Annapolis, MD — As the legislative session kicks off today, Governor Wes Moore is introducing a bold and aggressive agenda to address the issues that matter most to Marylanders. The announcements outline a comprehensive strategy to continue historic investment in public education, make communities safer amid a statewide decline in violent crime, lower housing costs, and strengthen Maryland’s economic competitiveness.
Following is a recap to date of Governor Moore’s agenda and announcements for the 2026 legislative session:
Tuesday, January 6: Governor Moore Announces Housing Growth and Affordability Agenda
Governor Moore unveiled his housing growth and affordability agenda during a joint development announcement at the Capitol Heights Metro station in Prince George’s County. The agenda includes three pieces of legislation that will help break down barriers to buying and building housing across the state, with a focus on transit-oriented development to expedite the revitalization of communities around transit stations to create housing, grow the economy, and increase transit ridership.
The package is led by the governor’s Maryland Transit and Housing Opportunity Act of 2026, which addresses zoning and financing barriers to create jobs and housing near transit stations. The package also includes the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development’s Starter and Silver Homes Act of 2026, which incentivizes the construction of smaller, more affordable homes; and support for Senator Malcolm Augustine and Delegate Dylan Behler’s Housing Certainty Act of 2026, which aims to address regulatory uncertainty, delays and impact fees that drive up the cost of housing and prevent important projects from being implemented.
Thursday, January 8: Governor Moore Unveils Legislation to Safeguard Vaccine Access, and Budget Investments for Law Enforcement and Maryland’s Public Schools
In a series of announcements on Thursday, Governor Moore outlined major education and public safety investments through his FY 2027 budget proposal and a legislative proposal to protect vaccine access in Maryland:
- Vax Act of 2026: To protect public health amid the Trump-Vance Administration’s efforts to discourage access to vaccines and undermine trust in vaccine science, the governor announced the Vax Act of 2026. The legislation will establish new authority for the Maryland Department of Health secretary to issue immunization recommendations based on science and clinical guidance, independent of shifting federal policies. The legislation also ensures insurance coverage for vaccines and preserves the authority of pharmacists to administer vaccines.
- Record Funding to Support Law Enforcement: The governor announced a record $124.1 million in funding to support law enforcement through the State Aid for Police Protection Program. The investment comes as Maryland continues to see historic drops in violent crime, including a 25% statewide decrease in homicides and a 28% decrease in non-fatal shootings in 2025 according to preliminary data.
- Historic Education Funding: At Frederick High School, the governor announced a record $10.2 billion investment in Maryland’s K-12 education system for FY 2027. The proposal increases per-pupil funding to $11,811 and includes $480.5 million for school construction to modernize facilities and expand capacity. The budget also allocates $10.9 million for a new Academic Excellence Program to support literacy and math coaches. The proposed investments come as the Moore-Miller Administration’s sustained focus on public education continues to yield results across the state, including improved national math and reading scores and notable progress in fourth grade reading.
Friday, January 9: Governor Moore Announces Legislative Action to Strengthen Maryland’s Economic Competitiveness
Governor Moore concluded the week by announcing the Delivering Economic Competitiveness and Advancing Development Efforts (DECADE) Act of 2026. The legislation focuses on enhancing Maryland’s lighthouse industries and maximizing the return on investment for state economic programs—promoting the administration’s ongoing commitment to driving private investment in the state.
Key provisions of the DECADE Act of 2026 include extending the Build Our Future Grant Program to 2030; revitalizing the RISE Zone program to better support community development and start-ups; and modernizing the Economic Development Opportunities Program Fund to increase flexibility for major business attraction projects. The act also extends the Research and Development Tax Credit to 2031 and eliminates the cap on the Film Production Activity Tax Credit to attract larger productions to the state.
Read more about Governor Moore’s announcements below:
The Washington Post: Maryland Gov. Wes Moore unveils his agenda for boosting state’s economy
In the effort to recover Maryland’s economy amid federal funding cuts and mass job loss, Gov. Wes Moore (D) says he will push a legislative agenda this year that focuses on investing in what he calls “lighthouse” industries like technology and aerospace that could make the state less reliant on the whims of Washington.
His DECADE Act of 2026—which stands for Delivering Economic Competitiveness and Advancing Development Efforts—will be among the Moore administration’s vehicles to forward those goals through the Maryland General Assembly, which starts its 90-day legislative session in Annapolis on Jan. 14.
“You can’t have a competitive state without a growing economy, and you cannot have a growing economy without a clear economic strategy,” Moore said.
A year into President Donald Trump’s second term in the White House, Maryland is among the states hit hardest by sweeping reductions to the federal workforce and funding rollbacks to programs like SNAP and Medicaid. Earlier this week, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released unemployment figures showing that Maryland lost about 24,900 federal government jobs in 2025—more than any other state.
The Baltimore Sun: Gov. Wes Moore proposes vaccine bill to shield Marylanders from federal changes
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore proposed legislation Thursday that would expand the state’s health secretary’s authority to set vaccine and preventive care recommendations, a move his administration says intends to protect access to immunizations after major changes to federal childhood vaccine guidance.
The proposal, known as the Vax Act of 2026, follows a recent decision by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to cut the number of routine vaccines recommended for children from 17 to 11. Several other vaccines were shifted to recommendations for high-risk groups or left to patient-doctor decision-making.
CBS News Baltimore: Maryland Gov. Moore allocates $124.1 million to support law enforcement in proposed 2027 budget
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore plans to allocate $124.1 million to law enforcement in his proposed 2027 budget, he said Thursday.
The governor will need to present his proposed budget to the General Assembly once the 2026 legislative session gets underway on Jan. 14. The budget will need to be passed by the State Senate and House before it can be signed into law by the governor.
The funding for law enforcement would come from the State Aid for Police Protection Program.
“It ensures that when a Marylander calls 911, the person on the other end of the line has the tools that they need to respond,” Moore said during the press conference.
Gov. Moore’s announcement comes as Maryland continues to see historic drops in violent crime, according to data from the governor’s office.
WBAL-TV 11 Baltimore: Maryland governor sets priorities to build more housing options with access to transportation
The governor intends to push for legislation to build more housing options with a focus on ensuring the availability of transportation options.
Gov. Wes Moore said his agenda includes three bills to break down barriers to buying and building houses across Maryland.
One key measure involves developing property around transit stations that would include housing and job opportunities. If passed, it would change zoning regulations for more than 300 acres of state-owned land around current transit stations and would create 7,000 housing units and $1.4 billion in tax revenue, Moore said.
The Baltimore Sun: Moore unveils housing agenda, $17 million investment in Capitol Heights
Capitol Heights — Gov. Wes Moore on Tuesday announced his latest attempt to fix Maryland’s housing affordability problem, which includes three pieces of legislation aimed at increasing access to affordable housing, particularly by developing areas close to public transit.
“It’s time for Maryland to start getting creative about what we are going to do with [state-owned] land and creating more opportunities for work and wages and wealth for the people of this state,” Moore said at an event at Capitol Heights Metro Station in Prince George’s County. “The issue of housing affordability is real. But I want to be crystal clear, so is our resolve.”
Moore said his administration will invest $17 million of state funds toward building 300 new homes and 10,000 square feet of retail space in Capitol Heights, an effort that will be carried out by construction company Atlantic Pacific Cos.
