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.

The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) State Highway Administration will host a series of public workshops this February and March to present grant opportunities that can enhance bicycle and pedestrian access, support transit-oriented development, and promote sustainability initiatives across the state. 

Workshop Highlights:
When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the following dates:

MML wishes to congratulate Hagerstown City Administrator, MML Board Member, and longtime volunteer, Scott Nicewarner, on his acceptance into Leadership Maryland. This class focuses on vital issues impacting economic development, education, health and human services, criminal justice, the environment, and multi-culturalism/diversity across the State. 

The most anticipated event for Maryland's Mayors is right around the corner. The Annual Maryland Mayors Winter Conference will be held March 6-7, 2025, with a special event taking place on the evening of March 5th. The MMA is the direct connection between Maryland's 161 local governments and the 2 million Marylanders our Mayors serve. This event will help you better serve your constituents through education on emerging issues, advocacy efforts and engaging State leaders. 

At the Maryland Municipal League, we believe in the power of collaboration and identifying solutions as an essential tool for the communities we serve and beyond those borders. Our Community Partnerships allows us both to serve families, employees, external stakeholders, and shared constituents as we forge a path ahead. When our Partners invest in the League, they're not just contributing to the growth of our cities and towns, they're securing the future of our great State. Welcome, MML's 2025 Community Partners: 

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.

Being one of eleven winners in the state is no easy feat. Supporting the unique ideas of exceptional young minds takes a community effort, whether it stems from family or the local community.

Hear from those who supported the previous Essay Contest winners and how they honored their win by visiting the Testimonial page on our website.

Bolton, a consulting firm in the areas of employee benefits and compensation, will host a webinar in the coming weeks with updates regarding the Maryland Time to Care Act (TTCA).  As employers who are subject to provisions of the TTCA, make sure you have the latest information on the law, including:

Key employer requirements under the Maryland Time to Care Act

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.

MML is happy to continue its affiliate membership with the National League of Cities (NLC), relying on NLC to be our resource for federal issues impacting Maryland local government.

If your municipality has a population of less than 20,000, you are now able to access a variety of NLC resources. To that end, NLC has developed a new Presidential Actions Summary resource, summarizing Executive Orders made under the Trump-Vance Administration that could have either positive or negative impacts on local governments. Please follow this resource for information relevant to municipalities. Additional information from NLC and the State of Maryland will be shared as it becomes available.

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.

New to registering for a MML Conference? Need a refresher on how to register someone on their behalf? 

We are hosting three Event Registration Office Hours meetings: February 14 and February 21 from 11 a.m. - noon and March 7 from 11 a.m. to noon. You can jump onto the call during that time if you need assistance or have questions as you are registering for the MML Summer Conference.

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.

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.

The National Civic League is thrilled to announce that applications are open for the 2025 All-America City Award. Since 1949, this prestigious award has celebrated communities that harness civic engagement, collaboration, inclusivity, and innovation to address local challenges.

This year’s theme, "Strengthening Environmental Sustainability through Inclusive Community Engagement," highlights communities committed to environmental sustainability. The League is looking for communities that actively involve residents, businesses, and government stakeholders in efforts to combat climate change and enhance community well-being.

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.