The 449th session of Maryland’s General Assembly kicks off this week on Wednesday, January 14, 2026. We’re diving in head first for this year’s 90-day sprint to pass transformative legislation that will improve community health, combat systematic environmental devastation caused by state-enabled corporations, and move us toward a more just and equitable future for our youth.
Last year, the CHERISH Our Communities Act made its way through the General Assembly as SB 978 / HB 1484 sponsored by Sen. Clarence Lam (D12) and Del. Jazz Lewis (D24), but stalled in House and Senate committees.
Since then, we’ve continued organizing, and we’re going all-in on the bill again this year with our ever-expanding coalition of environmental justice partners. The CHERISH Our Communities Act follows examples set by lawmakers in New Jersey, New York, and Minnesota to create new permitting requirements for facilities that have major environmental impact on nearby communities. It also gives Maryland Department of Environment a clear mandate—and the authority—to consider environmental justice when making permit decisions.
If the bill passes in 2026, residents in the most polluted neighborhoods across the state will be protected from new facilities that would make the pollution problem even worse. Pollution from existing facilities will also have to decrease. Meanwhile, positive development that doesn’t harm people’s health will be free to thrive.
Fun fact: CHERISH was named by Carlos, SBCLT’s very own youth outreach specialist. CHERISH = from Cumulative Harms to Environmental Restoration for Improving our Shared Health
Take action to pass CHERISH in 2026 by following the links below!
