MML’s Summer Conference is a vibrant celebration of municipal government and its profound impact on the lives of over 2 million Marylanders. Highlighting the contributions of municipalities and the 44,000 dedicated local government professionals who serve them, MMLCon25 promises to inspire and unite.

Immediately following the closing general session, attendees can experience the highly anticipated MML Main Street event. This exclusive showcase offers member municipalities and MML affiliates a premier platform to spotlight their initiatives, innovations, or community pride. With only 12 spots available, don’t miss the chance to shine and share your story with peers and leaders from across the state.

Need to fill a position?

Join us on March 18 at noon for our MML Municipal Careers Job Board Lunch and Learn webinar.

The Maryland Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced that they are proposing an 18-month delay in implementation of Maryland’s paid family and medical leave insurance program, also known as the Time to Care Act (TCA). Key new dates would be:

· January 1, 2027 – Employer/employee contributions begin for the State TCA plan

MML’s longest running ambassador program, the If I Were Mayor, I Would…essay contest deadline is fast approaching. There’s still time for fourth-grade teachers to enter their students in our 25-year contest before the March 7 deadline.

The essay contest is open to all Maryland fourth graders, including home schooled students. Please have your fourth grade teachers visit our website for the essay contest information and submission form.

Secure your hotel accommodations today for the annual MML Summer Conference, June 22-25, in Ocean City, Maryland. The League has contracted discounted room rates at sixteen local hotels. Several including the Aloft, Hilton Suites, Holiday Inn & Suites, Holiday Inn Oceanfront, and the Tru by Hilton have exceeded the 80% sold mark. 

Utilize the Conference Direct hotel portal to make your reservations (no additional fees for this service). All reservation-related details, including real time availability, room types, and direct customer support, may be found within the portal. If your preferred room night has been taken, there is even a wait list option. MMLCON25 will offer another jam-packed program Sunday through Wednesday. Be sure you have your spot secured. 

On Monday, Delegate Ryan Spiegel presented MML's priority legislation on local food and beverage authority to the House Ways & Means Committee. Delegate Spiegel, a past MML President, is the sponsor of HB 997, which would enable local jurisdictions to charge up to a 3% fee on food and beverages sold for on-site consumption. 

In his testimony, Delegate Spiegel highlighted the fact that local governments have limited revenue tools and are already too reliant on property taxes. He also noted Maryland receives more than 43.5 million visitors each year who use local government services but whose spending doesn't support those same services. That burden falls almost exclusively on Maryland homeowners.

MML’s annual “If I Were Mayor, I Would…" essay contest is the League's oldest ambassador program. The 25-year-old contest educates fourth graders (and teachers) about municipal government and the role of the mayor. 

There’s still time to visit your local schools to encourage fourth-grade teachers to enter their students in our contest before the March 7 deadline.

MML's priority legislation SB 390, which would allow trained technicians to review speed camera images and sign the citations, passed out of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee on Friday by a vote of 7-1. The next steps are for the bill to move through procedural votes on the Senate floor, expected to be this week. Meanwhile, the House cross-file bill, HB 343, is scheduled for its hearing in the House Environment and Transportation Committee on Friday, February 21 at 1:00 p.m. For more information, please contact Bill Jorch.

Last week, MML staff testified in the Maryland Senate and House on legislation (SB 88 / HB 322) to ensure the State Board of Elections (SBE) can continue to support municipal elections using a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

This legislation is the result of conversations that took place over the fall after SBE shared a memo with county Local Boards of Elections (LBEs) that ordered them to stop supporting municipal elections beyond providing voter rolls:

The Maryland Municipal League’s Hall of Fame honors current or former municipal officials (living or deceased) that have served 20 years or more as a municipal elected official. Submissions are now open for those eligible elected officials to join the 272 municipal Hall of Famers.

Eligible officials are inducted into the Hall of Fame and honored among your colleagues at MML's 2025 summer conference in Ocean City. 

Don't miss out on early-bird rates for the Summer Conference. This year’s event includes 60+ sessions, regional tours and the chance to earn credits for the Academy for Excellence in Local Governance. Visit the Summer Conference website to register and stay up to date on the latest information.

