[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6314483,"mediaKeyId","2383740-e4f1e517b4a5506036e7562fd26db1bf","parentId",2383740,"title","Judiciary defends new St. Mary’s judgeship request and urges guardrails for appointed‑attorney reporting","audioSeconds",1848,"startMs",5957000,"endMs",7805000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2383740-e4f1e517b4a5506036e7562fd26db1bf&start=5957&end=7805","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2383740-e4f1e517b4a5506036e7562fd26db1bf/thumbnail_5957000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6314483/Maryland/Judiciary-defends-new-St-Marys-judgeship-request-and-urges-guardrails-for-appointedattorney-reporting","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6314483-654fe81a25848315a998f71f6c533d5f/orig.mp4?Expires=1775303015&Signature=Eak4yObaQVBdz5emcRC-ypEUxOLz25GGJy1rcjac1s9PkjdMsEqkJ3079a~uV-tdy0HvElXOg63sCVbBp6LjGD~8zj2rGGzOXjDH5gyll2aMpfuoiH3x5b5R7DUP8PW4oPv1d1nDys3kjz-5JNshrRhPanXkCp2e4GCOHPuxhEAGxFu0JZE7UgL-cGo056RCpqjgjx-9xgi35cmfWXi9iDTtK19P1UXeVw53OuflqaX5uGhhxsB8BI2C6fUsGUhGWGDg5Pz0RoEfinDjVPZQw-yNHfwgQaGBgrAtyI5tnKqeaKaBLRKqDw-qxmDSB0MFzmfC1~qaumgi2ah1RBObzg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","MGA - B&T","date","2025-02-20T00:00:00Z","article","The Supreme Court of Maryland and the administrative office of the courts told the Public Safety, Transportation, and Environment Subcommittee that the judiciary is monitoring increases in case-processing times in some circuits and defended a certified request to add a circuit court judgeship in St. Mary’s County.

Chief Justice Matthew Fader and other senior judges said statewide performance metrics generally meet judicial standards but flagged increases in juvenile‑delinquency filings and longer processing times for several circuit‑court case types. The judiciary reported that sample data show longer average processing times for juvenile delinquency and child‑in‑need‑of‑assistance cases, and indicated some delays stem from external resource constraints such as limited public defender and child‑services capacity.

Why St. Mary’s was singled out

The administrative judge for St. Mary’s County, Joseph Stanelonis, said contested criminal jury trials and family‑law merits hearings have risen sharply since 2019 and are not fully reflected in the court‑workload model the judiciary uses to certify judgeship needs. Stanelonis told the subcommittee: “We now have 3 to 4 weeks per month scheduled for criminal jury trial…This is not a luxury request. This is a request for a lifeboat. We're drowning.” The judiciary said the case mix — including a reported 261% increase in contested jury trials in calendar 2024 versus 2019 — produces substantial courtroom time demands beyond filings counted by the certification model.

Problem‑solving courts and outcomes

The judiciary described its network of 68 problem‑solving courts (PSCs) across 23 of 24 jurisdictions, noting that drug courts are the most common PSC and accounted for roughly two‑thirds of PSC funding in fiscal 2024. The judiciary provided outcome summaries showing drug courts had 297 successful completions versus 351 administrative discharges and 157 unsuccessful completions in fiscal 2024; mental‑health courts reported higher success rates. State court administrators said PSCs use nationally recognized screening tools and training to improve participant selection and outcomes.

Appointed‑attorney program and reporting

DLS recommended reducing the judiciary’s appropriation for the appointed‑attorney program and required more detailed reporting on costs and utilization, including outcomes at initial appearances. Chief Judge John Morrissey agreed to some reductions but cautioned that the requested initial‑appearance outcome dataset covers tens of thousands of cases and would be costly and of limited utility for program evaluation. He offered to work with DLS to design a more programmatically useful report that focuses on scheduling methodology and program operations rather than raw initial‑appearance outcomes.

