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The board unanimously approved the purchase even as one member raised concerns about the future of racing in the state. Racing officials, however, painted an optimistic picture for the industry. The purchase of Laurel Park and the expected acquisition of intellectual property rights for the Preakness Stakes has set the industry in Maryland on the inside track to success, they said.

鈥淟aurel will be one of the backbones of racing in Maryland鈥檚 racing industry,鈥� Maryland Jockey Club Chair James T. Dresher Jr. told the board Wednesday. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a home of Maryland racing for many decades, and it will be of great use as a training facility. This also, in addition to the purchase of the Preakness IP, puts Marylanders in full control of our future. Now we have all the pieces of the puzzle for our industry to succeed.鈥�

The three-member board unanimously approved purchasing the property owned by 1/ST LLC.

鈥淚 think this is the right decision as well to move forward, given the industry is, of course, as many people have articulated, a major employer, a major revenue generator, which I appreciate,鈥� said Comptroller Brooke Lierman. 鈥淎nd Laurel Park has been part of Maryland鈥檚 racing history for over a century.鈥�

Not everyone on the board was as optimistic or enthusiastic.

Treasurer Dereck Davis said he is concerned that 鈥渨e鈥檙e making a big bet on horse racing, and frankly, I just don鈥檛 see it. We can talk about the revenue, but what about the cost? We put literally hundreds of millions of dollars into this, and we have to look at the opportunity cost, and I don鈥檛 mean to sound like a broken record, but I don鈥檛 want that to get missed. The opportunity cost 鈥� what else 鈥� we could have been doing, and can be doing with that same revenue.鈥�

Almost a year ago the state ponied up nearly $5 million for Shamrock Farm. The 328-acre Carroll County farm was expected to be the site of a modern training facility. The state now intends to sell that property.

The purchase price of Laurel Park is nearly 10 times higher than the cost of a Carroll County farm.

Davis also worried that the push to prop up horse racing in Maryland is driven by nostalgia.

鈥淲e鈥檝e got to take a hard look at this, and go, can this work on its own, or is this something that we permanently have to prop up? Davis said. 鈥淚 mean, the numbers are just sort of staggering to me 鈥� this is not monopoly money. These are real dollars that can help real citizens and do real things for the state of Maryland that will help it move forward, as opposed to trying to keep, you know, a dream, an industry afloat.鈥�

Thoroughbred racing has struggled for decades in Maryland. The decaying Pimlico Race Course, home of the second leg of racing鈥檚 Triple Crown, became a symbol of the industry鈥檚 decline.

In 2024, the General Assembly renewed efforts to preserve the industry with the so-called Pimlico Plus Plan, which consolidated thoroughbred racing in the state. Tracks owned by the Stronach family and 1/ST would close, with the exception of Pimlico, effectively making the state government the operator of thoroughbred racing in Maryland.

A newly created Maryland Thoroughbred Race Track Operating Authority would take over racing and the razing and reconstruction of Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. The authority was disbanded a year later with operations split between the Maryland Stadium Authority and the Maryland Economic Development Corp.

As part of the deal, the state also entered into an 鈥渆xclusive and perpetual鈥� licensing deal with the Stronach Group and 1/ST for the rights to the Preakness and Black-eyed Susan Stakes. The deal included all associated trademarks and memorabilia.

Earlier this year, Stronach and 1/ST announced it planned to sell the intellectual property to Churchill Downs Inc. for $85 million. Weeks later, Gov. Wes Moore announced the state would exercise its right to match the offer and buy the property it was leasing from 1/ST.

The move gives the state complete control over the Preakness and thoroughbred racing. Once the Pimlico facility is reconstructed, the plan is to hold 120 days of racing at the facility.

Maryland Stadium Authority officials told the board they will now move forward with plans to sell Shamrock Farm and that聽it could be offered for sale as early as the fall.

Initially, the plan had been to use the property for the new training facility. It was later determined after the purchase was finalized that the cost of building the facility on the property would be excessive and environmentally problematic.

Craig A. Thompson, chair of the Maryland Stadium Authority, said the Shamrock Farm project would cost $212 million 鈥渙ver double what had been previously stated, and considerably straining available funding to rebuild Pimlico.鈥�

The 鈥減ivot to Laurel Park will save the state roughly $50 million,鈥� Thompson said.

Davis raised concerns that the state will lose money.

鈥淭here鈥檚 always a chance that could happen,鈥� Gary McGuigan, executive vice president of capital projects development for the Maryland Stadium Authority, told Davis.

McGuigan said the real estate market 鈥渟eems to have softened a little bit in about a year鈥檚 time, so we鈥檒l have to see what the appetite is.鈥�

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Not because she doesn鈥檛 want to. Because she can鈥檛.

Ivey is one of more than 1 million registered voters in Maryland who are not affiliated with any political party, meaning they are prohibited from participating in the state鈥檚 closed primary election, which are open only to registered party members. She is also one of five plaintiffs in a lawsuit seeking to change that.

鈥淚 should not have to join a private political party to fully participate in a public election,鈥� Ivey said on a conference call Thursday with other plaintiffs in the case. 鈥淎nd neither should the more than 1 million other Maryland voters who are unaffiliated. This is a voting rights issue.鈥�

The group, represented by former Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford, against the state in May 2025, seeking a court order that would prevent the state from funding elections that exclude independent voters. The case was dismissed by a judge at the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court in November, a ruling that is now in the process of being appealed.

Rutherford said the Office of the Attorney General responded to the early last week, arguing that political parties have a First Amendment right to decide who is going to be their candidate and who can vote in their primaries.

The attorney general鈥檚 office declined to comment Thursday on the lawsuit or its response to the appeal.

Rutherford said Thursday that the suit does not challenge anyone鈥檚 ability to associate with the political party of their choice, but that it should not be a state function. He said that excluding voters from participating in elections that are paid for with their taxes is a violation of their constitutional rights.

鈥淲e are not challenging their ability or their right to associate with like-members,鈥� Rutherford said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e saying that the state can鈥檛 pay for it because by endorsing, by supporting, by funding, you are denying the rights of citizens as guaranteed by the state constitution.鈥�

Rutherford said the plaintiffs are going to issue their response to the office early next week and are waiting to get a hearing date, which both parties have requested.

鈥淸Our response] would reiterate the fact that they are off track in terms of what their arguing is,鈥� Rutherford said. 鈥淭hey keep saying that we鈥檙e trying to force the parties to accept this, we鈥檙e just saying the state can鈥檛 pay for it.鈥�

In Maryland, voters must be registered with either the Republican or Democratic Party to participate in primary elections, but can vote for non-partisan offices, like board of education seats.

More than 1 million voters throughout the state, which is about a quarter of the state鈥檚 eligible voters, are not registered with either political party, according to Maryland Board of Elections records from May. This totals an increase of more than 42,000 new unaffiliated voters in the past year.

According to Sam Novey, chief strategist at the University of Maryland鈥檚 Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement, closed primaries do have some benefit, in that they can strengthen voters affiliation with political parties, which can help elect political leaders who better understand their communities鈥� needs.

