April 27, 2026
Dear Neighbor,
I want to thank you for your civic engagement during the 2026 Legislative Session. This may have been the most challenging session of the eight years that I have had the honor to represent you in Annapolis. While we were able to pass a budget for this fiscal year without any new or increased taxes and fees, this session did not include substantial changes to the large spending commitments the State has made for future years. This multi-billion dollar projected shortfall means that next year’s General Assembly will either have to make the difficult but prudent choice to significantly reduce these spending mandates or once again demand more from Maryland taxpayers who have already been left to shoulder too much of the burden for poor fiscal discipline in Annapolis.
The General Assembly also passed legislation on energy that, once again, acknowledges that higher electricity bills are a concern but provides far too little in actual relief for ratepayers or meaningful changes in Maryland’s attempts to depend on unreliable and unaffordable renewable energy to power our State. The legislature also acknowledged the unacceptable lack of accountability we have seen in State agencies but could have and should have gone much farther to protect again future misuse of your taxpayer funds.
Far too much of this year’s legislative action focused on attempts to intervene in federal issues, most notably on immigration. I strongly opposed legislation that has banned immigration enforcement agreements and will make Maryland a sanctuary state for criminal illegal aliens. This is not only terrible policy for public safety, but it also further takes control and accountability for decision-making away from our locally elected sheriffs. This is part of a troubling pattern that is evident in multiple bills that passed this year, including legislation that threatens to hand over decisions about how our county commissioners are elected to State courts. I believe these important decisions should belong to you, the people, and the representatives who live in our community who you elect and can directly hold accountable.
While I am frustrated with many of these developments, I am pleased to share with you that this end-of-session letter also includes many positive results for District 29 and for our State as a whole. Although concerns remain about the state of Maryland’s operating budget, I was again able to secure funding for key projects in our district in the capital budget. I also sponsored successful legislation to help property owners protect against shoreline erosion, expand hunting opportunities, and support our small businesses, first responders, and students.
You can learn more about my work during this session here. You can also visit this link if you are interested in learning more about a few of the notable bills that were considered during this session and my views on them.
As always, it is my honor to serve our community, and I am grateful to have the opportunity to continue working for you in Annapolis.
Sincerely,
Senator Jack Bailey