nation. (Adobe Stock)

U.S. House Votes on Historic D.C. Statehood Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Spurred on by recent anti-racism protests around the country, today the U.S. House is voting to make the District of Columbia the 5…

Some Maryland residents didn't receive their mail-in ballots in time for the state's mail-in primary election last week. (Adobe Stock)

Complaints Soar Over Maryland Primary-Election Breakdowns

BALTIMORE -- As votes continue to be counted a week after Maryland's mail-in primary election, voting-rights groups are voicing concerns about …

Thousands of Marylanders still haven't received mail-in ballots, just four days away from the state's June 2 presidential primary election. (Adobe Stock)

Late Mail-in Ballots Jeopardize MD Primary Election

BALTIMORE - Delays of mail-in ballots from Maryland's Board of Elections are threatening the statewide presidential primary on Tuesday, according to …

National Honor Our LGBT Elders Day celebrates the contributions of overlooked gay and lesbian seniors in the United States. (Adobe Stock)

MD's National LGBT Elders Day Salutes Unsung Gay Seniors

BALTIMORE - Tomorrow is "National Honor Our LGBT Elders Day" - and with most Americans still quarantined from the COVID-19 pandemic, organizers have …

Republican Gov. Larry Hogan vetoed a bill that would have funded the nation's first prescription-drug affordability board. (Adobe stock)

MD Lawmakers Urged to Quash Veto of Nation’s First Drug-Pricing Board

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Since Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan refused to sign a measure to fund the state's new Prescription Drug Affordability board last week…

In addition to school closings and a ban on large gatherings, Maryland officials are closing the Port of Baltimore to passenger cruise ships in light of the new coronavirus. (Adobe Stock)

Coronavirus: MD Closes Schools, Bans Large Gatherings

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Maryland officials have announced the state's first case of community-transmitted new coronavirus. That has contributed to a series …

The Rev. William Barber of the Poor People's Campaign leads a rally in Washington in June 2019. (Poor People's Campaign)

For MLK Day Tribute, MD's Poor People's Campaign Hosts Film on Poverty

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- The Poor People's Campaign, led by Rev. William Barber, is marking MLK Day Monday with screenings in Maryland and around the …

A proposed bill in Maryland aims to put the state's rules for shotgun purchases on par with those for handguns. (Adobe stock)

MD Lawmakers to Try Again on Controversial Shotgun Restrictions

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- When the Maryland General Assembly starts on Wednesday, a gun bill that didn't pass last year's session will be one of the top …

Robert M. Pennoyer, now and at age 19, on the U.S.S. Pensacola at Iwo Jima in 1944 (Courtesy: Robert M. Pennoyer)

WWII Veteran: Ignorance, Indifference Greatest Threats to America

NEW YORK – Seventy-four years after he saw the flag raised on Iwo Jima, a World War II veteran has an Independence Day message for America: The …

Reform efforts for gerrymandering saw a setback from Thursday's U.S. Supreme Court ruling, which allowed the practice to continue in Maryland and North Carolina. (iStockphoto)

Supreme Court Allows Gerrymandering in Maryland

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Politicians in Maryland essentially got permission to draw voting districts to favor one party over others, as the U.S…

Hundreds of students and teams across the United States and Canada compete in 11 events as part of the Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl. (APPE)

Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl Tackles Tough Social Issues

BALTIMORE – It's an event that organizers hope many in Washington, D.C., can watch and learn from. But the ultimate goal of this weekend's …

Peace organizations are hoping to restore Armistice Day, also known as Poppy Day and Remembrance Day, which was renamed Veterans day in 1954, as a day for celebrating peace. (Ian Parkes/Flickr)

Trump to Commemorate Pro-Peace Armistice Day Centennial

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – President Donald Trump is set to be in Paris this weekend to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of Armistice Day, which …

National Week of Conversation, which runs through Oct. 13, encourages people of all stripes coast to coast to connect with one another and be more civicly engaged. (Pixabay)

National Week of Conversation Promotes #ListenFirst

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – This week, a national movement is helping people to listen and exchange ideas instead of shunning others with differing views…

Capital Gazette reporters were put in the frightening situation of covering a mass shooting in their own building on Thursday. (Pixabay)

Journalism Community Mourns Loss of Lives at Capital Gazette

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – In what appears to be one of the deadliest attacks on journalists in U.S. history, the nation's journalism associations are …

A gunman is dead after wounding two fellow students with a handgun Tuesday morning at a high school in southern Maryland. (Pixabay)

Gun-Control Advocates: This is Happening Far Too Often

GREAT MILLS, Md. — In the wake of the latest school shooting, that took place at Great Mills High School, both sides of the gun control debate …

Neal Simon is a business executive and community leader from Potomac, Maryland. He is the current CEO of Bronfman Rothschild and is running for U.S. Senate. (Neal Simon)

Maryland Businessman Among New, Independent Senate Candidates

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — A newly formed organization, Unite America, has released its first slate of candidates for public office, including a U.S…

More Latinos are going to college but still struggle in the labor market. (Tatiyana Carter)

Report: Latinos Struggle in Labor Market Despite College Degrees

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – More Latinos are going to college, but they're losing ground in the labor market, according to a new report. The study…

Mass shootings lead to an uptick in membership for anti-violence groups. (fbi.gov)

More Join Anti-Violence Groups After Vegas Massacre

BALTIMORE, Md. – Groups promoting peace and urging that gun-control measures be put in place are seeing a spike in membership, an effect that's …

Maryland has capped payday loans at 33 percent but other states have not put limits in place. (consumerfinance.gov)

Payday Lenders Curtailed, For Now

BALTIMORE — While consumer rights groups are celebrating last week's decision by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to stop payday debt tr…

GOP lawmakers missed a key deadline this weekend to repeal the Affordable Care Act. (Virginia Carter)

Maryland Pushes Forward on Affordable Health Care

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Groups that have pushed for health care for all Americans are breathing a collective sigh of relief. Senate Republicans …

More civic education is being stressed as a way to keep Americans from losing faith in their government. (md.gov)

Researchers: Civic Education Imperative

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Americans increasingly are losing faith not only in government but in their fellow man's ability to make good political decisions…

A collaboration in Maryland focuses on partnerships between large corporations and minority- and women-owned businesses. (aacounty.org)

Report: When Big and Small Businesses Team Up, Both Benefit

BALTIMORE, Md. — They’re called anchor institutions: organizations like hospitals and universities that have developed deep roots in …

A new report praises Maryland for not allowing junk science in the courtroom. (instituteforlegalreform.com)

Maryland Sees Improvement in Legal Climate

BALTIMORE -- A new report says Maryland has made some reforms in discouraging out-of-state attorneys to try big litigation cases here. A Harris poll …

A congressional panel tasked with coming up with climate change solutions is growing in membership. (fl.gov)

Bipartisan Climate Caucus Sees Surge in Membership

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – A panel made up of members of Congress who are seeking solutions to climate change is growing by leaps and bounds. The …

Baltimore reacted immediately to violence in Charlottesville by removing Confederate statues. (md.gov)

Outpouring of Support for Charlottesville from Maryland and Beyond

BALTIMORE – People in Maryland and around the country have held or are or planning nearly a thousand Stand With Charlottesville events…

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