鈥淭he drawback is that you鈥檝e got a lot of people who are wanting to participate in shaping the election who are not able to participate,鈥� Novey said in an interview. 鈥淭hat is obviously problematic as well.鈥�

On the Thursday press call organized by Open Primaries 鈥� an organization that advocates for nonpartisan primary systems 鈥� Jeremy Gruber, its senior vice president said that as elections throughout the state and country are becoming less competitive, denying unaffiliated voters the chance to participate in primary elections denies them a 鈥渕eaningful say鈥� in the politicians who represent them.

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Maryland Realtors that active housing inventory fell 16.4% over the past year, from 18,402 houses available in May 2025 to 15,395 available in May 2026. New listings are also down, from 9,368 new listings in May 2025 to 7,296 new listings in May 2026, a 22.1% decline over the year.

Costs are rising at the same time. In May, the average sales price for a house in Maryland went from $522,664 last year to $547,405, a 4.7% increase.

For Lisa May, director of advocacy and public policy with Maryland Realtors, the recent data shows that Maryland continues to struggle with providing the housing options that meet the demand.

鈥淪upply and demand applies to housing,鈥� May said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 actually more subject to the laws of supply and demand because if you have excess housing, you can鈥檛 just pick it up and move it somewhere else in the country, like you do shoes or cars. What we鈥檙e seeing in Maryland is we鈥檙e not building new homes.鈥�

She said people are not moving because they don鈥檛 see a better option in the market, another factor that keeps supply low and prices high. The states where costs are improving, she said, 鈥渁re the ones that are building.鈥�

鈥淗ousing supply has been a tough one to crack,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e know that Maryland is a highly-regulated state 鈥� and that creates a lot of risk for developers when they are looking to invest in Maryland and build the housing that our residents need.鈥�

She said part of the solution is to 鈥渞eform the rules that allow different types of housing to be constructed.鈥� But renter advocates warned that trying to bring housing costs down by removing regulations could threaten renter protections like rent stabilization in Montgomery County, which developers have said impede new housing projects.

鈥淲e have to look at the larger perspective,鈥� said Matt Losak, executive director for the Montgomery County Renters Alliance. 鈥淲e have a competing self-interested narrative put forward by landlord developers, real estate lobbies that are trying to eliminate any regulation on their industries 鈥� in order to maximize profits.

鈥淚t鈥檚 up to our governments to balance public interest with our interest in economic development,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen they鈥檙e talking about a housing shortage 鈥� they鈥檙e not talking about 35,000 people milling around downtown Silver Spring who don鈥檛 have a home. What they鈥檙e talking about is market demand. That is, if we had the houses, we could sell them or rent them, which is a very different reality.鈥�

From a national perspective, the housing market is still tough, but reports that listing prices fell for the seventh straight month, a year-over-year decrease of 2.4%, showing a 鈥減romising run鈥� in the housing market.

Maryland鈥檚 stalled housing supply comes in spite of efforts by Gov. Wes Moore (D) to push new legislation that facilitates new housing developments in the state.

In 2024, he pushed for a that included a measure to provide 鈥渄ensity bonuses鈥� that allow developers to build more units than zoning rules typically allow in exchange for a certain percentage of affordable housing options.

This year, the General Assembly approved two of his housing bills meant to encourage developers to build in Maryland.

One measure, the Housing Certainty Act, delays payment of certain fees to county officials for new housing development and creates 鈥渧esting rights鈥� for developers: The assurance that a project would be subject to the local regulations in place at time of its completed application and not subject to later changes.

Vesting rights have long been a complaint from developers, who say that changes in regulation and local ordinances can prolong the approval and development of new housing options. But that legislation doesn鈥檛 take effect until October.

The other new law encourages new housing development around transit-oriented locations by restricting parking minimums and other local decisions in specific situations.

Realtors and multifamily housing developers were not ready to pass judgment on whether Moore鈥檚 housing policies have been effective.

鈥淚t鈥檚 too soon to know exactly 鈥� if you ask me in a year or two, we might have a better sense,鈥� said Aaron Greenfield, director of government affairs for the Maryland Multi-Housing Association. 鈥淚 applaud the governor and the administration in trying to employ all of the tools in the toolbox 鈥� but these things take time.鈥�

May noted that a Moore bill that stalled this session, the Silver and Starter Homes Act, could have been another step toward increasing the housing supply.

The bill would have encouraged the development of smaller homes by prohibiting local jurisdictions from placing restrictions on how small a lot or house could be, allowing younger families to step into homeownership and giving aging Marylanders a chance to downsize their homes.

The bill faced opposition from local and county government representatives, who said it overstepped local zoning authority with blanket statewide mandates. The legislation had hearings in House and Senate committees but was never brought up for a vote in either chamber.

May argues that current regulations and market pressures mean it鈥檚 easier to build big homes, and developers are not able to easily develop smaller houses due to lot-size minimums and other factors.

鈥淭he General Assembly has been in a tough place between what 鈥� the administration has proposed and what views the local governments, county governments, municipal governments have been 鈥� in terms of holding on to their local control and their local power,鈥� May said.

鈥淎nd I think that鈥檚 why we鈥檝e seen mixed results of what has actually passed the General Assembly in terms of actionable legislation on housing,鈥� she said. 鈥淪eeing the Starter and Silver Homes bill 鈥� the sort of vitriol that came out of that hearing, and for that bill to not even get a vote, I think was very disappointing.鈥�

She hopes lawmakers take it up again next session. But any statewide housing policy could still create conflict with the local zoning authority.

鈥淟ast year鈥檚 debate around promoting smaller 鈥榮tarter and silver鈥� housing unleashed multiple concerns from numerous communities, but focusing that conversation on affordability, rather than simply spatial footprint, might unlock a more fruitful discussion,鈥� Michael Sanderson, executive director for Maryland Association of Counties, said in a written statement Wednesday.

鈥淐ounty leaders remain open to innovations in financing, infrastructure support, and agency alignment 鈥� any of which might help accelerate a catch-up in Maryland housing stock,鈥� he said.

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In to Gov. Wes Moore (D), Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the department determined there had been 鈥渟ufficient production losses to warrant a Secretarial natural disaster declaration鈥� in 12 Maryland counties.

The declaration also declared eight Maryland counties and 16 counties in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia, as well as the District of Columbia, as 鈥渃ontiguous鈥� disaster counties. The declaration means farmers in all those counties can apply for emergency loans from the Farm Service Agency.

Rollins said USDA could not determine if six counties 鈥� Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, Kent, Prince George鈥檚 and St. Mary鈥檚 鈥� has incurred sufficient damage to qualify as primary disaster areas, but that they could be added at a later date. Anne Arundel, Kent and Prince George鈥檚 counties were included on the list of contiguous disaster areas in this first cut.

The news was welcomed by Moore, who asked for the declaration last month in response to 鈥渆xtensive鈥� crop damage after the April 27 cold snap.

鈥淭his disaster declaration provides a vital financial safety net to keep our hardworking family farms operational so they can continue to feed Maryland families while putting food on their own tables,鈥� Moore said in a statement released by his office.

