Read more about the article MACo Seeks 2027 Legislative Initiative Proposals by July 10
County News / Feature / General Assembly News / News You Can Use
MACo Seeks 2027 Legislative Initiative Proposals by July 10

MACo welcomes proposals for legislative priorities for the 2027 legislative session. Each year, MACo selects up to four priorities to advance through the General Assembly. These initiatives reflect county needs and promote practical, statewide solutions. In recent years, MACo initiatives have focused on infrastructure investment, modernizing local revenue structures, housing tools for counties, and emergency response capacity (view MACo’s 2026 Initiatives for examples). MACo will soon send a formal request for submissions to counties. In…

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June 25, 2026
Read more about the article Special Session Talk Grows as Leaders Eye July Timeline
Elections / General Assembly News
Special Session Talk Grows as Leaders Eye July Timeline

Legislative leaders may bring lawmakers back to Annapolis later this summer to address congressional redistricting and election-related issues. House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk recently asked lawmakers to reserve time in their schedules between mid-July and early August while House and Senate leadership determine whether to convene a special session. Leadership identified July 16-22 and July 30-August 5 as potential dates, with a preference for the earlier timeframe. Speaker Peña-Melnyk and Senate President Bill Ferguson plan to…

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June 17, 2026
Read more about the article The Briefing Room Ep 4: The Data Center Dilemma
County News / Economic Development / Energy / Environment / Feature / General Assembly News / Information Technology / Intergovernmental Relations
The Briefing Room Ep 4: The Data Center Dilemma

In Episode 4 of The Briefing Room, we continue our five-part energy series with a closer look at one of the fastest-growing and most controversial issues facing state and local governments: data centers.   Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to the Conduit Street Blog and stay in the know!  

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June 2, 2026
Read more about the article May in Maryland: What’s News, What’s Noise?
County Budgets / County Government and Structure / County News / Elections / Energy / Environment / General Assembly News / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Taxes and Revenues
May in Maryland: What’s News, What’s Noise?

We're back with another special edition of the Conduit Street Podcast, with the MACo team taking up several issues from this month's headlines, and trying to sort out which are the real stories (news) and which are more smoke than fire (noise). Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to the Conduit Street Blog and stay in the know!  

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May 29, 2026
Read more about the article News or Noise? Breaking Down Maryland’s 2026 Session
County Budgets / County News / Economic Development / General Assembly News / Intergovernmental Relations / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Transportation and Public Works
News or Noise? Breaking Down Maryland’s 2026 Session

This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, longtime hosts Kevin Kinnally and Michael Sanderson are "back in the saddle" with a post-session "news or noise" breakdown of what really mattered, and what didn't, from Maryland's 2026 legislative session.     Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to the Conduit Street Blog and stay in the know!

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May 1, 2026
Read more about the article Major Issues & More – 90 Day Report Reviews the 2026 Legislative Session
County News / Feature / General Assembly News
Major Issues & More – 90 Day Report Reviews the 2026 Legislative Session

The Maryland Department of Legislative Services’ annual synopsis of the General Assembly’s time in Annapolis provides an update on taxes, education, energy, transportation, public safety, environmental, and health issues addressed in bills that passed – and didn’t pass – in the 2026 Session. As the Maryland Department of Legislative Services describes, the 90 Day Report is divided into 12 parts, each discussing a significant policy area. Each part contains a discussion of the majority of bills…

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April 22, 2026
Read more about the article 2026 Session: Recap and Wrap-Ups
Business Affairs / County Budgets / County News / Courts / Economic Development / Education / Elections / Emergency Management / Employee Benefits and Relations / Energy / Environment / Feature / Finance and Procurement / General Assembly News / Government Liability and Courts / Health and Human Services / Housing and Community Development / Human Resources / Information Technology / Intergovernmental Relations / MACo Testimony / Parks and Recreation / Pensions & Public Funds / Planning and Zoning / Public Information and Ethics / Public Safety and Corrections / School Construction and Capital Budgets / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Taxes and Revenues / Tourism / Transportation and Public Works
2026 Session: Recap and Wrap-Ups

Catch up on all of the latest outcomes of the 2026 Maryland General Assembly session with wrap-ups on important county-related bills in each policy area. Maryland’s 448th legislative session unfolded under significant fiscal pressure. Lawmakers closed the fiscal 2027 gap, preserved reserves, and fully funded principal commitments, such as the Blueprint, but did not resolve the larger structural deficits projected for the years ahead. That budget pressure shaped debates across nearly every policy area, from…

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April 17, 2026
Read more about the article Conduit Street Podcast: 90 Days Later — Sine Die Recap
County Budgets / County News / Economic Development / Education / Elections / Energy / Environment / General Assembly News / Housing and Community Development / Information Technology / Intergovernmental Relations / MACo Testimony / Public Safety and Corrections / Transportation and Public Works
Conduit Street Podcast: 90 Days Later — Sine Die Recap

This Week on the Conduit Street Podcast, we bring you an episode fresh from Sine Die to break down the 2026 legislative session from start to finish.   Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to the Conduit Street Blog and stay in the know!

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April 17, 2026
Read more about the article 2026 End of Session Wrap-Up: Procurement
Finance and Procurement / MACo Testimony
2026 End of Session Wrap-Up: Procurement

The segments below provide a brief overview of MACo’s work on procurement policy in the 2026 General Assembly. Public procurement is a critical function of county government that drives infrastructure delivery, management of public funds, and ensures fair and competitive contracting processes. Through its procurement advocacy, MACo works to preserve local flexibility in procurement practices while supporting policies that promote transparency, efficiency, and strong partnerships with the private sector. In Maryland's 448th legislative session, procurement policy…

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April 16, 2026
Read more about the article 2026 End of Session Wrap-Up: Business Affairs
Business Affairs / MACo Testimony
2026 End of Session Wrap-Up: Business Affairs

The segments below provide a brief overview of MACo’s work on business affairs policy in the 2026 General Assembly session. Business regulation and licensing sit at the intersection of economic opportunity and public safety, with counties responsible for administering and enforcing many of the rules that govern local commerce. Through its business affairs advocacy, MACo seeks to preserve local authority, ensure effective oversight, and maintain access to essential regulated services in communities across the state.…

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April 16, 2026
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