- Report Calls County a Healthcare ‘Desert’ for Transgender Community (MyMCM, 1/17/2023)
- Montgomery County’s Office of Legislative Oversight released a 57-page report highlighting deficiencies in transgender healthcare services in the county. The report indicates limited services for transgender individuals, with the county government not providing trans-specific services. Recommendations include mandatory training for healthcare providers, the creation of a list of providers offering healthcare for transgender individuals, and the establishment of a dedicated safe space for the LGBTQ+ community in the county.
- Greater focus on crime sparks another wave of juvenile justice bills (Maryland Matters, 7/4/2024)
- In response to a perceived rise in juvenile crime, states across the U.S. are introducing a wave of juvenile justice bills, with nearly every state considering some form of legislation. These bills range from creating alternatives to incarceration for teens to imposing harsher penalties for young offenders. Maryland, among others, has passed a law that extends the juvenile justice system to include 10-year-olds arrested for serious offenses, offering them diversion programs as an alternative to punishment. Advocates argue that prosecuting young offenders as minors and expanding diversion programs reduces recidivism and the risk of sexual assault in adult prisons.
- Maryland legislative audit casts doubts on savings attributed to leased office space (Maryland Matters, 7/31/2025)
- A legislative audit of Maryland’s Department of General Services (DGS) questioned the validity of over $400 million in savings claimed from relocating state agencies into leased commercial spaces, citing insufficient cost-benefit analyses and lack of documentation. According to the report, lease agreements were not always transparently presented to the Board of Public Works, with hidden costs such as rent escalations and parking fees excluded, and auditors found no assurance that leases were at or below market rates. DGS disputed several findings but stated it would improve reporting practices by disclosing total lease costs and parking expenses in future presentations.
- State agency allowed sex offenders access to children, according to audit; hearing to be scheduled (MSN, 9/18/2025)
- A legislative audit by the Maryland Department of Legislative Services found that the Social Services Administration (SSA) failed to conduct proper background checks on employees and vendors, allowing registered sex offenders and individuals with serious criminal histories to interact with children in state care. From 2020 to 2024, SSA also placed hundreds of foster children in hotels under unlicensed supervision, often for extended periods, and could not document efforts to secure proper placements or ensure required health and education services were provided. The audit, which rated SSA’s compliance as unsatisfactory for the third consecutive time, led lawmakers to plan oversight hearings, while the agency stated it has taken corrective actions since 2023.