Private home detention monitoring

The judiciary described steps taken after earlier problems with federal ARPA funds and vendor invoicing for private home‑detention monitoring. The committee was told that courts have set a 60‑day invoice submission requirement for private monitoring vendors, that the program operates more smoothly than during the prior shortfall, and that a legislative work group will consider regulatory and operational improvements. The judiciary emphasized that some removals from monitoring reflect benign case‑end events rather than noncompliance and said its case management system currently lacks a uniform “reason‑for‑removal” flag, complicating aggregated reporting.

Recommendations and next steps

DLS recommended several budget bill language changes and follow‑up reports, including requests for annual court performance measures, PSC funding/performance reports, an updated judgeship‑needs report for fiscal 2027, and quarterly reporting on the private home‑detention monitoring program. The judiciary accepted many of the reporting recommendations and said it will work with the committee and DLS to refine requested data products while asking to retain flexibility to allocate certain cuts across its internal programs.

Ending

The judiciary asked the subcommittee for targeted, data‑driven responses to localized workload pressures such as St. Mary’s County and for continued collaboration on implementing reporting improvements and funding alignments for PSCs and the appointed‑attorney program.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","PST Committee Session, 2/20/2025 #1","oneSentenceSummary","The Maryland Judiciary told legislators it certified a need to add a fourth circuit judge for St. Mary’s County because of an unusually large increase in contested jury trials and family‑law merits hearings, and outlined proposed reporting adjustments for problem‑solving courts and the appointed‑attorney program.","taxTitle","Public Safety, Transportation, and Environment Subcommittee, Budget and Taxation Committee, SENATE, SENATE, Committees, Legislative, Maryland","taxId",78575,"location","Maryland","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6314469,"Maryland Environmental Service reports steady operations, low vacancies and project pipeline demand",800,14460000,15260000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2383740-e4f1e517b4a5506036e7562fd26db1bf&start=14460&end=15260","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2383740-e4f1e517b4a5506036e7562fd26db1bf/thumbnail_14460000.jpg","/articles/6314469/Maryland/Maryland-Environmental-Service-reports-steady-operations-low-vacancies-and-project-pipeline-demand","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6314469-c9ef083fd9040df08ac088dd41acc30b/orig.mp4?Expires=1775303015&Signature=GRkJtJE9pWKk6B7k3Z8RAPimAoJQiaxRGN2LEbGsPcsJHA3rOw9LfW0Y~OoSS2liEUVtqinhas0TnmuEu8igWHV98-S0a9UFPMi1Ed7UMJTEe-ev-8XERhav5BDBYk2E~eyiFKO2wD7bSettMS49ngsgHLh3K7ngluL71rDGhesp2ARDTtW3y3fhowHi9K1nbYD1bygypoxPTyeVhANNDGQUabXEdDgdg3F~hSJZVpKZ4Polucx5DEVej7xMRpAlxWSul7ezGIvVP-ZkzeSQxL7I5YjV9PtAvN4irHudbEy2Aat5YBB4NbrZcSiVYffLn4xFY3IMtHAUA00of~RZAw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Maryland Environmental Service (MES) provided the subcommittee an overview of fiscal 2024 financial results, staffing and project activity, and steps to improve interagency contracting and program transparency.

DLS summarized MES’s audited financial statements and budget presentation, reporting FY24 net assets of about $30.7 million and a modest net operating loss. MES’s work in FY24 centered on environmental dredging and restoration, water and wastewater operations, and recycling; roughly 95% of MES revenues come from state and local government clients.

Why it matters: MES conducts reimbursable and contractual projects for state agencies and local governments (for example, dredging for Maryland Port Administration and correctional facility projects for DPSCS). Its project‑level finances, contingencies, and overhead rates affect agency budgets and project delivery schedules across multiple agencies.

Operational highlights and workforce development

MES reported a fiscal 2024 undesignated unrestricted net position of about $5.8 million and an overall net assets figure around $30.7 million. MES said it has kept vacancy rates below 5% (3.28% at testimony), launched a summer internship program (17 interns in the prior summer) and plans a two‑year rotational fellowship to develop engineers and environmental specialists. MES also reported MBE results exceeding 33.3% in FY24 and recognition as a top workplace.

