Bill Hearing Archives

MACo: SB 255 Creates Misaligned Incentives and County Risks

On April 1, Legislative Director Kevin Kinnally submitted written testimony to the Government, Labor, and Elections Committee in opposition to SB 255 – Voting Rights Act of 2026 - Counties and Municipal Corporations. This bill creates a new State-law cause of action to challenge local election systems, exposing counties to significant litigation risk, costs, and court-ordered changes, without clear guardrails or a defined role for local governments in resolving concerns before litigation. While counties remain…

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April 9, 2026

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

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

MACo Testimony / Public Information and Ethics

Counties Back Stronger Privacy Protections for State and Local Elected Officials

On March 31, Associate Policy Director Sarah Sample testified before the Government, Labor, and Elections Committee in support of SB 632 – State Government - State Elected Officials - Protection of Personal Information with amendments. This bill strengthens privacy protections for state officials while maintaining transparency for ethics and other mandatory disclosures for individuals in these roles. These changes, to extend new safety measures for state elected officials, have the potential to deter harmful actions…

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April 2, 2026

Business Affairs / MACo Testimony

MACo to MGA: Give Counties Their Fair Share of Cannabis Revenue

On March 31, Associate Policy Director Karrington Anderson testified before the Finance Committee in support of SB 1008 – Alcohol and Cannabis - Cannabinoid Beverages Off-Premises Sales Permit - Establishment with amendments. This bill authorizes the sale of cannabinoid beverages through holders of alcoholic beverage licenses with off-sale privileges, contingent on approval from local licensing boards, and establishes a distribution framework through licensed wholesalers. While MACo has no concern about the intent to establish a…

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April 2, 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

County News / Economic Development / MACo Testimony

Rural Readiness Program Advancing through General Assembly

The Rural Readiness Program bill is advancing this session. The bill, supported by MACo, aims to strengthen rural economic development capacity and improve access to competitive funding opportunities. SB 300 and its cross-file HB 461 have both passed their respective chamber and appear to be advancing this session. This bill establishes the Rural Readiness Program and the Rural Maryland Capacity Building Fund, both administered by the Rural Maryland Council. The bill is designed to help…

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March 26, 2026

Finance and Procurement / General Assembly News / MACo Testimony

MACo: Stop Making Counties Pay for State Decisions

On March 20, MACo testified before the House Judiciary Committee in support of HB 1605 – Compensation for Individuals Erroneously Convicted - County Cost-Sharing - Repeal. This bill corrects a flawed policy enacted as a small component of the 2025 Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act that requires counties to fund wrongful-incarceration compensation decisions made entirely through State processes. Under current law, the State determines eligibility, calculates awards, and sets all terms through administrative and judicial…

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March 26, 2026

County News / Economic Development / MACo Testimony

Economic Development NDA Ban Appears Dead After Missing Crossover Deadline

Following the General Assembly’s “crossover” deadline, SB 853, which restricts the use of nondisclosure agreements in economic development negotiations, faces increasingly long odds of advancing without committee approval. With the “crossover” deadline now passed, legislation not approved by its originating committee is increasingly unlikely to advance this session. MACo opposed SB 853 which would broadly prohibit an individual, governing body, legislator, or employee from entering into a nondisclosure agreement (NDA) with a person involved in…

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March 25, 2026

County Budgets / General Assembly News / MACo Testimony / Taxes and Revenues

Veterans’ Tax Credit Bills Advance With MACo Amendments, Mandate Stalls

Two veterans’ property tax credit bills are moving forward with MACo amendments, while a broader mandatory expansion appears dead after crossover. HB 842, as introduced, repealed the current two-year eligibility requirement for a property tax exemption for specified surviving spouses, expanding a mandatory exemption and directly reducing a primary local revenue source counties rely on to fund core services. MACo supports providing meaningful relief to eligible residents, and many counties already offer locally adopted property…

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March 24, 2026