District 30 delegation briefs Annapolis on nearly $35 million in projects, state bills on policing, housing and utilities

Senator Shaneka Henson and Delegates Dylan Baylor and Dana Jones briefed the Annapolis City Council on April 27 about state budget wins and legislation affecting the city.

Senator Henson told the council the delegation secured an indexed payment‑in‑lieu-of-tax that she said is "just shy of a million dollars" for Annapolis and added $950,000 for a new medic unit that the city fire department will use, funding she described as unrestricted and therefore flexible for the city’s needs. She also highlighted Senate Bill 298, which expands the jurisdiction of the capital police beyond a prior 1,000‑foot perimeter around state buildings, and Senate Bill 941, which coordinates state agencies to address chronic, large landlords.

Delegate Dylan Baylor described the Housing Certainty Act, which locks in local rules for a project once a complete application is submitted, and detailed provisions of the Utility Relief Act intended to limit certain utility rate‑setting practices (for example, banning the use of a ‘forecast test year’ when utilities request rate increases). Baylor also noted provisions aimed at data centers and measures to encourage small‑scale solar installations ("balcony solar").

Delegate Dana Jones summarized district capital spending the delegation secured, saying roughly $35 million in capital funding (plus about $2.5 million in operating funds) will benefit the district and Annapolis with investments such as ambulances, police department facility work and cultural organization support.

Why it matters: The delegation’s presentation combined near‑term cash for equipment and projects with legislative changes that could affect local policing coordination, housing enforcement, and utility regulation. Several items have direct budgetary impact for city services (the medic unit and capital projects) while the landlord‑accountability and housing certainty laws change the enforcement and permitting landscape for local housing issues.

Council members asked follow‑up questions about implementation and definitions. On SB941, Henson said the law asks the Department of Housing and Community Development and the Attorney General’s Office to produce an action plan the state will then codify to work with local partners; she said the bill identifies larger landlords as those owning 500 or more units. On questions about whether the Utility Relief Act gives municipal tools to address high energy bills, Baylor and the delegates said the bill focuses on statewide regulatory reforms and consumer assistance (LIHEAP/OHEAP) rather than creating new municipal authorities.

Next steps: Delegation members encouraged council members to reach out with specific questions and noted more detailed allocations and implementation steps will follow from state agencies. The mayor and council expressed appreciation for the delegation’s work.