Legislative

2026 Legislative Report for AFT Maryland
Denise Riley, Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs

Sine Die marked the conclusion of a challenging 2026 legislative session. Leadership changes in the House of Delegates, including a new Speaker, shifts in committee chairs, and the creation of the House Government, Labor and Elections Committee, caused people to scramble and quickly adjust their strategies to move their bills. In addition, a projected billion-dollar state budget shortfall prompted legislators and lobbyists to amend bills to reduce their fiscal impact.

Despite these challenges, AFT Maryland did well in the legislative session. The federation and its affiliates supported over 30 bills, the majority of which were successfully enacted, and all the ones we opposed were defeated.

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AFT Maryland has focused their 2026 Legislative Priorities for this year's Maryland Legislative Session. We work with public employees from a number of sectors including K-12 education, higher education, healthcare, and state and municipal civil service to meet with elected officials to advocate for policy to improve their work experiences.

Click through for more information about policies and bills of interest to our members in the 2026 Maryland Legislative Session.

As you may know, Maryland’s legislative session is now underway, and we have been on the frontlines in Annapolis advocating for high-quality public education, improving healthcare and public services, and shaping and advocating for policy that benefits Maryland state workers, students, and communities. We have a few ways you can TAKE ACTION, RIGHT NOW. 

Click through for the links!

AFT Maryland has focused their 2025 Legislative Priorities for this year's Maryland Legislative Session. We work with public employees from a number of sectors including K-12 education, higher education, healthcare, and state and municipal civil service to meet with elected officials to advocate for policy to improve their work experiences. 

Click through for more information about policies and bills of interest to our members in the 2025 Maryland Legislative Session.

Get On the Bus to Lobby Night with AFT Maryland!

Members! Meet the bus at AFT Maryland headquarters on Monday, January 27, 2025, or meet us in Annapolis! The bus will leave at 5:00 p.m. sharp, and you must RSVP to hold a seat on the bus. 

Click here for more information and to RSVP 

Join your fellow members for a Political Education Night with AFT Maryland! As we enter the 2025 Maryland Legislative Session, this workshop will go over some critical skills to get involved and move legislation in the interest of all of our public employees. 

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AFT Maryland Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs, Denise Riley, and Political Coordinator, Todd Reynolds, present important information about the 2024 Maryland Legislative Session, which closed on April 8, 2024. Many important pieces of legislation affecting our members are detailed below, including information on bills affecting education professionals, state employees, city and county employees, and employees at higher education institutions. 

Read on for more!

Have you heard of Maryland's FAMLI act? The Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program is a new program created by the state legislature in 2022 and updated in the 2023 legislative session that grants eligible employees in Maryland the right to 12 weeks paid leave to care for a family member, or for that employee to take leave for their own serious medical condition. Maryland joins 10 other states—California, New York, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington, as well as the District of Columbia—that offer some sort of paid, long-term family leave to workers to help care for a worker’s family member. 

Read on to learn more about Maryland's FAMLI Act and for answers to some frequently asked questions.

Members! Take the 2024 Political Priorities Survey The 2024 election season will soon be upon us, and as public employees and education workers, we must be sure that our issues are understood by candidates who are running for various offices at both the local and federal level that are up for election. Click for the link and > > >