Secretary of State outlines FY26 budget increase, flags address‑confidentiality funding uncertainty

Micah Richards, an analyst with the Department of Legislative Services, told the Public Safety and Administration Subcommittee that the Secretary of State's fiscal 2026 budget "increases by around $123,000 to $5,700,000."

The account to which most attention was paid was the office's mix of revenue-generating services and targeted programs: Richards noted that the office generates fees that are split between the general fund and special funds and described changes to several grant lines and contract projects. "The largest spending increase of around $217,000 is for salaries due to fiscal 25 cost of living adjustments," he said, and he told the panel that a prior one-time grant for an international cultural project remains partly unspent.

Why it matters: the office performs a range of state functions beyond ceremonial duties, including regulating charities, commissioning notaries, managing the Maryland Register and operating the Address Confidentiality Program (ACP). Committee members pressed for details on…