In the News
Help Us Support the CFPB — Tell Your Member of Congress to Vote NO on High Overdraft Fees
On February 14, we shared that Economic Action along with the City of Baltimore sued to stop Russell Vought, Director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, from defunding the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). That temporary restraining order was for two weeks, ending on February 28. On February 28, Democracy Forward, the nonprofit who is suing on our behalf informed us that the judge extended the order barring the federal government from transferring away all of the CFPB’s funds. This means that the CFPB still has funding for another two weeks. While this is a short-term victory, it's ...
Political rivals agree medical debt is urgent issue
Despite political tensions, Democrats and Republicans have passed bipartisan laws in over 20 states to protect patients from aggressive billing and collections. “Republicans in the legislature seem more open to protecting people from medical debt than from other kinds of debt,” said Marceline White, executive director of Economic Action Maryland, which helped lead efforts in that state to stop medical providers from garnishing the wages of low-income patients. That bill drew unanimous support from Democrats and Republicans. Read the rest of the article here. You can also get more information on medical debt in Maryland by downloading our 2024 Guide ...
Join Us!
ECONOMIC ACTION MARYLAND'S AWARDS CEREMONY A NIGHT OF CELEBRATION Together we work to expand economic rights and financial inclusion in Maryland. Economic Action Maryland's Awards Celebration brings together community, policy, and government leaders working to advance consumer protections and economic justice in Maryland. Join us for our Awards Celebration to honor our economic action champions, enjoy good food and good drinks, and relish in the company of your colleagues and friends. When? Thursday, November 7, 2024 5:30 PM EST - 8:30 PM EST Where? The Baltimore Museum of Industry 1415 Key Hwy Baltimore, MD 21230 Click here to purchase tickets! ...
Maryland County Code Enforcement, Inspection, and Zoning Agencies
Click on a link below to go to that county's code enforcement office, and procedures for filing a complaint. Each link will have contact information for each Maryland code enforcement agency. Allegany County Anne Arundel County Baltimore City Baltimore County Calvert County Caroline County Carroll County Cecil County Charles County Dorchester County Frederick County Garrett County Harford County Howard County Kent County: (410) 778-7437 Montgomery County Prince George's County Queen Anne's County St. Mary's County Somerset County Talbot County Washington County Wicomico County Worcester County
2024 Legislative Session: HB832/SB839 and HB328 Bill Signing
On Thursday, May 16th, we celebrated as two of our priority bills from the 2024 Legislative Session were signed into law by Governor Moore. HB832/SB839, sponsored by Delegate Vaughn Stewart and Senator Charles Sydnor, allows nominal damages to be awarded for violations of consumer laws. HB328, sponsored by Delegate Lesley Lopez, prohibits Maryland hospitals from using geographic service area tests and non-monetary asset tests to deny income-eligible patients free or reduced cost care.
Protect Consumers from BGE Rate Hikes
On September 29, Economic Action Maryland and thirteen other organizations submitted a comment letter to the Public Service Commission opposing BGE's $602.4 million rate increase. The Public Service Commission needed to hear that many more citizens care about this rate hike that is not transparent, foists the costs of BGE’s infrastructure investments onto households and is likely to increase costs by $810 per household which will harm low-income, and disproportionately Black and Brown households throughout BGE’s footprint. Many households who are living paycheck to paycheck earn just above the threshold to qualify for assistance but certainly cannot afford to subsidize BGE’s ...
International Rights Group Calls Out U.S. for Allowing Hospitals to Push Millions Into Debt
Human Rights Watch, the nonprofit that for decades has called attention to the victims of war, famine, and political repression around the world, is taking aim at U.S. hospitals for pushing millions of American patients into debt. “Medical debt is drowning many low-income and working families while hospitals continue to benefit from nonprofit tax status as they pursue families for medical debt,” said Marceline White, executive director of Economic Action Maryland. Read the full article here.
Forum highlights discrimination and appraisal bias in housing
Although Maryland is one of the most diverse states in the nation, advocates say geographical and racial bias remains within the state’s housing industry. Robyn Dorsey, fair housing director for Economic Action Maryland, said Bank of America represents Baltimore City’s largest depositor of funds at 43%. However, it has invested less than 4% in home purchase mortgages. Read the full article here.
Poppleton Housing Complaint
Economic Action Maryland, along with Ms. Angela Banks, an African American member of Baltimore’s Poppleton community, have filed an administrative complaint with HUD (US Department of Housing and Urban Development) against Baltimore City, Mayor Brandon Scott, and the City Council for consistent violations of the Fair Housing Act. The complaint states the City’s redevelopment policies have violated the Fair Housing Act by displacing Black residents of Poppleton from the neighborhood and into more deeply segregated parts of Baltimore City as well as out of the city entirely. This continuous violation has gone on since at least 1975. The city has ...
Bank of America Donates Branch Building to South Baltimore Community Group
Economic Action Maryland is celebrating Bank of America’s donation of the historic bank branch (closed 2020) building to the Greater Baybrook Alliance. Read about this awesome collaboration here, here, here or here.