Maryland General Assembly Approves $67 Billion Budget for FY 2026
On the final day of session, the Maryland General Assembly passed a $67 billion budget for fiscal year 2026, which includes $1.6 billion in new fees—such as a 3% sales tax on IT and data services. Passing a balanced budget is the only constitutionally-mandated duty of the Maryland General Assembly. Senator Mary Beth Carozza voiced strong opposition, saying this budget hurts Marylanders at every level, from low to middle to high-income families. She adds that the financial burdens and unfunded mandates especially will affect individual taxpayers and Maryland businesses as well as local governments.
Capital Budget Highlights
The Maryland General Assembly also approved the Capital Budget in the final days of the 2025
legislative session, which includes funding for several local projects in Worcester, Wicomico,
and Somerset counties. Senator Carozza voted for the capital budget. Here are District 38
highlights:
Worcester County:
$2 million, Ocean City Beach Replacement and Hurricane Protection Program
$250,000, Worcester County Fire Training Tower
$79,000 Atlantic General Hospital
$20,000, Worcester County Humane Society (secured by Senator Mary Beth Carozza)
Wicomico County:
$35 million, Salisbury University Blackwell Hall Renovation
$2.2 million, TidalHealth Peninsula Regional
$1.5 million, Salisbury Regional Airport
$361,000, Salisbury University Blackwell Hall Student Services Center
$200,000, Mason Dixon Complex – Phase II (secured by Senator Mary Beth Carozza and
Delegate Barry Beauchamp)
$150,000, Parsonsburg Fire Company Community Center (secured by Delegate Wayne Hartman)
$75,000, Wicomico Nursing Home (secured by Senator Johnny Mautz)
$20,000, Wicomico County Humane Society Shelter Construction (secured by Senator Mary
Beth Carozza)
Note: Wor-Wic Community College will receive an unspecified amount for their Maintenance
Building Expansion through the Community College Facilities Renewal Grant Program. 14
Community Colleges will receive in total $3,011,000.
Somerset County:
$8.7 million, Somers Cove Marina Bulkhead Replacement and Facility Improvements
$5.8 million, ECI High Temperature Distribution and Perimeter Security Improvements
$1 million, UMES New Residence Hall
$100,000, Walter Polk American Legion (secured by Senator Mary Beth Carozza and Delegate
Charles Otto)
Energy Legislation
The Maryland General Assembly approved Senate Bill 909 (Energy Resource Adequacy and
Planning Act) amended, and Senate Bill 931 (Renewable Energy Certainty Act) amended, and
Senate Bill 937 (Next Generation Energy Act) amended to address Maryland’s energy crisis.
Senate Bill 937 would expedite the approval process for up to 10 energy projects in Maryland
that meet the definition of “dispatchable energy.” Four non-emission-generating projects must be approved for every one project that generates emissions.
The bill also creates a separate procurement process of new nuclear projects and battery storage projects. “Along with an unseasonably cold winter, the long-time push for renewable energy and climate change mandates to electrify Maryland’s energy grid, the premature retirement of coal and oil generation facilities without an adequate replacement, and the growing reliance on energy from outside of the state have led to Maryland’s energy crisis and skyrocketing rates for ratepayers,” said Carozza.
“Our constituents expected us to take action on ratepayer relief and to incentivize in-state
generation of electricity, and these energy bills simply did not go far enough to ensuring the
lowest cost and greatest benefit to Maryland ratepayers.” Senator Carozza voted for SB 937,
noting the legislation takes small steps in increasing nuclear energy and natural gas energy
generation, and provides minimal ratepayer relief.
Senator Carozza voted against Senate Bill 931, the Renewable Energy Certainty Act. “This bill
was problematic from the start as it makes it easier for the Public Service Commission to
approve large-scale solar projects across the state and override local zoning decisions, putting
agricultural land and greenspace at risk,” said Senator Carozza. “This would be especially
hurtful to our farm community on the Eastern Shore.”
Senate Bill 931 would place a five percent cap on solar development in each county’s priority
protection area, after which zoning authority would revert from the Public Service Commission
back to the county. In essence, this undermines the ability of county governments to act in the
best interest of their local communities regarding the regulation of renewable energy.
Senate Bill 909 requires long-term comprehensive energy planning and policy options for
meeting the State’s energy needs while ensuring electric system reliability and cost-
effectiveness.
“We should have been doing long-term energy development planning all along, and then we
would have known the true and full costs of alternative energy development like offshore wind
before spending millions of dollars on costly State subsidies benefitting foreign offshore wind
energy developers,” said Senator Carozza. “I will continue to push the Public Service
Commission and my colleagues to utilize methods of calculation that factor in that wind and
solar are intermittent sources of energy that are supplemented by other energy sources which
ends up costing the ratepayers.”
Senators Carozza and Steve Hershey (District 36 – Upper Shore) introduced Senate Bill 675,
legislation requiring a full cost analysis of energy generation including offshore wind. Senator
Mary Beth Carozza voted for SB 909.
Second Look
The Maryland Second Look Act (House Bill 853) will allow individuals serving life sentences
who committed their crimes when they were between the ages of 18-25 to petition for an early
release after serving at least 20 years. This includes those convicted of the most violent crimes
including rape and murder. These individuals can make repeat petitions every three years,
retraumatizing the family and loved ones of their victims over and over again. These “look
backs” are in addition to 17 other opportunities for reduced sentences that already exist in
Maryland law.
“This is a pro criminal bill that would retraumatize victim’s families,” said Carozza. “This
legislation would allow someone convicted of murdering a pregnant woman to have a second
look, it would allow someone convicted of murdering a victim under the age of six to have a
second look, it would allow someone who was convicted of being involved with heroin or
fentanyl to have a second look, it would allow someone convicted of murder involving a victim
65 years or older or with a physical, intellectual, or developmental disability to have a second
look, and it would allow someone convicted of murder involving more than one victim to have a second look. The families of the victims will never have a second look,” said Senator Carozza
when casting her “no” vote in opposition to House Bill 853.
Senate Republicans attempted to amend the bill to exclude the worst offenders, and were
successful on one account. An amendment by Senator Jack Bailey (District 29 – St. Mary’s)
received bipartisan support to remove the early release option for those convicted of murdering first responders in the line of duty.
“As I cast my vote in support of this pro first responders amendment, I thought of Corporal
Glenn Hilliard, Corporal Keith Heacook, and Correctional Officer Gregory Collins, and how
they were killed in the line of duty and how their families are living with the devastation of
losing their loved one,” said Carozza. “These families don’t get a second look at their loved one, and this amendment ensures that those convicted of killing our first responders will not get a second look and early release from prison.”
The pro first responders amendment passed on a close 24-23 vote. Fortunately, the amendment survived and was part of the final bill. Senator Carozza voted for the Bailey amendment and voted against the final bill.
Law Enforcement Win on House Bill 1222
Sheriffs and law enforcement from across the State of Maryland gathered in Annapolis on March 27 to keep the pressure on in strong opposition to House Bill 1222 which would end the 287g programs in Maryland, a program that allows local law enforcement to work with U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials to remove violent offenders from our
local communities.
The final version of HB 1222 approved by the Maryland General Assembly on Sine Die did
NOT eliminate the 287g programs in Maryland. “This program has allowed for a strong
partnership between local law enforcement and federal ICE officials in keeping our communities safe from violent criminals,” said Senator Carozza. “I especially am grateful to Sheriff Lewis, Sheriff Crisafulli, and Sheriff Howard for the extra effort they made to be in Annapolis to oppose the elimination of the 287g program in Maryland.”