After submitting the federal request, Moore directed state agencies to take steps to help state farmers, by waiving that winemakers in the state own or have under contract at least 20 acres of grapes, or that at least 51% of the ingredients in their wine come from Maryland; by creating task forces on irrigation and on boosting existing risk management programs; and by working to 鈥渆nhance opportunities鈥� for farmers and watermen affected by natural disasters to access Maryland Agriculture and Resource-Based Industry Development Corp. programs.

He also ordered the Maryland Agriculture Department to聽encourage the purchase of local farm products by food banks, consumers and others; the Department of the Environment to prioritize 鈥渨ater appropriation permits鈥� for agriculture; and the Governor鈥檚 Intergovernmental Commission on Agriculture is to assess how state and local agencies 鈥渃an better support affected agricultural sectors.鈥�

The April 21 freeze came after an unusually warm spring that encouraged early growth and left some crops particularly vulnerable to a cold snap.

The Maryland Farm Bureau also for a disaster declaration, saying that a survey of its members found that farmers expected production losses of just over two-thirds of the harvest for some crops, with farms in the hardest-hit counties reporting near total losses.

Officials with the Maryland Wineries Association also reported heavy losses, with one longtime vintner saying he had not seen anything like it in the business. The wineries association reported a total loss over 36% of the state鈥檚 grape acreage, leading to an estimated $24.4 million deficit in projected wine sales for the 2026 vintage.

State officials said data confirmed that crop losses far exceeded the 30% threshold required for a federal declaration. Compounding the crisis, the governor鈥檚 office said Monday, the late spring freeze came as the state suffers prolonged, severe drought conditions.

鈥淭his federal designation provides an important safety net to support what will be a multi-year recovery process,鈥� Maryland Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks said in the statement from the governor鈥檚 office.

鈥淥ur producers are facing millions of dollars in ongoing maintenance costs without the crop income they rely on,鈥� Atticks said. 鈥淢oving forward, the state will continue to work side-by-side with federal agencies and our congressional delegation to deploy every tool at our disposal to navigate this environmental volatility and preserve marketplace stability.鈥�

Affected farmers and growers are strongly encouraged to contact their county USDA Farm Service Agency office to review eligible disaster assistance programs and begin the application process.

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The Consumer Price Index rose 0.5% in May, bringing inflation for the year to 4.2%, the highest level since April 2023, driven in large part by the spike in fuel prices, according to the from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In the Washington, D.C., metro area, which includes suburban Maryland and Virginia, annual inflation rose to 4.1% in May, according to the report. The most recent numbers for the Baltimore metro area are from April, when the annual inflation rate was 3.6%.

鈥淚t means [people] are paying more for everything,鈥� said Christopher Meyer, a research analyst at the Maryland Center on Economic Policy. 鈥淚t makes it harder to afford everything. They鈥檙e especially paying more gasoline for utilities, electricity, and home heating, but other things as well.鈥�

Energy costs have seen the starkest rise in prices in the past year, with the cost of gas increasing by more than 40% nationally and fuel oil, which is used for heating in homes, up by almost 60%.

According to Meyer, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz during the Iran war is the most significant contributor to uptick cost because it has caused disruptions in global energy markets.

While gas prices nationally and in Maryland are trending down since their peak in mid-May, the , as of Monday, was $3.83 per gallon, which is still 77 cents more than what people paid a year ago, according to AAA data.

The uptick in gas prices can also make the price of other goods higher because it costs more money to ship those items, according to Allan Drazen, a professor of economics at the University of Maryland. This includes food, which has seen a 3.1% national cost increase in the past year, according to the BLS.

鈥淲hen we look at the price of food, the price of energy matters, supply chain disruptions matter,鈥� Drazen said. 鈥淭here are a number of things that tend to have an effect.鈥�

Meg Kimmel is the president and CEO of the Maryland Food Bank, a nonprofit organization that supplies food to about 760 local food banks and pantries throughout the state for them to distribute.

While she said her larger organization has been able to absorb the higher costs of goods, higher prices in things like gas and utilities, in addition to food, have made it harder for more local pantries to afford to distribute the same quantities to their communities.

South County Assistance Network, based in Anne Arundel County, distributes food to individual families once every 30 days to help ease the load of food costs. Pat Youngman, the president of the organization鈥檚 board of directors, said she is seeing her clients need 鈥渟ignificantly鈥� more help getting food on the table.

In 2025, the organization distributed food to 371 families, she said. This year, it has taken on 47 new families.

鈥淲e鈥檙e definitely seeing more families struggle,鈥� Youngman said, 鈥淭hey comment about the price of food and how difficult it is.鈥�

鈥淭hat is the part that is often challenging for families,鈥� Kimmel said. 鈥淭hey find themselves needing to make those trade-offs and to make those choices and decisions they have to make. Do I pay the utility bill, or do I put food on the table? Do I pay for my kids鈥� field trip and haircut, or do I put food on the table?鈥�

The true challenge with the rise in inflation is that wages are not being adjusted for the high cost, according to Meyer. To ease the burden, he said state lawmakers can advocate for increasing the state鈥檚 minimum wage to keep up with prices and support collective bargaining.

As more people are relying on public assistance, Meyer said state lawmakers should use the state budget to invest in things like public transportation and affordable housing and childcare.

Despite this, he said, federal government actions, like ending the war in Iran and repealing cuts to things like Medicaid and federal food assistance, will likely contribute to the most significant improvements in affordability.

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More than 100 members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) rallied in support of workers at the University of Maryland, College Park, where 73 union members were recently laid off, and at Bowie State University, where 21 members lost jobs. And the union said at least one layoff notice was issued from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

The rally was held about a week after College Park officials announced layoffs during a 鈥�.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 not sure why we鈥檙e being laid off when there鈥檚 other options that they could have explored, and we鈥檙e really angry about it,鈥� said Emily Leak. She worked as an integrated care specialist the University of Maryland, College Park, to help keep students from committing suicide.

鈥淲e鈥檙e worried about the safety of our students at the University Health Center in College Park because we need more mental health services,鈥澛犅燼t the rally. 鈥淚 had no opportunity to transition services, very unethical from a licensed perspective. I am just appalled that UMD would treat their dedicated employees like this.鈥�

The union rallied 30 minutes before Friday鈥檚 meeting of the University System of Maryland Board of Regents, which oversees academic and financial operations and crafts policy for the 12 institutions and three regional higher education centers that are part of the university system. UMCP, Bowie State and UMBC fall under the regents鈥� umbrella.

Union members were joined at their rally Friday at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, by Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City).

Ferguson noted that voters will be able to vote on a referendum question during the Nov. 3 general election that he said would ensure a layoff like the latest one 鈥渄oesn鈥檛 happen in the near future.鈥�

It鈥檚 based on the聽聽of 2026, approved during this year鈥檚 legislative session. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Cory McCray (D-Baltimore City), would require, that 鈥渁 neutral arbitrator鈥� be selected in labor-management disputes with state workers, if the measure is approved by voters this fall.

Ferguson also said money was approved in the fiscal 2027 budget for the university system that would provide raises, cost-of-living and merit increases.

The system agrees that a 1.5% cost-of-living increase was provided for all 40,000 system employees, but 鈥渘o additional funds were provided for merit pay for any employees, including those covered under the AFSCME contract,鈥� USM spokesperson Michael Sandler said in a statement Friday afternoon. He added merit pay is awarded only if it is funded by the state.

