Read more about the article 3 Takeaways on Counties, Policy, and Power
County Budgets / County News / Education / Housing and Community Development / Intergovernmental Relations
3 Takeaways on Counties, Policy, and Power

Most of the services people rely on every day, from roads and schools to public health and recycling, don’t come from Washington. They come from counties. That idea sits at the center of a recent conversation between Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman and Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) Executive Director Michael Sanderson, who joined the Pittman and Friends podcast to talk through how state policy decisions play out at the local level. The discussion…

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April 22, 2026
Read more about the article Detention Center Officers Included in Higher Education Scholarship Fund
Higher Education / Public Safety and Corrections
Detention Center Officers Included in Higher Education Scholarship Fund

With bi-partisan support in both chambers of the Maryland General Assembly, a bill expanding existing public safety scholarships to include correctional officers will take effect this summer with the application process beginning January 2027.  This year - with the unwavering support of Senator Mary Beth Carozza and Delegate Sheree Sample-Hughes - officers working in local detention centers will now have access to an existing public safety scholarship fund for higher education. HB 852/SB 285 –…

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April 22, 2026
Read more about the article Passed Legislation Enables Counties To Review and Prevent Suicide Deaths
County News / Health and Human Services
Passed Legislation Enables Counties To Review and Prevent Suicide Deaths

As Maryland continues to confront rising behavioral health challenges, state lawmakers have advanced a measure to support a more coordinated approach to suicide prevention at the local level. During the 2026 legislative session, the Maryland General Assembly passed HB 1012, sponsored by Delegate Kris Fair and supported by MACo, which authorizes counties and municipalities to establish multidisciplinary and multiagency suicide fatality review teams. Suicide remains a significant public health concern across Maryland communities. Counties are…

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April 22, 2026
Read more about the article Deep Dive: Disparity Grant Delivers Less Than It Promises
County Budgets / Policy Deep Dive / State Budget and Fiscal Issues
Deep Dive: Disparity Grant Delivers Less Than It Promises

This article is part of MACo’s Policy Deep Dive series, where expert policy analysts explore and explain the top county policy issues of the day. Maryland created the Disparity Grant to deal with a basic problem. Counties raise revenue very differently, even when they apply the same tax rates. Some generate far more at the same rate because of higher incomes, while others cannot keep up. The program still tries to address that gap. But…

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April 22, 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 Pro-Housing Measure Broadens County Options for Public Improvement Bonds
County News / Finance and Procurement / Housing and Community Development
Pro-Housing Measure Broadens County Options for Public Improvement Bonds

As housing affordability and development costs remain top concerns across Maryland, state lawmakers have advanced a measure to give counties greater flexibility in how they support new development. During the 2026 legislative session, the Maryland General Assembly passed HB 1216 – Insurance – Certificates of Guarantee for County Bond Requirements – All Counties, a MACo-supported bill that expands an existing tool for satisfying local bonding requirements. Under current law, only a limited number of counties…

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April 22, 2026
Read more about the article USDA Designates Nine MD Counties as Drought Disaster Areas
Agriculture / County News / Emergency Management
USDA Designates Nine MD Counties as Drought Disaster Areas

Ongoing dry conditions during the growing season led the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to designate nine Maryland counties as drought disaster areas. Allegany, Carroll, Charles, Frederick, Garrett, Howard, Montgomery, Prince George’s, and Washington counties qualify for assistance through the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA). Eligible farmers may apply for FSA emergency loans. The agency reviews each application based on the farm’s specific circumstances and needs. Farmers have eight months from the disaster designation…

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April 22, 2026
Read more about the article AG Brown, MDE File Suit Against DC Water Over Potomac Spill
Environment / Transportation and Public Works
AG Brown, MDE File Suit Against DC Water Over Potomac Spill

Maryland is suing DC Water over the Potomac River sewage spill earlier this year.  Maryland’s Attorney General and the Maryland Department of the Environment have taken DC Water to court over the January collapse of a major sewer line in Montgomery County, arguing that the failure caused a massive sewage release into the Potomac River and nearby tributaries. According to the state, the rupture involved a 72-inch section of the Potomac Interceptor near the C&O…

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April 22, 2026
Read more about the article Maine Looks Toward Data Center Ban Citing Rising Energy Costs
Energy / Environment / Planning and Zoning
Maine Looks Toward Data Center Ban Citing Rising Energy Costs

Maine set to limit growth of large data centers over 20 megawatts.  The Maine State Legislature is testing one of the country’s most aggressive responses to data center growth. Lawmakers have approved a statewide pause on new data centers with power needs of 20 megawatts or more through November 2027, while the state studies what these facilities could mean for electric demand, customer bills, and host communities. Currently, Governor Janet Mills is undecided on whether…

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April 21, 2026
Read more about the article FERC to Address Data Center Interconnection in June
Energy / Environment / Planning and Zoning
FERC to Address Data Center Interconnection in June

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is set to establish new data center interconnections standards, impacting on Maryland and surrounding states. FERC indicated that it expects to take action in June on a Department of Energy proposal aimed at improving how very large new electric loads, including data centers, connect to the grid. At the center of the discussion is a familiar but increasingly urgent question: how to accommodate major new demand while maintaining clarity…

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April 21, 2026
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