Read more about the article 2026 End of Session Wrap-Up: Environment
Environment / MACo Testimony / Parks and Recreation
2026 End of Session Wrap-Up: Environment

The segments below provide a brief overview of MACo’s work in the area of environment policy in the 2026 General Assembly session. Counties remain on the front lines of environmental policy, tasked with implementing and enforcing ambitious statewide goals while balancing local realities. As such, MACo continues to advocate for practical, flexible solutions that empower counties to meet environmental objectives without imposing unworkable mandates or unfunded burdens. Maryland’s 448th legislative session unfolded under significant fiscal…

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April 15, 2026
Read more about the article 2026 End of Session Wrap-Up: Planning and Zoning
MACo Testimony / Planning and Zoning
2026 End of Session Wrap-Up: Planning and Zoning

The segments below provide a brief overview of MACo’s work on planning and zoning policy in the 2026 General Assembly session. Planning and zoning decisions are an integral function of county government, shaping how communities grow, where infrastructure is placed, and how residents and businesses coexist. In its planning & zoning advocacy, MACo seeks to preserve the ability of local governments – those closest to the people and with the most insight into local needs…

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April 15, 2026
Read more about the article 2026 End of Session Wrap-Up: Housing and Community Development
County News / Housing and Community Development / MACo Testimony
2026 End of Session Wrap-Up: Housing and Community Development

The segments below provide a brief overview of MACo’s work on housing and community development policy in the 2026 General Assembly session. Counties are on the front lines of Maryland’s housing challenges—working to expand affordability, revitalize communities, and respond to persistent issues like vacancy, blight, and displacement. Through its advocacy, MACo supports policies that strengthen local capacity to deliver housing solutions, invest in community development, and address the full continuum of housing needs. In the…

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April 15, 2026
Read more about the article 2026 End of Session Wrap-Up: Transportation and Public Works
MACo Testimony / Transportation and Public Works
2026 End of Session Wrap-Up: Transportation and Public Works

The segments below provide a brief overview of MACo’s work on transportation and public works policy in the 2026 General Assembly session. From maintaining local roadways and bridges to coordinating with state systems, county governments operate within a shared transportation network that depends on strong state partnership. MACo continues to press for sustainable, predictable investment in local transportation and public works systems. During Maryland's 448th session, transportation policy was shaped by broader fiscal pressures and…

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April 15, 2026
Read more about the article Preserving Critical Functionality of Local Common Ownership Communities
Housing and Community Development / MACo Testimony
Preserving Critical Functionality of Local Common Ownership Communities

On April 2, Director of Intergovernmental Relations Dominic Butchko submitted written testimony to the Judicial Proceedings Committee in support of HB 402 – Common Ownership Communities - Oversight, Governing Document Database, and Local Commissions with amendments.  This bill would establish the Common Ownership Community Oversight Division within the Department of Housing and Community Development to oversee common ownership communities, handle complaints, collect and publish community governance documents, and set standards for local oversight commissions. As…

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April 8, 2026
Read more about the article MACo Backs Minimum Air Conditioning Standards For Residential Rental Units
Housing and Community Development / MACo Testimony
MACo Backs Minimum Air Conditioning Standards For Residential Rental Units

On April 2, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic Butchko submitted written testimony to the Economic Matters Committee in support of SB 12 – Residential Rental Apartments - Air-Conditioning Requirement with amendments.  This bill establishes state minimum air conditioning requirements for apartment buildings of 10 units or greater. Recognizing that housing challenges are complex and interconnected, counties continue to advance “all-of-the-above” strategies to improve housing quality and expand supply statewide. While MACo supports the bill’s intent…

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April 8, 2026
Read more about the article Utility RELIEF Act Takes Center Stage, Counties Call For State-Local Coordination, Adequate Public Safety Standards
Energy / MACo Testimony / Planning and Zoning
Utility RELIEF Act Takes Center Stage, Counties Call For State-Local Coordination, Adequate Public Safety Standards

On March 25, Director of Intergovernmental Relations Dominic Butchko testified before the Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee in support of HB 1532 – Utility RELIEF (Reducing Energy Load Inflation for Everyday Families) Act with amendments.  The Utility RELIEF Act continues the momentum of the 2025 and 2026 "Sessions of Energy" by directing wide-ranging changes to Maryland’s energy policy. The bill modifies utility rate structures and cost recovery, adjusts requirements for large energy users and…

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April 2, 2026
Read more about the article HB 1532 Emerges as Session’s Central Energy Bill
Energy
HB 1532 Emerges as Session’s Central Energy Bill

Energy has emerged as a central issue of the 2026 legislative session, with HB 1532 taking shape as the General Assembly’s leadership energy package. Speaker Peña-Melnyk’s Utility RELIEF (Reducing Energy Load Inflation for Everyday Families) Act has evolved into the primary bill for major energy policy this session. After passing the House in significantly amended form before crossover, HB 1532 now includes a broad mix of proposals with direct implications for local governments. Below is…

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March 24, 2026
Read more about the article Where Major Infrastructure Bills Stand Post-Cross Over
Environment / Transportation and Public Works
Where Major Infrastructure Bills Stand Post-Cross Over

Here is a look at several major infrastructure bills with less than three weeks remaining until Sine Die. Infrastructure has remained a major theme of the 2026 legislative session, particularly where it intersects with housing, energy, and environmental policy. Several high-impact bills remain in play, with significant implications for county governments. Below is a quick update on where things stand. Sewage Sludge - Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances - Regulation (HB 925/SB 719) – The bill…

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March 24, 2026
Read more about the article Significant Legal, Policy Consequences of Tying Public Engagement to Development Approvals
MACo Testimony / Planning and Zoning
Significant Legal, Policy Consequences of Tying Public Engagement to Development Approvals

On March 12, Executive Director Michael Sanderson and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic Butchko submitted written testimony to the Economic Matters Committee in opposition to HB 1517 – Land Use - Qualified Project - Retaliatory Downzoning.  This bill would require, in certain circumstances, that if a local elected official acknowledges or responds to constituent concerns regarding a development project, the local government may then be compelled to approve that project and allow a higher residential…

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March 18, 2026
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