Metro funding | Saving bus service | Reducing climate pollution | Safer streets for walking & biking | Faster buses | Amtrak/MARC vs Maglev
Get ready for an exciting Maryland General Assembly session now through April 8th! There’s a lot at stake – with Metro funding topping our list. To kick it off, we’ll start with our transportation list, but watch for an alert focused on housing, and more specific alerts on important budget hearings and bills.
Saving Metro:
Metro faces a $750 million budget shortfall. Failure to close Metro’s funding gap would mean a doomsday scenario: cutting 50% of bus lines, closing 10 stations, ending rail each night at 10pm, and fare increases as high as 25%. Two steps need to happen in Maryland:
- State Budget: Governor Wes Moore has stepped up, committing $150 million toward Metro in FY25 and FY26, and $250 million per year after that. Virginia and DC are expected to match with their relative shares – but we have to ensure this $150 million stays in the budget! Learn more and take action to support Metro.
- Maryland Metro Funding Act: HB 198/SB126 repeals the 3% annual growth cap on operating assistance, allowing Maryland to provide the additional funding needed. (Del. M. Korman, Del. J Lewis/Sen. M. Augustine)
Saving local bus funding:
Despite a $3.1 billion 6-year transportation funding gap, Governor Moore is restoring one year of state funding for key transit modes including local bus service.
Reducing climate pollution from transportation:
We’re in a coalition championing bills to be introduced by Del. Edelson/Sen. Lam, requiring MDOT to measure and mitigate any increases in driving and climate pollution from proposed highway expansion. Electric vehicles will not be enough to meet climate goals, so Maryland needs to reduce vehicle miles traveled through sustainable land use and travel options. Learn more.
Pedestrian and bicycle safety:
- HB 28 (Del. R Lewis): Pedestrian Fatality Prevention Act: Scales vehicle registration fees so that they increase with the weight of the vehicle. Larger, heavier vehicles are significantly more deadly to people walking and biking, and cause more damage to the roads.
- HB 156 (Del. R. Lewis): E-bike Rebate and Voucher Program: Creates a tax rebate and voucher program to incentivize the purchase of e-bikes with priority for lower-income residents.
- HB 278 (Del. Kerr): Authorizes the State Highway Administration to lower maximum speed limits by 5 miles per hour without an engineering or traffic study.
- HB 389/SB514 (Del. Healey, A. Martinez, N. Williams/Sen. A Washington): Repeals local maintenance responsibility for sidewalks and bicycle pathways on state roads. The current system discourages localities from supporting much-needed pedestrian and bicycle facilities along state roads.
- HB 530 (Del. Boyce): Great Maryland Trails Act: Establishes an Office of Trails in MDOT to plan, expand, and maintain the Maryland Trails Network.
More Good Transportation Bills:
- HB 107 (Del. R. Lewis): Better Bus Service Act: Authorizes local governments to use automated camera enforcement for dedicated bus-only lanes. This is key to keeping the lanes clear and ensuring buses are fast and reliable.
- HB 170/SB 79 (Del. N. Williams/Sen. A. Washington): Prohibition of state funding for the proposed Maglev train (Magnetic Levitation). We’ve made the case that investing in improved Amtrak and frequent, all-day and weekend MARC service would benefit far more people.
- HB 89 (Del. R. Lewis): One Less Car Act creates an income tax credit for households without vehicles or who reduce their number of vehicles
How to participate in the General Assembly
Find my Representative provides emails for your state delegates and senator
Search for bills: Use this formatting example: HB0245 and SB0245 (need the 0 in front of each bill number)
Register with MyMGA (button in upper right-hand corner of GA page): Register to create your own bill lists, and submit testimony and sign-up to testify to committee hearings. Under witness sign-up you will see bills coming up for hearing and you must submit/sign-up two working days prior to House hearings and one working day prior to Senate hearings (between 8am and 6pm).