Week 5 of 2026 Session - State Senator Mike McKay for Maryland District 1

District 1 Night Tonight in Annapolis
House of Delegates Office Building
6 Bladen Street, Room 170

I’m looking forward to tonight, expecting a great evening in Annapolis with District 1!

Excited to welcome residents from Allegany, Garrett, and Washington Counties to share updates, hear your concerns, and discuss the issues that matter most back home in Appalachian Maryland.

I’m grateful to be joined by my colleagues Delegate Terry L. Baker, Delegate Jason C. Buckel, and Delegate Jim Hinebaugh, Jr. as we come together on behalf of District 1.

We look forward to opening the doors in Annapolis and continuing the conversation with the people we’re proud to serve.

Senator Mike McKay
Allegany, Garrett and Washington Counties Serving Appalachia Maryland

For Appalachia Maryland, Local Bond Initiatives mean targeted investments in priorities—from facility upgrades and renovation projects to public safety and community spaces—helping strengthen neighborhoods, create jobs, and enhance quality of life across the area.

LBIs are an essential tool for ensuring that state resources reach communities directly through specific, locally-identified capital needs. See below for District One 2026 requests.

Senator McKay Secures Millions for District 1

Senator Mike McKay delivered major wins for Allegany County in the state budget, securing a 2.5% increase in total state aid—$4.1 million more than last year—along with millions in funding for water infrastructure, school improvements, parks, fire companies, and healthcare. Across the county in Senate Bill 282 and Senate Bill 283, legislation expected passage.

McKay Secures Record Investments for Allegany County – Read the Full Article Here on his website.

BILL SPOTLIGHT

“When you have served your time and you’ve done everything you’re supposed to do, we need to make sure that policy and the Maryland General Assembly is as close to the plumbline as possible,” McKay said when speaking about SB 483.

Read the full article here.

Senator McKay’s Senate Bill 483 will be heard in the Judicial Proceedings Committee on 2/17/2026. Click below to see the bill and the current status.

Criminal Procedure – Automated Expungement (Clean Slate Act of 2026)

Summary: This bill requires the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services and the Judiciary to expunge all cases meeting certain criteria on or before July 1, 2028; and requiring the Department and the Judiciary to expunge certain newly eligible cases on a monthly basis.

Senator McKay’s Senate Bill 482 will be heard in the Judicial Proceedings Committee on 2/17/2026. Click below to see the bill and the current status.

Criminal Law – Interference With Critical Infrastructure or a Public Safety Answering Point

Summary: This bill prohibits a person from intentionally, willfully, and without authorization committing a certain act with the intent to interrupt or impair the functioning of critical infrastructure; providing that a person convicted of violating the Act is guilty of a felony and is subject to imprisonment of up to 10 years or a fine not to exceed $50,000, or both; etc.

Senator McKay’s Senate Bill 481 will be heard in the Judicial Proceedings Committee on 2/18/2026. Click below to see the bill and the current status.

Family Law – Denial or Interference With Visitation Rights

Summary: This bill requires, rather than authorizes, a court to order visitation to be rescheduled, in a manner consistent with the best interests of the child, when the court finds that a party to a custody or visitation order has unjustifiably denied or interfered with visitation granted by the custody or visitation order.

Senator McKay’s Senate Bill 484 will be heard in the Judicial Proceedings Committee on 2/18/2026. Click below to see the bill and the current status.

Family Law – Child Abuse and Neglect – Reporting

Summary: This bill alters certain provisions of law relating to the reporting of child abuse and neglect and the reporting of certain information regarding certain children at risk of harm to require reporting to the Department of Human Services instead of to the local department of social services or the appropriate law enforcement agency; requiring the Department to establish a centralized intake system for reports, assess reports for validity, and assign reports to the appropriate local department to investigate; etc.

Senator McKay’s Senate Bill 479 will be heard in the Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee on 2/19/2026. Click below to see the bill and the current status.

Environment – Building Energy Performance Standards and Energy Use Intensity Targets – Exemptions

Summary: This bill exempts a covered building that received a use and occupancy permit before June 1, 2022, from compliance with certain building energy performance standards and energy use intensity targets until it becomes necessary to replace lighting systems, heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, or other major components of the covered building due to failure of those components, or as a result of the end of life of those components.

Senator McKay’s Senate Bill 26 will be heard in the Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee on 2/19/2026. Click below to see the bill and the current status.

Public Utilities – Off-Grid Electricity Providers – Exemption

Summary: This bill exempts certain off-grid electricity providers from certain provisions of law; providing that a certain off-grid electricity provider is subject to certain laws concerning certificates of public convenience and necessity and certain other required approvals for the construction of a generating facility; providing that a person may not be considered to be an off-grid electricity provider under certain circumstances; and applying the Act to off-grid electricity providers that begin operations after October 1, 2026.

Senator McKay’s Senate Bill 802 will be heard in the Finance Committee on 2/20/2026. Click below to see the bill and the current status.

Garrett County – Alcoholic Beverages Act of 2026

Summary: This bill adding a substitute member to the Board of License Commissioners for Garrett County; establishing a certain special event permit that the Board may issue to a holder of a Class 3 winery license or a Class 4 limited winery license; establishing certain additional requirements for certain holders of certain licenses with a catering option and for the holder of a certain caterer’s license; requiring a certain statement on an alcoholic beverages license application about the citizenship status of an applicant; etc.

Senator Mike McKay

Third Reader Floor Votes

This year I will post my votes from the floor to include every Third Reader vote given by me. I include how I vote and the results of each bill. My goal is to encourage all to participate in open and transparent government and be accountable to all by posting this on social medias as soon as possible.

A “third reader” vote is the final vote that is taken on a bill in the House. Each bill receives three readings on the floor in each chamber before it becomes law. The first reading is when the bill is introduced and referred to the appropriate committee. The second reading is when a bill comes back to the floor after being amended and passed out of its respective committee (not all bills get this far). This is also when the bill can be amended on the floor by all members of the chamber. The third reading for “final passage” is when the final version of the bill with all amendments is voted on before making its way to the Senate, or the Governor if the bill started out in the Senate.

CLICK HERE & SCROLL DOWN TO SEE ALL THIRD READER VOTES.

Senator McKay welcomed the Maryland Arts Council for Maryland Arts Day in Annapolis on February 12, 2026

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