April 16, 2026
Friends and Neighbors,
The 447th Legislative Session of the Maryland General Assembly has adjourned Sine Die, marking the end of a busy 90-day Legislative Session.
During this session, I have been honored to serve as Vice-Chair for the Public Safety and Administration subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee. I also served on the Oversight Committee on Personnel and Capital Budget subcommittees of the Appropriations Committee.
This was by no means an easy session. Our state legislature was faced with incredibly tough decisions regarding the state’s multi billion dollar deficit, and how we were going to fix it both in this moment and for the future. I’m proud that we held strong to Maryland values: fully funding our public schools, improving public safety in our communities, and strengthening protections for our federal workforce — all without making devastating cuts to our vulnerable communities or raising taxes on most Marylanders.
As we continue to grapple with the direct, unconstitutional attacks being launched by the Federal Government against our state, county, and regional economy, it is important that we focus on fighting back against these illegal actions and helping prepare our residents for various worst case scenarios.
The General Assembly has further empowered Attorney General Brown to file lawsuits against the federal government on behalf of federal workers who have been illegally fired by the Trump administration, many of whom are your neighbors. The Attorney General has had great success leading various lawsuits against the numerous illegal actions that the federal government has taken this year, and I am proud we passed legislation to help him continue fighting back on behalf of the people of Maryland and the rule of law.
In the last few weeks, we have seen the federal government renege on its responsibility to send already allocated federal dollars to our state of Maryland. This includes money that was being actively spent on school construction, tutoring, and more.
With unprecedented uncertainty looming over our state, I assume we will be back in Annapolis for a rare but unfortunately necessary Special Legislative Session later this year to clean up the mess being made by the extremists in Washington.
When I ran for Delegate, I couldn’t imagine that our country would be in the position we are in today. While the Trump Administration willfully antagonizes our allies abroad while causing catastrophic damage to the national economy, I will continue fighting to keep our community at the focal point of our state and local discussions. These are very trying times for our State, and historically when the State has a cold, Prince George’s catches pneumonia. With that being said, please reach out to my office if we can be of assistance. We have been helping connect federal workers with resources for unemployment, career changes, and legal aid to fight back.
Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Highlights
As one of the two Prince Georgians on the Capital Budget Subcommittee of the Appropriations committee, I have an additional responsibility of bringing funding back to our county. This year we were able to secure billions of dollars in local aid for our schools, our public safety agencies, and other vital county programs and projects.
Importantly, we were able to fund these projects and balance the budget in a way that was equitable, without placing a significant burden on our working-class taxpayers. With this budget, 94% of Marylanders will be paying the same or less in taxes compared to what they were before, and we will be asking the wealthy to finally start paying their fair share.
For education, we were able to secure a record $1.7 billion for Prince George’s County Public Schools! As a PGCPS graduate, I know first hand how much this continued investment is needed. Our children are our future and historically, Maryland has fallen short in ensuring that our Prince George’s schools are given the same resources as neighboring jurisdictions.
The FY26 Budget includes over $674.1 million for Foundational Aid for Prince George’s County Public Schools, $50.8 million to help with student transportation, and $2.2 million for schools to provide food services, among other things.
To improve transportation, we secured $29.2 million for Prince George’s County, including $358,531 for Elderly & Disabled Transportation Grants and $450,000 for Paratransit Grants. The budget also includes $3.3 million for the construction of the Purple Line. The additional funding will go towards making our roads and bridges safer, as well as making local public transportation more accessible and efficient for all members of our community.
To improve public safety, we secured over $29.2 million for Prince George’s County. This allocation includes over $15.2 million for police aid, $1.9 million for fire and rescue aid, and $4.6 million for other public safety aid. With this funding, we have ensured that our first responders will have sufficient resources to properly care for our constituents and be able to respond to emergencies as they arise.
To protect our environment, we secured $100 million in statewide funding to go towards Climate Pollution Reduction. This includes $50 million to be spent on implementing solar energy on state-owned property, and another $50 million to help with local governments’ clean energy projects. I am proud to say that Maryland has led the nation in emission reductions since 2000; this is a goal we have sought for years and will continue to improve upon.