Sandler said institutions in the system 鈥渁re facing budget challenges for a number of reasons.鈥�

鈥淔irst, our base funding from the state is 10% lower because of cuts from the previous two budget cycles,鈥� he said. 鈥淔urthermore, when you factor the impact of inflation and changes in federal policies that have affected research funding, we are seeing reduced funding at our institutions while also experiencing higher costs. All of that is contributing to greater budget challenges.鈥�

A representative from the University of Maryland, College Park, deferred to the system鈥檚 statement. In a聽聽dated June 4, College Park leaders announced that about 84 state-funded employees were being laid off.

A statement from Bowie State University echoed the system鈥檚 remarks. The university鈥檚 statement also added that about 23 employees were laid off to address budget challenges.

鈥淎t the same time, we recognize that these decisions have had a real and deeply personal impact on members of our campus community,鈥� the Bowie statement says. 鈥淲e are especially mindful of the employees and families directly affected by the layoffs, and we extend our sincere concern and appreciation for their service to Bowie State.鈥�

But union leaders such as AFSCME Council 3 President Patrick Moran said the university system, UMD and Bowie State have large endowments. In addition, Moran asked during the Board of Regents meeting why system and college leaders didn鈥檛 assess any 鈥渃ostly contracts you have with vendors?鈥�

鈥淲ould you cut the basketball coaches or the football coaches pay after you have a contract? So, why are you taking it out on the backs of working people? Shame on you,鈥� he said.

Before union members left the meeting, the continued fight to rescind those layoffs was declared in a聽: 鈥淯SM, do what鈥檚 right! Maryland staff are ready to fight!鈥�

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As of last week, more than 22,000 Marylanders had done just that, asking the Motor Vehicle Administration for the logo that was made possible under what became known as 鈥淓ric鈥檚 ID Law.鈥�

鈥淚t shows it is really needed for people who cannot speak for themselves,鈥� Carpenter-Grantham, 21, said during a recent interview.

The Montgomery County resident has high-functioning autism, and the logo is designed to alert police and other emergency responders to the developmental or intellectual disabilities that are not immediately noticeable with Eric, and others like him. The decal can be placed not only on driver鈥檚 licenses but on MVA-issued identification cards and even moped operator permits.

The law also requires that the state Police Training and Standards Commission, in consultation with the State Police and other stakeholders, 鈥渋mplement training concerning interactions with individuals who have a nonapparent disability.鈥�

Kimberly Boddie of Prince George鈥檚 County, who has an hidden disability and the butterfly logo on her ID, said police training is sorely needed.

鈥淚f a police officer is talking to me and I turn my head, a police officer may think I鈥檓 being rude. I鈥檓 sensitive to light,鈥� Boddie, 49, said Friday. 鈥淭raining helps officers and just makes things better.鈥�

Boddie said she doesn鈥檛 drive due to a trifecta of ailments 鈥� lupus, Raynaud鈥檚 disease and Sjogren鈥檚 syndrome.

Lupus is an autoimmune disease that can cause joint pain and inflammation in various parts of the body. Sjogren鈥檚 is another autoimmune disease that creates dry eyes and lack of moisture in the mouth. The disease can trigger Raynaud鈥檚, a disorder that restricts blood flow that Boddie said can make her 鈥渉ands turn blue and makes me immobile. I鈥檓 an autoimmune warrior.鈥�

Boddie was officially diagnosed with all three in 2020, then noted jokingly, 鈥淏ut I never got COVID.鈥�

鈥楻emarkable young man鈥�

The Carpenter-Grantham family has not just been sitting at home and relishing its success since getting a state law passed.

They have traveled to other states to lobby for passage of legislation like Eric鈥檚 ID Law, in states such as聽听补苍诲听. Linda Carpenter-Grantham, Eric鈥檚 mom, said they are already planning to return to聽聽next year to work on a bill that did not win passage during this year鈥檚 legislative session.

The mother-and-son duo traveled across the border into Washington, D.C., and testified Thursday before the聽Committee on Transportation and the Environment on the 鈥淓ric鈥檚 ID Amendment Act of 2026.鈥� The bill would allow applicants for a license, permit, or identification card to have the applicant鈥檚 nonapparent disability noted on the credential.

鈥淎s a person with autism, I understand how it feels to be misunderstood sometimes. People with autism and other invisible disabilities communicate differently, need extra time to process information, or react differently in stressful situations,鈥� Eric said in his testimony to the committee.

鈥淯nfortunately, those differences can sometimes be failures to follow rules, or change of behavior, instead of being recognized as a disability. This is why this legislation matters,鈥� he said.

Several other Marylanders joined the family to testify in support of the D.C. measure, including Boddie, Laurel City Councilmember Kyla Clark and Prince George鈥檚 County Dels. Kym Taylor and Karen Toles, both Democrats. Taylor, who has an adult son with an invisible disability, was a co-sponsor of the Eric鈥檚 ID bill when the General Assembly passed it into law last year.

Taylor summarized how the Maryland law and the D.C. bill are both strictly voluntary.

鈥淭his bill does not require anyone to disclose a disability. It does not create a registry. It does not require medical documentation. It does not impose additional fees,鈥� she said. 鈥淚nstead, it empowers individuals and families with a voluntary tool that can facilitate understanding during critical interactions.鈥�

Meanwhile, the Carpenter-Granthams may return to Annapolis next year with a proposal for an Eric鈥檚 ID amendment to produce butterfly stickers and have them placed on vehicle windows to inform police officers someone with a non-apparent disability is inside.

罢丑别听聽has already promoted not only stickers, but also buttons with informational cards. Representatives from the office will hand them out during the Ocean City Air Show on the weekend of June 13. The Carpenter-Grantham family plan to be there, too, to talk about the law.

鈥淚 want to celebrate this for Eric because he鈥檚 a remarkable young man to have this vision,鈥� said Worcester County Sheriff Matt Crisafulli. 鈥淭his [will] help first responders 鈥� law enforcement, paramedics, firefighter personnel. Think about the benefits this will have for everyone. This is just huge for our residents and visitors who have those hidden disabilities.鈥�

Linda Carpenter-Grantham hopes other sheriffs will follow Crisafulli鈥檚 lead.

鈥淭he sheriff was just so excited to follow up with Eric鈥檚 ID Law. It鈥檚 good to see,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his is something we need to get done.鈥�

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Maryland will part ways later this year with the current contractor, Nebraska-based Kiewit聽 Infrastructure, after failing to reach agreement on a final project cost. State officials have refused to disclose the amount sought by Kiewit, citing confidential negotiations, but some estimates have placed Kiewit鈥檚 asking price as high as $9 billion.

But Transportation Secretary Kathryn Thomson and other officials told members of House Appropriations and the Environment and Transportation committees that they estimate the cost at about $5.2 billion.

Thomson said the transportation officials 鈥渨orked with independent cost estimators and Federal Highways and did our own analysis to better understand what the cost of the bridge 鈥� the remaining demolition and reconstruction 鈥� would cost, and put that out in the report that we released in November of last year.

