MD special legislative session only getting new bills on redistricting, angering GOP

Republicans criticized Maryland General Assembly leadership Monday evening after they confirmed that only bills related to congressional redistricting will be taken up during August’s special legislative session.

“This decision is, quite frankly, appalling,” House Minority Leader Jason Buckel, R-Allegany, said in a statement. “Since we left … Annapolis in April, energy prices have continued to rise, gas taxes have automatically increased, and Marylanders have continued to struggle. But the message the Democratic majority is sending to Marylanders is – your problems can wait; we need to play politics. It is the modern equivalent of ‘let them eat cake.’” 

Earlier this month, Senate President Bill Ferguson, D-Baltimore City, and House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk, D-Anne Arundel and Prince George’s, announced that the General Assembly will convene for a special legislative session Aug. 3 to 5 to consider a constitutional amendment related to congressional redistricting. 

The exact language has yet to be confirmed. If approved by a three-fifths vote in both chambers, a referendum will appear on Marylanders’ ballots for the November general election.

Senate Republicans had said they were planning to introduce legislation during the special session to address Marylanders’ fiscal concerns, including energy costs and vehicle fees.

In a Wednesday letter to Ferguson and Peña-Melnyk, Republican leadership said they had been informed by the nonpartisan Department of Legislative Services — the agency responsible for drafting bills to be considered by the General Assembly — that “members may not request or submit their own legislation for consideration during this special session.”

“While we understand the stated purpose of this session is congressional redistricting, Marylanders are dealing with real and pressing concerns right now, including the rising cost of living and energy prices,” GOP leadership wrote. “With members already making the trip back to Annapolis, this is an opportunity to also take up legislation that speaks to those concerns.”

Ferguson and Peña-Melnyk sent a memo to members of both chambers Monday stating confirming that they’ve instructed the department to only draft bills related to congressional redistricting during the session.

“We recognize that affordability, energy costs, and other issues facing Marylanders remain important, and the Maryland General Assembly took meaningful steps to address many of those concerns during the 2026 session,” the memo reads. “Members may continue to develop and submit legislation on those matters for the 2027 regular Session, when we look forward to working together to advance policies that benefit Marylanders.”

In response, Senate Minority Whip Justin Ready, R-Carroll and Frederick, said that as with the state’s congressional map, “[w]hen Democrats don’t like the rules, they change them.”

“Every other special session in recent memory, members could file whatever legislation they thought mattered. Now, suddenly, that’s changed too …” Ready said in a news release

Senate Minority Leader Stephen S. Hershey Jr., R-Upper Eastern Shore, criticized Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat who has been pushing for a redrawn congressional map in Maryland since last October, stating that the planned special session “has nothing to do with Maryland’s future and everything to do with Governor Moore’s own.”

The legislature can, however, attempt during the special session to override Moore’s vetoes. For example, lawmakers are likely to upend the veto of legislation to restrict public access to divorce records. Because it is an election year, they will not have an opportunity to take up veto overrides when the new term begins in January.

This story has been updated.