Project financing and contingency funds

DLS noted MES’s statutory contingency/retainage funds and that two named contingency accounts are approaching or exceeding current statutory caps; DLS included a BRFAA proposal to raise the caps (state reimbursable project contingency from $1M to $3M; the ECI steam turbine contingency from $1.5M to $5M) to accommodate ongoing project retainages and future needs. MES said it supports continued annual funding statements and will submit the required narrative; MES also reported agreements in place with 11 of 13 partner agencies enumerated in an OLA audit finding and that two remaining agreements (DNR and Maryland Military) are near completion.

Recommendations and follow‑up

DLS recommended the continuation of the annual funding statement and asked MES to provide it; MES concurred. DLS also highlighted that overhead rates across some project categories changed only modestly and that MES will continue to provide project‑level budget information for oversight.

Ending

MES emphasized that reimbursable projects and contractual services are the core of the enterprise’s work and that the agency will continue to refine financial reconciliation, retainage management, and workforce development strategies. Committee staff will review MES’s annual funding statement and the BRFAA fiscal note if contingency‑cap changes are advanced.","The Maryland Environmental Service reported steady operations, a vacancy rate under 5%, expanded internship and fellowship plans, and continued high demand for reimbursable projects such as dredging and wastewater work while DLS urged clarity on contingency retainages and recommended statutory cap increases to avoid accounting mismatches.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6314473,"MDOT briefs subcommittee on transit‑oriented development grants and capital program timing",1125,13155000,14280000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2383740-e4f1e517b4a5506036e7562fd26db1bf&start=13155&end=14280","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2383740-e4f1e517b4a5506036e7562fd26db1bf/thumbnail_13155000.jpg","/articles/6314473/Maryland/MDOT-briefs-subcommittee-on-transitoriented-development-grants-and-capital-program-timing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6314473-172efdd1b8d67decfb89e87a6148a674/orig.mp4?Expires=1775303015&Signature=jZXNYeV8mEj1gvr9~zbnYGlitYs9FeLAQDvce-5d~Sx~iR2hCoYou4O7H5VQ2DytgIrdNMNF8vzyEKb0~TTsoOd~4eQDkwQKbOyH6qg6LsFPMAMrHLHNSRSBey1xKuBIFHHjGHzeAmSE1j9ObddpQaRoITCEWRp84IhVFg8FBJ~ZWU3V~F17sFC8e2vG0qI2xLIFQDoDemSminPTfNHBPpN2TBoMvztA9iHgZQ6PUJUXp8SyWaKpyPWHvrhWt7nCDUe-y-wUybgskVWy0jiAzaG71wWMyQAu1C4Mc00qkKkblBzh0AFbgIz01TB65ClvYXb2iEvXIiYgv3UaH8A1Ug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld and DLS analysts presented the department’s FY26 operating and capital package to the subcommittee and described a newly administered transit‑oriented development (TOD) grant program and several capital cash‑flow timing adjustments.

The department’s secretary described a small net operating increase after adjusting for a prior budget amendment and outlined the capital program’s cash‑flow differences between the working appropriation and the allowance. DLS noted the department’s six‑year capital program remained broadly similar to prior years, with system‑preservation funding above the spending‑affordability committee’s statutory baseline recommendation.

TOD revolving loan fund and first‑round awards

Under Chapter 512 of 2023 the state designated the subcabinet as the decision body for TOD project designations, at the secretary’s recommendation, and established a Transit‑Oriented Development Capital Grant Revolving Loan Fund that must hold at least $5,000,000 at the start of each fiscal year. MDOT said it released a Notice of Funding Availability on February 5 and will accept applications through April 8, with informational sessions on March 4. For the first round the agency anticipates approximately $4 million in awards by fiscal‑year end and will use the $5 million fund in subsequent years.

