Looking to secure the final core class credits you need to complete your Academy for Excellence in Local Governance certification? The 2026 MML Summer Conference will offer five core classes to help you reach that milestone:

• Ethics, Sunday, June 14, 1:15 - 3:00 p.m.
• Municipal Budgeting, Monday, June 15, 10:15 - 12:00 p.m.
• Structure of Municipal Government, Monday, June 15, 1:15 - 3:00 p.m.
• Basics of Risk Management, Tuesday, June 16, 10:15 - 12:00 p.m.
• Conducting Effective Meetings, Wednesday, June 17, 10:15 - 12:00 p.m.

Check out MML's website to see the latest summer conference preliminary schedule. For more information on the Academy for Excellence in Local Governance, contact MML Director of Leadership Development and Membership Experience Tom Reynolds at [email protected].

MML’s Summer Conference is a vibrant celebration of municipal government and its profound impact on the lives of over 2 million Marylanders. Highlighting the contributions of municipalities and the 44,000 dedicated local government professionals who serve them, MMLCon26 promises to inspire and unite.

Immediately following the closing general session, attendees can experience the highly anticipated MML Main Street event. This exclusive showcase offers member municipalities and MML affiliates a premier platform to spotlight their initiatives, innovations, or community pride. With only 12 spots available, don’t miss the chance to shine and share your story with peers and leaders from across the state.

New to registering for a MML Conference? Need a refresher on how to register someone on their behalf?

 

First Call for the Hall – Are You a MML Hall of Famer?

The Maryland Municipal League’s Hall of Fame honors current or former municipal officials (living or deceased) that have served 20 years or more as a municipal elected official. Submissions are now open for those eligible elected officials to join the 286 municipal Hall of Famers.

Last week, MML staff testified on the third bill in Governor Moore's 2026 housing package, the Maryland Transit and Housing Opportunities Act. As presented, this bill would automatically designate transit-oriented development (TOD) areas served by frequent rail service as Enterprise Zones, and delay the collection of development impact fees and excise taxes until after construction is complete. It also restricts the authority of local jurisdictions to impose minimum parking requirements, and mandates allowance for mixed-use development within specified distances of qualifying rail stations. 

The Maryland Municipal League's position is Favorable with Amendments. We are seeking amendments to address the automatic Enterprise Zone designation, and the impact fee/excise tax payment delay. Conversations with the Administration and General Assembly Committees are ongoing. Contact Angelica Bailey Thupari ([email protected]) with questions.  

 

MMLCon26 registration launches in less than a week. You don't want to miss out on the exciting things we have in store for our 90th Anniversary celebration.

The Maryland Department of Information Technology has issued a new Cybersecurity and Privacy Policy Suite establishing unified security standards for all executive branch agencies to strengthen protection of state systems, data, and services against increasingly sophisticated threats.

Preparing for MMLCon26 just got easier. Get an early look at the sessions we’re planning as part of our conference experience.

The preliminary schedule offers a preview of what’s ahead. Topics, speakers, and times are subject to change. To view the preliminary schedule, visit our website.

Grant Writing Training in Annapolis, MD - March 26-27, 2026

The Governor's Office of Crime Prevention and Policy and Grant Writing USA will present a two-day grant writing workshop in Annapolis on March 26-27, 2026. This training is for grant seekers from all disciplines. Attend this class to learn how to write winning government grant proposals and find the available grant funding.

Last week MML testified in opposition to SB 3 / HB 188, a bill that alters certain aspects of the State's unemployment insurance system. The most impactful provision for municipal governments is the increase in weekly benefit amount to successful claimants. Municipal governments are typically "reimbursing employers" meaning that they reimburse the unemployment insurance trust fund when a former employee makes a successful claim. This means that municipal government expenditures are tied to the amount a claimant receives, dollar-for-dollar. This is different than private sector employers, which regularly pay into the Fund based on the taxable wage base.

While the League recognizes that the unemployment insurance weekly benefit amount has not been updated in many years, the provisions of the bill would raise the cost to municipal governments to a level that would pose a significant burden.

This week, MML testified on SB 36 and its cross-file HB 239, legislation that would limit local zoning authority for certain residential housing types. The bill would prohibit municipalities from applying specific zoning standards, such as setbacks, lot coverage, or design requirements, to “starter” and “silver” homes, and would enable property owners on improved lots to subdivide into smaller lots under certain conditions.

MML’s testimony acknowledged the importance of expanding housing supply but raised concerns about state limits on local zoning and planning authority, especially near infrastructure and services. We emphasized that local governments need tools to balance growth with community character, public safety, and service capacity.

Last week, the Maryland Municipal League (MML) testified before the House Ways and Means Committee on HB 594. While MML supports the bill - which seeks to return a portion of sales tax revenue to the City of Baltimore - we officially testified as Support with Amendment.

Currently, HB 594 would require the Comptroller to pay the City of Baltimore one-third of the sales and use tax revenues collected within its borders. In the hearing, MML staff highlighted how municipalities are the economic hubs of the state, where 34% of all sales tax revenue is generated despite only accounting for 5% of the state’s land mass.

Last week, the Maryland Municipal League (MML) testified before the House Appropriations Committee in strong support of HB 559. This bill represents a critical turning point in our years-long advocacy to restore and protect Highway User Revenues (HUR) for Maryland’s cities and towns.

For years, municipal governments have operated under temporary "funding bridges" that increased our share of gas tax and vehicle fee revenues. However, under current law, those increases are set decrease after Fiscal Year 2027, from the 3.0% allocation of Highway User Revenues to 2.4%.

For nearly 60 years, Maryland’s municipal revenue structure has remained largely unchanged, forcing our cities and towns to rely on property taxes for approximately 50% of their general fund budgets. This over-dependence is no longer sustainable.

We have a critical opportunity to change this. HB 1142, MML's priority bill sponsored by Ways and Means Chair Jheanelle Wilkins, establishes a Task Force to Modernize County and Municipal Revenue Structures. This "blue-ribbon" commission will study alternative revenue sources - such as those used in other states - to ensure our communities can remain fiscally resilient without placing the entire burden on property owners.