鈥淭hat remains our cost estimate for the bridge 鈥� the higher end, the $5 billion,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut we continue to reevaluate that assessment, pressure-test the assumptions, and that remains our best estimate.鈥�

Initial estimates for a new cable-stayed bridge in the days immediately following the 2024 collapse placed the cost of replacement at about $1.7 billion.

鈥淚鈥檓 deeply concerned about where we are on cost right now,鈥� said Del. Ryan Nawrocki (R-Baltimore County).

Thomson told the panel during a nearly 75-minute briefing that state officials knew initial estimate 鈥渨as not going to be the final cost but we wanted to get into the emergency relief program at Federal Highways [Administration] and 鈥� that was the advice to us, just give us what it would have cost at the time.鈥�

Bruce Gartner, executive director of the Maryland Transportation Authority, said that number was arrived at without any design work completed and based on the 1970s era bridge that was in place when a cargo ship allided with it.

The authority oversees the bridge and other toll facilities.

鈥淚鈥檓 really concerned about where the number really is,鈥� Nawrocki said. 鈥淒o we have a $5 billion project? Do we have a $7 billion project? Is it a $9 billion project? And if it goes to any of those higher numbers, is the federal government going to continue to fully fund this project?鈥�

Thomson rejected the higher estimates.

鈥淭o the extent you鈥檝e heard substantially higher numbers, those are not our numbers, and I continue to say those will never be our numbers,鈥� Thomson said. 鈥淪o we鈥檙e in the 5-billion-ish range.鈥�

Reconstruction began two years ago after the collapse of the Key Bridge. The container ship Dali was leaving the Port of Baltimore in the early morning hours of March 26, 2024, when the fully loaded ship lost power soon after leaving the port. The 985-foot vessel went dark, drifted and eventually struck one of the piers of the bridge.

Within seconds, much of the span . Six members of road crew who were working on the bridge deck that morning died.

The collapse closed the Port of Baltimore for weeks. The ship was trapped under the fallen bridge decking. State, federal and private crews pulled 50,000 tons of steel and concrete from the shipping channel to reopen it to port traffic.

The National Transportation Safety Board, in a November report, said the collapse was the result of a power outage . But the agency also cited what it called 鈥渨oefully inadequate鈥� infrastructure protecting the Key Bridge.

As part of the rebuild effort, the state in 2024 to design and plan the new bridge. As part of that work, the company has also started placing pilings in the bed of the Patapsco.

Kiewit held the option to be the first to negotiate a contract on phase two construction. Three weeks of negotiations bogged down over what Thomson said was an 鈥渦nacceptably high鈥� bid.

The state is now 鈥渙ff-ramping鈥� Kiewit. The firm will continue to place piles for the project until the end of the year. As of April, about 30 of the nearly 1,000 pilings that will be required to build the new bridge had been placed. The state will pay the firm $700 million for its part of the project.

Even so, Thomson told the committees that work will continue as the state bids out the project as .

So far the costs have been covered with money from an insurance claim and an early release of federal funding.

Thomson and Gartner said that toll increases will not be needed to cover the costs. Some toll increase could come as early as next year, but officials said it is not related to the bridge.

鈥淪o we do have plans to adjust tolls, but not as a result of this project or project needs,鈥� Thomson said.

The state still expects to receive full reimbursement of the cost of the rebuild from the federal government.

The committee also heard briefly from the Office of the Attorney General on lawsuits related to the bridge.

The office announced a month ago that it reached a $2.25 billion settlement with Grace Ocean Private Ltd. and Synergy Marine Pte Ltd., the owner and operator of the Dali. The settlement is expected to go toward rebuilding the bridge.

The settlement resolves all claims with the owner and operator of the cargo vessel. The state could still seek damages from Hyundai Heavy Industries, the builder of the ship.

Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine are expected to pay the state by June 5.

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罢丑别听聽filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt by sheriffs from 17 counties, claims the law would 鈥渋ntentionally obstruct federal law enforcement and thwart Plaintiffs鈥� obligation to uphold the Constitution of the United States.鈥�

鈥淢aryland鈥檚 blatant defiance of federal immigration law is not merely a political disagreement or passive abstention; it is deliberate, disruptive action that jeopardizes the public safety of all Americans,鈥� the suit says.

The suit was filed by the Federation for American Immigration Reform, a Washington, D.C.-based organization that works to restrict immigration, on behalf of sheriffs from Allegany, Calvert, Caroline, Carroll, Cecil, Dorchester, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Kent, Queen Anne鈥檚, St. Mary鈥檚, Somerset, Talbot, Washington, Wicomico and Worcester counties.

It lists the state of Maryland, Gov. Wes Moore (D) and Attorney General Anthony Brown (D) as defendants. Brown鈥檚 office said Wednesday morning that it would not comment on the court case.

The suit comes more than a month after the聽聽was passed, on the last day of the legislative session, and just days after Moore said he would not sign the bill, but would let it become law without his signature.

Moore said in a statement Friday that he agrees with the bill鈥檚 goal of keeping local police focused on local crime, and that the state should 鈥渘ot let untrained, unqualified, and unaccountable ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] agents deputize our law enforcement officers to do immigration work.鈥�

But he also said the bill 鈥減resents real implementation challenges that must be addressed through executive action and in next year鈥檚 legislative session.鈥�

The act,聽, was sponsored by Sen. Clarence Lam (D-Anne Arundel and Howard), and would end the practice of accepting administrative warrants from federal ICE agents to hold immigrant detainees. Under the law, local law enforcement officials would only be obligated to recognize a judicial warrant from an ICE agent.

The act has been called a necessary complement to the emergency bill passed and signed early in the legislative session that banned so-called聽聽formal cooperation agreements between ICE and local law enforcement agencies.

Eight of the nine Maryland counties with 287(g) agreements聽聽them, and the ninth said the agreement would no longer be enforced. But immigration advocates feared that sheriffs would just continue to work with ICE on an informal basis, which is why they pushed for passage of the Community Trust Act.

Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler, the lead plaintiff in the federal suit, is scheduled to be one of the speakers who will discuss the complaint during a news conference at 11 a.m. Wednesday in Annapolis.

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Tuesday鈥檚 announcement came three weeks after the Maryland Transportation Authority announced it was parting ways with the current contractor, Kiewit Infrastructure, because of an 鈥渦nacceptably high鈥� bid on the second phase of what is now, officially at least, projected to be about a $5 billion project.

Officials never said what price Kiewit was proposing for the second phase of the project, only that after weeks of discussions the state 鈥渄ecided that their bid was unacceptably high,鈥� Maryland Transportation Secretary Kathryn Thomson said at the time.

It was then that they decided to 鈥渙ff-ramp鈥� Kiewit and look for new contractors for phase two, Thomson said.

Under the plan unveiled Tuesday, the work will be broken into four contracts:

• Demolition of remaining bridge structures in the Patapsco and on land. State officials estimate the bids will be between $50 million and $100 million when the job is put out to bid this summer, with work possibly starting this fall.
• Construction of the southern highway approach to the bridge, including highway and 3,ooo feet of bridge, grading, wetlands work and tolling systems, lighting and the like. That is expected to cost $300 million to $400 million and be advertised this fall or winter, with work starting in the spring.
• Construction of a similar northern approach, with s shorter bridge section and longer at-grade roadway, expected to cost $200 million to $300 million and be advertised this with construction next spring.
• The largest piece, the construction of the bridge itself and protection for the bridge piers against a future boat strike. Requests for contractor qualifications will go out this summer, with possibly starting next summer. The cost of that work is expected to be between $3.5 billion and $4 billion.