Purple Line reporting and capital timing

DLS had requested a report describing projects delayed or adjusted because of Purple Line cost changes; MDOT said the joint chairmen’s report response was delayed but has been submitted to committee staff. DLS also asked the department to explain capital timing shifts; MDOT said timing movements between the working appropriation and allowance are typical and often reflect project schedule changes rather than real cuts.

Personnel and cybersecurity request

MDOT’s office sought one operating position for cybersecurity in the Transportation Sector Office; DLS recommended against a new hire and suggested reclassifying a vacant position instead given statewide budget pressures; MDOT emphasized increasing malicious network events and argued cybersecurity capacity should be expanded across modes.

Ending

DLS recommended, and MDOT accepted in principle, annual reporting language to notify the committee of operating grant changes and capital program adjustments; the department asked to retain flexibility to allocate reductions across internal programs where the committee approves modest cuts.","Maryland Department of Transportation testified on a modest FY26 operating increase, the department’s transit‑oriented development revolving loan fund and notice of funding availability, and ongoing capital cash‑flow adjustments; MDOT also noted a forthcoming report on Purple Line impacts.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6314478,"Energy agency defends clean‑energy grants and flags alternative compliance payment reporting gaps",1810,9600000,11410000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2383740-e4f1e517b4a5506036e7562fd26db1bf&start=9600&end=11410","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2383740-e4f1e517b4a5506036e7562fd26db1bf/thumbnail_9600000.jpg","/articles/6314478/Maryland/Energy-agency-defends-cleanenergy-grants-and-flags-alternative-compliance-payment-reporting-gaps","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6314478-c4392bf36688fd2c321b6df82546e454/orig.mp4?Expires=1775303015&Signature=eLp80BkiVUQw7al5cDuOFbEE8ca7tQ1~rFCn5IMcPLU9nIyjqPmTtc7iZhL~oG54WjexygsqepKujF6KjcwDtV4HWr4qTeJ3msFGq2S~L1MAICy1Ope~DDCHODhCg1SGIb2qrEFNBmSc-tZHrOLRsfIZMy4yQsDIZkB4kfIdlGoaWyPKsKY7J8ELzaO0HXnFh79WKnIqzV4u-8BUL6msClNps-mASSafFkUBs4JuZhb0CPoufOklwtZ1lxKLfZ5TqUWzahqtIMmLN22AAM2CPuvoIGv1bc7FHBkPjBYU0giWyqYg7~66pQ9XYynqe60C-38YXx6dF8mD5dBOKRjhxA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) Director noted revenues from Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) auctions have risen sharply in recent years and fund major clean‑energy programs, but the agency and DLS raised concerns about inconsistent budget reporting, remaining unspent transfers, and large sub‑account balances.

Analyst findings presented to the Public Safety, Transportation, and Environment Subcommittee showed MEA’s fiscal 2026 operating allowance falls to $237.6 million (a 10.1% decrease from fiscal 2025) while the agency’s program mix remains heavily weighted toward renewable and clean‑energy grants ($159.9 million) and energy efficiency programs ($60.1 million). DLS also reported that RGGI (auction) receipts reached roughly $214.2 million in fiscal 2024 — the program’s highest annual revenue to date — and that auction clearing prices have recently hit record highs.

Why it matters: ACP revenue (the Alternative Compliance Payment paid by electricity suppliers that do not meet in‑state renewable carve‑outs) and RGGI auction money underwrite many MEA programs. DLS flagged a $138,000,000 unspecified reduction in the governor’s budget book that MEA said was an accounting cleanup; MEA and DLS agreed to pursue reconciled, program‑level reporting going forward.

Key agency points

- Transfers and the DPA: The fiscal 2025 budget included a transfer of $90,000,000 from the Strategic Energy Investment Fund (SIF) ACP account into a dedicated purpose account (DPA) to fund provisions of Chapter 38 of 2022 and the state’s climate pollution reduction plan. Approximately $53.7 million of that transfer went to MEA for EV charging grants, electric school buses, and building electrification; $36.3 million remained in the DPA at the time of testimony and MEA said it expects to advertise for those remaining funds in summer 2026 and award most of the $53.7 million by the end of fiscal 2025.

