Maryland lawmakers talk immigration enforcement, budget goals at Banner event

A state law banning agreements between local governments and federal immigration enforcement authorities is “going to be one of our main priorities,” this legislative session, said Speaker of the House of Delegates Joseline Peña-Melnyk.

Peña-Melnyk, speaking at The Banner’s Inside the Legislative Session event, said the legislature would also be looking at bills that would prohibit ICE agents from wearing face masks in the state.

The Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee will have hearings on both bills Thursday. Last year, the House of Delegates passed a ban on so-called 287(g) agreements, but the measure did not pass the Senate.

Senate President Bill Ferguson, a Baltimore Democrat, said that while, “of course” immigration laws have to be enforced, “masked law enforcement running into homes, stealing people out of their cars,” is antithetical to American and Maryland values.

“I believe that the immigrant community deserves to live with dignity and respect. It is not what we’re seeing this country,” Peña-Melnyk, a Democrat representing Anne Arundel and Prince George’s counties, said.

The speaker said also that she was not going to be afraid of potential retaliation from President Donald Trump and federal enforcement if the state passed laws limiting how ICE can operate.

“Not to do something is not an option,” she said.

Ferguson said “in full candor” that Gov. Wes Moore has expressed concerns about eliminating 287(g) agreements, but Ferguson and Peña-Melnyk were hopeful that Moore, a Democrat, would support immigration-related legislation.

The lawmakers were reserved when briefly discussing the budget. Ferguson said that, because of a projected budget shortfall this year, the state will have to “match the aspirations we have to fiscal realities.”

He and Peña-Melnyk both said the budget should protect vulnerable Marylanders, including those who are on Medicaid.

Here are other takeaways from the Banner’s event.

A budget back-and-forth

The governor will introduce his budget Wednesday, though Maryland legislators don’t entirely agree on how to talk about it.

Democratic lawmakers, including the house speaker, senate president and Sen. Guy Guzzone, chair of the budget committee, say there’s a budget “shortfall,” not a “deficit.” Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Stephen Hershey Jr., insist that “deficit” is the proper word for the economic realities Maryland is facing.

Regardless of the words used, lawmakers agreed that Maryland faces some headwinds.

Jake Weissmann, acting secretary of budget and management, said about 15% of Marylanders who worked for the federal government last year lost their jobs. The state is also seeing an increase in costs for state employee health care, he said.

Regardless, the governor is “going to introduce a balanced budget tomorrow,” Weissmann said.

New energy competition?

Chair of the Education, Energy and the Environment Committee Brian Feldman said there is a bill being drafted that would open up the state to more competition in energy generation.

Currently, Maryland law prohibits power delivery companies — like BGE — from also owning the sources of power. During a panel on climate commitments, data center growth and new power sources, Feldman said there will be “full blown hearings” on a bill aimed at changing that law.

Asked about the legislation as he was leaving the event, though, Feldman did not provide specifics. No such bill has been introduced in the senate as of Tuesday morning.

Sphere comes to Maryland

There was bipartisan enthusiasm for the Las Vegas-style Sphere project announced for National Harbor in Maryland.

In a joint news release over the holiday weekend, officials said funding for the project would be a combination of public and private sources.

Del. Ben Barnes, speaking on a panel about Maryland’s budget, said the state’s investment in constructing the entertainment venue is a “good investment,” considering the billions of dollars of economic activity officials said the project will generate once it’s open. Barnes represents a portion of Prince George’s County, where the project will be located.

Hershey called it a “big win for Maryland.” And Maryland Secretary of Commerce Harry Coker highlighted the project, along with recent announced investments from AstraZeneca and others, as an example of companies “voting” with their business and choosing Maryland.

The Banner’s Lee O. Sanderlin contributed to this report.