All told that work would range between just over $4 billion to $4.8 billion. That鈥檚 on top of the roughly $700 million that Kiewit is expected to get for the first phase of the project, which included design, some demolition and installation of pilings that will eventually support the new bridge.

Thomson said last month that the state has been 鈥渧ery pleased with the quality of the work and the timeliness of the work鈥� by Kiewit. State officials said work on the bridge would continue uninterrupted, as Kiewit is expected to work through the end of this year on its share of the project as new contracts are awarded.

The four-lane Key Bridge was destroyed early on the morning of March 26, 2024, when a fully loaded container ship leaving the Port of Baltimore lost power and struck one of the bridge鈥檚 piers. In seconds, the bridge collapsed into the river, pinning the ship, killing six members of a road crew that was working on bridge and blocking ship traffic in and out of the port.

President Joe Biden promised, and Congress later affirmed, that the federal government would pay the full cost of bridge replacement 鈥� which at the time was estimated to be about $1.9 billion for a project that officials hoped to have finished by 2028.

The project is currently expected to cost a total of $4.3 billion to $5.2 billion, and be completed by the end of 2030. The escalating costs have led to threats by the Trump administration that it might not pay the full share of replacement, but state officials and member of the state鈥檚 congressional delegation have so far been able to keep funding on track.

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Because of the error, which the State Board of Elections聽聽and attributed to a vendor, elections officials are re-sending all 565,000 of the mail-in ballots issued so far, which are expected to arrive in mailboxes聽.

In a聽聽Monday afternoon, Trump hurled accusations at Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D), writing that he 鈥渁llowed this to happen in order to make sure that Democrats win.鈥�

鈥淚n Maryland, they sent out 500,000 Illegal Mail In Ballots, and they got caught! So now, they鈥檙e going to send out 500,000 more Mail In Ballots, but nobody knows what鈥檚 happening with the first 500,000 they sent,鈥� Trump wrote in his post.

The president also pledged to ask the Justice Department to open an investigation into the matter. The department did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

Maryland election officials, meanwhile, are rushing to dispute the president鈥檚 post.

None of the mail-in ballots issued were 鈥渋llegal,鈥� said State Administrator of Elections Jared DeMarinis in a聽. Rather, some voters may have received a ballot corresponding to the wrong political party, according to a Monday news release from the elections board.

鈥淣o fake OR illegal mail-in ballots were distributed. The wording in President Trump鈥檚 continued posts about Maryland鈥檚 elections creates an environment of misinformation on a voting right,鈥� DeMarinis wrote.

Maryland officials say they have voided the incorrect ballots issued by their vendor, Taylor Print & Visual Impressions, so that they cannot be used, and they have set in place adequate safeguards to prevent a person from voting twice using the two ballots.

鈥淓very return envelope/oath has a unique identifier to ensure that a voter can only vote one ballot,鈥� reads a board of elections webpage聽听颈蝉蝉耻别.

Affected voters are instructed to dispose of the original ballot and utilize the newly issued ballot to cast their votes.

Maryland has closed primaries, so voters may only cast their ballots in the party primary matching their registration. The June 23 primary will feature the governor鈥檚 race and all of the seats in the General Assembly, in addition to congressional elections and local races including county executives and county councils.

Maryland voters still have time to request to vote by mail. The ballot printing error only affected those who requested to vote by mail early, and received their ballot by May 14.

The deadline to request a mailed ballot is June 16. But voters who wish to receive their ballot as an emailed link and print it at home can request until June 19. All ballots must be postmarked by 8 p.m. on June 23, or brought to a ballot drop box or polling location by that time.

In a statement, Ammar Moussa, a spokesperson for Moore, called Trump鈥檚 social media post 鈥渇alse and irresponsible.鈥�

鈥淭he State Board of Elections identified a vendor error, disclosed it publicly, and is fixing it to ensure every eligible voter receives a valid ballot and every valid vote is counted,鈥� Moussa wrote. 鈥淢arylanders should look to the State Board of Elections for accurate information 鈥� not social media misinformation designed to undermine confidence in our elections.鈥�

Moore does not administer Maryland elections in his role as governor. The five-person, bipartisan State Board of Elections handles those duties, together with its selected election administrator, DeMarinis. The board includes three members of the majority party in the state and two members of the minority party.

In its latest聽, the state board announced that communications to affected voters would begin Monday. Voters will receive a postcard to their registered address, or an electronic message to their preferred method of contact.

The production of the new ballots began Tuesday, and the new ballots will be mailed on a rolling basis as soon as they are printed. Envelopes will feature the message 鈥淩EPLACEMENT BALLOT INSIDE.鈥� Mailing is to be completed by May 29. Voters are instructed to return only the replacement ballot in the replacement envelope.

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But now, partially restored and easily accessible, it is the centerpiece of Maryland鈥檚 newest state park.

The 1,042-acre near Gaithersburg honors the legacy of the Howard family, who owned the land after emancipation from slavery, and became major contributors to Black communities in Maryland, including by founding the Baltimore Afro-American newspaper.

鈥淔reedman鈥檚 State Park will be a place for reflection, education and connection,鈥� said Maryland Park Service Director Angela Crenshaw during a Friday. 鈥淎 place where visitors can understand the deep ties between land and liberty, a place where Marylanders can see how the work of freedom continues long after emancipation, and a place where the legacy of the Howard family is protected 鈥� not as a footnote, but as a chapter of statewide significance.鈥�

The story begins with , who was born enslaved in 1814 in Montgomery County, and purchased his freedom in 1851. In the ensuing years, he bought the freedom of his wife and her four oldest children from the Gaither family, for whom Gaithersburg is named.

In 1862, as the Civil War raged, the Howard family bought a plantation house known as Locust Villa, which is believed to have been built in 1790, and several hundred surrounding acres. That home has largely fallen to ruin, but another on the property is still standing, called Greenbury鈥檚 House, after one of Howard鈥檚 sons.

According to the , Howard grew rye, oats and other crops on the land, and owned livestock. But he also helped other Black Marylanders purchase land of their own, state property records show, sold some of his land to be used as a school for African American children, and built a chapel in 1889.

鈥淪everal sources even attribute Howard with providing lodging for the slave Dred Scott,鈥� whose case before the U.S. Supreme Court dealt a historic blow to the rights of African Americans, according to the archives, but no known documentation exists to prove it.

鈥淗owever, according to local legends and Howard family history, Howard assisted runaway slaves as well, with the family鈥檚 history also recounting two of Howard鈥檚 sons escaping to Canada through the Underground Railroad before Enoch George Howard had bought his family鈥檚 freedom.鈥�

When Howard died in 1895, he divided the property equally among his five children, according to the archives. One of his five children, Martha Elizabeth Howard married the Civil War veteran and former slave John H. Murphy, and later contributed $200 to help her husband found the Afro-American, which crusaded against Jim Crow, and became one of the most widely circulated Black newspapers in the region. Today, the paper is still run by fourth- and fifth-generation Murphy descendants.

