Read more about the article US House Committee Advances Sweeping Broadband Bill, Gutting Local Land-Use Authority
Broadband / Business Affairs / Information Technology / NACo and Federal Issues / Planning and Zoning
US House Committee Advances Sweeping Broadband Bill, Gutting Local Land-Use Authority

Last month, the US House Energy and Commerce Committee approved and reported H.R. 2289, the American Broadband Deployment Act of 2025. This sweeping federal permitting bill would significantly reshape how state and local governments regulate broadband and telecommunications infrastructure. What began as a narrow, one-page proposal to exempt specified broadband projects from federal environmental and historic review requirements has expanded dramatically. Through committee amendments, H.R. 2289 expanded into a roughly 100-page omnibus bill, incorporating more than…

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January 8, 2026
Read more about the article Statewide Broadband Expansion Reaches New County Benchmark
Broadband / County News / Economic Development / Housing and Community Development / Information Technology
Statewide Broadband Expansion Reaches New County Benchmark

Counties across Maryland are seeing a major milestone in expanding access to reliable, high-speed internet. With full broadband infrastructure funding now secured in Cecil, Talbot, Dorchester, Somerset, and Worcester Counties, local leaders are moving closer to closing the digital divide for residents and businesses. Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day announced the update as part of the Moore-Miller Administration’s ongoing effort to ensure affordable broadband access statewide, with 99.5% of Maryland…

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November 20, 2025
Read more about the article Federal Efforts To Override Local Broadband Rules
Broadband / Information Technology / NACo and Federal Issues
Federal Efforts To Override Local Broadband Rules

As the federal government looks to accelerate broadband deployment, local leaders are raising concerns that new proposals could sideline local voices. According to a NACo article, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Congress are both considering actions that could preempt local authority over permitting and fees for broadband infrastructure. This move could hinder, not help, progress toward universal connectivity. On September 30, the FCC released two Notices of Inquiry exploring potential new limits on local…

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November 13, 2025
Read more about the article 2025 End of Session Wrap-Up: Information Technology
Broadband / Cyber / Information Technology / MACo Testimony
2025 End of Session Wrap-Up: Information Technology

The segments below provide a brief overview of MACo’s advocacy on IT/cybersecurity issues in the 2025 General Assembly.  Hackers are increasingly targeting states and local governments with sophisticated cyberattacks. Securing government information systems is critical, as a cyber intrusion can be very disruptive, jeopardizing sensitive information, public safety, and delivering essential services. As such, MACo’s advocacy focuses on bolstering support for local cybersecurity efforts and ensuring a strategic, coordinated, and flexible approach to enhancing cybersecurity…

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April 9, 2025
Read more about the article Comcast Hits the Ground Running in St. Mary’s County
Broadband / County News / Economic Development / Education / Information Technology
Comcast Hits the Ground Running in St. Mary’s County

Comcast has announced it has connected the first residents in Leonardtown, Maryland (St. Mary's County) to Xfinity and Comcast Business services. These are the first of 5,800 homes and businesses that Comcast is connecting in the Leonardtown area. This expansion in Leonardtown deepens Comcast’s investment in St. Mary’s County, MD – where the company is undergoing a broader network expansion – ultimately connecting more than 30,000 residents and businesses across the county to Xfinity and Comcast Business…

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March 27, 2025
Read more about the article House and Senate Pass Broadband Tax Bill With MACo Amendments
Broadband / County Budgets / General Assembly News / Taxes and Revenues
House and Senate Pass Broadband Tax Bill With MACo Amendments

The House and Senate have passed HB 969 / SB 774 with MACo’s amendments, preserving local decision-making over broadband tax incentives. As introduced, MACo supported HB 969 / SB 774 with amendments to ensure counties retained authority over local fiscal policy. The bill would have granted rural broadband service providers a permanent property tax carveout, giving them a lasting advantage over other industries while shifting significant costs onto counties. This approach ignored the reality that…

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March 17, 2025
Read more about the article Governor Moore Signs Executive Order to Expand Broadband Infrastructure
Broadband / Economic Development / Information Technology / Intergovernmental Relations
Governor Moore Signs Executive Order to Expand Broadband Infrastructure

On Tuesday, January 07, Governor Wes Moore signed an executive order establishing the Digital Infrastructure Group. The Digital Infrastructure Group will be led by Eric Bathras, Chief Technology Officer for Infrastructure at the Department of Information Technology, and work in partnership with the Maryland Department of Transportation, and the Department of Housing and Community Development. The goal is to help increase internet coverage, boost state revenue through resource-sharing agreements with private sector Internet service providers, eliminate financial inefficiencies,…

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January 9, 2025
Read more about the article Montgomery County Wins Best Broadband Program Award
Broadband / County News / Information Technology
Montgomery County Wins Best Broadband Program Award

Montgomery County has been named the “Best Municipal or Public Connectivity Program” by the Broadband Nation Awards. The County was recognized as having the nation’s top broadband infrastructure program and digital equity program to help close the digital divide. The announcement was made during the Broadband Nation Expo in Washington, D.C. on October 10, 2024. The awards help to focus attention on the importance of bridging the growing digital divide and the need to bring…

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October 17, 2024
Read more about the article Feds Share Health IT Strategy to Enhance Care and Connectivity
Broadband / County News / Health and Human Services / Information Technology
Feds Share Health IT Strategy to Enhance Care and Connectivity

The federal government unveiled a health IT strategy to improve patient care, drive innovation, and expand access to digital health technologies. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finalized the 2024-2030 Federal Health IT Strategic Plan. This strategy sets a course for the future of health information technology (health IT). This comprehensive strategy, guided by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, focuses on leveraging technology to improve healthcare…

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October 8, 2024
Read more about the article MD Internet Access: High Statewide, But Rural Counties Struggle to Keep Pace
Broadband / County News / Information Technology / News You Can Use
MD Internet Access: High Statewide, But Rural Counties Struggle to Keep Pace

Access to broadband in rural areas is an issue nationwide, and Maryland is no exception. New data from the Local Estimates of Internet Adoption (LEIA) program reveals that while Maryland maintains strong internet adoption rates overall, significant gaps persist in rural counties, affecting residents’ ability to participate fully in the digital economy, access education, and benefit from telehealth services. These insights, provided by the US Census Bureau in collaboration with the National Telecommunications and Information…

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September 9, 2024
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