Maryland

Per the State of Maryland:  Governor Wes Moore this weekend embarked upon a two-day tour of Mountain Maryland to mark the Moore-Miller administration’s first six months in office. Governor Moore was joined by Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller for a convening of the administration’s cabinet at Rocky Gap Casino Resort and community engagement events in Allegany and Garrett Counties.

“At the halfway point of the first year of this administration, we have achieved a lot to be proud of—but we have much more work to do,” said Gov. Moore. “We must continue to work in partnership from Mountain Maryland to the Eastern Shore to build an economy that leaves no one behind and create new pathways to prosperity to make this Maryland’s decade.”

Per the State of Maryland: Governor Wes Moore today announced the fiscal year 2024 funding to support the Maryland Manufacturing 4.0 program, a growing initiative that provides grants to small and mid-sized Maryland manufacturers to invest in Industry 4.0 technologies. The new round of funding, administered by the Maryland Department of Commerce, will provide businesses with a total of $1 million to modernize their operations.

“Opportunities like the Maryland Manufacturing 4.0 grant program help to not only position our small and mid-sized businesses for advancement, but also ensure Maryland remains competitive in leveraging innovative technology,” said Gov. Moore. “Actively investing in our state’s companies will help strengthen Maryland’s manufacturing industry and unleash its potential for growth and success.”

With the average conventional birth costing over $2,600 for mothers with insurance and nearly $15,000 for mothers without insurance, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2023’s Best & Worst States to Have a Baby, with Maryland coming in 18th and a #4 ranking in the “Cost” category.

To determine the most ideal places in the U.S. for parents and their newborns, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 31 key measures of cost, health care accessibility and baby-friendliness. The data set ranges from hospital conventional-delivery charges to annual average infant-care costs to pediatricians per capita.

WSSC Water has filed a lawsuit against nearly 20 companies that knowingly polluted the environment with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals.” The lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland (Southern Division), was brought against 3M, Dupont, Chemours and others for manufacturing fire-suppression foams, which contain PFAS, and concealing the toxic nature of the materials from the public.

Per WSSC: PFAS are compounds that do not easily break down and end up in drinking water supplies and wastewater. The lawsuit seeks to hold these companies financially responsible for any past, present and future water and wastewater treatment changes as they profited from selling products they knew contained these dangerous substances.

Per the State of Maryland: Governor Wes Moore today announced $6.3 million in funding to protect against hate crimes and to enhance local police recruitment and retention efforts through the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services.

“Every Marylander has a role to play in combating racism, bias and hate and in keeping our communities safe,” said Gov. Moore. “Through this funding, we will help support both our community partners and our law enforcement partners as we work together to build a stronger, safer Maryland.”

Per the Maryland Attorney General’s Office: Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown is pleased to announce appointments to the newly formed Maryland Commission on Hate Crime Response and Prevention. The Commission is composed of 20 stakeholders from a cross-section of law enforcement, state and local institutions, and organizations representing communities targeted by hate crimes.

During Attorney General Brown’s first 100 days in office, he successfully pursued several key legislative priorities focused on his mission of justice and equity, including the transformation of his office’s existing Hate Crimes Task Force into a permanent body known as the Maryland Commission on Hate Crime Response and Prevention. In May, the General Assembly passed HB1066, creating the Commission that now offers Marylanders a permanent, long-term mechanism to address hate crimes at the state level. Governor Wes Moore signed the bill into law, and the Commission went into effect in June.