Rally calls for stronger stance on health care; Groups ask Hogan to oppose Trump’s American Health Care Act

A rally outside of the Government House in Annapolis on Sunday afternoon called on the state's leader to take a vocal stance against Republican-led health care bills being considered on Capitol Hill, and criticized him for vetoing an earned paid time off bill passed by the Maryland General Assembly in April.

The rally was organized by Montgomery County groups Do The Most Good Montgomery County and Takoma Park Mobilization.

The American Health Care Act, which would repeal and replace former President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act, was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives in May. The groups are asking Hogan to take a vocal stance against that bill, and its counterpart in the U.S. Senate, a topic of debate currently in Washington, D.C., and across the nation.

Do The Most Good co-founder Barbara Noveau said Gov. Larry Hogan should join the governors of other states in strongly opposing the bills.

"He should be on the front lines speaking out against it, and he's not," Noveau said.

And if those proposals become law, she would like to see a promise from Hogan ensuring Marylanders continue to get Medicaid and benefits as they always have, similar to how the state legislature passed a law guaranteeing funding for Planned Parenthood, even if it is cut on the national level.

"In other words, that the state will step in and fill the gap," she said.

Hogan spokeswoman Amelia Chassé said Hogan has voiced his thoughts on both the House and Senate health care bills. He would like to see a bipartisan solution.

"We know the current system needs to be fixed but the proposals that are being considered in Congress do not work for Maryland. Congress should go back to the drawing board in an open, transparent and bipartisan fashion to craft a bill that works for all Americans," she said in a statement Friday. "The governor has consistently said he will not support a proposal that causes Marylanders to lose health care coverage."

Protesters were also challenging Hogan on his veto of a bill approved by the General Assembly this past session, which would have required certain employers to offer employees earned paid sick leave. During the rally, dozens of people circled Hogan's house chanting messages, including, "You have sick leave, why can't we."

At the rally, speakers brought up concerns that included the possibility of people not taking off because they wouldn't be paid, a situation that could impact a person's health, and increase the likeliness of a disease or illness spreading to other workers.

Eve Hurwitz, an Annapolis resident and Democratic candidate for District 33 in Maryland's state Senate, came to the rally Sunday. She was a strong support of the sick leave bill that was vetoed, she said.

"He really sent a strong message to a lot of us that he doesn't think we deserve earned sick leave, and we absolutely do," she said.

The bill would have gone into effect Jan. 1, 2018, and would have applied to employers with 15 or more workers. Employees who put in at least 12 hours a week could earn up to five days a year in paid sick leave. There was also a minimum number of days employees must work to qualify, a provision which exempted seasonal workers, such as summer staff in Ocean City.

The legislature still has the option of overriding Hogan's veto.

Baltimore Sun reporter Michael Dresser contributed to this report.

Credit: By Rachael Pacella - [email protected] - Baltimore Sun reporter Michael Dresser contributed to this report.

Caption: A demonstrator holds a sign addressing Gov. Larry Hogan during a rally Sunday outside of Government House in Annapolis.

Joshua McKerrow/Capital Gazette