​Dear Friend:
The 2025 Maryland Legislative session has now concluded. Every session I have represented you in the Maryland General Assembly has had its share of challenges, but this may have been the most difficult in light of state budget shortfalls, which are being severely exacerbated by devastating actions of the federal government. Despite these difficulties, it is still an incredible privilege to represent you alongside the rest of the District 16 Delegation: Senator Sara Love, Delegate Sarah Wolek, and Delegate Teresa Woorman.
In 2025, I continued my service as chair of the House Environment & Transportation Committee, one of just six standing committees in the House with jurisdiction over not just the topics in the committee title but also ethics, housing, agriculture, local government, and more.
Below is a synopsis of some key highlights from the legislative session. We work on thousands of bills each legislative session, so if an issue you care about is not addressed here, please email me about it at [email protected] or just reply to this message.

BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS
 
The one piece of legislation that we are constitutionally required to pass each year is a balanced budget. This year, we faced a large projected deficit when we convened, and the problem has grown more severe with the federal government both cutting direct assistance to all states and also making changes that are particularly impactful to Maryland, where we have so many federal employees, federal contractors, and federal agencies. Despite these fiscal challenges, the General Assembly passed a comprehensive and balanced budget that funds our shared priorities and ensures essential services, improves our state’s financial condition moving forward, and makes significant cuts to ensure we are fiscally responsible.
The budget includes: 
$1.6 billion in general fund budget reductions (cuts) overall. However, significant cuts that had been proposed for critical services provided by the Developmental Disabilities Administration were largely avoided. 
Over $2.4 billion dedicated to offset and protect against federal actions negatively impacting Maryland residents. This includes $ 2.1 billion for the state’s Rainy Day Fund. 
Funding for the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future and pre-kindergarten through 12th grade public education programs, including over $1 billion allocated for Montgomery County Public Schools.
Fully funds the Governor’s transportation budget, ensuring funding for programs and projects across the state.
To help pay for our state budget, the General Assembly worked with the Governor on difficult but necessary tax and revenue proposals, including:
A higher income tax rate for individuals earning over $500,000 through the creation of two new tax brackets at 6.25% and 6.5% for those high earners.
A capital gains surcharge on those with incomes over $350,000 per year.
Phasing out of itemization for those making over $200,000 per year and an increase in the standard deduction.
A new 3% sales tax on broad-based services provided by data and IT companies.
Several tax proposals put forth by the Governor were not adopted, including a lowering of the estate tax exemption, elimination of the inheritance tax, full elimination of itemization, a corporate tax reduction, and a retail delivery service fee.
It is never easy to cut vital programs or raise people’s taxes, but that is what is required to meet our balanced budget requirements.
The state’s capital (construction) budget also included tens of millions for Montgomery County school construction and local District 16 projects, including support for:
The Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health
New Second Entrance at the North Bethesda Metro Station
Bannockburn Nursery School.
Imagination Stage
The National Center for Children and Family

