The Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) released on Apr. 16 an overview of its work on business affairs policy during the state’s 448th General Assembly session.
Business regulation and licensing are key responsibilities for counties, as they balance economic opportunity with public safety. MACo said it advocates to preserve local authority, ensure effective oversight, and maintain access to regulated services across Maryland communities.
During the recent legislative session, broader economic uncertainty and fiscal constraints influenced business affairs policy. This led to a focus on workforce access, licensing standards, and regulatory consistency. MACo engaged in debates over these issues to keep changes practical for local governments.
Several bills related to business regulation were considered but did not pass. MACo supported SB 1008, which would have allowed sales of cannabinoid beverages through licensed alcohol retailers and adjusted state sales tax revenue distribution to benefit counties; however, the bill did not advance. Another measure backed by MACo was HB 1442, aiming to let counties form community choice aggregator programs for electric generation services—this also failed in the session.
MACo opposed HB 179 because it required a complaint portal about delays longer than 60 days in processing applications by government units like counties. The association said this proposal overlooked factors outside county control that can delay license or permit processing. Additionally, MACo supported HB 1351/SB 929 to give counties more authority against predatory contractors after disasters by limiting certain solicitations; this bill also did not pass.
Despite these outcomes, MACo said its legislative committee guided positions on hundreds of bills throughout the annual process and achieved productive compromises across many areas affecting county governments.