For Immediate Release: January 25, 2023
Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/casademaryland/albums/72177720305478841
Facebook Live: https://fb.me/e/2uGlRESeY
Twitter thread: https://twitter.com/CASAforall/status/1617892764951412736?s=20&t=54wztT998dbZpM0zV4pAHA
Annapolis, MD – At a spirited rally in front of Lawyers Mall, Maryland’s largest immigrant advocacy organization CASA presented that healthcare expansion to Maryland immigrants is top priority this legislative session. Other key priorities in its 2023 legislative platform include tenant and economic justice reform.
Healthcare for All
The Access to Care Act would remove immigration status as a barrier to purchasing health insurance through the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange. Undocumented Marylanders are just as likely as anyone other Marylander to experience an event that requires medical attention. This bill would be a step toward closing the uninsured rate and lessening emergency room visits across the state.
“We live worried because of our health conditions,” said CASA member Fernanda Estrada.
Bill sponsor Senator Clarence K. Lam, MD, explained, “This bill is an important follow up to successful legislation last year extending access to prenatal care, and will help ensure that all Marylanders have access to affordable healthcare.”
Bill sponsor Delegate Bonnie Cullison commented, “I am very grateful to stand with CASA as we work together to assure that ALL Marylanders have access to affordable health care. I share the Governor’s commitment to leave no one behind. We can only do that by assuring that our neighbors can stay healthy; by contributing to the well-being of each of us, we ultimately contribute to the well-being of everyone in our communities. Passage of the Access to Care Act puts our state solidly on the path of health and economic equity.”
Tenants’ Rights
Tenants’ rights protect our community members’ mental and financial well-being through legislation on housing rights such as the Just Cause Eviction bill and the Tenant Safety Act. These bills protect families’ security and stability by requiring landlords to provide just cause for evicting a tenant, ensure that any previous court-ordered evictions are strictly scrutinized to make sure that just cause is present, and allow tenants to sue landlords en masse for negligence and serious conditions of disrepair that threaten the health and safety of tenants.
CASA member Liz Carlos testified, “We pay our rent on time, we are paying a lot of money. And for us to be living in these conditions, it is not fair.”
Delegate Vaughn M. Stewart commented, “Maryland law theoretically affords tenants the right to a home that meets basic structural, health, and safety standards. But because they face barriers to enforcing that right, many families live in putrid conditions, forced to inhale mold, dodge rats, and sleep in buildings that are literally falling apart. The Tenant Safety Act will make it easier for groups of renters to file lawsuits collectively because everyone deserves a safe and dignified home.”
Permanent Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Expansion
The Permanent EITC guarantees the inclusion to the earned income and child tax credit expansion of all Marylanders regardless of immigration status. This bill will uplift thousands of hardworking, tax-paying Maryland families facing economic hardship and decrease poverty in our communities while improving livelihoods.
CASA member Luz Diaz expressed, “I’m here today to urge the Moore administration and the entire General Assembly to continue the extension of the Earned Income Tax Credit because this is very essential for families like myself and many families across the state of Maryland.”
These bills would positively impact the lives of all Marylanders, especially the undocumented and working class families. CASA will be advocating for the passing of these bills for 2023.
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www.wearecasa.org
With over 125,000 lifetime Latino, immigrant, and working-class members across 46 US states, CASA is the foremost immigrant organization in the mid-Atlantic region and a national leader in supporting immigrant families and ensuring that all individuals have the core support necessary for full participation in society. Now a national immigrant powerhouse, CASA creates change with its powerbuilding model blending human services, community organizing, and advocacy in order to serve the full spectrum of the needs, dreams, and aspirations of members. Visit us at www.wearecasa.org and follow us on Twitter at @CASAforall.