PROTECTING MARYLANDERS 
Maryland is feeling the impacts of the irresponsible decisions of the new presidential administration. Federal workers, in particular, have been hit hard by reckless cuts and layoffs. With more than 60 federal agencies hosting major operations within the state, Maryland has lost tens of thousands of federal jobs. District 16 has seen its own share of these problems as the National Institute of Health’s main headquarters is located in Bethesda and will let go of an estimated 3,400 employees as a result of presidential decisions. These reckless decisions are forcing Maryland to make some difficult decisions. The Maryland General Assembly has taken action to mitigate and reverse harm inflicted upon both our federal workers and the people who rely on their services.
One important action we took was to fund the Attorney General’s requested budget increase to fight the federal administration in court. The House also passed the Protect Our Federal Workers Act (HB 1424). The bill is a response to the recent uncertainty in federal employment status and authorizes the Maryland Department of Labor to issue interest-free loans to affected federal employees in the event of a government shutdown or mass layoff. The bill also provides an additional $1.5 million to the Office of the Attorney General to hire more attorneys to protect affected federal employees and streamlines the state hiring process for former federal employees who can put their talents to use in state government. This bill aims to provide stability to the almost 143,000 federal employees in Maryland. 
The federal administration is taking actions to repeal and undermine the Affordable Care Act. The Maryland General Assembly has taken several actions to put protections in place. We passed HB 930, which establishes the Public Health Abortion Grant Program from unspent insurance premiums for abortion coverage to support those who are uninsured and underinsured. The legislature is also preserving insurance carrier coverage with HB 974, requiring coverage of preventative services with zero cost sharing. Investing in preventative care reduces the costs of overall care. HB 1045 builds upon legislation we passed in 2017 that made Maryland the first state in the nation to guarantee funding for family planning and women’s health services if the Federal Government decides to defund clinics. Given the national landscape, funding these protections is vital for families.
In the wake of several federal actions indiscriminately increasing enforcement and the detaining of immigrants,  the General Assembly is taking steps to protect our immigrant communities. We passed the Maryland Values Act (HB 1222), which designates public schools, public libraries, state funded or operated health and care facilities, and state governmental buildings as sensitive locations where immigration enforcement and detaining efforts are limited and or restricted. I was proud to cosponsor the House version of the bill. What this ultimately did not include is a prohibition I voted for in the House to prohibit state and local agencies from participating in what are known as 287(g) immigration enforcement agreements, which use local law enforcement for routine federal immigration enforcement. Those provisions would have ensured state and local cooperation for certain types of dangerous activity, but not put local law enforcement on the frontlines of regular immigration enforcement.

EDUCATION 
As the Trump Administration is attempting to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education, guaranteeing that Maryland’s students have access to quality education has remained one of our top priorities. The Maryland General Assembly took steps to fund and reinforce Maryland’s education system. We passed the Excellence in Maryland Public Schools Act (HB 504) to retain essential public education funding for community schools (those with significant economically disadvantaged populations), students from low-income families, multilingual learner services, special education, and teacher collaborative time. Additionally, the bill makes targeted investments in teacher recruitment, retention, and professional development. This bill is essential as harmful cuts are made at the federal level, so we can ensure every Maryland student gets a quality education. 
As noted above, the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future was fully funded in this budget. The Blueprint is often in the news for its costs, but it is not just about money but what we are getting for that money. Its five pillars include early childhood education, quality teachers, college and career readiness, investing in those with the most needs, and oversight. The investments made so far have been fruitful as there has been a 53% increase in students enrolled in full-day pre-k. Maryland is ranked first for the number of teachers becoming National Board Certified. We have over 300 career coaches across the state who are providing career counseling to students. There has been a 110% increase in the number of community schools that provide wrap-around services to ensure students have all the resources they need to be successful. Additionally, all 24 school systems across the state are being held accountable for their implementation plans.
I also sponsored the County School Board Member Anti-Bias Training Act (HB 324), which expands anti-bias–including anti-Semitism–training requirements to county school board members. This legislation builds upon legislation I worked on last year that required the training for public school employees. More than ever, it is important that there is an understanding of the complexity and diversity of our community, especially by those tasked with governance.

