Mayor and Council Set 2026 State Legislative Priorities
October 30, 2025
General Assembly Session to Run Jan. 14-April 13
The Mayor and Council have determined which priorities for Rockville they will advocate for during the upcoming 2026 session of the Maryland General Assembly, which will convene Wednesday, Jan. 14 in Annapolis.
The city’s elected leaders’ priorities include expanding access to affordable housing and property tax relief; improving pedestrian and traffic safety; preserving state aid for infrastructure and police protection; securing funding for schools and senior services; strengthening tenant protections; and supporting legislation that advances equity, climate action and public health.
The legislative session will run until Monday, April 13. Rockville will advocate for:
Expanded access to the State Homeowners’ Property Tax Credit for low-income households, including those with seniors and people with disabilities, to provide relief from inflationary and cost-of-living increases.
State funding for education from birth through community college, including both capital and operating support. Rockville will also push for a fair share of funding to implement the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future to prevent increased class sizes and potential furloughs and layoffs.
Youth Bureau Services funding restoration and support for at-risk youth, including expanded out-of-school programming and access to restorative justice services for repeat youth offenders.
Increased investment in senior services, such as neighborhood transportation, in-place aging support, wellness outreach and neighborhood-based programs.
Preservation of key state funding streams such as Highway User Revenue and state aid for police protection, which is crucial for local safety and infrastructure.
Stronger tenant protections, including legislation to prevent no-fault evictions, require transparency of rental fee history, and limit opaque algorithmic rent-setting without human oversight.
Support for Vision Zero and the city’s Pedestrian Master Plan, including:
- A comparative negligence statute enabling injured pedestrians to recover proportional damages.
- Clear responsibilities for state maintenance of sidewalks and streetlights on state roads.
- “Don’t Block the Box” legislation and authority for local stop sign monitoring in school zones.
- Support for regional transit authorities and Complete Streets project improvements along Rockville Pike (MD 355), Veirs Mill Road and other high-risk corridors.
The Mayor and Council adopted a Vision Zero plan in 2020 to eliminate traffic- and pedestrian-related deaths and serious injuries. Learn more at rockvillemd.gov/visionzero.
Modernizing municipal revenue authority, including a Maryland Municipal League-backed proposal that allows cities to impose a local food and beverage fee (up to 3%) under the Admission and Amusement Tax framework.
Support for climate action and resilience legislation, consistent with Rockville’s Climate Action Plan, to reduce emissions, promote equity and improve resilience.
Support for public health access, including equitable vaccine delivery and protections for the health care safety net.
Bond Initiatives
Three potential capital projects will be presented to the District 17 delegation, which represents Rockville in the legislature. Based on the delegation’s input, the city will determine which project or projects to formally submit to the state for funding:
- $570,000 for each pedestrian bridge replacement at Twinbrook and Dogwood parks to improve safe access to schools and community spaces.
- $150,000 for construction of a gender-neutral, accessible restroom at Mattie J.T. Stepanek Park.
In addition to the city’s priority items, the Mayor and Council will be monitoring legislation involving invasive and native species management (for example, spotted lanternfly mitigation); financial empowerment and tenant-related measures; land-use authority and development review processes; and enhancements to pedestrian, bicycle and transportation safety.
The Mayor and Council held a work session on Sept. 15 to review the proposed priorities. Find video of that discussion and staff report at rockvillemd.gov/AgendaCenter, or contact Linda Moran at lmoran@rockvillemd.gov or 240-314-8115.