STATE OF STATE: MOORE WARNS OF DIFFICULT DECISIONS AMID STATE, NATIONAL CRISIS: In his third State of the State address, Gov. Wes Moore called on lawmakers Wednesday to “confront the crisis with courage” in the coming months as they try to close their massive budget gap and navigate an unpredictable new administration in the White House. “While there are many opinions about how we ended up in this crisis,” Moore told lawmakers, “let’s work together to make sure there is never a question about who solved it.” Sasha Allen and Jack Bowman of Capital News Service/Maryland Reporter.
- In possibly his darkest description of Maryland’s many challenges since he entered office two years ago, Moore vowed to steer the state through both difficult financial decisions and the “shift in longstanding norms” that he said have come along with the return of President Donald Trump. “If the policy decisions of these past few weeks are any preview, I fear that our most charitable expectations will be met with harsh realities,” Moore told a packed room of nearly 188 state lawmakers and other prominent officials. Sam Janesch/The Baltimore Sun.
- The governor also said more recent decisions — “the beginnings of a trade war, the shuttering of federal agencies, and plans to lay off thousands of workers” — could hurt people living in Maryland, particularly middle-class families who are already feeling the pinch from inflation. Katie Shepherd and Nicole Asbury/The Washington Post.
- While his previous addresses to a joint session of the House and Senate tended to be focused on promise, Moore’s address Wednesday was focused on problems. The first-term Democrat also tried to make the case for why his plan, focused on changes to the tax code and on growing the state economy away from its reliance on the federal government, is the right medicine, even if it seems unpalatable. Bryan P. Sears, Josh Kurtz, William J. Ford and Danielle J. Brown/Maryland Matters.
- Moore didn’t explicitly mention Republican President Donald Trump, whose dizzying array of early actions in his second presidential term have state and local officials scrambling to understand the consequences. Pamela Wood, Brenda Wintrode and Madeleine O’Neill/The Baltimore Banner.
REPUBLICANS RAIL AGAINST MOORE’s BUDGET PLAN: The Maryland Republican Party placed blame on Democrats for the state’s massive fiscal deficit and railed against Gov. Wes Moore’s budget plan in response to his State of the State speech Wednesday. Hannah Gaskill and Natalie Jones/The Baltimore Sun.
HERSHEY PROPOSES DELAYING PAID FAMILY LEAVE FOR TWO MORE YEARS: After Republican leaders challenged other lawmakers to look high and low for programs to cut as the state faces a $3 billion budget shortfall, the Senate minority leader decided to take up the challenge. His idea: Postpone the start date for another two years of an already-delayed program to provide paid family leave for Maryland workers. Danielle Brown/Maryland Matters.
MOORE BUDGET REDIRECTS RENEWABLE ENERGY FUNDS TO FILL GAP: Gov. Wes Moore’s budget proposes redirecting funds originally meant for renewable energy initiatives to help patch the nearly $3 billion budget deficit instead. If passed as Moore proposed, the budget would allow the state to withdraw $150 million from a special fund that invests in renewable energy initiatives and put it to other uses. Adriana Navarro and Rachel McCrea of Capital News Service/Maryland Reporter.
DEM LEADERS UNVEIL PLAN FOR MORE ENERGY SOURCES: Democratic leaders have unveiled a sweeping new energy plan for Maryland that would make it easier to build new energy plants and other power projects in Maryland. If passed, the legislation could mean more renewable energy, nuclear power and potentially natural gas in the state. Rachel McCrea of Capital News Service/Maryland Reporter.
FEWER ENERGY SUPPLIERS FOR MARYLANDERS TO PICK FROM: Marylanders who’ve long selected gas and electric suppliers through the state’s competitive energy marketplace have suddenly found limited choices as companies have stopped offering new or renewed service in the state, right as energy prices hit their highest levels in five years. Lorraine Mirabella/The Baltimore Sun.
CECIL LAW OFFICERS OPPOSE BILL TO END SOME TRAFFIC STOPS: Law enforcement leaders in Cecil County and elsewhere in Maryland say they are emphatically against a proposed state law that would prevent officers from pulling over motorists for 16 types of traffic offenses if no other reason exists for the traffic stop. Carl Hamilton/The Cecil Whig.
VAN HOLLEN BLASTS MUSK, SAYS NOAA HQ HAS BEEN BREACHED: Sen. Chris Van Hollen is criticising Elon Musk, saying Musk’s staff has been at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration headquarters in D.C. “Hearing reports that Musk’s cronies are targeting NOAA — infiltrating key systems & locking out career employees,” the senator posted. “NOAA is vital for weather forecasting, scientific research & more. Their critical work saves lives. My team and I are looking into this & we will not stand for it.” Jade Tran, Jess Daninhirsch and Tolu Talabi of Capital News Service/Maryland Reporter.
MARYLAND JUDGE ISSUES INJUNCTION AGAINST TRUMP CITIZENSHIP EXEC ORDER: A federal judge in Maryland Wednesday issued a nationwide injunction against President Donald Trump’s executive order that aims to limit the right to citizenship for children born in the United States, according to media reports. Ariana Figueroa/Maryland Matters.
BA CO VIOLATED OPEN MEETINGS LAW IN COUNTY EXEC PICK, CHAIR SAYS: When the Baltimore County Council initially selected the county’s top political official, they did so outside of public view. The council chair now realizes they violated state transparency laws. “Apparently we were in violation of the Open Meetings Act,” council Chair Mike Ertel said “We were, kind of, of the mind that, well, it’s a personnel decision. You know, we don’t need to call a public meeting to close it,” he said. “But that’s what we’re in violation of.” Brooke Conrad/The Baltimore Sun.
COMMENTARY: A RETURN TO MERITOCRACY: Rick Hutzel could not be more hyperbolic if he tried. Trump is not coming for the Naval Academy or any of the other military academies that we the taxpayers fund. No … what Trump is doing is driving out the mistaken notion that we need to indoctrinate those attending the academies that somehow their mission is to express their feelings and inclusiveness rather than learn to conduct violent warfare on our nation’s enemies. Marc King/Maryland Reporter.
