Attorney General Brown Enters 2026 Legislative Session Focused on Enforcement, Accountability, and Protecting Marylanders

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BALTIMORE, MD – As the 2026 Maryland General Assembly convenes tomorrow, Attorney General Anthony G. Brown outlined the Office of the Attorney General’s priorities for this legislative session, centered on enforcing state laws, advancing legislation that protects Marylanders, and holding accountable any person or policy that violates the law. Those priorities are informed by a year of unprecedented legal action defending Marylanders’ rights and securing millions in public funds for the State.

“Marylanders face growing threats as federal protections weaken and our State’s budget tightens,” said Attorney General Brown. “We can't let these threats further jeopardize Marylanders’ lives and livelihoods. That’s why our Office will be supporting legislation that advances justice reform, strengthens public safety, protects consumers, safeguards the environment, and defends civil rights.” 

The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) enters this legislative session operating in a rapidly shifting legal landscape. While Maryland faces a projected state budget deficit of $1.4 to $1.5 billion and growing uncertainty from federal rollbacks in consumer protection, environmental enforcement, workers’ rights, and civil rights, the Office will continue to use its legal authority where it can most effectively protect Marylanders, strengthen accountability, and uphold the rule of law. 

Supporting New Legislative Leadership   

Attorney General Brown expresses strong support for the General Assembly’s new leadership and congratulates Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk on her historic election as Speaker of the House. The Attorney General looks forward to working with the General Assembly’s leadership team and lawmakers throughout the 2026 legislative session as all parties work together toward a safer, fairer, and more resilient Maryland.   

Legislative Priorities and Strategic Framework 

Advancing Justice Reform Priorities: 

The Office will work with the General Assembly to address the following issues, many of which advance recommendations of the Maryland Equitable Justice Collaborative, which concluded its work last year after delivering its recommendations and transitioning into an implementation phase:  

• Adult Charging of Youth – limiting the automatic charging or sentencing of youths as adults for offenses committed while they were minors, recognizing developmental differences and supporting rehabilitative justice. 
• Non-safety Traffic Stops – limiting traffic stops for minor, non-safety-related violations in order to reduce unnecessary law enforcement interactions and promote equitable policing practices. 
• Increased Access to Education by Justice-Involved Youth – expanding and protecting access to educational opportunities for justice-involved youth, including amending certain school attendance requirements, access to grade-level instruction, special education services, and seamless reentry into school systems. 
• Limiting the Collateral Consequences of Citizen Complaints – restricting the authority of District Court commissioners to issue arrest warrants in cases initiated by ordinary citizens, an important step in ensuring procedural fairness and consistency in charging decisions. 
• Cheltenham Youth Detention Center Unmarked Graves – requiring investigation, identification, and memorialization of unmarked graves at the Cheltenham Youth Detention Center. 
• Voting Rights Act – strengthening and modernizing voting rights protections by expanding access to vote, preventing discriminatory practices, and enhancing enforcement mechanisms to protect eligible voters. 

OAG Strategic Framework for Legislative Engagement:  

The Office will also evaluate potential legislation based on how it may fulfill the five strategic goals outlined in the OAG Strategic Plan: 

• Strengthening Public Safety and Law Enforcement 
• Protecting Consumers, Workers, and Promoting Fair Business Practices 
• Upholding Civil Rights and Promoting Equal Justice 
• Ensuring Good Stewardship of our Public and Natural Resources 
• Modernizing the Office of the Attorney General and Improving Organizational Efficiency   

A Year of Impact – Safeguarding Resources for Maryland 

The work of the Office of the Attorney General over the past year sets the foundation for the session ahead. The Office’s recently released Annual Report provides a comprehensive overview of these efforts, which have focused on protecting Marylanders, defending the State’s interests, and delivering measurable results. 

Protecting Federal Funding:  

In 2025, the Office filed or joined more than 50 lawsuits and participated in dozens of additional legal actions and briefs to protect Marylanders and the State’s interests from unlawful federal actions. Successes in individual cases include:   

• Protecting nearly $15 million in AmeriCorps funding for programs in Maryland 
• Securing $110 million in education funding for Maryland schools and adult education programs 
• Obtaining a permanent injunction safeguarding more than $1 billion annually in federal transportation funding for roads, bridges, transit, and infrastructure projects statewide 

Consumer and Civil Rights Enforcement: 

The Office’s enforcement work also delivered significant financial recoveries and direct relief for Marylanders, including: 

• The largest landlord-tenant restitution in State history — an $11.2 million settlement 
• A $2.49 million civil rights judgment against a landlord who sexually harassed tenants 
• Nearly $1.8 million recovered to protect nursing home residents, including independent monitoring and compliance requirements 

Additional 2025 fiscal recoveries for Maryland included: 

• Secured over $17 million for Maryland's public pension funds and local governments after investigating Wall Street fraud leading up to the 2008 financial crisis 
• A tobacco settlement reached last September and expected to deliver more than $37 million to Maryland in April 2026 
• A $341 million environmental settlement related to the Conowingo Dam to support long-term restoration of the Chesapeake Bay and the Susquehanna River 

Together, these actions exemplify the principles that guide the Office’s work — using the law to protect people, hold wrongdoers accountable, and safeguard the resources Marylanders rely on every day. 

As the 2026 Maryland General Assembly unfolds, Attorney General Brown will look for opportunities to support and strengthen laws that protect Marylanders, while continuing to apply the Office’s legal expertise thoughtfully and responsibly. The Attorney General’s approach reflects his continued commitment to results that matter to Marylanders. 

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