TRANSPORTATION
As many of you know, investing in our transportation network is a significant focus of mine. This session, I sponsored the Metro Funding Modification Act of 2025 (HB 467), which modifies Maryland’s contribution of dedicated capital funding to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), our local transit system. The bill would have increased the regional dedicated capital contribution Maryland would make to Metro to maintain service and safety, contingent on Virginia and D.C. doing the same. The bill passed the House but did not proceed in the Senate. We also passed HB 527, legislation to provide some limited relief to residents and businesses along the Purple Line construction corridor, with limited free ridership and advertising. In addition, we sent to the Governor HB 517, legislation I sponsored to review the structure of the Maryland Transit Administration, including the Purple Line and our MARC commuter rail system.
The Environment and Transportation Committee took a serious look at ways we can meet our state’s Vision Zero goal, our aspirational effort to reduce roadway deaths and serious injuries for drivers, passengers, cyclists, and pedestrians to zero. We heard approximately 20 bills that focused on addressing speeding on our roadways. We passed HB 1173, which authorizes the placement and use of speed monitoring systems in Montgomery County on roads that are at high risk for crashes. HB 182 increases the civil penalty fees charged for speed monitoring system violations, specifically levying higher fees for those going at higher speeds (remember, no speed camera penalty sets in until you are going 12 miles per hour over the limit). The Sergeant Patrick Kepp Act (HB 744) alters penalties for reckless and aggressive driving. The bill is named after Sergeant Patrick Kepp, who is a Montgomery County police officer who was severely injured by a reckless driver. These bills all aim to make drivers think more carefully before driving recklessly and endangering lives.
Although automated enforcement can be a useful safety tool, it must also be used appropriately. This year, I sponsored the Automated Enforcement Privacy Act (HB 516), which prohibits agencies from accessing or using a recorded image or associated data without a warrant, subpoena, or court order unless the access or use is for an appropriate traffic enforcement purpose. This bill will protect the privacy of citizens while ensuring our statewide systems can continue to protect and enforce necessary safety and traffic standards across the state. Senator Love has been a great leader on this issue and sponsored the Senate version of the bill.

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY
In this session, we worked on a package of bills aimed at advancing clean energy, improving water quality, and supporting our agricultural partners. 
The House worked closely with the Senate to pass the Next Generation Energy Act (HB 1035) to help Maryland achieve its energy priorities and provide much-needed rate relief. Among the bill’s provisions is a major increase in the deployment of energy storage (150 megawatts of distribution-connected energy storage), altering how multi-year rate plans by utilities can be undertaken, and requiring a fast-track procurement of new energy generation, excluding coal and oil options. Candidly, the approach does leave the possibility of natural gas, but this cannot be a long-term solution given Maryland's climate goals. The Next Generation Energy Act also strengthens the oversight of Maryland’s gas utilities by reforming the STRIDE program. Companies must now demonstrate that infrastructure upgrades prioritize safety, provide value to customers, and are better than lower-cost alternatives like leak repair. Communities must also be notified well in advance of construction. Finally, utilities may propose multi-year rate plans—but only if they serve the public interest by improving predictability, maintaining quality, and preventing retroactive charges. The goal is a system that better serves people, not just providers. Moreover, we passed the Renewable Energy Certainty Act (HB 1036), to make the siting of solar and other renewables easier to manage.

HB 49 alters Maryland’s Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS) from the Climate Solutions Now Act that was passed in 2022.  BEPS is a policy to reduce emissions from the building sector. We have been working with stakeholders to ensure that Montgomery County buildings only need to comply with Montgomery County’s more flexible local law, and I am pleased that was part of the final bill.

Coal ash pollution poses a serious threat to Maryland’s communities and waterways. New data has revealed a widespread presence of legacy coal ash sites in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Coal ash contains toxic metals that can contaminate water and air, putting nearby communities at risk. SB 425 strengthens oversight of coal ash storage and cleanup by aligning with federal rules, expanding monitoring, creating a coordination committee, and updating fees to fund enforcement. It’s a key step to safeguarding public health, drinking water, and our beloved Chesapeake Bay. We also took a step toward holding major polluters financially accountable. SB 149–previously called the RENEW Act–directs the Comptroller, in coordination with key state agencies, to study and report the full cost of greenhouse gas emissions in Maryland. The study will quantify the economic and environmental damage caused by climate change—including impacts to public health, infrastructure, and agriculture—and assess the costs already borne by the state and its residents. We also passed the Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act (HB 506), landmark legislation establishing the Maryland Leaders in Environmentally Engaged Farming (LEEF) Program. This bill takes a major step forward in protecting our waterways that feed the Chesapeake Bay by promoting regenerative farming on public lands—farming practices that restore soil health, reduce nutrient pollution, and sequester carbon. The bill also establishes a comprehensive Water Quality Monitoring Program within the Department of Natural Resources, ensuring our Bay cleanup efforts are guided by strong science and transparent data.

