Looking for Inspiration Outside the Beltway? See What's Happening in Maryland.

Thank goodness for state-level policymakers who are resisting the Trump administration's extreme policies. Leaders in the Maryland General Assembly, for example, looked at President Trump's budget proposals and knew they had to act. Despite structural impediments that come from a state budget process where the legislature cannot appropriate more overall funds than the governor proposes in his budget, the General Assembly responded to Trump's proposal to drastically reduce federal funding to enforce the Clean Water Act. And that's not all. Maryland legislators took proactive steps to get out ahead of Trump's proposed cuts to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which could restrict money that passes through to state agencies like Maryland's Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation for enforcement.