Maryland's top administration faces significant personnel transitions as multiple cabinet secretaries depart amid broader shifts in state governance and policy direction.

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• Baltimore County and Towson University honored select veterans for community work following their military service.
• The recognition event highlights veteran contributions to local communities after transitioning from active duty.

• Maryland Democrats will try to deliver on a campaign promise to ease the pocketbook issues for residents while also dealing with a likely $3 billion budget shortfall.
• The choices lawmakers make in the coming session could affect Marylanders’ taxes, access to state services and the cost of programs they rely on.

• A brief 5-week congressional lame-duck session begins today
• Possible bills that could pass include the annual defense policy bill, the farm bill, a measure to regulate the college sports landscape and permitting reform to ease regulation on large construction projects.

• The annual gun buyback event gave people a chance to voluntarily and anonymously surrender unwanted firearms. In exchange, participants received gift cards.
• The event is a partnership between Rockville Police and the Montgomery County State Attorney's office.

• Marylanders face higher health care cost after state officials approved a second year of steep premium increases in response to the expiration of federal tax credits that made those plans more affordable.
• Marylanders purchasing health plans on the state’s insurance marketplace face an average 14.6% premium rate increase on plans offered by the Maryland Health Connection.

• Two Maryland Democrats are eyeing 2028. Sen. Chris Van Hollen says he is “kicking the tires” on a presidential run. Gov. Wes Moore says less, but his refusal to commit to serving a full second term is widely taken as a signal.
• The two say they haven’t discussed it with each other. Maryland last had more than one serious contender in the same cycle in 2016, with O’Malley and Carson.

• Incoming Baltimore County council members say they want to make neighborhood roads safer, attract grocery stores and give residents a greater say in development decisions.
• While all four incoming westside members are Democrats, they say the issues they hope to address are not necessarily tied to their political leanings.

• Prince George’s County leaders and planners are exploring whether smaller homes and clustered communities could help address the need for more affordable housing.
• However, most of the county’s residential land isn’t zoned to allow the types of developments under discussion.

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