Read more about the article Counties Oppose Unfunded Mandate, Praise Willingness to Find Common Ground
2023 MACo Issue Previews / MACo Testimony / Parks and Recreation
Counties Oppose Unfunded Mandate, Praise Willingness to Find Common Ground

On February 14, 2024, Associate Policy Director Dominic Butchko testified before the Environment and Transportation Committee in opposition to HB 420- State and Local Parks- Play Area Accessibility- Communication Boards. This bill requires counties to use Program Open Space funds to install communication boards in all new parks and those undergoing significant renovation. While counties have significant concerns with the current language, MACo is grateful to the sponsor for developing a series of amendments that…

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February 15, 2024
Read more about the article Top Issues of 2023 Session: Budget and Fiscal Outlook
2023 MACo Issue Previews / County News / General Assembly News / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Taxes and Revenues
Top Issues of 2023 Session: Budget and Fiscal Outlook

With the 2023 legislative session rapidly approaching, MACo is profiling some significant issues that stand to gather attention in the General Assembly's work. Here, we preview Maryland's budget and fiscal outlook. The Constitution of Maryland requires a balanced budget: total estimated revenues must equal or exceed total appropriations. The budget also must reflect any estimated revenue surplus or deficit at the end of the preceding year. Previously, the Maryland Constitution prohibited the General Assembly from…

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December 29, 2022
Read more about the article Top Issues of 2023: Public Safety
2023 MACo Issue Previews / Public Safety and Corrections
Top Issues of 2023: Public Safety

The Department of Legislative Services released a 2023 issues preview and three major topics are at the forefront for public safety: police reform, handguns, and corrections trends.  Police reform has been a major legislative priority in Maryland over the last five years and gained a great deal of momentum in 2020 and 2021, culminating in the passage of the Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2021. Since the initial passage of this sweeping police reform policy…

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December 29, 2022
Read more about the article Severe Outlook for At-Risk Youth Behavioral Health Services in Maryland
2023 MACo Issue Previews / Health and Human Services / Policy Deep Dive
Severe Outlook for At-Risk Youth Behavioral Health Services in Maryland

From the Baltimore Banner to the Department of Legislative Services, serious issues might be ahead for children in need of both social and behavioral services as Maryland begins the 2023 General Assembly. 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. A new article is added each week – read all of MACo’s Policy Deep Dives. It has been widely…

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December 28, 2022
Read more about the article Top Issues of 2023 Session: The Time to Care Act
2023 MACo Issue Previews / Business Affairs / Employee Benefits and Relations / Human Resources
Top Issues of 2023 Session: The Time to Care Act

With the 2023 Legislative Session rapidly approaching, MACo is profiling some major issues that stand to gather attention in the General Assembly’s work. Here, we preview the implementation of the Time to Care Act. During the 2022 legislative session, the General Assembly established the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program (FAMLI Program) via legislation known as "The Time to Care Act of 2022." That law provides up to 12 weeks of paid leave and benefits…

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December 28, 2022
Read more about the article Top Issues of 2023 Session: Public Health Modernization and Funding
2023 MACo Issue Previews / Health and Human Services
Top Issues of 2023 Session: Public Health Modernization and Funding

Elected officials embark on the 2023 legislative session to consider local health department funding that is consistent with a 15-year old, pre-opioid, pre-pandemic budget. Public health funding and resources have long been a legislative priority of MACo. But now, in the wake of the pandemic, it seems the attention might finally be in place to move the legislative needle. In the 2022 Issues Paper published by the Department of Legislative Services (DLS), there are citations…

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December 27, 2022
Read more about the article Top Issues of 2023 Session: School Personnel Shortages
2023 MACo Issue Previews / Education / Employee Benefits and Relations / Human Resources / Labor
Top Issues of 2023 Session: School Personnel Shortages

With the 2023 Legislative Session rapidly approaching, MACo is profiling some major issues that stand to gather attention in the General Assembly’s work. Here, we preview school personnel shortages and potential legislation related to the problem. Several years into the COVID-19 pandemic, Maryland's schools are still facing deep shortages of staff in all fields. The problem transcends school district, with all experiencing heightened levels of sustained position openings in an increasingly complex work force for…

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December 27, 2022