January 6, 2025

Happy New Year! I am excited to gavel in the 2025 Legislative Session of the Maryland General Assembly (MGA) this Wednesday. The legislature will face many challenges over the next 90 days that will require robust and forward-thinking leadership, and vital collaboration among members of the Senate and House. The MGA’s primary constitutional obligation is to deliver a balanced budget each year. That will be at the forefront of every discussion this year as we face a deficit of nearly $3 billion. Inflation not only impacts families, but the government, too. Like you, we must live within our means.

The vast majority of Maryland’s deficit is the result of public assistance spending that came in significantly above projections, including Medicaid, the Child Care Scholarship Program, the Department of Disabilities, and Inmate Medical Health Care. These higher costs reflect a ripple effect from the pandemic that we are still trying to navigate.  

In addition to unforeseen health care costs, Maryland may be deeply impacted by decisions made this spring by the Trump Administration to shrink the federal workforce. Approximately 10% of workers in the State are federal employees, and federal contracts support employees at numerous research facilities, military installations, and other related institutions. The loss of income, sales, and other revenues resulting from a shrinkage of that workforce will have real consequences on the State’s bottom line.  

Our charge is to balance the budget in a way that keeps Maryland competitive while ensuring that we invest in the priorities that our residents know matter—quality and affordable health care, a world-class education system, reliable transportation, and access to low-cost housing.

While  balancing the  budget will demand considerable time and attention, there is no shortage of other vital work in front of us. 

Most notably, it is critical that we take steps to identify and enhance in-state energy generation to bring down utility bills that are slated to drastically increase in the coming months. A rate increase of up to 24% is expected this June due to increases in wholesale energy pricing, power plant closures, increased demand, and an outdated power grid. The Senate is working closely with leadership in the House of Delegates to develop a package of legislation aimed at ensuring the affordability and reliability of Maryland’s energy grid in the coming years.

In addition, over 250 bills were pre-filed this year, with many more to be introduced after Session begins on Wednesday. Below are a few other legislative proposals that will be evaluated for passage this Session:

• Senate Bill 1, “The IVF Shield Bill,” would ensure access to such treatments for all Marylanders and provide legal protections for doctors and nurses providing them.  Protecting the right to IVF and other fertility services on a state level is necessary because of a potential federal ban on the procedure.
  
  
• Senate Bill 2, would allow voters to choose who fills a vacant legislator’s seat when the vacancy occurs within the first two years of a term. Under the bill, an election to fill the vacancy would occur in the following Presidential Election cycle. The Senate has passed this bill in numerous legislation sessions and it is our hope it will progress through the House this year.
  
  
• Senate Bill 29, the “Phone Free Schools Pilot Program,” would establish a pilot program in Carroll and Montgomery Counties’ public school systems to study the use of cell phones in academic settings. The purpose is to collect data to determine the effect of policies that limit the use of cell phones during the school day on academic achievement, student classroom engagement, student social interaction, student behavior and discipline.

The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future is a wholesale transformation of public education in our State to ensure every student is college and career ready upon high school graduation. One key tenet towards that goal is support and funding for high schoolers to learn skilled trades through apprenticeships, with future plans to expand opportunities around information technology, health care, education, biotechnology, hospitality, and biomanufacturing. The Apprenticeship Maryland Program, in partnership with the Department of Labor, set a goal of 45% of graduating students completing high school with a certification or credential for a technical skill by the end of the decade.

The number of students participating in the program increased by more than 1,700% since 2017, from 27 students in the 2017-2018 school year to more than 500 in the last year. It’s a two- to four-year commitment for high schoolers who must complete at least one year of classroom-based instruction and a minimum of 450 hours of mentored, on-the-job work experience with minimum wage pay. Maryland’s target is to have about 26,000 high school graduates completing an apprenticeship or industry credential by the 2030-2031 school year.

I want to thank Maryland’s Congressional delegation and President Biden for their work to secure full funding to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Federal funds will be reimbursed through proceeds from insurance payments and litigation brought by the Department of Justice, the Maryland Attorney General, and others.

