Governor Moore has announced a new artificial intelligence framework designed to protect Maryland communities, workers, and children while preparing the state’s workforce for rapidly evolving technology. In the absence of federal safeguards, the Moore-Miller administration will guide the responsible development, deployment, and regulation of AI through three principles: protecting people, centering workers, and keeping children safe. “With the speed with which AI is moving, Marylanders deserve guardrails that safeguard their rights, privacy, and dignity,” said Governor Moore. “This technology is already here, and we believe Maryland is the best state in the country to benefit from the promise of AI responsibly - but we can’t afford to wait while Washington sits on their hands.”

The framework calls for stronger oversight of frontier AI companies, protections for individuals’ likenesses, and clear application of civil rights, consumer protection, housing, lending, and workplace laws to AI. It would also address discriminatory tenant screening, algorithmic rent coordination, the targeting of at-risk gamblers, and harmful workplace use through labor-management engagement and transition planning. To help Marylanders adapt, the administration will continue investing in education, apprenticeships, reskilling, and career pathways. Safeguards for young people would address unsafe chatbots and addictive platform design, require school protocols for AI-related crises, establish a “do no harm” standard for classroom tools, notify families before those tools are used, and provide K–12 lessons on using AI safely, ethically, and effectively.

Governor Wes Moore announced a partnership between Maryland and RAISE US, a national nonprofit that works with states, employers, workers, and educators to build the training and workforce systems needed for an AI-driven economy.

The partnership will help Maryland workers, employers, and community organizations adapt to emerging technologies by piloting incentives for companies to retrain and redeploy workers, develop support for people navigating job transitions, and create training models tied to employer demand. It will also expand Maryland’s Service Year Option into sectors such as health care and education, establish a competitive fund for innovative career-transition programs, and launch an accelerator to help displaced workers pursue entrepreneurship.

The Maryland Municipal League's Municipal Achievement Awards are awarded annually to cities and towns that have successfully implemented policies and programs that advance good governance and the well-being of our communities. The Awards will be presented at the 2026 Excellence in Leadership Fall Conference, which will be held December 2 – 4, 2026 at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront.

Municipalities will be recognized in four areas of governing excellence:

September 30 is the last day to register at the early bird rate. Don’t wait. Grab the early registration rate before the regular rate kicks in. 

You wouldn't want to miss an opportunity to:

Here is the Maryland Municipal League's Annual Report. This report reflects a year of progress, partnership, and continued commitment to Maryland's local governments. 

There’s still time to join us on October 8 for our Municipal Town Hall at the Crowne Plaza Annapolis but space is limited and tickets are few!

Hear directly from statewide candidates on the issues affecting Maryland’s municipalities, connect with fellow municipal officials seeking higher office, and sharpen your skills through nonpartisan grassroots advocacy training. We’ll also share an important update on the statewide task force studying local revenue as we look ahead to the 2027 legislative session.

Make registration easy by joining MML staff for the first round of LeadershipCon Virtual Office Hours, to be held on September 25 from 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. 

The Maryland Municipal League is now accepting applications for two new contract positions:

Though registration has already begun, it doesn't hurt to have a refresher on hand. 

Join us on Tuesday, September 15 at noon as we provide an overview of the event registration process that will include:

The Maryland Municipal League's new Field Services program is off and running with field services representatives having met with more than a third of the League's member municipalities to discuss local challenges and highlight recent successes. 

To learn more about the program and schedule a Field Services meeting for your city or town, Visit the Field Services page on the MML website, or reach out to your region's field services representative directly.

The Task Force to Modernize County and Municipal Revenue Sources wants to hear from you! Don't miss this opportunity to share insights from your city, town, or village with the Task Force ahead of potential recommendations. 

The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) today released its $21.9 billion Draft Consolidated Transportation Program (CTP) for Fiscal Years 2027-2032. The balanced plan outlines the Department’s continued focus on prioritizing safety, addressing maintenance needs and growing Maryland’s economy. The six-year capital budget makes meaningful progress toward improving transportation across Maryland by advancing initiatives to lower traffic fatalities, rehabbing and replacing pavement and bridges, modernizing transit operations and leveraging current assets - like the Port of Baltimore, BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport and state-owned land for transit-oriented development - to drive economic growth.

