Week 5 of the 2025 Session
State of the State Given by the Governor
It was the biggest event all week…the State of the State. Governor Moore gave his annual address to the General Assembly regarding Maryland’s state in current affairs. Unfortunately it was more of the same grand statements we have heard from the Moore Administration in the past.
The State of the State
On Wednesday, Governor Wes Moore gave his annual State of the State Address to the Maryland General Assembly. While the Governor presented lofty goals regarding Maryland’s future, his ideas are nothing but the continuous higher taxes, more spending, and big government interference. The $3 billion deficit that we are experiencing now will pail in comparison to the projected $7 billion coming by FY2027. Instead of cutting spending on wasteful programs, the Governor plans to raise taxes and create more regulation.
The Governor complained about President Trump’s policies and blamed him as the reason Marylanders are dealing with high living costs but throughout his administration, he championed the dependency Maryland has on the federal government in Washington, D.C. Maryland is more reliant on Washington than Virginia and with the building of the new FBI headquarters (something he advocated for), the dependence is not going away.
Governor Moore honored first responders in his speech but it’s his own policies that undermine the very people he is honoring. Soft-on-crime policies and a Department of Juvenile Services who cares more about juvenile criminals than the students that are victimized by them, does not make Maryland safer nor cause us to look toward a better future. If the Governor cared about Maryland safety, he would fire DJS Secretary Schiraldi, push for harsher penalties for gun crimes, and fund law enforcement across the State.
Maryland needs a government that will cut taxes and fees, support our law enforcement, cut wasteful spending, and reduce it’s bureaucracy.
Bill Highlight of the Week: SB398 Criminal Procedure – Automated Expungement
For this week’s bill, I highlight SB398. This bill will establish procedures for automated expungement of certain cases by the Department and the Judiciary. If passed it will expunge most misdemeanor convictions after three years have passed since the disposition of the case. I am a second chance person and I believe that everyone deserves a fresh start. Many who this will effect are unable to get jobs or housing and I firmly believe that is not right. William Shakespeare wrote once, “What’s past is prologue” which suggests that everything that has happened before is merely a setup for what comes next, implying the possibility of new beginnings and opportunities.
This is why I brought the bill forward and believe that it will bring positive change to our State. You can view my presentation of the bill here.
I also want to hear from you. As you all know, I serve Garrett, Allegany, and Washington Counties and all of your voices are important to me. The best way to represent you is to have your voice heard. Please feel free to contact my Annapolis Office at (410) 841-3565 or my District Office at (240) 362-7040. My public email address is now mike.mckay@senate.state.md.us. Please feel free to email me at anytime. I also have a District Office at the Williamsport City Hall. It is on the second floor in the first office. Our mailing address below remains the same however.
I continue to be your voice and advocate in Annapolis so I want to hear from you. Please reach out to me if you have any questions or what I can do to help you. I am on the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee and the Executive Nominations Committee. All of our hearings are streamed live on Youtube and the MGA website.
If you are interested in seeing where my bills are in the process, you can create a MyMGA account or you can click here to view bills I am sponsoring by clicking “Legislation” under my name. You can sign up to testify on any bill you wish.
Sincerely,
Mike