“Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.” This past legislative session, the Maryland General Assembly made history in passing what House Speaker Adrienne Jones referred to as “The Black Agenda.”
With the passage of robust police reform, legislation requiring companies to diversify their corporate boards and approving historic funding for Maryland’s four HBCUs, Maryland made progress in righting historical wrongs that had for too long gone unresolved.
Another piece of legislation, House Bill 940, that legalizes sports wagering, was just signed into law by the governor, seeks to make history yet again. Because of the hard work of so many, Maryland became the first state to prioritize the awarding of sports wagering licenses to applicants that have significant Black or women ownership.
While the legislature went to extraordinary measures to ensure the exact language did not overstep any state or federal constitutional standards, the intent was apparent: Maryland cannot repeat past mistakes of recent procurements, most notably medical cannabis, and leave Black and women applicants out of a new and lucrative industry.
Click here to read the rest of the article over at Maryland Matters
