Read more about the article News or Noise? Breaking Down Maryland’s 2026 Session
County Budgets / County News / Economic Development / General Assembly News / Intergovernmental Relations / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Transportation and Public Works
News or Noise? Breaking Down Maryland’s 2026 Session

This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, longtime hosts Kevin Kinnally and Michael Sanderson are "back in the saddle" with a post-session "news or noise" breakdown of what really mattered, and what didn't, from Maryland's 2026 legislative session.     Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to the Conduit Street Blog and stay in the know!

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May 1, 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 2026 Session: Recap and Wrap-Ups
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2026 Session: Recap and Wrap-Ups

Catch up on all of the latest outcomes of the 2026 Maryland General Assembly session with wrap-ups on important county-related bills in each policy area. Maryland’s 448th legislative session unfolded under significant fiscal pressure. Lawmakers closed the fiscal 2027 gap, preserved reserves, and fully funded principal commitments, such as the Blueprint, but did not resolve the larger structural deficits projected for the years ahead. That budget pressure shaped debates across nearly every policy area, from…

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April 17, 2026
Read more about the article Conduit Street Podcast: 90 Days Later — Sine Die Recap
County Budgets / County News / Economic Development / Education / Elections / Energy / Environment / General Assembly News / Housing and Community Development / Information Technology / Intergovernmental Relations / MACo Testimony / Public Safety and Corrections / Transportation and Public Works
Conduit Street Podcast: 90 Days Later — Sine Die Recap

This Week on the Conduit Street Podcast, we bring you an episode fresh from Sine Die to break down the 2026 legislative session from start to finish.   Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to the Conduit Street Blog and stay in the know!

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April 17, 2026
Read more about the article Conduit Street Podcast: Puzzle Pieces of the Balanced Budget
County Budgets / County News / Economic Development / Education / Emergency Management / General Assembly News / Intergovernmental Relations
Conduit Street Podcast: Puzzle Pieces of the Balanced Budget

This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, Kevin Kinnally and Michael Sanderson break down where Maryland’s budget and “Big BRFA” stand as the General Assembly enters its final weeks. Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to the Conduit Street Blog and stay in the know!

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March 27, 2026
Read more about the article MACo: Stop Making Counties Pay for State Decisions
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
Read more about the article House Appropriations Committee Rejects AOT Cost Shift, Budget Moves to House Floor
County Budgets / Feature / General Assembly News / State Budget and Fiscal Issues
House Appropriations Committee Rejects AOT Cost Shift, Budget Moves to House Floor

The House Appropriations Committee rejected a proposed assisted outpatient treatment (AOT) cost shift and advanced the Budget Bill (SB 282) and Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act (SB 284) to the House floor. The Senate retained the AOT provision, which would have required counties to reimburse the Maryland Department of Health for escalating shares of program costs, starting at 25% and rising to 100%. The House removed that provision, avoiding a significant new State-mandated, locally funded…

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March 25, 2026
Read more about the article Veterans’ Tax Credit Bills Advance With MACo Amendments, Mandate Stalls
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
Read more about the article General Assembly Advances Flexible Local Tools for Housing, Small Business, Families
Business Affairs / County News / General Assembly News / Housing and Community Development / Taxes and Revenues
General Assembly Advances Flexible Local Tools for Housing, Small Business, Families

Several bills advancing this session expand flexible, local tools for housing, small business activity, redevelopment, and family support, backed by MACo. HB 805 has passed the House and is now before the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee. The bill authorizes local governments to grant a property tax credit for specified affordable dwellings supported by nonprofit mortgage financing and long-term affordability requirements, allowing counties to align the tool with local housing markets and fiscal capacity. HB…

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March 24, 2026
Read more about the article 5-Year Assessment Cycle Proposal Appears Dead After Missing Crossover Deadline
County Budgets / County News / General Assembly News / Taxes and Revenues
5-Year Assessment Cycle Proposal Appears Dead After Missing Crossover Deadline

A proposal to shift Maryland’s property assessment cycle from three years to five years appears unlikely to advance this session after failing to meet the crossover deadline. MACo opposed HB 1518, citing concerns that the change would increase the lag between real estate market changes and the resources counties rely on to fund essential services. Counties rely on timely, accurate property assessments to maintain stable, predictable revenue streams. Extending the assessment cycle reduces the frequency…

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March 24, 2026
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