On October 20, MML Director of Advocacy and Public Policy Angelica Bailey Thupari presented before the Maryland House Judiciary Committee during two briefings examining potential changes to Maryland's civil liability laws. The briefings focused on the state's cap on noneconomic damages in personal injury and wrongful death cases, and the distinction between contributory and comparative negligence. MML emphasized the importance of maintaining existing legal protections for municipalities, highlighting how changes could increase liability exposure, drive up insurance and settlement costs, and place additional strain on municipal budgets and essential public services.

MML will continue working with legislators to ensure municipal perspectives are considered as these issues are evaluated ahead of the 2027 legislative session. 

2026 marks the 90th year anniversary of the Maryland Municipal League's founding and brought with it our fourth independent research study "Funding Our Communities: Local Revenue Reforms to Meet Today's Needs." The League's 2026 research partner is the Maryland Center on Economic Policy (MDCEP), a leading and respected firm based in our largest municipality, Baltimore City. The study is another example of the League leveraging external relationships to produce content-rich deliverables which will further League and member municipality advocacy and public policy goals.

The study's focus was to provide viable options which could become new revenue streams for local governments and supporting data to back those options. While the study does recommend certain options which are solely the recommendations of MDCEP, the underlying data and context from other states has proven credibility and of incredible value to leaders in Maryland. As with past MML studies, the League and its members are able to use portions of the report in legislative testimony, fiscal note responses, and in your council chambers.

The Task Force to Modernize County and Municipal Revenue Structures held its fourth meeting on October 2, to discuss various revenue sources, including retail delivery fees, municipal hotel tax, food and beverage tax, and other proposals. The Task force also reviewed general local tax rates.

The next meeting, scheduled for October 30, is set to discuss further revenue options, including local sales tax. The agenda and live view link will be hosted here in the days prior to the meeting.

The Georgetown Law Center for Innovations in Community Safety (CICS) has developed Election Protection Guidance for local law enforcement executives and key election stakeholders. The guide is non-partisan, written to distill existing guidance for easy use, and provides a high-level overview of election protection. The guide also links to several additional resources with detailed recommendations and state specific information. The guide is linked above, and is designed for current and future elections.

If you have any questions or wish to discuss the guide with CICS, contact Bree Spencer at [email protected] or to Susan Bayles at [email protected].

This October, municipalities have an opportunity to strengthen the cyber resilience of one of their most critical services: water and wastewater infrastructure.

In recognition of Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2026, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is offering a series of cybersecurity trainings throughout October designed specifically for drinking water and wastewater systems. Sessions will include both beginner and intermediate-level courses, making them accessible whether your municipality is just starting its cybersecurity journey or looking to build on existing protections.

October 8 is here, and limited tickets remain for a full day designed around the issues, skills, and conversations that matter to Maryland’s municipal leaders. The day will begin with our Statewide Candidate Forum, moderated by MML President and Town of Bladensburg Mayor, Takisha James, where invited statewide candidates including Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller will share their priorities and discuss what their vision for Maryland could mean for municipalities.

And that’s just the morning.

Governor Moore has announced a new artificial intelligence framework designed to protect Maryland communities, workers, and children while preparing the state’s workforce for rapidly evolving technology. In the absence of federal safeguards, the Moore-Miller administration will guide the responsible development, deployment, and regulation of AI through three principles: protecting people, centering workers, and keeping children safe. “With the speed with which AI is moving, Marylanders deserve guardrails that safeguard their rights, privacy, and dignity,” said Governor Moore. “This technology is already here, and we believe Maryland is the best state in the country to benefit from the promise of AI responsibly - but we can’t afford to wait while Washington sits on their hands.”

The framework calls for stronger oversight of frontier AI companies, protections for individuals’ likenesses, and clear application of civil rights, consumer protection, housing, lending, and workplace laws to AI. It would also address discriminatory tenant screening, algorithmic rent coordination, the targeting of at-risk gamblers, and harmful workplace use through labor-management engagement and transition planning. To help Marylanders adapt, the administration will continue investing in education, apprenticeships, reskilling, and career pathways. Safeguards for young people would address unsafe chatbots and addictive platform design, require school protocols for AI-related crises, establish a “do no harm” standard for classroom tools, notify families before those tools are used, and provide K–12 lessons on using AI safely, ethically, and effectively.

Governor Wes Moore announced a partnership between Maryland and RAISE US, a national nonprofit that works with states, employers, workers, and educators to build the training and workforce systems needed for an AI-driven economy.

The partnership will help Maryland workers, employers, and community organizations adapt to emerging technologies by piloting incentives for companies to retrain and redeploy workers, develop support for people navigating job transitions, and create training models tied to employer demand. It will also expand Maryland’s Service Year Option into sectors such as health care and education, establish a competitive fund for innovative career-transition programs, and launch an accelerator to help displaced workers pursue entrepreneurship.

There’s still time to join us on October 8 for our Municipal Town Hall at the Crowne Plaza Annapolis but space is limited and tickets are few!

Hear directly from statewide candidates on the issues affecting Maryland’s municipalities, connect with fellow municipal officials seeking higher office, and sharpen your skills through nonpartisan grassroots advocacy training. We’ll also share an important update on the statewide task force studying local revenue as we look ahead to the 2027 legislative session.

The Task Force to Modernize County and Municipal Revenue Sources wants to hear from you! Don't miss this opportunity to share insights from your city, town, or village with the Task Force ahead of potential recommendations. 

