The MML 2024 Final Legislative Report is now available! Each year MML staff compiles the legislation that passed through the General Assembly and has impact on municipal governments into this one document. The Final Report includes a short summary of each passed bill plus a link to the General Assembly for more detail.

The application for FY22 State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP) funding is now open.

The application can be accessed on the Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM) website. If you are interested in either the Information Security Officer (ISO) program or submitting for a subgrant award, please find the relevant section and follow the step-by-step instructions.

As we prepare for our summer conference, we also reflect back on the memory of those whom we have lost.  The League will recognize municipal officials who have passed away since June of 2023 at the conference as we have done in the past.  We are calling upon you, our members, to make sure that all are remembered. 

The Maryland Municipal League is proud to be one of the 130 partners to support the Maryland Tough Baltimore Strong coalition. If you know someone impacted by the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, please see the resources available below.

To date, more than 130 partners have joined the alliance, committing more than $15 million and providing other non-monetary support for port workers and to the broader recovery. 

The Maryland Tough Baltimore Strong Fund, established by the Baltimore Community Foundation (BCF) has been the primary resource for alliance members to support port workers, first responders and their families, and impacted Key Bridge communities.   The fund has received support from over 300 contributors. The consistent needs identified by each community include immediate support for basic human needs. This includes the ask for private financial support for workers affected by the port closure, with assistance to cover basic essentials.  

Applications are now being accepted for the African American Heritage Preservation Program FY2025 grant round. Applicants are strongly encouraged to read the grant guidelines, view a recorded webinar and contact program staff with any questions, including whether your project is eligible. All applications must be completed and submitted by 11:59 pm on July 1, 2024.

The African American Heritage Preservation Program (AAHPP) provides grants to assist in the preservation of buildings, sites, or communities of historical and cultural importance to the African American experience in Maryland.

The AAHPP is administered as a partnership between the Maryland Historical Trust and the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture (MCAAHC). The program typically receives an annual appropriation of $5,000,000 for grants per year.

Join us for a Lunch and Learn webinar on May 14, noon to 1 p.m., to learn how to use the MML Digital Library, a new tool designed to  provide access to a myriad of documents and data that may help your municipal operations. 

NLC routinely pulls together great resources for cities and towns following Supreme Court decisions. Below are some recent offerings:

In case you missed our webinar last month on the Lindke v. Freed decision in which the Supreme Court set forth the test for when local government officials are considered "state actors" for the purposes of the First Amendment when they post on social media. Please find a recording of the webinar, as well as an FAQ on the court decision, here. 

The EPA Mid-Atlantic Summit is a one-day virtual event geared towards addressing environmental health topics relevant to the Mid-Atlantic Region. The summit is held annually and features an opening plenary with state environmental secretaries and concurrent sessions focused on various topics, including equity, environmental justice, sustainability, grant opportunities, and more. This year's Summit will be held on Thursday, May 16, 2024, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

The Summit is free and open to the public.  Additional information, including how to registration is available here. The Summit will convene representatives from communities; non-profit organizations; Tribes; professional associations and advocacy groups; businesses; academia; and federal, state, and local government in the Mid-Atlantic Region (Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia).

Read about transformative proposals for improving community governance, public health outcomes, local elections, city management, and local decision-making in the Spring 2024 National Civic Review. Also, the importance of hope in efforts to bring about positive community change.

The Review's online edition is now open access. You can read it here.

All formal requests for an amendment to the MML Bylaws for the upcoming 2024 Annual Business Meeting must be submitted in writing no later than April 12^th to MML CEO Theresa Kuhns. A formal letter with direct wording, background of the request, and member municipality is required. If the amendment request is on behalf of an MML-sponsored group, please include a cover letter, approved meeting minutes, action item and vote.

The Chesapeake Bay Program is conducting a survey of local elected and appointed officials involved in policy making. Results will be used to improve and enhance training and information for local leaders. Please take 10 minutes to share your opinion. The survey is being conducted by an independent contractor (Eastern Research Group, Inc. (ERG)). Your feedback is confidential. If you have any questions, please contact the survey helpdesk at [email protected].

Survey Here

On behalf of the Maryland Municipal League, it is my distinct honor to announce the call for leadership. In addition to being the professional trade association for Maryland’s local governments, MML has 30 various groups under its umbrella offering our 160 members, its elected officials, and municipal staff opportunities to engage, volunteer and support the mission. Our amazing volunteer leaders continue to inspire, lead and connect Marylanders- and we are grateful to you for your time and dedication to supporting the Maryland Municipal League and our mission.

Elected officials who have served 20 years or more are encouraged to submit a nomination for induction into the Maryland Municipal League's Hall of Fame.

This longevity honor is bestowed upon those (living or deceased) who have dedicated multiple decades to the service of a Maryland city or town. 2024 Hall of Fame candidates will join 272 Hall of Famers and will be inducted during Opening General Session, the official kickoff to our summer conference.

The State's Municipal Technical Assistance Program (MTAP) will be hosting a webinar on behalf of the Maryland Department of Budget and Management on ARPA Closeout & Obligation Best Practices. The webinar will take place on Thursday, April 18, 2024 from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

This webinar will focus on the obligation process for ARPA funding, including how to prepare for the 2024 obligation deadline and utilize new guidance on obligations.  The discussion will also include best practices for managing the closeout of federal program funding.

On March 15^th, in Lindke v. Freed, the Supreme Court established the test for when local government officials are considered "state actors" for the purposes of the First Amendment when they post on social media.  The case is a win for local governments, as the test provided by the Supreme Court safeguards the free speech rights of elected officials while balancing the rights of their citizens. 

The National League of Cities (NLC) has created two resources to help local governments navigate this in practical terms:

The American Rescue Plan Act State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF) reporting deadline is April 30, 2024. All NEUs who have received ARPA funding are required to submit this annual report, which covers expenditures incurred between April 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024. For NEUs who report quarterly, the report will cover expenditures during the period of January 1, 2024, through March 31, 2024. Keep in mind that the Municipal Technical Assistance Program (MTAP) continues to support Maryland municipalities to inform them of their reporting responsibilities throughout the month, including through individual phone calls beginning this week. 

MML is keeping in close contact with the Moore Administration and relevant stakeholders regarding the Francis Scott Key Bridge tragedy. 

For any of our Bay coastal towns who have shoreline and debris concerns, please utilize the following hotline to report any washed up items likely from the incident to +1-410-205-6625.

As the 2024 General Assembly session winds down, it is time to start thinking about submitting legislative action requests (LARs) for the 2025 session. The basis for MML's legislative priorities, LARs are ideas for a legislative fix submitted by a member municipality, MML chapter, or MML department for the Legislative Committee's consideration. MML will make the LAR form available on April 1, a few weeks earlier than usual. 

2024 priorities formed from LAR submissions include authority to create local tourism zones, providing options for who may review speed camera images, and expanding the services included in the admissions and amusement tax.