News

Maryland Legislative Update

With the completion of four bill signing ceremonies and the announcement of 23 vetoes by Governor Moore, the door has officially closed on the 2025 Maryland General Assembly Session. Most notably, Governor Moore vetoed a bill establishing a Maryland Reparations Commission charged with studying the historic inequality endured by African descendants in Maryland. The bill was a priority of the Legislative Black Caucus, but Governor Moore concluded further study was unnecessary and committed to continue advocating for policies to “uplift Black families and address racial disparities in our communities.” 

Governor Moore vetoed other priorities of legislative leadership, including multiple bills aimed at reforming and studying Maryland’s energy and climate policies. After vetoing just four bills in 2024, the sharp increase in vetoes is reflective of the difficult legislative session dominated by the challenge of resolving a $3 billion budget shortfall and how those negotiations impacted other policy decisions.  

Potential overrides of the vetoes will be considered at the next meeting of the General Assembly, scheduled for January. If the legislature convenes a special session prior to January, the overrides would be considered then.  

Attention now turns to the interim work of the Moore Administration and the General Assembly, with a continued focus on the state budget and potential federal actions that could negatively impact state finances. Already, the state’s long coveted Aaa bond rating was lost in May when Moody’s downgraded Maryland to Aa1. Moody’s cited concerns about Maryland’s looming structural deficits, high costs, and potential vulnerability to changes in federal spending. If federal changes are severe enough to cause immediate impacts to the state, particularly to entitlement programs such as Medicaid, Governor Moore and the legislative leadership could consider a special session in the fall to address those issues. Absent a special session, the Board of Public Works (comprised of the governor, comptroller, and treasurer) can reduce the budget by up to 25% of a specific legislative appropriation. Last year, the Board approved a proposal to reduce the state budget by nearly $150 million.   

In mid-June, the ten standing committees of the Senate and House of Delegates are expected to formally submit their planned interim activities to the presiding officers. The Maryland Works team will continue to engage legislators and Moore Administration officials throughout the interim, educating members and staff of the work being done to ensure employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities and the importance of the State’s Preferred Provider program. Specifically, the team will be focused on the implementation of the new Department of Social and Economic Mobility, which will be the new home for the Employment Works Program.   

Legislators and staff from both the legislature and the Moore Administration will attend regional and national legislative conferences. The Maryland Works lobbying team will attend each of these meetings, most notably the National Conference of State Legislators Conference in Boston, and Maryland Works will again have a presence at this year’s Maryland Association of Counties Summer Conference in August. This meeting presents an excellent opportunity to engage elected officials and staff, build key relationships, and increase awareness of Maryland Works and role it fills within the workforce community.

Source: Manis Canning & Associates