The new Key Bridge is estimated to cost nearly $2 billion and is expected to be completed by the fall of 2028. Crews will begin pre-construction activities this week, including surveying, scanning the riverbed, and collecting soil samples. Demolition of the remaining original bridge’s structure will begin in the spring.

In 2024, Baltimore recorded the second-lowest number of homicides in more than four decades. The data shows the City recorded 201 homicides last year, which marks the second fewest since 1980, tying the number in 1983. Only 2011 saw a lower number. The City has experienced a 40% drop in homicides since 2022.

While one loss of life is too many and there is still immense work ahead, the drop in homicides shows that key strategies are working. In 2020, Mayor Scott announced a five-year Comprehensive Violence Prevention Plan that focuses on three pillars: a public health approach to violence, community engagement, and inter-agency collaboration, evaluation, and accountability.

Congratulations to Senator Carter for her appointment to the State Board of Contract Appeals. As a key member of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, Jill worked tirelessly to pass landmark reforms to Maryland’s criminal justice system and to reimagine and strengthen the equity of the juvenile justice system. Prior to being appointed to the Senate, she served in the House of Delegates and as the director of the Baltimore City Office of Civil Rights and Wage Enforcement. We will miss her passion and fierce advocacy in the Senate, and wish her all the best in her new role in the Moore Administration.  

The Air Force has agreed to transfer the 121st Fighter Squadron from the DC Air National Guard to the Maryland Air National Guard thanks to an agreement between the State of Maryland and the District of Columbia. The squadron transfer is in exchange for Maryland’s Congressional delegation backing D.C’s desire to return the Washington Commanders to land surrounding RFK Stadium. The Commanders gave Maryland written assurances that the current stadium will be deconstructed and the interests of residents of Prince George’s County will be protected should the move occur.  

Over 5,000 workers in Maryland may be owed money for hours they worked but were not paid for, including overtime. The U.S. Department of Labor reports that more than $6.8 million in unpaid wages are owed but unclaimed. Workers can check the WOW database to see if they are owed money or for directions on how to file a claim. They can also seek guidance, or ask for an investigation by calling the Wage and Hour Division’s nationwide toll-free number at 866-487-9243.

Maryland State Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Wright, expressed optimism and enthusiasm about the future of Maryland’s education system after her first year in office. Test scores increased modestly, and a new policy is in place to boost reading scores across the State. The literacy plan focuses on students in Pre-K through third grade, and includes reading intervention and educator training on the science of reading. The  Blueprint for Maryland’s Future is now into its third year and is demonstrating progress, including an increase in high school students taking courses at community colleges, Pre-K enrollment growing, and the number of community schools that provide a variety of wraparound services expanding.

The cost of constructing the Purple Line continues to increase due to environmental lawsuits, unrealistic estimates, and costly delays. Approved by Governor Hogan in 2015 to connect suburban Maryland from east to west, the project is now more than $4 billion over budget and five years behind schedule. The estimated cost to build a mezzanine to connect the red and purple lines in Bethesda has increased twenty-fold. These higher estimates and over-runs come at a time when the State has a $1.3 billion structural gap in the Transportation Trust Fund. 

The Maryland State Retirement and Pension System voted unanimously last week to find ways to address and mitigate climate risk when considering its investments. The agency will collaborate with consultants to develop recommendations and initiatives to create a long-term sustainable portfolio for the pension and retirement system, which serves over 420,000 current and former State employees.

The country will honor the life and legacy of President of the United States, Jimmy Carter, who died last week at the venerable age of 100. The 39th President dedicated his life to promoting peace, democracy, and opportunity across the world, which earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. His devotion and support of Habitat for Humanity provided homes for countless communities across the United States and the globe, including many in Baltimore. We owe President Carter a debt of gratitude for his years of public service. He was a  leader driven by compassion and selflessness, devoted to his ideals and to making the world a better place than he found it.

If there is anything we can do to help, please do not hesitate to contact my office via email, bill.ferguson@senate.state.md.us, or by phone, 410-841-3600.

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