Guest Column: The View from Annapolis in 2026

Delegate Ryan Spiegel
District 17 - Gaithersburg and Rockville

The 2026 legislative session was defined by some difficult fiscal realities, but also by a clear commitment to protecting Maryland families and maintaining the essential services people rely on every day. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I had the opportunity to work closely on many of the budget decisions that will shape our state in the years ahead.

I am proud to say that we closed the gap on a projected $1.5 billion budget shortfall and balanced the state budget while continuing to invest in core priorities like education, childcare, transportation, and public health–without increasing any state taxes or fees. In a constrained budget environment, we focused on balancing fiscal responsibility with the need to preserve the programs and services on which Marylanders depend.

Despite significant federal funding cuts to critical programs like Medicaid and SNAP, we included over $1.5 billion for food security programs, $14 billion for Medicaid and children’s health insurance, $20 million for senior services, nearly $4 million for behavioral health programs, and over $3 billion for individuals in the developmental disabilities community. In our state capital budget, we also invested millions of dollars in renovation and upgrade projects for hospitals serving our county and region.

Protecting evidence-based public health policy also remained a priority. This session, the General Assembly passed legislation strengthening the role of science-driven vaccine guidance at the Maryland Department of Health (the “Vax Act”), while also expanding access to menopausal and perimenopausal care. I was proud to cosponsor those bills. After an emotional debate, we also passed a bipartisan bill providing insurance coverage for scalp cooling treatments for cancer patients.

More generally, legislators also prioritized affordability concerns facing families across Montgomery County and the state. Laws passed this session included reducing utility costs through the Utility R.E.L.I.E.F. Act, as well as initiatives to expand long-term housing supply in order to ease housing costs.

While the challenges facing Maryland will continue, I remain committed to thoughtful budgeting, strong public health policy, supporting our healthcare workforce, and ensuring Montgomery County residents continue to have a strong voice in Annapolis.

Delegate Ryan Spiegel represents District 17 (Gaithersburg and Rockville) in the Maryland House of Delegates. There, he serves on the influential Appropriations Committee and the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee.  He is also the Chair of the Montgomery County House Delegation's Committee on Land Use, Transportation, and Public Safety.  He has sponsored legislation on several important topics ranging from bills expanding financial opportunity for underserved communities to proposals to strengthen resources for transportation.  Delegate Spiegel has also helped bring hundreds of thousands of dollars back to Rockville and Gaithersburg for investments in municipal projects, community amenities, and nonprofit services.  Additionally, he is a founding member and officer of the Maryland Legislative Jewish Caucus and an associate member of the Women's, Latino, and Veterans' Caucuses.