We also worked on the Maryland Bottle Bill (HB 232) this session. While it did not cross the finish line this year, it represents important steps toward a cleaner and more sustainable Maryland. To reduce litter and promote recycling,  HB 232 proposed a statewide beverage container deposit system—a proven strategy in other states to cut down on waste and increase recycling rates. However, we did pass SB 901, which puts more responsibility on producers of packaging and paper products to submit a framework to minimize the environmental and human health impacts of packaging, conserving resources by increasing recycling rates and content, modernizing waste and recycling systems across the state, and making producers financially responsible for investing in the needed recycling and waste infrastructure. These efforts are part of our long-term waste diversion goals.
 
HOUSING
This session, I supported legislation to expand access to safe, affordable housing and strengthen Maryland communities. For example, working with our County’s leadership, I sponsored the Affordable Housing Payment in Lieu of Taxes Expansion Act (HB 390), to incentivize property owners of naturally occurring affordable housing to maintain that affordable housing instead of upgrading to market (more expensive) rates. On the tenant side, I supported the Tenant Possession Recovery Act (HB 767), which requires landlords to provide an additional notice of eviction to tenants and provide a specific notice to safeguard tenant possessions.
The Moore Administration submitted two significant housing bills, and I worked to ensure that they both maximized housing and maintained our local communities. HB 80, a bill on Transit-Oriented Development, supports targeting housing and mixed-use development near public transit. Frankly, Montgomery County has already done quite a bit of this work, but the bill would have ensured other areas with rail transit are following our lead. The Housing Development Act (HB 503), previously referred to as the Housing for Jobs Act, was heavily amended based on feedback I received from many of you. As amended, the bill would have set non-binding housing production targets, established a new commission to study and promote housing, and put in place clear rules so that the policies in place at the time a housing application is approved continue to govern that project. Ultimately, however, these bills did not pass the State Senate.
My seatmate, Delegate Wolek, sponsored the Maryland Housing Data Transparency Act (HB 1193), supporting housing development efforts across the state’s largest counties and Baltimore City by establishing a framework for the quarterly collection and reporting of housing data to the Maryland Department of Planning. All information will be stored and readily accessible on an interactive online site to help address the housing crisis in a factual, data-driven manner. 
We also worked toward the successful passage of SB 63, a bill regarding Funding of Reserve Accounts and Preparation of Funding Plans. Those of you living in common ownership communities– such as a condo or co-op community–are aware of the important rules we have put in place to ensure a building is maintaining adequate reserves to invest in important safety measures. The legislation places additional flexibility in these reserve study and account requirements to maximize safety while maintaining affordability for residents.
 
TRANSPARENCY AND REFORM
I am proud to once again sponsor and support legislation to promote government transparency in Maryland. I was the primary lead on three bills that addressed this topic. The Local Boards of Elections Transparency Act (HB 412) builds upon work I did in prior legislative sessions to increase the transparency of our state board of elections by requiring the advance posting of certain documents and video streaming of meetings. This successful bill expands these requirements to county boards of elections across the state, although I am proud to note that Montgomery County largely did this without a legal requirement. 
HB 932 addresses potential conflicts of interest by a Governor by expanding the use of blind trusts and non-participation agreements to ensure that a Governor is focused on the best interests of the state. It strengthens Maryland’s public ethics framework by limiting the Governor’s ability to influence decisions for personal gain.  The WSSC Planning and Reporting Act (HB 1195) provides better oversight of the Washington Suburban Sanitation Commission (WSSC). My office has received numerous constituent complaints related to WSSC and this legislation puts a new subject matter expert on the Commission, requires the public posting of more information, and requires WSSC, WSSC’s Inspector General, and the Department of Legislative Services to review various aspects of WSSC’s operation and governance to improve outcomes.
 
CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM
Maryland has made great progress during the past few years on criminal justice reform. This session, the General Assembly passed the Maryland Second Look Act (HB 853) authorizing certain individuals to file a motion for a reduced sentence if the individual was convicted between the ages of at least 18 and under 25, was not sentenced to life, is not a sex offender, and has served at least 20 years of the sentence. The legislation will further state efforts to promote rehabilitation and restorative justice. 

