In preparation for the 2009 Maryland General Assembly session, the Maryland Chamber’s grassroots program, the Chamber Action Network (CAN), is launching a new website. The goal of the new site is to keep you informed about important public policy issues that could impact your business and to seek your feedback on how proposed legislative and regulatory action could impact your business.

CAN is a grassroots coalition of 50 chambers of commerce from around the state. We work together to coordinate pro-business advocacy efforts in Annapolis. Together, we represent more than 22,000 Maryland employers.

The new website, www.ChamberActionNetwork.com, will deliver public policy information in new and interactive ways. Members of the Maryland Chamber staff, including our lobbyists, will be posting updates to the CAN Blog. We’ll also be posted video updates from Annapolis with our lobbyists and the policy experts who volunteer on Chamber committees. The site will include:

• Issue pages on important public policy topics, as well as priority legislation. These pages will provide simple summaries, useful resources, news links, in addition to more detailed policy positions.
• A Blog that will be frequently updated by Maryland Chamber staff, including our lobbyists, and staff from the other CAN partner organizations.
• Video updates from Maryland Chamber lobbyists in Annapolis, as well as video interviews with policy experts, lawmakers and business people from across the state.
• Grassroots tools to help business people identify and communicate with their legislators.
• A calendar of business-related public policy events from around the state.
• Polls and surveys to seek feedback from business people like you.

We hope you’ll visit www.ChamberActionNetwork.com frequently and encourage your employees and colleagues to do the same. Get involved in our advocacy efforts. Tell us how proposed legislation will impact your business. Use the site’s grassroots tools to communicate with your elected officials. Comment on blog posts that peak your interest. In short, get involved. Your participation will make our pro-business advocacy efforts stronger.