On January 8, the General Assembly convened for its 447th Legislative Session. The budget shortfall is going to be the most significant issue of the 2025 session. The Maryland Constitution requires that the General Assembly pass a balanced budget each year, and it will be a significant challenge to do so this year due to the size of the deficit. Just like our constituents, the General Assembly is going to have to make difficult decisions on how to best live within our means. This will have to include conversations on how to reduce the spending required to implement the Blueprint for education and the Climate Solutions Now Act. Maryland’s economy is stagnant, and we have the second-worst job growth rate in the country – the solution is fiscal discipline, not raising taxes on our State’s citizens and businesses.
The budget process will begin with the Governor introducing the budget bill next week. The budget will then be reviewed by the General Assembly, particularly by the members of the budget committees in both chambers including the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, which Senator Bailey is a member of. This review process generally takes several weeks, and votes on the budget typically begin taking place in the middle of March.
The other major issues that will be addressed this year will revolve around energy, particularly nuclear and liquefied natural gas. Calvert Cliffs and Cove Point are critical parts of Maryland’s energy strategy and the jobs that they bring to our area are vital to our local economy. Senator Bailey will work to ensure that any changes to our State’s energy regulations protect these important institutions and do not burden Marylanders at this time where energy prices in our State are already too high.
Senator Bailey has pre-filed nine bills focused on natural resources, reducing regulations on small businesses, and tax relief for seniors and retirees, and will be introducing additional bills in the coming weeks. This includes two public safety measures to increase penalties for manslaughter by a vehicle or vessel and concealment of death, as improving public safety continues to be one of his highest priorities. More details about these bills will be forthcoming in upcoming weeks, and more information about the legislative session can be found on the General Assembly’s website at mgaleg.maryland.gov.
Scholarships
The Senatorial Scholarship application for the 2025-26 school year will be available at senatorbailey.com/scholarship in the next few days. The instructional letter that will be posted will include information on how to complete the application, as well as how to confirm who your elected representatives are. Please be aware that our office can only accept applications from students who permanently live in Senate District 29.
Recognition of Pages
This week, the Senate welcomed two students from District 29 to attend session as General Assembly pages. Senator Bailey was able to meet with Sofia Fraga, a student at Chopticon High School, and Jordan Hayes, a student at Patuxent High School, to thank them for their work in support of the General Assembly.