Maryland Matters is the Maryland branch of States Newsroom, a nonprofit media coalition that has called itself a progressive political journalism start up. ¹ Maryland Matters focuses on environmental issues including investing in weather dependent energy sources instead of oil and gas; government and politics, such as the Maryland State Education Association backing three Democrats running for congressional seats; and health care and immigration, such as the passing of a Maryland State Senate bill which allows illegal immigrants to more easily purchase private health care coverage from the state’s insurance marketplace. ²

History

Maryland Matters was founded March 1, 2017, by Louis Peck and Josh Kurtz. Peck also founded National Journal‘s Congress Daily, is a contributing editor for Bethesda Magazine, and contributes to the Almanac of American Politics. Kurtz is the founding editor of Maryland Matters. He has worked for The Gazette newspaper, was an editor for Roll Call and E&E Daily, and wrote columns for Center Maryland. States Newsroom was a financial supporter of Maryland Matters for multiple years, and in July of 2022, States Newsroom moved Maryland Matters into the larger States Newsroom network. ^{3 4 5}

Issue Coverage

Government and Politics

Maryland Matters wrote an article discussing the National Education Association’s endorsement of three Maryland Democrats for political office based on a recommendation from the Maryland State Education Association. The Democrats are State Sen. Sarah K. Elfreth running for Maryland’s 3rd Congressional District; Delegate Joe Vogel for Maryland’s 6th Congressional District; and Baltimore County Executive John Olszewski Jr. for Maryland’s 2nd Congressional District. Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, mentioned focusing on gun violence in schools, expanding school-based mental health programs, and hiring more educators. The Maryland State Education Association also supported the campaign of Gov. Wes Moore (D) in 2022. ^{6 7}

Energy and Environment

The outlet published a piece by Susan Stevens Miller, an attorney from Earthjustice, to write an article about oil and gas energy. Miller wrote about Maryland being one of the leading states working to ban fossil fuels in favor of weather-dependent energy sources. The Maryland General Assembly passed the Climate Solutions Now Act, which works to stop investments in oil and gas energy and instead direct that money towards solar and wind energy in order to increase electrification of buildings and cars. ^{8 9 10}

Health Care

An article by Maryland Matters discussed the Access to Care Act, an immigrant and health advocacy bill which passed the Maryland Senate in early 2024. The bill would allow illegal immigrants to access health care coverage through the state of Maryland. Ninfa Amador-Hernandez, a policy analyst for the immigrant advocacy group CASA, described Maryland as a home for immigrants, and said that the illegal immigrants in Maryland need this bill so that they can have the same access to healthcare as citizens. Hernandez also noted that the Access to Care Act is one of CASA’s main legislative priorities of 2024. Additionally, the article does not used the term “undocumented residents” to describe persons unlawfully present in the United States. ^{11 12}

1. “States Newsroom Hiring Media Administrative Assistant in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States.” LinkedIn. Accessed March 27, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/media-administrative-assistant-at-states-newsroom-1362718370/.
2. “Home.” Maryland Matters. Accessed March 29, 2024. https://www.marylandmatters.org/.
3. “About Maryland Matters.” Maryland Matters, February 29, 2024. https://www.marylandmatters.org/about-maryland-matters/.
4. Staff, Maryland Matters. “It’s Our Fifth Anniversary!” Maryland Matters, March 1, 2022. https://www.marylandmatters.org/2022/03/01/its-our-fifth-anniversary/.
5. Gaines, Danielle E. “A Note from the Editor.” Maryland Matters, July 8, 2022. https://www.marylandmatters.org/2022/07/06/a-note-from-the-editor/.
6. “Government & Politics Archives.” Maryland Matters. Accessed March 29, 2024. https://www.marylandmatters.org/category/politics/.
7. Ford, William J. “Teachers’ Union Backs Three Maryland Officials for Congress.” Maryland Matters, March 26, 2024. https://www.marylandmatters.org/2024/03/27/teachers-union-backs-three-maryland-officials-for-congress/.
8. “Energy & Environment Archives.” Maryland Matters. Accessed March 29, 2024. https://www.marylandmatters.org/category/energy-environment/.
9. Commentary, Guest. “Commentary: Md. Can Lead the Transition Away from Fossil Fuels.” Maryland Matters, March 5, 2024. https://www.marylandmatters.org/2024/03/06/commentary-md-can-lead-the-transition-away-from-fossil-fuels/.
10. Kurtz, Josh. “Climate Plan’s out. Now Comes the Hard Part: Paying for It.” Maryland Matters, January 25, 2024. https://www.marylandmatters.org/2024/01/25/climate-plans-out-now-comes-the-hard-part-paying-for-it/#:~:text=The%20state%20is%20on%20track,clean%20electricity%20use%20by%202035.
11. “Health Care Archives.” Maryland Matters. Accessed March 29, 2024. https://www.marylandmatters.org/category/health-care/.
12. Brown, Danielle J. “Bill Allowing Undocumented Residents to More Easily Buy Health Care Finally Clears Senate Hurdle.” Maryland Matters, March 8, 2024. https://www.marylandmatters.org/2024/03/08/bill-allowing-undocumented-residents-to-more-easily-buy-health-care-finally-clears-senate-hurdle/