Please join us on Tuesday, February 18 at 12 p.m. for the League’s latest Orientation for Municipal Officials (OMO), an interactive webinar designed to bring you up to speed on the fundamentals of municipal governing and the resources and programs of the Maryland Municipal League. There will also be a mini "deep dive" into Charter Management.

Our Virtual OMO can be accessed via laptop, desktop or smartphone. OMOs are usually 30 minutes long. We also record them and archive them on MML's YouTube page for later viewing. However, attending live allows you an opportunity to ask questions and meet some members of the MML team.

MML Priority Bills Heard in Senate Last Week; Both Seek New Authority  

(February 3, 2024) Annapolis, MD. – The Maryland Municipal League (MML), representing 160 local governments, testified in favor of two new local authorities last week. On Wednesday, local government leaders joined Senator Cory McCray in support of SB 324, which would enable local jurisdictions to adopt a local food and beverage fee. Later in the week, MML leadership and municipal police representatives joined Senator Will Smith in support of SB 390, which if passed, will allow non-officer staff to certify speed camera violations with appropriate training.

The League's longest running ambassador program, "If I were Mayor...I Would..." essay contest is celebrating 25 years. The program is designed to help Maryland's fourth graders develop an understanding of municipal government and the role of a mayor. Each year, nearly 3,000 essays are submitted by students, describing how they would make their town/city/community a better place to live.

Join the Engagement and Outreach Committee during our virtual reading session on March 13. The essays are short, fun and insightful. Witness the great minds of Maryland's future community leaders during the virtual reading session by volunteering.

The Winter edition of the National Civic Review explores the dynamic intersection of civic engagement, democracy, and community well-being. This issue highlights how collaboration and citizen-led initiatives are reshaping public safety and addressing homelessness through innovative, local solutions that engage diverse stakeholders. We also spotlight the growing movement of participatory governance, where citizens are stepping in to tackle pressing issues that have long been neglected or inadequately addressed by traditional channels.

Stay informed and engaged.

The MML Bill Positions webpage has been updated for the 2025 legislative session. It contains up-to-date information on MML's key legislation that impacts our municipalities. You'll find bill text, information, status updates, and our organizations positions throughout session there.

MML's oldest ambassador program, the annual If I Were Mayor, I Would...essay contest is celebrating its 25^th anniversary. The 25-year-old contest educates fourth graders (and teachers) about municipal government and the role of the mayor.

Francis Scott Key Elementary/Middle School #76 fourth grade teacher, Ms. Gauthier, shares tips on how she encourages students to enter the contest. Ms. Gauthier not only had a winning student in MML's 2024 essay contest, it was also her first time entering the contest.

MML’s priority legislation giving local jurisdictions the authority to levy a food and beverage fee, SB 324, has a hearing next week, January 29.

This bill would authorize municipalities and counties to charge up to 3% on on-site food and beverage purchases. 

One of MML's legislative priorities in 2025 is to allow trained civilians to review speed camera images and issue citations. While this bill was introduced last year, it has two new sponsors this year; Delegate Vaughn Stewart, who is the chair of the Motor Vehicle Subcommittee, and Senator Will Smith, who is the chair of the Judicial Proceedings Committee. Recently, they formally introduced the bills, HB 343 and SB 390. In addition to these two great sponsors, Governor Moore publicly announced his support of the legislation at the MML Legislative Reception on January 8.

Next steps are the public hearings which have not yet been scheduled. For more information please contact Bill Jorch, [email protected].

The National League of Cities (NLC) has been asked to testify at the House Transportation Committee’s kickoff hearing to reauthorize the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) on Wednesday, January 15 at 10 a.m. ET. IIJA significantly expanded the number of infrastructure programs local governments could access, but there is a need to protect the local-federal partnership programs in the face of limited federal funding and tough scrutiny in the renewal process. The NLC Research team has prepared a new local infrastructure priorities survey and needs responses before March 12. The goal is to have every state’s representation resulting in national report out of the nation’s most pressing city infrastructure needs and state-by-state breakouts for Senators and State Leagues for use for state-level work.