GOING FORWARD
Thank you for keeping in touch during the legislative session. I strongly value the input of my constituents on the issues before the General Assembly. While the state legislature only meets for 90 days each year in Annapolis, I am working for you 365 days a year. As we progress throughout the year, my office will continue to be a resource to help connect you to state and local officials.

If you have any questions about the material in this letter, other questions about the recently concluded legislative session, ideas regarding policy issues, issues with a state agency that require constituent services, or are interested in my office’s legislative scholarship, please contact me any time. I can be reached by phone at 410-841-3649 or by email at [email protected].

There are just a handful of days left during this legislative session and my next email will be a comprehensive summary of everything that has taken place. Over the next few days, we will finalize the budget, address energy and other environmental legislation, and, hopefully, finalize immigration and criminal justice bills among other issues. During this last minute crush of activity, I am often asked if it would make more sense to have a longer annual session or even a full time legislature. It is a complicated question and there are pros and cons. But I do think attention is focused and compromise is hatched when a deadline hangs over you. If we had a 100 day legislative session, I believe we would still have this crush of last minute activity but it would be close to the 100th day and not the 90th.

BUDGET UPDATE
​Last week, I shared an update on the balanced budget deal agreed to by the House and Senate leadership and the Governor. That compromise is still working its way through the legislative process. We had two lengthy days of debate on it in the House, which is appropriate given the scale of the budget deficit, the size of the budget cuts being discussed, and the potential impact of taxes and other revenue. Not surprisingly, my role in the debate was focused primarily on transportation issues and you can view part of that discussion here. The budget has also passed the Senate and is now in a conference committee between the two chambers,
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There is another element of the annual budget that focuses on the state's construction program (the capital budget). This funds school construction, healthcare facilities, public safety buildings and more. This year's capital budget includes over $900 million in school construction investment, including over $50 million for an enrollment-based program that disproportionately benefits Montgomery County. Under the leadership of the Montgomery County Delegation Chair, we also secured additional school construction funding for Montgomery County not included in the Governor's original request.
Other District 16 projects that are receiving funding include:
-Children's Inn at NIH
-The Glen Echo Park Spanish Ballroom
-Imagination Stage
-The Bannockburn Nursery School
-The National Center for Children and Families
-The North Bethesda Metro Station second entrance
-And more....

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
The bills of which I am the primary sponsor continue to work their way through the legislative process. As of the time I am writing this, six of my bills have passed the Senate and are heading to the Governor's desk for signature including the County School Board Anti-Bias Act, the Local Boards of Election Transparency Act, privacy protections for automated enforcement data, the Conflicts of Interest Act, legislation expanding the availability of vintage plates, and the State Mineral Act. I expect a few additional bills to make it through the process as well.

LEGISLATIVE SCHOLARSHIP
State legislators award higher education scholarships for those attending Maryland institutions or non-Maryland institutions with unique majors (not available in Maryland).  Learn more about my office's program at https://www.marckorman.com/scholarship.html.

COMMUNITY NEWS
Preserve Cast is a Maryland-based history podcast I enjoy. This week's guest was District 16's own Hank Levine, who is a leader on the Bethesda Meeting House Preservation project. Listen here.
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Several District 16 residents have been appointed or re-appointed to County boards:
-Citizens Review Panel for Children: Jane Yamaykin
-Commission on Landlord Tenant Affairs: Michael Rosenzweig, Stefanie Milovic, and Thomas Jackson

COMMUNITY EVENTS
On Thursday, May 8th at 6pm, the Maryland Transit Administration will host the latest Bethesda Chevy Chase Purple Line Community Action Team meeting. The meeting is virtual and can be accessed here.

OFFICE CORNER
​As we approach the end of the legislative session, the next stop for many bills will be the Governor's desk where he can sign a bill into law, let it become law without his signature, or veto it. I have two framed pens from bill signings in my office to share here including from my first bill (a Metro ridership study requirement for Maryland, whose next installment is due this year) and the 2018 dedicated funding for Metro bill. I hope you enjoyed this fun segment of my newsletter this year and I hope to have a new topic to keep your interest in the 2026 legislative session!