- ACP and RPS pressures: The Renewable Portfolio Standard solar carve‑out has not kept pace with in‑state solar development, DLS said, which has elevated ACP collections. MEA will deploy ACP/RGGI sources for solar on public facilities, block grants to school districts, and other initiatives; DBM intends those projects to benefit eligible communities, but DLS cautioned that statute requires projects funded from ACP‑sourced money to provide direct community benefit.

- Fund balances and BRFAA language: DLS noted large non‑resourced SIF sub‑account balances and recommended a supplemental transfer to the general fund; the BRFAA included proposals to allow a transfer of ACP funds to general fund and to adjust statutory exemptions for special‑fund interest. MEA warned it is not trying “to grow a bureaucracy” but asked the committee to be mindful of program demand; the agency said it already has hundreds of millions of dollars in project requests.

- Reporting gaps and consistency: DLS noted discrepancies between MEA’s internal contract/grant lists and the figures in the governor’s budget books. MEA acknowledged an item — an accounting cleanup related to ACP appropriations — and said it will tighten reconciliations and deliver program‑level breakdowns if the committee adopts DLS’s recommended narrative asking for annual program reporting.

Direct quotes and commitments

MEA Director said: “We are not trying to grow a bureaucracy. We wanna get money out the door.” The agency also said it expects to encumber most of the $53.7 million DPA allocation for grants by the end of the fiscal year and plans to advertise for the remaining DPA funds in mid‑2026.

Ending and follow‑up

DLS recommended committee narrative requiring MEA to provide annual, program‑level reports of SIF funding by program activity and revenue source and offered technical suggestions for BRFAA language concerning SIF transfers. The agency agreed to improve reconciliation and to provide the requested reports if the committee requires them.","Maryland Energy Administration officials testified on a smaller FY26 operating allowance, higher RGGI auction proceeds, proposed transfers from the Strategic Energy Investment Fund to a dedicated purpose account for clean‑energy grants, and outstanding reporting and reconciliations for ACP‑sourced programs.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6314486,"Comptroller outlines $309.1 million fiscal 2026 allowance, cites customer-service strain and IT modernization plans",1051,489000,1540000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2383740-e4f1e517b4a5506036e7562fd26db1bf&start=489&end=1540","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2383740-e4f1e517b4a5506036e7562fd26db1bf/thumbnail_489000.jpg","/articles/6314486/Maryland/Comptroller-outlines-3091-million-fiscal-2026-allowance-cites-customer-service-strain-and-IT-modernization-plans","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6314486-3896032da839681200d90b9057170a18/orig.mp4?Expires=1775303015&Signature=Oez0WX1txKfiiKVba4ZJ5rS6K5wXEe1fAmC-AwxmMwA~ydYc4GSe1zy5QwMifYb6O~t8eNDS8hOiTTffkDzbm8rEaqsDHtBSD0O6GhcyPdAGRDCcUbyvgzH0~RvnI7hw4P8ht0Aer19xtQnVocd-Fh3~W9opMv6wogW26bNqMpWQa4Fkw9bCLVx6yqFE--DrKA68JhwwI4Uo1XXQA3fILArsSsR1~Af3rBBIy58hTaVPWlcBIfFelJcUZM1H5Jm2LuTlHan6Zwq7qbAiCNfxSh0V1NDK-voYbatXqmfGT8nFU8H4szPNLbah3OoTmZnwRtL7FOELpMJeGL82fWPXfQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The state comptroller told the General Assembly’s Public Safety, Transportation, and Environment Subcommittee that the office’s fiscal 2026 allowance totals $309,100,000 — a $90,100,000 (41.2%) increase over the working appropriation — driven largely by new positions and major IT projects. David Probert, an analyst for the Department of Legislative Services, reviewed the comptroller’s fiscal 26 allowance and data trends during the hearing.