鈥淎fro 小萝莉影视 is a publication that, for more than a century, has ensured that Black history, achievement and struggle are told clearly, fully and without apology,鈥� said Savannah Wood, the executive director of Afro Charities, and a great-great granddaughter to Martha Howard. 鈥淔rom that perspective, it鈥檚 a joy to be here to dedicate this park, which is now doing the same thing.鈥�

The property, acquired by the state more than 60 years ago, had been part of Patuxent River State Park, where it was often used for hunting. Now, it stands alone with its own state park designation.

But there鈥檚 still plenty of work to be done.

Greenbury鈥檚 House has a new roof and other refurbishments, but still has boarded-up windows. The Park Service still hopes to add signs describing the significance of the house, the Locust Villa and the graveyard between them, which is the final resting place for George and his wife Harriet, as well as Greenbury and other descendants.

For now, visitors wishing to access the property can park at a lot on Elton Farm Road, and hike a mile on a wooded trail to reach Greenbury鈥檚 House. From there, they can continue past farm fields and tracts of woodland to the burial ground and the ruins of Locust Villa, said Park Ranger Shea Neimann, a 20-year veteran of the Park Service who helped bring the new park to fruition.

Friday鈥檚 dedication ceremony was a joyous occasion for the more than a dozen descendants who returned to the property to share reflections and memories, and gather for a family photo in the burial ground. They also placed bits of sea glass on their ancestors鈥� headstones, meant to symbolize the path of their spirits back across the Atlantic Ocean to Africa, Crenshaw said.

Houston Murphy, who attended Friday鈥檚 ceremony, said he remembers spending a night on vacation in the 鈥渃ramped鈥� Locust Villa as a young boy, where the fireplace was so large he could stand inside it.

His father, William H. Murphy Sr., a well-known judge and political force in Baltimore City, owned one tract of land in the new state park, he said. But the state approached him about acquiring the land for recreation.

鈥淢y father fought them, because he didn鈥檛 want to give up his 2 acres. It was his getaway from this stress of being a Black attorney and a Black judge in the city of Baltimore,鈥� Murphy said Friday.

Ultimately, the state won out, and paid Murphy for the property that would later become part of Patuxent River State Park.

鈥淢y father never thought it was a fair price,鈥� Murphy said.

For members of the family, the state鈥檚 early stewardship of the land left something to be desired, what with the loss of Locust Villa. But now, with restoration efforts well underway and a new state park created to honor the Howard family, the descendants have new hope.

鈥淲e already lost one really significant site with the state not recognizing how important the history was, but it鈥檚 great that we have new leadership that understands the importance of this history and is willing to put resources behind it,鈥� Wood said.

State officials said Friday that they were able to create the new state park thanks to the , which the legislature passed in 2022 after a historic surge in state park visitation during the COVID-19 pandemic. The law allowed for the park鈥檚 dedication and allocated funds for its branding and additional park rangers.

Maryland Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz acknowledged Friday that the story of the Howard family is one the state 鈥渟hould have been proudly telling鈥� for a century.

But dedicating the park in this moment, when President Donald Trump鈥檚 administration is working to scrub 鈥渘egative鈥� depictions of U.S. history, including the history of slavery, from national parks and monuments, has added significance, Kurtz said.

鈥淭his is an opportunity for us at a time, frankly, nationally, when stories like this are being suppressed, to tell this, to tell this loudly and tell this proudly,鈥� Kurtz said.

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But as the 90-day clock expires Monday, it turns out that at least seven of the nine counties that had the so-called with Immigration and Customs Enforcement have pulled out of those plans and an eighth said the agreement will not be enforced, even though it鈥檚 still on the books.

Most of the local departments dropped the 287(G) agreements either the same day or the day after Gov. Wes Moore (D) signed and into law Feb. 17. The emergency legislation took effect immediately upon his signature.

While they appear to have given up the 287(g) fight, however, sheriffs are still assessing a challenge to another immigration bill that passed during the waning hours on the last day of this year鈥檚 session: the . It is one of several immigration enforcement bills the governor has yet to sign, with just one more bill signing scheduled for May 26.

The majority Democratic legislature and the supporters of the argue it eliminates and distrust of police in communities where aggressive immigration tactics have been conducted and enforced by President Donald Trump (R) and his administration.

As of Sunday, , the agency had 1,832 law enforcement agencies in 39 states and two U.S. territories signed on to participate in the 287(g) program. Seven of the nine Maryland counties 鈥� Allegany, Carroll, Cecil, Frederick, Harford, St. Mary鈥檚 and 鈥� already informed the agency they had to terminate their partnerships due to the passage of the law.

鈥淚 thank you for your partnership since 2019 and your efforts to help me keep our communities safer,鈥� wrote Cecil County Sheriff Scott Adams in a Feb. 17 letter addressed to Vernon Liggins, acting field office director in the Baltimore ICE office.

But the agency鈥檚 website lists two Maryland counties still participating: Garrett and Washington.

A representative from the Garrett County Sheriff Office didn鈥檛 respond to requests for comment Friday.

Washington County Sheriff Brian Albert said that because the 287(g) ban took effect immediately, the agreement 鈥渋s pretty much null and void. We鈥檙e not participating in the 287(g) program. We just don鈥檛 have a lot of people with detainers on them that are processing through the jail. There鈥檚 not a large immigrant community here in Washington County.鈥�

But Albert and some other sheriffs are assessing legal advice about the Community Trust Act.

sponsored by Sen. Clarence Lam (D-Anne Arundel and Howard), which was made an emergency measure, would prohibit local or state police from holding a person for ICE, except in limited scenarios: If a person was convicted of a felony in the United States; is a registered sex offender; served between 12 to 18 months in a state prison; or committed an offense in another state and served at least five years in prison.

A major part of the bill requires federal officials to present a judicial warrant to hold someone, not just an administrative warrant.

One of the main complaints from Republican lawmakers and some sheriffs is the act will not only decrease cooperation with federal officials, but also force law enforcement agencies to follow both federal and state law they say conflict with each other.

鈥淲e鈥檙e sworn to uphold the constitution of the United States and the state of Maryland. The Community Trust Act puts us in a very tough predicament,鈥� Albert said.

鈥楬ave some standing鈥�

Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler posted a video April 15 on urging the governor to veto the Community Trust Act.

鈥淭his legislation is a direct assault on public safety. It officially bans our law enforcement and correctional officers from communicating with our federal partners at the Department of Homeland Security,鈥� Gahler said in video.

He reiterated that point said in an interview Thursday.

鈥淭he governor hasn鈥檛 signed it. We鈥檙e waiting on [whether] if he vetoes it, or allows it to become law after 30 days if he doesn鈥檛 veto it or sign it,鈥� Gahler said. 鈥淲e have talked with attorneys. We think we might have some standing. I hope we don鈥檛 get there. I hope he does the right thing and vetoes this terrible bill.鈥�

Another immigration-related bill awaiting the governor鈥檚 signature is the which seeks to close loopholes in the state鈥檚 Public Information Act and prohibit a business from selling personal data of an individual 鈥渇or the purpose of immigration enforcement.鈥�

鈥淭he signing of these bills are going to be career defining for our governor and going to mark his legacy on immigration at a time when our communities are under attack,鈥� said Cathryn Jackson, policy director for We Are CASA.

