The Maryland Department of Labor (DoL) has released new details on the State's paid family leave program titled the Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) Program, with some of the provisions of the law starting this year.
Additionally, DoL is hosting a webinar about the program on April 21, you can register here.
Experience our Mobile Tours, crafted to inspire knowledge sharing and highlight initiatives municipal leaders can replicate in their own communities.
Mobile tours are hosted on Sunday, June 14 from 10:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
The Maryland General Assembly concluded its 90-day legislative session on Monday, April 13. This was an incredibly successful year for the Maryland Municipal League (MML) including passing a priority bill for the third time in the past four years! Below is a recap of a handful of impactful bills. For a more in-depth summary, please see the article soon to be published in the Local and sign up for the Legislative Session Wrap Up webinar scheduled for April 28 from noon - 1:00 pm (Link to register).
MML Priority Bill
Housed within the University of Maryland's National Center for Smart Growth, the Partnership for Action Learning in Sustainability Program (PALS) pairs faculty expertise with student ingenuity to tackle sustainability issues facing Maryland communities. Partnering with local, county, and statewide Maryland agencies, PALS creates customized coursework to target specific economic, environmental and social sustainability challenges identified by the partner community. The collaborative university-community partnership delivers recommendations, strategies and tools to address a community’s most pressing challenges, providing a road map for creating sustainable, thriving places to live, work and play. Since its inception in 2014, PALS has directed over 400 customized courses toward site-specific projects across the state, addressing issues of capacity building, economic and community development, environmental sustainability, health and wellness, and social resilience, engaging over 800 students along the way.
On May 8, PALS students from the Fall 25 and Spring 26 semesters will present their projects in a poster showcase and will be available to discuss their work and experiences. Not only is attending the showcase an important way to support UMD students and learn more about their work in the community, but it is also a great opportunity to learn more about how participating in the PALS program can benefit your community or organization.
There are still spots available to showcase your municipality on your MML Main Street! Don’t miss this exclusive showcase opportunity, limited to 12 municipalities or MML affiliates.
From waterfronts to mountain towns, participants can highlight what sets them apart and receive two Municipal Tuesday registrations for municipal staff.
Happy Sine Die!
Join us on April 28 at noon for a detailed 2026 Legislative Session Wrap-Up webinar. We’ll break down the most impactful policy developments, unpack the outcomes of major legislation, and discuss what it all means for our communities, stakeholders, and the road ahead.
Tuesday, June 16 at the MML Summer Conference is crafted with municipal professionals in mind. It is truly a full conference experience in one day and focused on celebrating municipalities and the staff who support them. Plan to join us on Municipal Tuesday and learn alongside the elected officials who you assist daily.
Municipal Tuesday Registration is now open. At $150 for one day, it is the most cost-effective way for municipal professionals to attend our conference who are looking to connect with colleagues and attend workshops specifically designed with the local government professional, in mind.
Your registration includes:
MML’s Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an elected or appointed city/town official who has a strong record of service to the Maryland Municipal League through:
Eleven more weeks until we're in Ocean City celebrating 90 years of local leadership! Until then, prepare yourself for #MMLCon26 by marking these key dates on your calendars
It's that time of year again as the League solicits legislative action requests (LARs) to be considered for MML priority legislation in the 2027 Maryland General Assembly session. All member municipalities and MML affiliate groups in good standing are eligible to submit up to three LARs (form). Submissions should focus on a policy area impacting the broader membership and requiring a fix through a change in State law.
The deadline to return a completed LAR form is May 31. Additionally, each LAR submission must be approved by the elected body of the municipality or the full MML affiliate membership. The deadline to inform MML of this approval is July 1, 2026. For any questions, please contact Bill Jorch, [email protected]
Sine Die is days away!
Join us, April 28 at noon, for the 2026 Legislative Session Wrap-up webinar focusing on reviewing key policy developments, discuss the outcomes of major legislation, and explore what these decisions mean for our communities, stakeholders, and future advocacy efforts. It will also serve as a space to ask questions to the Advocacy team regarding any policy, bills, future efforts, and next steps.
A final report of findings and recommendations is due to the General Assembly by December 1, 2026.
Join us on Tuesday, June 16, as we celebrate Maryland's municipalities and the staff who support them. Municipal Tuesday offers a full conference experience in a single day with multiple ways for staff to attend at an exclusive rate. It's the most cost-effective way for municipal professionals to attend our conference.
The day consists of:
Join us on Sunday, June 14, as we kick off the Summer Conference Welcome Reception with Nashville sensation and Ocean City native Jimmy Charles.
With early-bird rates now closed, it’s time to get everything squared away. Whether you're a seasoned veteran registering for the conference or it's your first time, navigating conference registration can be easier with a little extra support.
Our Attendee Support Partner, Conference Direct, is here to help you with all your registration needs. From modifying your registration to confirming details about the conference, they'll be here to assist you every step of the way.
How much funding is available
There is just under $1B total available ($993M) this year.
This year’s fourth grade "If I Were Mayor, I Would..." essay contest winners captured the volunteer readers and finalist judges’ attention with their dynamic essays.
Thank you to our volunteer readers, who were so impressed by the essays they would sometimes forget the ideas were from fourth graders.
We have some incredible momentum to share. Thanks to your collective advocacy and outreach, the push for HB 1142 is working. We are pleased to report that the House of Delegates has passed the bill in time for the crossover deadline. This is a massive step toward modernizing municipal revenue and ensuring our cities and towns have the fiscal tools they need for the future.
We owe a huge thank you to Chair Jheanelle Wilkins and the members of the House of Delegates for their leadership and for recognizing the urgency of this issue.
One of the Governor’s priority housing bills, the Starter and Silver Homes Act (SB 36 / HB 239), appears unlikely to advance this session following the crossover deadline. The bill would have significantly limited local zoning authority by prohibiting jurisdictions from establishing certain minimum lot size, setback, and dimensional standards for single-family homes, overriding locally adopted development frameworks in areas served by public water and sewer.
Neither version of the bill moved out of committee prior to crossover. House Bill 239 was not approved by the House Economic Matters Committee, and Senate Bill 36 did not receive a vote in the Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee, as committees instead prioritized other housing legislation this session.