The comptroller’s office described personnel and major IT spending as the main drivers. “The fiscal 26 allowance increases by $90,100,000 or 41.2% compared to the working appropriation for a total of $309,100,000,” David Probert said in his prepared remarks. The comptroller said the general fund increase includes funding for 117 new positions, including conversions of contractual workers to permanent status.

Why it matters: the office collects tax revenue and enforces tax law; staffing and system modernization affect taxpayer service levels and the state’s ability to collect unpaid taxes. The comptroller reported roughly $3,000,000,000 in outstanding known-and-collectible individual income tax liabilities and an additional estimated $3,000,000,000 in unassessed or underreported tax, figures the office says it cannot fully address without more staff and technology.

Key details and proposals

- Customer service strain: The comptroller’s Taxpayer Services Division reported about 341,000 emails and 639,000 phone calls in fiscal 2024. Average hold time rose to 5 minutes, 25 seconds, and satisfaction for web-based services fell to 69.2% in fiscal 2024 from about 83% in prior years.

- Staffing and call-center contracts: The allowance contains funding for 117 new positions and $2.9 million for temporary call-center contracts to manage high-demand periods. The comptroller’s office said it cannot yet estimate how much those contracts will reduce average wait times because the new customer relationship management (CRM) system — “MyComConnect,” built on ServiceNow — only went live internally on February 10 and will need about 90 days of live data to measure impact.

- IT modernization: The comptroller described modernization of the Financial Management Information System (FMIS) as a multi-year, multi-agency effort; the most recent total projected cost for FMIS modernization is $308,400,000 after market research and vendor contracting. The allowance includes funding increases for the central payroll system replacement and other major IT projects.

- Compliance and revenue technology: The office reported compliance collections of $800,000,000 in calendar 2024 and said it is expanding analytical and public data–mining tools, financial institution data matching (FIDM), and intelligent mail barcodes to find unreported income and support collections. A pilot that mined public data reportedly identified more than $3,400,000 in unreported income.

Discussion vs. decisions

- Discussion: Analysts and lawmakers pressed the comptroller on projected service improvements from new contracts and the timeline for full implementation of the ServiceNow CRM. The comptroller said the CRM will allow taxpayers to register accounts, see case history, and check queue status, but meaningful external performance data will require the end of the tax season to accumulate.

- Direction: The office committed to provide updates on ServiceNow implementation and to report on the FMIS project costs and any items not yet included in the December 2024 vendor report.

- No formal votes were taken by the subcommittee during the session on the comptroller budget in this transcript excerpt.

Context and follow-ups

The comptroller said hiring and onboarding will be staggered to match HR capacity and that some revenue-focused positions to close the tax gap would likely not be added until fiscal 2027. The office acknowledged pandemic-era pauses in compliance work contributed to large increases in delinquent accounts, and it said many audit positions were transferred or eliminated over the last decade, reducing audit capacity.

The comptroller also described a recent mailing error affecting 6,735 taxpayers who received mismatched 1099‑G cover pages and said the agency will provide one year of free credit monitoring for affected taxpayers and has revised printing and quality‑control steps to prevent recurrence.

Ending

The comptroller asked for the committee’s continued partnership on staffing and technology investments and pledged to provide requested updates to the committee on implementation timelines and expected impacts on taxpayer service and revenue collection.","The state comptroller presented a $309.1 million fiscal 2026 allowance, flagged long wait times for taxpayer services, described a $308.4 million financial management information system modernization, and described new customer-relationship tools and compliance technologies as part of plans to increase revenue collections.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Judiciary defends new St. Mary’s judgeship request and urges guardrails for appointed‑attorney reporting

Maryland Environmental Service reports steady operations, low vacancies and project pipeline demand

MDOT briefs subcommittee on transit‑oriented development grants and capital program timing

Energy agency defends clean‑energy grants and flags alternative compliance payment reporting gaps

Comptroller outlines $309.1 million fiscal 2026 allowance, cites customer-service strain and IT modernization plans