Read more about the article The Blueprint Beat Goes On…at #MACoCon
County Budgets / Education / Winter Conference
The Blueprint Beat Goes On…at #MACoCon

Education reform has been underway in Maryland for almost four years with the implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland's Future. The mandated policies and programs have taken shape around the state with each jurisdiction encountering a unique set of challenges and measures of success. A panel of local government and school officials will come together to talk through recent issues and experiences as they continue to move forward with implementation. Title: The Blueprint Beat Goes…

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November 10, 2025
Read more about the article Montgomery Pre-Release Center Is “A Beacon of Light” for Returning Citizens
Public Safety and Corrections / Winter Conference
Montgomery Pre-Release Center Is “A Beacon of Light” for Returning Citizens

Established in 1972, the Montgomery County Pre-Release Center has been helping returning citizens rebuild their lives for over 50 years.  Detention centers and public safety officials often end up in the spotlight when something tragic has taken place. It is rare to see media highlighting the life-changing restorative work detention center staff are doing everyday in the community. A recent WTOP article focused on exactly that, featuring the work of the Montgomery County Pre-Release Center…

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November 10, 2025
Read more about the article Maryland’s Independent Investigations Division Seeks New Leadership
Public Safety and Corrections
Maryland’s Independent Investigations Division Seeks New Leadership

Two recent resignations from the Independent Investigations Division of the Maryland Office of the Attorney General lead to search for new leadership in the unit that handles officer-involved deaths.  In a recent announcement by the Maryland Office of the Attorney General (OAG),  Jennifer Dolan - a spokesperson for the office - shared that Chief Allison Green and Deputy Chief Renee Martel Joy of the Independent Investigations Division (IID) have resigned. Their departures have prompted the…

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November 6, 2025
Read more about the article $7.1M Approved for County Governments by Board of Public Works
Board of Public Works / County Budgets / County News
$7.1M Approved for County Governments by Board of Public Works

Today the Maryland Board of Public works approved $7.1M for county governments with funds from Program Open Space, the Rural Legacy Fund, and prior year commitments from the state capital budget. The Maryland Board of Public Works meeting today saw the approval of funds for six county governments across nine projects. The allocations total a little over $7.1M. The largest allocation went to Frederick in the amount of $4M, in two distributions, from funds previously…

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November 5, 2025
Read more about the article MD Supreme Court Hears Case on Court-Ordered Sanctions Against MD Health Department
Courts / Public Safety and Corrections
MD Supreme Court Hears Case on Court-Ordered Sanctions Against MD Health Department

A case before the Maryland Supreme Court will weigh whether monetary sanctions are permissible in order to compel legal compliance by the Maryland Department of Health. The agency has been regularly found in contempt of court for lack of adherence to a state law that requires them to admit, within a certain time, individuals found not competent to stand trial.  In a case between plaintiffs represented by the Maryland Office of the Public Defender (OPD)…

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November 5, 2025
Read more about the article Public Health Experts Warn That Federal Policies Could Widen Racial Health Disparities
Health and Human Services / Winter Conference
Public Health Experts Warn That Federal Policies Could Widen Racial Health Disparities

According to Stateline, the editorial arm of The Pew Charitable Trusts, public health agencies that work with the most vulnerable communities nationwide are sounding the alarm on service gaps and adverse outcomes in the wake of federal policy shifts.  A recent Stateline article highlighted concerns among public-health experts that racial health disparities in the United States may widen as the federal government has begun dismantling programs designed to address inequities. Many grants and offices aimed at…

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November 3, 2025
Read more about the article Problematic Policy: Passing the Buck on Wrongful Convictions
County Budgets / Courts / Winter Conference
Problematic Policy: Passing the Buck on Wrongful Convictions

Earlier this year the Maryland Board of Public Works approved the first wrongful conviction settlement payment that will fall under the new cost sharing structure between state and local governments. Wicomico was the first jurisdiction to be charged, resulting in an almost $300,000 cost for a jurisdiction considered resource scarce enough to merit disparity grant funding from the state. This is the result of provisions in the 2025 Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act (BRFA) that…

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November 3, 2025
Read more about the article Appellate Court of Maryland Rules on Scope of Local Government Tort Claims Act Damage Caps
Courts / Government Liability and Courts
Appellate Court of Maryland Rules on Scope of Local Government Tort Claims Act Damage Caps

Chief Justice of the Appellate Court of Maryland, Judge E. Gregory Wells, issued an opinion removing certain claims from the damage caps provision of the Local Government Tort Claims Act. An opinion was released yesterday by the Appellate Court of Maryland that seeks to clarify the scope of damage caps in the Local Government Tort Claims Act (LGTCA). The case giving rise to the issue is Joseph Watts v. Prince George’s County, Maryland and was…

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October 30, 2025
Read more about the article Pre-Kindergarten Workgroup Convened Meetings to Address Expansion Challenges
Education
Pre-Kindergarten Workgroup Convened Meetings to Address Expansion Challenges

Beginning in September the Pre-Kindergarten Systems Analysis Workgroup (PKW) began what will be a series of meetings over the next two years to conduct a study of the state’s current publicly funded, mixed-delivery pre-kindergarten program. The PKW was established by legislation during the 2025 session that was spearheaded by Delegate Feldmark in HB 1475. During the bill hearing, stakeholders cited challenges to the process of recruiting private providers that were originally intended to cover 50…

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October 30, 2025
Read more about the article Drug Recognition Experts With County Police Help Avoid False-Positives for Marijuana Impairment
Public Safety and Corrections
Drug Recognition Experts With County Police Help Avoid False-Positives for Marijuana Impairment

County law enforcement officials take steps to keep the roadways safe following legalization of adult use marijuana, with 18 out of 24 jurisdictions now having at least one drug recognition expert (DRE) on staff. With better training and clear standards agencies are ensuring safety while avoiding over-enforcement. While it was widely anticipated, traffic fatalities and impaired driving citations have not significantly changed in Maryland due to increased cannabis use following recreational legalization. According to a…

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October 30, 2025
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