2026 End of Session Letter

Dear Neighbor,

With the conclusion of the 449th legislative session, I want to express my sincere gratitude for the privilege of serving as your State Senator. Representing Southern Maryland is a responsibility I carry with deep pride, and I am honored by the trust you place in me.

This year marked a significant chapter in my service as I was elected Chair of the Southern Maryland Senate Delegation. This role allowed me to better elevate our regional priorities and ensure our community’s voice remained central to the conversation in Annapolis.

My focus remained steadfast on building a more affordable and equitable Maryland. We achieved meaningful progress in advancing consumer protections and energy relief; supporting education, small business growth, and veterans; strengthening community resources and accessibility.

The progress made this session is a testament to your engagement. To everyone who testified, emailed, or visited my office: thank you. While the formal session has ended, my work for you continues year-round through constituent services and local advocacy.

To celebrate our progress and our community, I warmly invite you and your family to our Annual Community Day. The event will take place on Saturday, June 6th. Please email our office to receive additional event details.

Thank you again for the opportunity to serve.

Legislative Leadership & Committee Work

This session, I had the honor of serving on the Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee, where I worked alongside my colleagues to address some of the most pressing issues facing Maryland families and communities.

One of the major efforts I was proud to contribute to was the Utility RELIEF (Reducing Energy Load Inflation for Everyday Families) Act, legislation focused on addressing rising utility costs and helping provide meaningful relief for Maryland ratepayers. At a time when too many families are feeling the burden of increasing monthly expenses, I remained committed to advancing solutions that center affordability, accountability, and fairness.

Throughout the session, I also worked to support policies and initiatives that invest in students, strengthen communities, expand access to opportunity, and help ensure that residents across District 27 remained at the forefront of legislative action.

Sponsored Legislation

This session, I was proud to sponsor and lead legislation that reflects the priorities of District 27 and communities across Maryland. The bills highlighted below successfully passed both chambers of the General Assembly and represent meaningful progress in expanding opportunity, strengthening support systems, improving accessibility, and advancing economic growth.

While not every bill introduced in this session reached final passage, I remain committed to continuing to advocate for the ideas and initiatives that matter most to our communities and will carry that work forward in future legislative sessions.

Expanding Educational Pathways & Workforce Development

SB0529 – Southern Maryland Early College Teacher Pathway Program Workgroup I introduced this legislation to help build a stronger, more sustainable pipeline of educators in Southern Maryland. This bill establishes a pathway for students to pursue careers in education through early college opportunities, helping to address teacher shortages while creating accessible, affordable routes into the profession. By investing in local talent and workforce development, this initiative supports both our students and the long-term strength of our school systems.

Strengthening Support for Children & Families

SB0668 – Children’s Cabinet Fund – Renaming and Funding for Grants to LMB’sThis legislation strengthens Maryland’s commitment to children and families by enhancing support for Local Management Boards, which play a critical role in delivering community-based services. These boards help address issues such as youth violence prevention, behavioral health, and family stability. By reinforcing funding and support structures, this bill ensures that communities have the resources needed to respond to local needs and support vulnerable populations.

Improving Accessibility & Representation

SB0665 – Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and Maryland Advisory Council on Deaf and Hard of Hearing – Renaming This bill advances accessibility and representation by modernizing and strengthening the identity of the Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and its advisory council. It reflects a broader commitment to ensuring that all Marylanders—particularly those in the deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing community—are seen, supported, and included in the policies and services that impact their daily lives.

Expanding Economic Opportunity & Supporting Small Businesses

SB0920 – Economic Development – Small, Minority, and Women-Owned Business Accounts – Increased Access to Capital This legislation focuses on expanding access to capital for small, minority-, and women-owned businesses by addressing barriers within existing financing structures. By improving how these accounts are managed and reducing unnecessary costs, this bill helps create more equitable opportunities for entrepreneurs to grow and succeed. Supporting small businesses is essential to strengthening local economies and driving long-term economic growth across our region.

Budget Update & Community Investment

This session, the General Assembly passed a balanced Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) budget that reflects our shared commitment to fiscal responsibility while continuing to invest in the priorities that matter most to Maryland families.

The budget was the result of strong collaboration across state leadership and allows Maryland to maintain fiscal stability while continuing to support critical services. It meets affordability goals, preserves more than $2.4 billion in reserves, and was passed without raising taxes or creating new fees.

