As Maryland’s 477th legislative session quickly approaches, and with a $2.9 billion budget shortfall looming, lawmakers will have to make tough decisions to address the state’s largest budget shortfall since the Great Recession.
Over 250 bills have been prefiled by state lawmakers with thousands more likely to be introduced in the 90-day session.
Here’s what you need to know:
Composition:
The Maryland General Assembly remains firmly under Democratic control, with the party holding substantial majorities in both the State Senate and the House of Delegates. Maryland remains a Democratic stronghold, with the party maintaining a trifecta in state government.
The 2024 elections brought no significant shifts in the legislature’s composition or power. Republicans did not gain any seats in either chamber, while Democrats retained control of key statewide offices, including governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state and attorney general.
Important Dates:
JANUARY
- Jan. 8 - General Assembly Convenes
- Jan. 15 - Final date for the governor to introduce budget bill
FEBRUARY
- Feb. 3 - SENATE BILL INTRODUCTION DATE (Senate bills introduced after this date referred to the Senate Rules Committee)
- Feb. 7 - HOUSE BILL INTRODUCTION DATE (House bills introduced after this date referred to the House Rules and Executive Nominations Committee)
MARCH
- March 3 - Final date for introduction of bills without suspension of rules
- March 11 - Committee Reporting Courtesy Date (Each chamber’s committees to report their own bills by this date)
- March 17 - Opposite Chamber Bill Crossover Date (Each chamber to send to other chamber those bills it intends to pass favorably)
- March 31 - Budget bill to be passed by both chambers
APRIL
- April 7 - ADJOURNMENT “SINE DIE”
MAY
- May 27 - Governor to sign/veto bills by this date
High Profile Bills and Issues:
Budget Shortfall
Despite the state’s previously strong fiscal health, Maryland’s projected budget shortfall of nearly $3 billion is believed to be caused by higher-than-expected entitlement spending related to inflated costs and revenue shortfalls.
Senate President Bill Ferguson has emphasized that the 2025 legislative session in Maryland will be dominated by efforts to address the shortfall with all legislative actions running through that lens. Democratic Gov. Wes Moore will also introduce legislation to address what he calls a “historic budget deficit.” According to the governor, everything, including budget cuts, tax increases or a combination of the two, is said to be on the table.
Potential Approaches to Address the Shortfall Could Include:
- Spending Cuts: Senate President Bill Ferguson and other lawmakers have emphasized prioritizing spending reductions to bring the budget back in balance without placing undue burden on taxpayers.
- Revenue Enhancements: Discussions include potential changes to tax structures, including business taxes, though these remain controversial and are not the primary focus at this stage.
- Education Funding: The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, a landmark education reform initiative, is fully funded through fiscal year 2027. However, its long-term funding implications will likely play a role in broader budget discussions.
- Transportation Trust Fund: Reliance on gas tax revenues, which are diminishing due to increased adoption of electric vehicles, has sparked conversations about alternative funding mechanisms.
Federal Concerns
Citing potential concerns over shifting policy directions at the federal level , Democratic leaders seek to advance certain precautionary issues, including:
Safeguard the Affordable Care Act: Speaker Adrienne Jones (D-Baltimore County) has highlighted the need for proactive state legislation to safeguard Marylanders’ health coverage.
Safeguarding IVF: Senior lawmakers have designated Senate Bill 1, known as “The IVF Shield Bill,” as a top legislative priority. This bill aims to guarantee access to fertility treatments for all Maryland residents while providing legal protections for the health care providers offering these services. It is designed to safeguard IVF and other fertility treatments at the state level due to the potential for a federal ban.
Phone-Free Schools
Senate Bill 29, known as the “Phone-Free Schools Pilot Program,” is a key piece of legislation aimed at exploring the impact of limiting cell phone use in schools. The bill proposes a pilot program in Carroll and Montgomery counties to study how reduced phone usage affects academic performance, student engagement, social interactions and behavior. The program also seeks to examine the role of phones in violence and bullying.
If successful, this initiative could lead to broader adoption of phone-free policies across the state.
Election Law
Maryland lawmakers have introduced several bills aimed at improving election transparency, reducing costs and increasing voter influence in filling vacant elective seats. Key proposals include:
- SB171 (Sen. Clarence Lam): This bill would prevent members of central committees from voting for themselves when filling vacant state delegate or Senate seats, addressing concerns over conflicts of interest.
- SB2 (Sen. Cheryl Kagan): This bill proposes allowing voters, rather than central committees, to fill legislative vacancies that occur within 11 months of a new governor’s term. It would shift the election to the next scheduled statewide election, such as the presidential election, but would still allow central committees to fill vacancies outside this time frame. The bill would require a constitutional amendment and voter approval.
- SB262 (Jared DeMarinis): This proposal seeks to eliminate costly special primary elections for county-level vacancies. It would allow candidates, including unaffiliated ones, to run in a single special general election.
These bills, while focused on efficiency and cost-saving, have sparked controversy, particularly among some party leaders, due to concerns over changing election dynamics and increasing competition from unaffiliated candidates.
The Maryland 2025 Legislative Session promises to be historic with impacts across many sectors. Please reach out to Policy Advisor Greg Sileo, at gsileo@bhfs.com with any questions or lobbying needs in Annapolis.
This document is intended to provide you with general information regarding Maryland's 2025 legislative session. The contents of this document are not intended to provide specific legal advice. If you have any questions about the contents of this document or if you need legal advice as to an issue, please contact the attorneys listed or your regular Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP attorney. This communication may be considered advertising in some jurisdictions. The information in this article is accurate as of the publication date. Because the law in this area is changing rapidly, and insights are not automatically updated, continued accuracy cannot be guaranteed.