The Town Council voted 5–1 to let staff negotiate a design-build contract with Schiavo (Schiavo/Schabel) contracting and Paddock Pools to rebuild the Chesapeake Beach Waterpark and waived the towns competitive procurement rules; council discussion centered on public review of the final contract, independent owners representative oversight and a 

A complaint and a follow-up letter from the Freedom From Religion Foundation allege Wicomico County council members crossed the line by reading the Lord’s Prayer and five Bible passages during meetings; local residents and legal observers on Open Agenda discussed Fourth Circuit precedent and possible council responses.

The committee voted unanimously to republish COMAR 13A.05.04 with clarifying edits on LEA responsibility for periodic review of library materials, staffing flexibility and alignment with the Freedom to Read Act.

The committee recommended O37-25 to let developments of six or fewer dwellings delay payment of water/sewer installation fees until issuance of a residency/occupancy permit, with a penalty for occupancy before payment; sponsors said the change aims to encourage small-scale and missing-middle housing.

MSDE’s Office of School Facilities presented an informational overview of its statutory review role and a timetable to update design guidelines, beginning December 2025; no action was requested or taken.

The Education Policy Committee voted unanimously to seek full-board adoption of revised COMAR 13A.07.01, updating Maryland’s teacher induction program requirements with an effective date of July 2027.

The Economic Matters Committee gave a favorable recommendation to O33-25, the Market House lease, while lengthy discussion focused on a separate dispute with the Hillman Garage concessionaire over bag-meter rates and required alternative-rate approval under the concession agreement.

The committee voted unanimously to publish a regulation (COMAR 13A.08.0110–01) that would require local boards to adopt written student-expression policies; members added a timeline for LEA implementation beginning in the 2026–27 school year.

The committee voted unanimously to publish a regulation (COMAR 13A.02.0101) that would require local boards to hold regular meetings in person except for limited exemptions and to adopt a written policy for a public-comment period.

The committee granted unanimous permission to publish revisions to COMAR 13A.04.18 and a revised comprehensive health education framework aligning Maryland standards to Shape America and adding earlier family-life instruction starting in grade 4; MSDE plans guidance and professional learning for districts.

The Havre de Grace Planning Commission approved the second and final one-year extension for a Popeyes restaurant site plan at 1101 Pulaski Highway, noting that the State Highway Administration is requiring full acceleration/deceleration lanes with bicycle compatibility — a design and construction requirement the developer says is raising costs.

The Havre de Grace Planning Commission unanimously approved a one-year extension for the Havre de Grace Decoy Museum's site-plan approval (building permit 2025-0058), allowing the nonprofit more time for final design, permitting and fundraising for a previously approved 30,618-square-foot addition.

Superintendent's office proposed a prioritized list of evaluation topics for fiscal 2026 including CKLA implementation, AP/IB fee relief/access, teacher workforce diversity and retention, student mental health supports and early childhood access; board provided feedback and requested timelines and links to the Strategic Plan and Blueprint for MD.

MCPS staff described curriculum work including expansion of CKLA in middle grades, a math instructional materials RFP (K–8), a new grade‑10 ELA course, and development of a grades‑6/7 social studies curriculum aligned to MSDE frameworks.

Dozens of parents, teachers and students told the Montgomery County Board of Education the revised Woodward boundary maps and a proposed regional model for secondary programs reduce equity and concentrate disadvantage; staff presented a six‑region program plan and said a combined boundary/program recommendation will come to the board in January and

The FY27 CIP presentation includes proposals to consolidate alternative‑education programs into permanent space (Blair Ewing/Mark Twain programs) and to expand early‑childhood center capacity, aiming to add dozens of pre‑K classrooms by 2032.

The superintendent’s FY27 CIP proposal recommends replacement projects for five elementary schools (Burning Tree, Cold Spring, Highland View, Piney Branch, Sligo Creek) and major projects at Damascus High School and Eastern Middle School, with a holding‑school strategy to reduce on‑site construction disruption.

Montgomery County Public Schools officials on Oct. 14 presented a superintendent’s recommended FY2027 capital budget (CIP) of $2.7 billion and warned the district actually needs about $5.2 billion over six years to address backlogged facility repairs, declining enrollment and long‑term renovation needs.

The Maryland Health Benefit Exchange has postponed full implementation of the Access to Care Act waiver that would let undocumented residents enroll on the state marketplace without subsidies. Exchange leaders cited HR 1 and the new marketplace integrity rule, concerns about federal data requests, and other technical requirements. A Jan. 1, 2028, "

The Maryland Insurance Administration approved average 2026 individual-market rate increases of 13.4%, citing higher morbidity and rising drug costs. The Maryland Health Benefit Exchange and state reinsurance fund will apply a new state subsidy and adjusted reinsurance attachment point to limit increases for low- and moderate‑income households.

Maryland Health Benefit Exchange staff told legislators that the June marketplace integrity rule and HR 1 will produce immediate and future eligibility changes: approximately 300 DACA recipients had coverage discontinued; an estimated 20,000 lawfully present immigrants will lose eligibility for premium tax credits as of Jan. 1; and other federal‑dr

Council voted to send a letter to the Montgomery County Planning Board seeking protection of green space at 5550 Friendship Boulevard and independent traffic studies for large nearby projects, and authorized retaining village land-use attorney David Brown for advice on the sector plan.

The Board of Carroll County Commissioners approved $55,280 in spending authority to fund program oversight and monitoring of the county’s Substance Use Recovery Treatment Services program. County staff and Mountain Manor (Maryland Treatment Centers) officials described a 24/7 triage bed program based in Sykesville that county and health officials,

Council bill CB75 (voluntary moderately priced dwelling unit program) moved favorably out of committee with non-substantive amendments; planning staff told the committee the proposal will require companion changes to the subdivision and zoning subtitles to be enforceable.

CB84 (draft 2) passed the committee 5‑0. The measure increases consumer protections for seniors, requires criminal background checks and DPSCS fingerprinting for applicants in defined high‑risk industries, tightens bond requirements for some sellers, mandates elder‑fraud awareness training, and shifts some program responsibilities to the Department