Read more about the article Counties Embrace Proposal To Re-Establish the Commission To Advance Lithium-Ion Battery Safety
Environment / MACo Testimony
Counties Embrace Proposal To Re-Establish the Commission To Advance Lithium-Ion Battery Safety

On February 24, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic Butchko testified before the Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee in support of SB 553 - Commission to Advance Lithium-Ion Battery Safety in Maryland - Reestablishment.  This bill renews the Commission to Advance Lithium-Ion Battery Safety in Maryland, extending its charge to evaluate policy challenges and solutions regarding battery safety. As these batteries become increasingly embedded in consumer products, vehicles, infrastructure systems, and recycling streams, counties have…

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March 2, 2026
Read more about the article Sweeping Zoning Exemption for Industrial-Scale Alcohol Facilities Threatens Community Planning, Infrastructure Safeguards
MACo Testimony / Planning and Zoning
Sweeping Zoning Exemption for Industrial-Scale Alcohol Facilities Threatens Community Planning, Infrastructure Safeguards

On February 20, Director of Intergovernmental Relations Dominic Butchko testified before the Finance Committee in opposition to SB 807 - Alcoholic Beverages - Class 8 Farm Brewery and Class 10 Farm Distillery Licenses.  This bill eliminates a core element of local zoning authority for businesses operating under a Class 8 Farm Brewery License or the newly created Class 10 Farm Distillery License. Although presented as support for farm-based breweries and distilleries, the bill would exempt…

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February 25, 2026
Read more about the article Aligning Community Solar With Modern Energy Market and Framework
Energy / MACo Testimony / Planning and Zoning
Aligning Community Solar With Modern Energy Market and Framework

On February 19, Director of Intergovernmental Relations Dominic Butchko testified before the Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee in support of SB 265 - Community Solar Energy Generating Systems - Prohibited Locations - Adjacent Parcels with amendments.  This bill would remove the existing prohibition on co-locating community solar projects on adjacent parcels. Sponsor amendments, supported by MACo, would align community solar siting and revise standards with the safeguards enacted under the Renewable Energy Certainty Act…

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February 24, 2026
Read more about the article MACo Provides Input On Effective Housing Permitting Efficiency
Economic Development / Environment / MACo Testimony / Planning and Zoning / Transportation and Public Works
MACo Provides Input On Effective Housing Permitting Efficiency

On February 19, Director of Intergovernmental Relations Dominic Butchko submitted a letter of information to the Economic Matters Committee on HB 691 - State Government - Procedures - Permitting Efficiency for Housing Development Projects.  The bill directs state departments to review and analyze housing-related permitting processes and to implement streamlining measures intended to speed up reviews. As part of that effort, HB 691 also authorizes the State to enter into delegation agreements with counties, under…

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February 24, 2026
Read more about the article MACo Backs State-Local Coordination To Ensure Public Infrastructure Commitments Are Met
MACo Testimony / Planning and Zoning / Transportation and Public Works
MACo Backs State-Local Coordination To Ensure Public Infrastructure Commitments Are Met

On February 19, Director of Intergovernmental Relations Dominic Butchko submitted written testimony to the Environment and Transportation Committee in support of HB 669 - Political Subdivisions - Third-Party Road Improvements - Satisfactory Completion. This bill would prohibit a county from issuing a use and occupancy permit for certain projects located near State highways unless the required work has been completed to the satisfaction of both the State Highway Administration (SHA) and the county. By clarifying…

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February 24, 2026
Read more about the article MACo Weighs in on Transparency, Predictability in State Transportation Frameworks
MACo Testimony / Transportation and Public Works
MACo Weighs in on Transparency, Predictability in State Transportation Frameworks

On February 17, Director of Intergovernmental Relations Dominic Butchko submitted a letter of information to the Appropriations Committee on HB 230 - Transportation - Consolidated Transportation Program - Prioritization (Transportation Investment Priorities Act of 2026).  The bill proposes updates to the structure and content of the Consolidated Transportation Program (CTP), including refinements to the project-based scoring framework, new transparency and publication requirements, and changes to the composition and responsibilities of the Maryland Transportation Commission. Because…

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February 19, 2026
Read more about the article Transforming Food Waste From Cost to Community Asset
Environment / MACo Testimony
Transforming Food Waste From Cost to Community Asset

On February 11, Director of Intergovernmental Relations Dominic Butchko submitted written testimony to the Environment and Transportation Committee in support of HB 429 – On-Farm Organics and Wasted Food Reduction and Diversion Grant Programs - Established. This bill would establish several grant programs to expand composting, strengthen environmental stewardship, and improve recycling outcomes. Food waste sent to landfills generates significant greenhouse gas emissions—especially methane—and finding better ways to reduce and divert this material is one…

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February 12, 2026
Read more about the article Variances Remain an Essential Local Tool To Facilitate Housing Production
MACo Testimony / Planning and Zoning
Variances Remain an Essential Local Tool To Facilitate Housing Production

On February 11, Director of Intergovernmental Relations Dominic Butchko testified before the Environment and Transportation Committee in opposition to HB 247 – Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area Protection Program - Variances - Alterations.  This bill makes significant changes to when a county can authorize a variance within their share of the critical area. These new, more stringent changes would reduce county flexibility—further straining counties’ ability to support and deliver affordable housing. By reducing…

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February 12, 2026
Read more about the article Local Oversight Necessary To Implement Cooperative Housing Framework, Expand Affordable Options
County News / Housing and Community Development / MACo Testimony
Local Oversight Necessary To Implement Cooperative Housing Framework, Expand Affordable Options

On February 10, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic Butchko testified before the Economic Matters Committee in support of HB 85 - Corporations and Associations - Cooperative Limited Equity Housing Corporations - Establishment with amendments. This bill establishes a process for converting certain entities into Cooperative Limited Equity Housing Corporations (CLEHCs). Counties support a wide range of policies to expand affordable housing. CLEHCs operate similarly to condominium regimes and offer a unique ownership model designed to…

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February 12, 2026
Read more about the article MACo Working To Balance Clean Energy Growth With Agricultural Land Preservation
MACo Testimony / Planning and Zoning
MACo Working To Balance Clean Energy Growth With Agricultural Land Preservation

On February 10, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic Butchko submitted written testimony to the Environment and Transportation Committee in support of HB 460 – Solar Energy - Construction of Generating Stations in Priority Preservation Areas and Study.  This bill recalibrates guardrails within the Renewable Energy Certainty Act (RECA) of 2025 to better ensure that agricultural land within a county’s Priority Preservation Areas (PPAs) remains in productive agricultural use. One of the most significant—and deeply debated—issues…

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February 12, 2026
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