As for the 287(g) legislation advocates pushed for more than a decade to get, Del. Nicole Williams (D-Prince George鈥檚) said 鈥渋t鈥檚 a big deal.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 just really unfortunate we are in this political climate we are in today with a federal administration in trying to prevent people from obtaining the American dream,鈥� said Williams, who sponsored the House version of the 287(g) legislation.

鈥淚t鈥檚 about people who are searching for a better life for their family. When we talk about American exceptionalism, our immigration system is a part of that,鈥� she said.

is part of States 小萝莉影视room, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Maryland Matters maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Steve Crane for questions: editor@marylandmatters.org.

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Last summer, the state began requiring park users to聽聽in order to visit five state parks, including Sandy Point and Newtowne Neck. Popular beaches at each of those parks had drawn miles-long lines of cars on warm sunny days, sometimes beginning as early as 3 a.m., filling parks to capacity and forcing park rangers to turn visitors away.

State park officials say the registration requirement brought a dramatic improvement, and eliminated early park closures. The system聽, and an associated call center took more than 4,000 calls, according to the Maryland Park Service, which is part of the state鈥檚 Department of Natural Resources.

鈥淲e really pressed this thing against the most significant challenge places to see if we could break it. And it worked. It never broke. I would say it was an unqualified success,鈥� said Paul Peditto, assistant secretary of land resources at the department.

Now, they鈥檙e looking to implement the same system at popular areas of at least eight new parks across the state, including Gunpowder Falls, Swallow Falls, Rocky Gap and Rocks State Park, according to a list provided by Department of Natural Resources spokesperson Gregg Bortz.

But the state is also eyeing different avenues for expansion. At some park locations with unmonitored 鈥渉onor boxes,鈥� where visitors are supposed to insert their park entry fee in cash, the department will instead post a QR code that visitors must scan on their cellphones to pay the fee before a gate will lift, allowing them to enter.

鈥淚t鈥檚 exactly the same as if we had Ranger Paul sitting there and he manually enters you into the thing, takes your cash or your credit card, and then hits the button to open the gate 鈥� but it鈥檚 all automated,鈥� Peditto said.

The department is also looking to bring the reservation system to several shooting ranges operated by the state, Bortz said, including at Green Ridge and Savage River state forests.

The park service was hoping to start installing the system at new parks as soon as possible, so that it may reach some parks by June. But the arrangement with Kaizen Labs, the contractor installing the systems, faced a hang-up at last week鈥檚 Maryland Board of Public Works meeting, where it must be approved in order to go forward.

After pushback from the board, which includes the governor, the state treasurer and the comptroller, the department withdrew the agenda item. Agency staffers said they were asked to provide additional documentation on the agreement with Kaizen, including comparisons to other state park reservation systems nationally. The matter could be reintroduced as soon as the board鈥檚 next meeting on May 20, and department officials are optimistic that it will be.

鈥淲e鈥檙e just going back and we鈥檙e going to redo that economic assessment for the board, and continue to keep moving forward,鈥� said Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz.

Under the deal, the state won鈥檛 pay Kaizen a lump sum, but rather tack on a 23% processing fee to each entry payment, which would go directly to the company. State park entry fees often range between $3 to $5 per person, so the fees could increase by more than a dollar per visitor.

It鈥檚 the same arrangement that took hold at last year鈥檚 slate of five parks. Peditto said the agency received 鈥渘o pushback鈥� on the slight fee increase in 2025.

鈥淢ost people figured out: 鈥業 would gladly pay $1.70 extra to know that I鈥檝e got a spot in line and I鈥檓 going to get in,鈥欌�� Peditto said.

鈥楧ishonor boxes鈥�

Kurtz still remembers the reception he got when he stopped his car at an entrance at Greenbrier State Park last winter, hoping to drop an entry fee in the park鈥檚 collection box.

鈥淚t鈥檚 free! Keep moving!鈥� yelled a person from a car behind Kurtz, with some obscenities mixed in, according to the secretary.

By requiring online payment at the gate, the department is hoping to change that paradigm, Kurtz said, and recoup revenue that would otherwise be lost.

鈥淲e鈥檙e in a tough budget situation. We鈥檙e not changing the fee structure. We鈥檙e just enforcing it,鈥� he said.

Peditto said he jokingly calls the collection tins 鈥渄ishonor boxes,鈥� since they鈥檙e frequently ignored 鈥� sometimes maliciously, and sometimes not.

鈥淣obody carries cash with them anymore,鈥� Peditto said. 鈥淭hey ask for three or five dollars and you鈥檙e like 鈥� 鈥業 want to pay you, but I don鈥檛 have a way of doing it.鈥� This solves that problem, too.鈥�

The new procedure also has safety benefits, Peditto said.

Now, park rangers will have an online record of each park entrant, and precisely when they arrived at the entry gate, Peditto said. The system will make it easier for park rangers to realize that someone hasn鈥檛 exited the park in a timely fashion, a possible signal that they are lost or injured in a park, Peditto said.

Rangers would also immediately know more about the potentially lost visitor, making it easier for them to reach emergency contacts, and more quickly ascertain where the person may be stranded.

鈥淚鈥檓 sure there鈥檚 some folks who think that that鈥檚 maybe too much Big Brother government,鈥� Peditto said. 鈥淲e look at it as a pretty darn good safety net.鈥�

The agency is hopeful that visitors who don鈥檛 have the proper technology on hand when they arrive at the gate 鈥� or struggle to use it 鈥� will be few and far between, Peditto said. But there is still a contingency plan.

鈥淓very location has a phone number you can call. We have a 24/7 dispatch system at DNR,鈥� Peditto said. 鈥淲e will figure out a way to get them in.鈥�

Expanding the system

The reservation system might be a byproduct of the coronavirus pandemic, which caused a dramatic increase in Maryland state park visitation. In 2020, 21.5 million visitors came to Maryland state parks, a 45% increase over the previous record-breaking year.

After COVID, the numbers decreased slightly from the 2020 peak, but stayed considerably higher than pre-pandemic, according to the park service.

The park service plans to expand the online system as widely as possible, Peditto said. But many parks are not a natural fit, and the system likely won鈥檛 be deployed there, he said. The initial focus is on parks with traffic queues and other issues, he said.

鈥淚t would be, I don鈥檛 know, irresponsible to say we鈥檙e going to figure out a way to force everybody to come into Dan鈥檚 Mountain Wildlife Management Area on like a 5-mile long road right through the middle of it, and try to figure out how to capture all of them.鈥�

The park service is hopeful that the fee arrangement with Kaizen will aid in the program鈥檚 expansion, Peditto said.

鈥淲e thought that that would better incentivize the vendor to sort of grow the model with us,鈥� Peditto said.

The vendor did not make a profit on the arrangement in 2025, he said.

鈥淚 know for sure that this was not something that they were bragging to their investors about the first year,鈥� Peditto said.

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