The following segments provide an overview of MACo's work on monetary policy at the 2024 General Assembly.
Maryland's 446th Legislature convened amid great concern about the state's fiscal situation, with revenue declining at all levels of government and increasing costs for many services. Despite budget constraints, many policy issues received thorough discussion and many resolutions emerged from the 90-day annual process. MACo's legislative committees guided the association's positions on hundreds of bills and resulted in many productive compromises and gains across the county's unique and broad portfolio.
For more information on the Conduit Street blog and legislative database, click on the links below.
finance
MACo is supported HB 418/SB 459- Grant Applications and Reporting – Maryland Efficient Grant Application Council – Changes. The bill contemplates a state grant ombudsperson to collect and distribute federal, state, and local grant opportunities that would benefit county governments and, by extension, their shared constituents. This bill passed the Maryland General Assembly.
Billing information | MACo coverage
MACo disagreed. HB 165/SB 747 – Local Governments – Annual Audit Reporting Requirements – Changes Because it represents an unwarranted overreaction to clearly narrow policy concerns. As introduced, HB 165 represented a far-reaching and comprehensive new process that could potentially jeopardize hundreds of millions of dollars in county and local government revenue annually. The Maryland General Assembly amended the bill to be more reasonable regarding the schedule for local governments to submit their annual audit reports to the state.
Billing information | MACo coverage
MACo is supported HB 1319/SB 603- Internet Gaming – Authorization and Implementation With corrections.
The bill would authorize the State Lottery and Gaming Control Commission (SLGCC) to license video lottery operators to conduct and operate Internet gaming within the state. MACo protects existing revenue streams from brick-and-mortar casinos that local governments have relied on for years to support critical services and infrastructure, and increases local share of internet gaming revenue to support schools I asked for a fix. The bill was not passed in the 2024 session.
Billing information | MACo coverage
MACo is supported HB 491- State Department of Assessment and Taxation and General Services – Real Estate Valuation Assistance – Geographic Imagery With corrections. This bill is intended to provide the State Department of Assessment and Taxation (SDAT) with valuable visual data that can improve the accuracy, efficiency, and fairness of real estate valuations. MACo called for amendments to prevent unreasonable costs and burdensome implementation. The bill was not passed in the 2024 session.
Billing information | MACo coverage
Detailed information on financial bills tracked by MACo during the 2024 legislative session.