To assist our state’s workforce, we secured $200.6 million to boost the salaries of state employees, including a 1% cost of living adjustment for all employees and ~2.5% increments for unionized employees. As the Trump administration works to tear down the federal workforce, what has become apparent is that we urgently need to prioritize and strengthen our own state’s workforce. This funding is an important step in doing so.
Funding for District 47A Projects
Despite uncertainty over the state budget, we were able to secure and protect funding for a number of important projects in District 47A which will be beneficial for our area.
Among the projects for which we secured funding, I am excited to share that we have secured $1.2 million dollars for the Publick Playhouse. For many years the Publick Playhouse has been an important space for our community to come together and experience a variety of different cultures and ideas. However, the space has been long neglected and is in desperate need of some attention. This funding will go towards the revitalization of this space, so that future generations may continue to utilize it. This is something that is very close to my heart, as this is where I launched my acting career as a child, and this was the last stage I performed on before moving on to Broadway to be in The Lion King. Again, I think it is vitally important that future generations are afforded the same opportunities that I was lucky enough to have.
We were also able to secure a $200K grant to MEDCO for Economic and Land Use Study for Greater Bladensburg. The funding will be used to look at ways in which the Bladensburg Waterfront can be revitalized. Our port towns have been largely neglected for far too long and the Waterfront is a large part of our local ecosystem and a popular attraction in the area, and further economic development can serve to benefit our region as a whole.
Additionally, we secured a grant of $1 million for the Town of Bladensburg for the acquisition of land to build a new Town Hall. The current Town Hall in Bladensburg has been in use since the 1950’s. It’s time for a change, and for a new space that better suits the needs of the community in the 21st century.
$158,000 for Colmar Manor American Legion Post 131. This funding will go towards making necessary renovations to the site which has stood since 1978, including a new roof, HVAC system, and safety improvements to the parking lot, among other things. Our veterans deserve a community hub that they can cherish and host for future generations.
$500,000 to the Prince George’s Gateway Development Authority. The Gateway project has been instrumental in the revitalization and economic development of the long neglected port towns of Mount Rainier, Bladensburg, Colmar Manor, Cottage City, Bladensburg, Brentwood and North Brentwood, and this is why we must continue to ensure that they have the funding to carry out their mission.
Legislative Accomplishments
I would also like to share some of our legislative accomplishments from this session. This session, I’m proud to say that I sponsored a few important legislation which are set to make a positive impact in our community.
House Bill 765 was introduced for the purpose of allowing hospitals to sell the medical debt of their patients to a government unit or entity contracted by the government, or to a nonprofit, requiring that said debt be forgiven. Once this debt is sold, the hospitals will no longer be able to pursue any legal action against these patients. The patients will have any judgements held against them by the hospitals vacated, and their credit scores will no longer be impacted. This is a critical bill which aims to help relieve the heavy burden placed on many Prince Georgians by medical debt.
House Bill 372 extends the work of the Prince George’s Gateway Development Authority, which was set to end in September of 2028. As stated previously, the Gateway project has been instrumental in the revitalization and economic development of the port towns. It is critically important that this good work continues for years to come.
The Protect Our Federal Workers Act (House Bill 1424) delivers essential aid to federal workers who’ve been laid off as a result of the Trump Administration’s unconstitutional attacks. Prince George’s has a substantial number of federal workers, and Trump’s illegal actions have gravely imperiled both our county economy and the ability of our federal government to operate on a daily basis. It allows for emergency funds from the Catastrophic Event Account to be reallocated towards helping these workers during this difficult time. Our federal workers are true patriots who show up day in and day out on our behalf; they deserve protections amid these unprecedented times.
A huge thank you to all of you who met with me and provided input this session. Your feedback and insight have been invaluable, and I have taken everything you’ve said into consideration when making decisions. This is the end of the legislative session, but the work does not stop here. Prince Georgians must continue to stand up for our shared values, and I am excited to continue fighting by your side.
Again, if there’s anything I can do to be of assistance, please do not hesitate to contact my office at julian.ivey@house.maryland.gov or 410-841-3326/ 301-858-3326.
Fighting for you always,
Delegate Julian Ivey
Maryland House of Delegates, District 47A