Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson has refused to call a special legislative session on congressional redistricting, effectively blocking efforts by other top Democrats to draw new maps that could unseat the state's lone Republican congressman. In a letter to fellow Democratic lawmakers, Ferguson said his decision followed individual conversations with senators who expressed concerns about national redistricting efforts and pressure to counter Republican-led map changes in other states. The move comes amid a national “redistricting arms race,” with both parties seeking to gain political advantage through redrawn boundaries. Ferguson's refusal means Maryland will not join other states in accelerating the redistricting process, at least for now.
Meanwhile, Governor Wes Moore may tap into the state's $2 billion Rainy Day Fund to provide emergency funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as federal funds are set to expire. The USDA has said it will not process November SNAP benefits without fiscal 2026 funding approved by Congress, despite holding $6 billion in a contingency fund. The agency's refusal to tap into those funds runs contrary to precedent from previous shutdowns and its own contingency plan, which stated the fund would be used to continue benefits through a shutdown. Maryland Attorney General joined 24 other states and the District of Columbia in a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the SNAP benefit suspension, alleging the temporary defunding is unlawful. LaMonika Jones of Maryland Hunger Solutions warned that the USDA's decision “will jeopardize millions of Americans across the country, but especially the more than 680,000 Maryland residents who are relying on their benefits.”
In other news, Maryland cattle farmers are opposing President Trump's plan to import beef from Argentina to lower prices, arguing it will harm U.S. producers. The state's Department of Human Services violated a new directive prohibiting foster children from staying in unlicensed facilities overnight just four days after it was issued. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott pledged $4.6 million in aid to city residents amid the federal shutdown. Baltimore County Councilman Izzy Patoka is calling for an independent investigation into police traffic stops after a Banner investigation found Black drivers are stopped and searched at higher rates. Montgomery County planners recommended policy changes to boost multifamily housing construction, and Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater lauded diversity and inclusion in her State of the County address.
