Workgroup on the Reorganization of the Maryland Transit Administration

Maryland studies transit changes and shifts budgets

Effective July 1, 2025, the law creates a temporary workgroup to study changes to Maryland's transportation department and transit agency. It reviews Baltimore City's transit oversight, service structure, contracts, costs, and effects on federal funding and compliance where practical. Plans it considers cannot reduce funding for local Baltimore City transit. The group includes state and regional officials and two regular transit riders appointed by the Governor. The Transportation Secretary selects its chair. Reports to the Governor and General Assembly are due December 1, 2025, and December 1, 2026. The transportation department must also submit draft reorganization legislation to the Governor and General Assembly by December 1, 2025. That draft must separate local Baltimore City transit from statewide transit within the department. Working with legislative staff, the department must submit draft legislation carrying out the group's recommendations to legislative leaders by December 1, 2026. Starting with fiscal year 2027, Baltimore City's local light rail, subway, and bus funding stays in the transit agency's budget. Statewide service funding moves to the Transportation Secretary's budget, including MARC trains, Purple Line construction and operations, and commuter buses. This budget shift does not add new statewide transit funding. Where practical and allowed by contracts, the department must transfer all MARC operations and contracts to the MARC Rail Authority. Transportation and legislative staff support the workgroup; members receive no pay but qualify for budget-supported travel reimbursement under state rules. The law expresses an intent to include $150,000 for consultants in the Secretary's fiscal year 2027 budget. The act expires June 30, 2027.