MACo Testimony Archives

MACo Testimony / Public Safety and Corrections

A Safer, Smarter Approach To Juvenile Detention Policy

On February 4, Associate Policy Director Sarah Sample testified before the Judicial Proceedings Committee in support of SB 296 – Juveniles - Detention and Confinement - Limitations on Juvenile Contact With Incarcerated Adults. This bill would sensibly limit the long-term holding of a juvenile in an adult detention center, including all local detention centers. Local detention centers have gone to great lengths to comply with federal mandates that apply in the rare instances when they…

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February 5, 2026

Elections / MACo Testimony

Prohibiting Election-Related Deepfake Deception a Necessary Step for Healthy Democracy

On February 4, Legislative Services Assistant Charlotte Fleckenstein testified in support of HB 145 – Election Law - Election Misinformation, Election Disinformation, and Deepfakes. This bill strengthens Maryland’s election laws by prohibiting deepfakes and other forms of synthetic media intended to interfere with voting, and equipping the State to respond swiftly to election misinformation. This bill maintains a strict focus on materially false information intended to impede the voting process; it does not aim to…

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February 5, 2026

Energy / Finance and Procurement / MACo Testimony

Counties Advocate for Improved Access to Energy Performance Contracts

On February 3, Associate Policy Director Karrington Anderson testified before the Environment and Transportation Committee in support of HB 119 – Energy Performance Contracts - Navigators, Funding, and Requirements with amendments. This bill seeks to expand and improve access to energy performance contracting by requiring additional coordination with the Maryland Clean Energy Center (MCEC). Counties are seeking amendments to ensure that provisions directing navigators to review and establish energy efficiency measures and clean energy projects…

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February 5, 2026

MACo Testimony / Planning and Zoning

MACo Backs Strategic Transmission Line Planning To Protect Local Communities

On February 3, Director of Intergovernmental Relations Dominic Butchko submitted written testimony to the Environment and Transportation Committee in support of HB 40 – Public Utilities - Transmission Lines - Advanced Transmission Technologies. This bill calls for additional considerations and requirements for the construction of transmission lines. As drafted, HB 40 requires the Public Service Commission and applicants to consider advanced transmission technologies more deeply as a means to avoid unnecessary community, environmental, or ratepayer…

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February 5, 2026

Finance and Procurement / MACo Testimony

MACo to MGA: Stabilize Local Transportation Funding, Avoid Fiscal Cliff

On February 3, MACo President MC Keegan-Ayer, Executive Director Michael Sanderson, and many local officials testified before the Budget and Taxation Committee in support of SB 288 – Transportation - Highway User Revenues Capital Grants - Calculation. This bill would prevent a nearly $100 million reduction in local transportation funding scheduled to take effect in fiscal 2028 in the absence of this bill’s enactment. Without this bill, Highway User Revenues (HUR) for counties, Baltimore City,…

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February 5, 2026

MACo Testimony / Taxes and Revenues

MACo: State Tax Breaks Shouldn’t Cut Local Revenues

On February 3, Legislative Director Kevin Kinnally submitted written testimony to the Budget and Taxation Committee in opposition to SB 262 – Income Tax - Subtraction Modification for Classroom Supplies Purchased by Teachers - Alteration. This bill would allow full-time pre-Kindergarten teachers to claim a state income tax deduction for unreimbursed classroom supply expenses. Counties enter this Session facing heightened economic uncertainty, rising costs, and growing concern about federal funding instability that directly affects local…

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February 5, 2026

MACo Testimony / Taxes and Revenues

Counties Prefer Local Option Tax Breaks, Not State Mandates

On February 3, Legislative Director Kevin Kinnally submitted written testimony to the Budget and Taxation Committee in opposition to SB 271 – Income Tax - Subtraction Modification - Retirement Income of Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Services Personnel - Eligibility. This bill expands eligibility for the public safety employee retirement income subtraction modification to include specified retirement income attributable to service as a fire, rescue, or emergency services personnel of the District of Columbia. Counties are…

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February 5, 2026

MACo Testimony / Taxes and Revenues

Counties Push Back Against New Transfer Tax Loophole

On February 3, Legislative Director Kevin Kinnally submitted written testimony to the Ways and Means Committee in opposition to HB 82 – Recordation and Transfer Taxes - Exemption for Related Business Entities - Common Law Trusts. HB 82 creates a new tax avoidance pathway that directly erodes county revenues, removes local discretion, and provides no public benefit in return. The bill expands existing exemptions in a way that benefits a narrow, sophisticated group of commercial…

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February 5, 2026

Employee Benefits and Relations / Intergovernmental Relations / MACo Testimony / Public Safety and Corrections

MACo to MGA: Maintain Collaborative Approach to Public Official Salaries

On February 4, Executive Director Michael Sanderson submitted written testimony to the Judiciary Committee in opposition to HB 165 – Courts - Sheriffs' Salaries - Alterations. The bill alters the annual salary of Sheriffs in many counties to equal that of the county's State's Attorney. This legislation would replace a locally-driven legislative collaboration to properly set salaries for most county sheriffs with a uniform process pinning that salary to that of the county’s state’s attorney.…

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February 5, 2026

MACo Testimony / Taxes and Revenues

MACo: State Tax Policy Should Not Override Local Budgets

On January 29, Legislative Director Kevin Kinnally submitted written testimony to the Ways and Means Committee in opposition to HB 124 – Income Tax - Subtraction Modification - Losses From Theft or Fraud. This bill allows, subject to certain limitations, an income tax subtraction for losses from retirement assets resulting from theft or fraud. Counties enter this Session facing heightened economic uncertainty, rising costs, and growing concern about federal funding instability that directly affects local…

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February 4, 2026