The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) today released its $21.9 billion Draft Consolidated Transportation Program (CTP) for Fiscal Years 2027-2032. The balanced plan outlines the Department’s continued focus on prioritizing safety, addressing maintenance needs and growing Maryland’s economy. The six-year capital budget makes meaningful progress toward improving transportation across Maryland by advancing initiatives to lower traffic fatalities, rehabbing and replacing pavement and bridges, modernizing transit operations and leveraging current assets - like the Port of Baltimore, BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport and state-owned land for transit-oriented development - to drive economic growth.

The release of the draft program launches the Maryland Department of Transportation's public engagement process that includes a meeting in every Maryland county and Baltimore City to receive input from local officials and the public. This year’s tour is scheduled to take place during September and October with local jurisdictions hosting the meetings. The schedule can be found here but is subject to change and will be updated as needed throughout the process.

Maryland Department of Labor staff presented to the MML membership about the State's paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program as part of the Lunch and Learn webinar series. In case you missed it, or would like to rewatch it, the recording of the webinar can be found on MML's YouTube page here with a copy of the presentation slides here.

Elements of the program are already live such as employer registration through the State platform, now is the time to make decisions on how to comply with the law in a manner that meets the needs of your employees and your municipal budget.

On October 8, the Maryland Municipal League will host the 2026
Municipal Town Hall, providing municipal leaders with a unique
opportunity to hear directly from the major-party primary winners
for Maryland’s four statewide offices: Governor, Lieutenant
Governor, Attorney General, and Comptroller. Invited candidates
will address a municipal audience and respond to questions on the
issues that matter most to local leaders and the communities they
serve. There will be no debate or political sparring - just direct,
substantive conversation focused on the priorities of Maryland’s
municipalities.

Following the statewide candidates’ program, attendees are invited
to participate in a series of local government-focused workshops.

The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has begun preliminary conversations with MML and other stakeholders about concepts it is considering for potential legislation in the 2027 General Assembly session. These discussions are happening unusually early in the legislative development process, giving MML an opportunity to identify potential municipal impacts and provide feedback while proposals are still taking shape. 

At this stage, these are concepts only. They have not necessarily received final approval from the Administration, bill language has not been drafted, and the proposals may change substantially or may not ultimately be introduced at all. The concepts cover a range of housing and community development issues, including housing production and development requirements, local revenues and incentives, community revitalization programs, and other DHCD programs and authorities. Given the significant housing and land-use legislation considered in recent sessions, MML is paying particular attention to concepts that could affect municipal planning, zoning, infrastructure, finances, or local decision-making. 

The Task Force to Modernize County and Municipal Revenue Structures is set to have their second meeting virtually on Monday, August 31 at 10:30 a.m. during which MML will provide a presentation. The link to the virtual meeting will be posted here under the "Other" category, on the Maryland General Assembly's website. You'll see a "live" notice once the meeting is official underway.

The Task Force is the result of MML's 2026 priority legislation HB 1142, which established the Task Force, set its membership, outlined its purpose, and required a final report. The crux of the Task Force's work is to study existing local revenues and recommend legislative changes to address deficiencies. MML has two representatives on the Task Force: Michael O’Connor, Mayor, City of Frederick and MML Past President and Chad Rooney, Town Manager, Town of Chestertown. On December 1, 2026 the Task Force is set to publish its final report on its findings and recommendations. 

Mark your calendar for October 8. Join municipal leaders from across Maryland for a dynamic Town Hall featuring statewide candidates addressing the issues that matter most to local communities. Hear directly from fellow municipal officials seeking higher office, gain practical grassroots advocacy tools, and receive the latest update from the statewide task force studying local revenue ahead of the 2027 legislative session. 

Register here! 

The conversation can be complicated, controversial, and even daunting. But the goal should be clear: make the decision with the best information available.

Data center development is expanding rapidly in communities across Maryland and beyond. As proposals become more common, municipal leaders are increasingly being asked to consider a central question: Should our community welcome data centers?

Hear directly from the Maryland Department of Labor as they provide updates on the rapidly approaching rollout of the State's Family and Medical Leave Insurance program on September 2.

On Wednesday, September 2 at noon, MML will host a Lunch and Learn webinar focused on the State's Family and Medical Leave Insurance program. With deadlines approaching and decisions to be made, the Department of Labor staff will walk through the program, next steps, and options to comply with the law. 

The Task Force to Modernize County and Municipal Revenue Structures is set to have their first meeting virtually on Friday, July 31 at 10:00 a.m. during which MML will provide a presentation. The link to the virtual meeting will be posted here under the "Other" category, on the Maryland General Assembly's website. 

The Task Force is the result of MML's 2026 priority legislation HB 1142, which established the Task Force, set its membership, outlined its purpose, and required a final report. The crux of the Task Force's work is to study existing local revenues and recommend legislative changes to address deficiencies. MML has two representatives on the Task Force: Michael O’Connor, Mayor, City of Frederick and MML Past President and Chad Rooney, Town Manager, Chestertown. On December 1, 2026 the Task Force is set to publish its final report on its findings and recommendations. 

Maryland’s Office of Overdose Response is inviting members of the public to participate in its upcoming town hall series focused on using prescription opioid settlement funds. Marylanders are encouraged to share their ideas for how settlement proceeds can best be used to decrease overdoses and increase access to substance use disorder prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery services.

These town halls are open to the public and registration is not required to attend. However, attendees who would like to speak should complete the registration form found at StopOverdose.maryland.gov/ORF.