KEY BRIDGE COLLAPSE LAWSUIT REACHES SETTLEMENT WITH DALI SHIP OWNER: The owner and operator of the cargo ship responsible for the tragic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge two years ago has successfully negotiated a settlement with the state. Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown made the announcement regarding the “settlement in principle” in a press release on Thursday. Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters.
SENATE COMMITTEE ADVANCES REVISED COMMUNITY TRUST ACT: In a significant move, a Maryland Senate committee voted on Thursday evening to endorse a measure designed to limit the operations of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents within the state. The committee is still in the process of refining the bill’s language. William J. Ford/Maryland Matters.
DEMOCRATS SET SIGHTS ON BEATING U.S. REP ANDY HARRIS IN 2026: As they prepare for the upcoming congressional elections, Democrats vying for a seat in Maryland’s 1st District are more focused on unseating long-term incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Harris than on their primary challengers. Ben Messinger/Capital News Service/Maryland Reporter.
NEW PAINT FEES SPARK OUTRAGE AMONG PROFESSIONAL PAINTERS: A recent fee imposed on paint purchases in Maryland has been met with sharp criticism from professional painters, who argue it will increase consumer costs while diverting millions of dollars to a nonprofit organization. Effective last week, the fee adds $1.15 to each gallon of paint and an additional $2.25 for five-gallon purchases, with all proceeds going to PaintCare, which will manage a new paint recycling initiative. Jeff Abell/Fox 45 News.
HOUSE PASSES ‘NO KINGS ACT’ DESPITE REPUBLICAN OPPOSITION: The Maryland House of Delegates gave wide approval on Thursday to the ‘No Kings Act,’ legislation that empowers Maryland residents to sue federal agents who infringe upon their constitutional rights, notwithstanding significant pushback from House Republicans. Rhiannon Evans/Maryland Matters.
LEGISLATION TARGETING GLOCK-STYLE PISTOLS HEADS TO GOVERNOR MOORE: A bill poised to make certain popular handguns, notably many Glock models, illegal to purchase in Maryland has passed, outlawing the manufacture, sale, and purchase of pistols that can be easily modified into machine-gun equivalents. Ben Mause/The Baltimore Sun.
ENERGY BILL COMPROMISE FACES GOP CRITICISM OVER UTILITY COSTS: Maryland’s leading Republicans have voiced strong criticism over a tentative arrangement concerning the state’s expansive energy legislation, arguing that the compromise undermines bipartisan elements and will not effectively reduce escalating utility expenses, even as Democratic leaders promote it as a solution for lowering costs. Mennatalla Ibrahim/The Baltimore Sun.
ECONOMISTS RAISE CONCERNS ABOUT STATE BUDGET AND AFFORDABILITY: While Maryland officials have committed to reducing costs through the state budget, economists contend that affordability issues for Maryland residents are not being alleviated. Tinashe Chingarande/The Baltimore Sun.
ICE INFORMED HISTORICAL TRUST ABOUT STORAGE PLANS TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE: The Department of Homeland Security alerted a state agency regarding its plans in mid-January, just days prior to finalizing the warehouse sale and two weeks before the public was informed about the project. Madeleine O’Neill/The Baltimore Banner.
PIEDMONT POWER LINES REQUEST ACCESS TO CARROLL COUNTY LAND: PSEG, the utility company behind the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project, is seeking authorization from the Maryland District Court to access thirty-three tracts of public land owned by Carroll County. Although PSEG has utilized the court to gain access to numerous private properties for land surveys related to the proposed power line, this marks the first attempt to obtain access to public property. Lily Carey/Carroll County Times.
POTENTIAL LIENS ON FEDERAL BUILDINGS IF STATE FUNDS ARE WITHHELD: Maryland Democrats are actively pursuing accountability measures against the Trump administration during this year’s legislative session, introducing the Federal Obligations Enforcement Act aimed at placing liens on federal buildings should the government withhold state funds. Sarah Petrowich/WYPR.
NEW BILL PASSED TO PROVIDE UNION RIGHTS FOR COLLEGE PROFESSORS: Recently, the Maryland General Assembly passed legislation granting thousands of non-tenure track faculty the right to establish recognized unions within public universities. Should Governor Wes Moore approve the bill, these educators will become the first in Maryland’s four-year public colleges to gain collective bargaining rights, a privilege currently held only by community college faculty. Ellie Wolfe/The Banner/Montgomery.
MD SPENT $240K ON TRUMP PREPARATIONS; RESULTS REMAIN UNCERTAIN A YEAR LATER: Over a year has passed since Maryland allocated approximately $240,000 in taxpayer dollars to Accenture for preparations related to a potential second Trump presidency, yet there remains no public record indicating what the firm delivered or what taxpayers received in return. Tessa Bentulan/Spotlight on Maryland/The Baltimore Sun.