The release of the draft program launches the Maryland Department of Transportation's public engagement process that includes a meeting in every Maryland county and Baltimore City to receive input from local officials and the public. This year’s tour is scheduled to take place during September and October with local jurisdictions hosting the meetings. The schedule can be found here but is subject to change and will be updated as needed throughout the process.

The wait is over. Registration for the annual Excellence in Leadership conference is officially open.

For the first time in decades, we are bringing LeadershipCon to Baltimore City, a city full of historical impact on the nation. You wouldn't want to miss an opportunity to:

On October 8, the Maryland Municipal League will host the 2026
Municipal Town Hall, providing municipal leaders with a unique
opportunity to hear directly from the major-party primary winners
for Maryland’s four statewide offices: Governor, Lieutenant
Governor, Attorney General, and Comptroller. Invited candidates
will address a municipal audience and respond to questions on the
issues that matter most to local leaders and the communities they
serve. There will be no debate or political sparring - just direct,
substantive conversation focused on the priorities of Maryland’s
municipalities.

Following the statewide candidates’ program, attendees are invited
to participate in a series of local government-focused workshops.

Maryland Department of Labor staff presented to the MML membership about the State's paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program as part of the Lunch and Learn webinar series. In case you missed it, or would like to rewatch it, the recording of the webinar can be found on MML's YouTube page here with a copy of the presentation slides here.

Elements of the program are already live such as employer registration through the State platform, now is the time to make decisions on how to comply with the law in a manner that meets the needs of your employees and your municipal budget.

The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has begun preliminary conversations with MML and other stakeholders about concepts it is considering for potential legislation in the 2027 General Assembly session. These discussions are happening unusually early in the legislative development process, giving MML an opportunity to identify potential municipal impacts and provide feedback while proposals are still taking shape. 

At this stage, these are concepts only. They have not necessarily received final approval from the Administration, bill language has not been drafted, and the proposals may change substantially or may not ultimately be introduced at all. The concepts cover a range of housing and community development issues, including housing production and development requirements, local revenues and incentives, community revitalization programs, and other DHCD programs and authorities. Given the significant housing and land-use legislation considered in recent sessions, MML is paying particular attention to concepts that could affect municipal planning, zoning, infrastructure, finances, or local decision-making. 

The Task Force to Modernize County and Municipal Revenue Structures is set to have their second meeting virtually on Monday, August 31 at 10:30 a.m. during which MML will provide a presentation. The link to the virtual meeting will be posted here under the "Other" category, on the Maryland General Assembly's website. You'll see a "live" notice once the meeting is official underway.

The Task Force is the result of MML's 2026 priority legislation HB 1142, which established the Task Force, set its membership, outlined its purpose, and required a final report. The crux of the Task Force's work is to study existing local revenues and recommend legislative changes to address deficiencies. MML has two representatives on the Task Force: Michael O’Connor, Mayor, City of Frederick and MML Past President and Chad Rooney, Town Manager, Town of Chestertown. On December 1, 2026 the Task Force is set to publish its final report on its findings and recommendations. 

Mark your calendar for October 8. Join municipal leaders from across Maryland for a dynamic Town Hall featuring statewide candidates addressing the issues that matter most to local communities. Hear directly from fellow municipal officials seeking higher office, gain practical grassroots advocacy tools, and receive the latest update from the statewide task force studying local revenue ahead of the 2027 legislative session. 

Register here! 

Has your city or town experienced recent turnover among elected officials? Would they benefit from engaging in a facilitated team-building dialogue, discussion of roles and responsibilities, as well as a goal-setting exercise to get everyone on the same page?  The Maryland Municipal League has helped more than fifteen member municipalities get their newly elected officials’ terms off to a productive and collaborative start. Standard retreats are five hours long with a facilitation fee of $2,500 for members with populations of 10,000 or less and $4,000 for those with more than 10,000 residents.