March 24, 2025

Maryland just took a major step toward long-term fiscal stability in the midst of chaos at the federal level. Last week, the Senate, House, and Administration finalized the largest package of budget cuts in over a decade with $2.3 billion in reductions, paired with responsible and targeted new revenue, to close a more than $3 billion gap. The plan reins in spending without shifting the burden to working families and protects core services like K-12 education, Medicaid, and public safety. The package also maintains a strong Rainy Day Fund while avoiding broad-based tax increases that would strain household budgets.

We additionally secured a revenue package focused on fairness: two new brackets for the highest earners, modest taxes on capital gains and tech services, and higher rates on cannabis and sports betting to match neighboring states. Unlike the federal policy advancing to provide tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy on the backs of working Americans, Maryland is choosing responsible governance—reforming our tax code, balancing our budget, and shielding low- and middle-income families from harm.

The Senate passed a landmark bill to unlock $25 million from Maryland’s health exchange fund for abortion services—making us the first state in the country to use Affordable Care Act-generated revenue for reproductive care. Collected through a $1 monthly surcharge on insurance plans, these funds now support clinics across the State that are stretched thin by rising demand, particularly from patients in states where access vanished following the recent U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decisions. As donations decline and needs rise, this funding ensures that no one seeking care in our State is turned away.

In Maryland, the right to bodily autonomy will never be diminished. This new grant program reflects our continued commitment to enshrining reproductive freedom, expanding access to care, and protecting both patients and providers from political interference. That is the path we chose before, and it’s the path we will continue to walk. Our values remain clear: healthcare decisions belong with individuals, not the courts or politicians.

No government—federal or otherwise—should gain access to your personal information without a judge’s sign-off. That’s the principle behind the Maryland Data Privacy Act (Senate Bill 977), which passed the Senate to block agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from pulling State-held data without a warrant. It also requires law enforcement and State or local agencies to deny access to databases, facilities, or buildings when the purpose is enforcing federal immigration law without judicial approval. From tax filings to public records, Maryland is making it clear that our institutions won’t be used as a backdoor for surveillance or intimidation.

This law reflects a broader truth: privacy is a public safety issue. Everyone who works, contributes, and calls Maryland home deserves equal protection. As attempts to weaponize data grow more frequent, the State will not serve as a conduit for discrimination or fear tactics. Trust in government depends on our ability to defend the rights of all residents with clarity and conviction.

In recent legislative sessions, the Senate repeatedly passed legislation with a proposed constitutional amendment to institute special elections for General Assembly vacancies within the first two years of a term. We are hopeful that policy will be put before voters in the 2026 General Election as Senate Bill 2 passed the Senate before Crossover and is now in the House for additional consideration. As in previous years, there was broad bipartisan support for the legislation in the Senate.

This approach combines the practicality of quick appointments with the democratic principle of voter choice. Nearly one-third of states already use special elections to fill vacancies, as Maryland should do. With an increasing number of legislators appointed via central committees as opposed to election by the voters, it’s time we strengthen transparency and trust in how representatives are chosen. Voters deserve a direct voice in who represents them in Annapolis, especially during the most consequential years of a term. Maryland’s current system, rooted in a model from the 1930s, no longer reflects the values of modern democracy.

I introduced Senate Bill 10 this year to finally end State subsidies for polluting incinerators like WIN Waste in Baltimore, which already received over $15 million in ratepayer-funded credits in just three years. Maryland paid over $100 million to trash-burning facilities since 2011, with projections showing that number could triple by 2030 without legislative action. Although the bill did not advance before Crossover, we are folding the policy into a broader leadership energy package likely to begin advancing in coming days.

Advocates in the 46th Legislative District’s South Baltimore communities pushed to stop rewarding trash burning with renewable energy credits and now we’re closer than ever. As the Senator for the district where the WIN Waste incinerator is located, I’m intensely focused on seeing this policy passed, because true clean energy shouldn't come at the cost of public health or increasing renewable energy generation.

President Trump is politicizing the FBI headquarters relocation and vowed to reverse the Government Services Administration’s decision to move the facility to Greenbelt. That decision followed years of review and identified Maryland’s site as the most cost-effective and transit-accessible location with a ready-to-build plan that would bring over 7,500 jobs to our State. This attempt to block the project now is not about logistics—it is about punishing a State with different political views than the current Presidential Administration. Maryland earned the new FBI headquarters through a fair process, and we are determined to protect it.

Moreover, erratic federal actions continue to strain Maryland’s economy. Tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods threaten jobs at the Port of Baltimore. These costs won’t just hit businesses—they’ll land directly on working families. Mass federal layoffs and deep cuts to education funding could displace thousands of Maryland workers and weaken critical services. 

As previously mentioned, Attorney General Brown and Governor Moore took swift legal action to challenge these moves. Maryland joined multi-state lawsuits to fight these unlawful terminations and stop the dismantling of the United States Department of Education. Maryland will not remain silent while political posturing puts working families, student loan borrowers, vital health research, and our long-term stability in jeopardy.

It was a pleasure welcoming Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth back to the Senate of Maryland for a conversation on rising BGE bills and the work we’re doing to solve the issue—both in Annapolis and in Congress. We covered the reasons energy rates increased and the steps underway to provide relief and accountability. Watch the full video here.

At a roundtable hosted by U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen at Towson University, recently fired federal workers—many of them disabled veterans—shared how it felt to be discarded after years of service. These veterans left the military and joined federal agencies like the U.S. Departments of Veterans Affairs or Agriculture, only to be told their work was “no longer in the public interest.” With more than 24,000 probationary employees terminated since January, the fallout continues to grow as outreach agencies scramble to meet the need.

Maryland farmers are feeling immense pressure on multiple fronts. The Trump Administration’s tariffs are driving up costs and bird flu outbreaks are affecting livestock. Rising fertilizer prices, equipment expenses, and uncertainty around exports threaten key agricultural sectors such as poultry, corn, and soybeans. Many in the farming community are calling for stronger protections to keep agriculture viable in the face of these ongoing disruptions.

Peer-led mental health programs are making a real impact in Maryland schools and communities. From the Sources of Strength and Hope Squad in high schools to virtual support groups like Black People Die By Suicide Too, young people are stepping up to help one another through grief, stress, and suicidal thoughts. As youth behavioral health needs continue to rise, our State must continue investing in programs that meet students where they are—with compassion, connection, and community.

The National Aquarium in Baltimore is at full capacity, rehabilitating four rescued seal pups during the busiest rescue season since 2019. Named after City neighborhoods, the pups are recovering from malnutrition, infections, and injuries after being separated from their mothers. Each will be released once healthy and able to forage on their own. If you happen to spot a seal on one of our beaches, keep a 150-foot distance and call the National Aquarium’s Stranded Animal Hotline at 410-576-3880.

Under Armour will host a weeklong celebration in September to mark the grand opening of its new global headquarters in South Baltimore. The 50-acre campus features a 287,000-square-foot mass timber building, innovation lab, gym, retail space, and athletic facilities open to the community. Public events will invite Maryland residents to explore the space and take part in the milestone.

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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