At the same time, the budget makes meaningful investments that directly impact residents across District 27 and the state, including:

• Maintaining critical health care coverage through Medicaid for approximately 1.5 million Marylanders

• Continuing strong investments in public education, including new funding to support local school systems

• Supporting Maryland’s economy through targeted investments in private-sector growth

• Expanding access to early childhood education and reducing child care waitlists

• Restoring funding for community-based services supporting individuals with developmental disabilities

• Providing energy bill relief and expanding assistance for low- and moderate-income households

• Supporting state employees through cost-of-living adjustments

Throughout the budget process, I remained focused on ensuring that District 27’s priorities were represented and that our communities continue to receive the resources needed to grow and thrive.

Local Bond Initiative Investments

In addition to statewide investments, I was proud to support Local Bond Initiatives (LBIs) that bring direct funding to community-based projects across District 27. These investments support local organizations, improve community spaces, and strengthen the infrastructure that residents rely on every day.

This year, funding was secured for several important projects, including:

• MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital (Prince George’s Co.) – $9,000,000

• Wilmer’s Park (Prince George’s Co.) – $450,000

• Calverton School (Calvert Co.) – $600,000

• Calvert Health Medical Center (Calvert Co.) – $3,460,000

• Southern MD Tri-County Community Action Committee (Charles Co.) $100,000

• Waldorf Elks Lodge No. 2421 (Charles Co.) – $95,000

  
  

Additional projects were introduced and advocated for during the session, totaling $15,380,000.  I will continue working to advance these priorities in future to ensure continued investment across our district.

Key Areas of Legislative Focus

Advancing Education and Workforce Opportunity: This session, I supported a range of legislation aimed at strengthening educational opportunities and preparing Maryland students for long-term success. This included measures to expand access and improve enrollment processes for military-connected families (SB0263), enhance accessibility and emergency planning for students with disabilities (SB0507), and invest in innovative instruction and workforce readiness through artificial intelligence and emerging technologies (SB0720, SB0597). I also supported efforts to strengthen civic education through the Maryland Civic Excellence Program (SB0204) and explore new workforce pathways in high-demand industries, including aerospace and aviation (SB0198).

Supporting Economic Growth and Expanding Opportunity: I supported legislation focused on strengthening Maryland’s economy and expanding access to opportunity for businesses and workers across our region. This included efforts to increase access to capital for small, minority-, and women-owned businesses (SB0920), support rural economic development and capacity building (SB0300), and advance statewide competitiveness through strategic investment and innovation (SB0388). These measures help position Maryland for long-term economic growth while supporting entrepreneurs and local businesses.

Protecting Consumers and Ensuring Accountability: Protecting Maryland residents and ensuring responsible governance remained a priority this session. I supported legislation to strengthen financial oversight and accountability, including measures to improve compliance and transparency in the use of public funds (SB0828). These efforts help ensure that systems operate fairly and effectively for all Marylanders.

Strengthening Communities and Supporting Families: I supported legislation that invests directly in communities and strengthens support systems for children and families. This included efforts to enhance community-based services and funding structures through local management boards (SB0668), as well as legislation to improve standards, training, and oversight within residential child care programs (SB0402). Together, these measures help ensure that families have access to safe, supportive, and well-resourced environments.

Promoting Public Safety and Community Well-Being: Ensuring safe and supportive communities remained a core focus throughout the session. I supported legislation to improve public service systems, including expanding 3-1-1 communication services (SB0114), and measures that strengthen protections and provide clearer guidance around enforcement in sensitive locations (SB0810). These efforts help build trust while ensuring communities remain safe and informed.

Protecting Democratic Participation and Civic Integrity: I also supported legislation to strengthen democratic participation and protect the integrity of our elections. This included restoring voting rights and expanding access to the ballot (SB0255), combating election misinformation and disinformation, including the use of deepfakes (SB0141), and ensuring individuals returning from incarceration have a clear path to civic participation (SB0241). These measures help safeguard the democratic process and ensure that all Marylanders have a voice.

Expanding Access to Natural Resources and Public Spaces: I supported efforts to make Maryland’s natural resources more accessible to residents, including legislation to expand access to State parks through targeted fee exemptions (SB0161). These policies help ensure that families across our state can enjoy and benefit from Maryland’s outdoor spaces.

The legislative victories of this session provide a strong foundation for the work still to come. My office remains a year-round resource for constituent services, and I encourage you to subscribe to our newsletter for updates. I’ll be spending the coming months in the district, meeting with you to discuss the challenges we still need to tackle. Your perspective is what drives my work in Annapolis, and I value our continued partnership in building a more prosperous Southern Maryland. I am ready to hit the ground running for the next session and appreciate you standing with me in this effort.