MARYLAND (WBFF) — Heading into the 2026 legislative session, many top issues will be up for debate, including the budget, affordability and public safety.
When it comes to the budget, lawmakers will soon be faced with tough decisions to close a projected deficit that’s nearly $1.5 billion.
“I have been very clear, we are not going to raise taxes over this session,” Governor Moore said.
“We still have to provide more support than just simply saying we are not going to raise taxes. I mean, last year we gave the middle class a tax cut, but we still know that’s not enough,” he added.
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With a variety of rising costs, Governor Moore has said his administration is focused on affordability, especially when it comes to energy bills.
For a year now, Marylanders have voiced frustration with rising energy bills, something that has become a top issue in the state considering the current supply and demand issue. Currently, Maryland imports about 40 percent of its energy from other states, and at a time when coal-fired plants are retiring, there is a surge in energy demand from electrification and data centers, putting a strain on the grid, leading to long-term uncertainty.
In addition to lawmakers trying to find long-term energy generation solutions, there’s also a push for legislation that would require data centers to supply more of the energy needed to meet their needs.
“I’m hoping we can find some bipartisan support and everybody agree the supply is the big problem,” Delegate Brian Chisholm said. “Everything else is just an afterthought to that, and we need to worry about supply if we’re going to solve this problem.”
Governor Moore has said it is important to take an “all of the above approach” to energy options, which include clean sources, like wind and solar. He also said it was important to have a balanced approach when welcoming data centers and AI into the state.
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Additionally, there’s also there’s a renewed effort from some Maryland lawmakers to try banning the 287(g) program, which allows local cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
A a November social media post, Senate President Bill Ferguson said, “Now is the time to prohibit 287(g) agreements between ICE and law enforcement agencies in Maryland. Recent months demonstrate that ICE and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security are operating with impunity, violating constitutional rights of American citizens and immigrants alike. For our law enforcement agencies to maintain the public trust, they cannot aid and abet that lawlessness.”
However, some, like Frederick County Sheriff Charles Jenkins said he believes the program is effective.
“Frederick County is as safe as is, as safe as it is, in part due to this program. And I’ll never, I’ll never step down from that belief,” he said.
Other issues related to ending the practice of automatically charging youth as adults for certain crimes and changes in the foster care system, are also expected to be debated this legislative session.
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