Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich Thanks Montgomery County Delegation for 2025 General Assembly Successes
For Immediate Release: Monday, April 21, 2025
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich thanks the Montgomery County State Delegation, the Maryland General Assembly and the administration of Gov. Wes Moore and Lt. Governor Aruna Miller for their work during the 2025 General Assembly Legislative Session, a critical session driven by two prominent issues—the State budget and energy. The General Assembly legislative session ended on Monday, April 7, and it was the first session during the second Trump administration.
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“This was a tough session for the General Assembly and for the Moore-Miller administration,” said County Executive Elrich. “Closing a $3 billion deficit was no easy task. I appreciate the efforts to protect key investments that matter to our residents. I want to thank the Montgomery County House and Senate Delegations under the leadership of its House and Senate chairs, Del. Julie Palakovich Carr and Sen. Ben Kramer, for their work across a range of issues. They were able to make progress on public safety, transportation, health care, education and housing. These are real gains, particularly at a time when the federal climate is unpredictable, and the needs at the local level are growing. I am grateful for the hard work and long hours of our County’s Office of Intergovernmental Relations team, as well as all our state officials and their staff over the last 90 days. I look forward to our continued work over the upcoming weeks and months as we prepare for the 2026 General Assembly Session.”
Approximately $135 million of new State capital investments will be made in the County. This includes an estimated $52.1 million for public school construction and $82.8 million for other important infrastructure projects – health facilities, community revitalization, arts and culture, housing, parks and recreation, libraries and others. A full listing of projects is available here .
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Highlights of significant legislation passed that were priorities for Montgomery County:
- Energy: Three bills introduced as a package by House and Senate leadership (House Bill 1025/Senate Bill 937) aim to increase in-State electricity generation by encouraging the development of new natural gas and nuclear power plants, support the development of battery storage projects, establish requirements for large load customers such as data center to help protect residential ratepayers and establish energy relief payments for all ratepayers. Other important environmental bills related to County priorities in the areas of recycling and producer responsibility, and other environmental protection policies and investments, were also passed.
- Public Safety: At the County’s request, legislation passed (Sgt. Patrick Kepp Act) to increase penalties for reckless, negligent and aggressive driving and expand the list of traffic offenses constituting aggressive driving and alters the points assessed by the Motor Vehicle Administration against a driver’s license. Testimony by Montgomery County Police Sgt. Patrick Kepp, who was seriously injured after being struck on 1-270 by a reckless and aggressive driver, was instrumental in the bill’s passing.
- Education: State funding for Montgomery County Public Schools increased by $65.2 million this year, a 6.7% increase over fiscal year 2025, and included $14.4 million, which the General Assembly added to the Governor’s budget to restore full funding for the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. Importantly, the General Assembly passed legislation that protects community schools and expands and creates a variety of programs to help produce, recruit and retain teachers to allow for continued implementation of the Blueprint’s requirement that the time spent outside the classroom by teachers for collaborative efforts be increased from 20% to 40% in the coming years.
- Health and Human Services: The General Assembly passed six bills to reduce emergency room wait times and increase the availability and affordability of childcare. It also extended a successful health insurance subsidy program for young adults and is establishing a state subsidy program to prepare for potential federal health care changes. There were no major cuts to the Medicaid program.
- Prescription Drug Affordability: Legislation passed by the General Assembly expands the authority of the Prescription Drug Affordability Board, which will help to lower prescription drug costs.
- Transportation: Legislation passed to increase from $20 to $25 million the annual minimum amount that Montgomery County will receive from the Maryland Department of Transportation’s $27 million Bus Rapid Transit Grant Program. Also, on the Purple Line front, more funding was provided to improve pedestrian and bicycle access to Purple Line stations and to address parking issues in Silver Spring caused by disruptions as construction continues. Finally, legislation was passed in anticipation of the Purple Line opening that directs the Maryland Transit Authority to develop a free ridership program and marketing assistance program, for a limited period, for Purple Line riders, residents and businesses located within a .25-mile radius of a Purple Line track.
- Housing: The General Assembly created another tool to assist in addressing affordable housing shortages by passing legislation that allows a county to enter into an agreement for payment in lieu or taxation for a rental housing project that maintains at least 25% of the units (or higher rate determined by the county) as affordable dwelling units for at least 15 years.
- Economic Development: Legislation was passed to require the Maryland Department of Commerce, in coordination with County agencies, to study economic development in the County’s Agricultural Reserve, with a focus on the tourist and visitor economy.
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Release ID: 25-172
Media Contact: Scott L. Peterson 2402558462
Categories: Executive Office
For updates and link to press release, see here: http://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail.aspx?Item_ID=46920