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Delegate Edith Patterson opened the meeting, welcoming attendees and noting that there are 53 days left in the General Assembly session. Delegate Todd Morgan led the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by a prayer from Delegate Long. Delegate Patterson acknowledged Delegate C.T. Wilson and Vice President Ralph Patterson on their birthdays. The meeting included announcements about upcoming events, including a Southern Maryland delegation reception on February 26 at the Calvert House and a District 28 event on March 2 at the Lowe's building. Congressman Hoyer discussed several key issues, including the ongoing shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, which he attributed to actions by ICE. He called for reforms to ensure constitutional conduct and emphasized the need to fund essential components of Homeland Security, such as FEMA and the Coast Guard, while advocating for defunding ICE until reforms are implemented. Hoyer addressed environmental concerns, particularly a sewage spill into the Potomac River, requiring a collaborative response from federal, state, and local levels. He mentioned efforts to secure funding for various projects in Southern Maryland, including hospitals and community facilities. The discussion included the FBI's relocation, with Hoyer expressing determination to keep the FBI in Maryland despite previous challenges. Delegate Long and Senator Ellis expressed gratitude for Hoyer's service and discussed local projects needing funding, such as the Calvert beach project and the Sports and Wellness Center in Charles County. Hoyer confirmed that it is not too late to consider earmarks for these projects, although current political conditions limit availability. The meeting also discussed the progress of a YMCA project in St. Mary's County and the need for recreational activities in Charles County for youth and seniors. The Comptroller of Maryland provided an overview of the agency's structure, priorities, and recent initiatives, including a new unclaimed property website and a planned IT transformation for August, moving the personal tax system to a cloud-based platform. State aid to Southern Maryland counties was discussed, focusing on the proposed budget for fiscal 2027. Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary's counties are set to receive a combined $686.5 million in state aid, primarily for public school systems, which will receive $562.1 million. The per capita state aid varies, with Charles County near the statewide average, while Calvert and St. Mary's rank lower. The importance of K-12 education funding and challenges faced by local health departments due to funding reductions were highlighted. The Comptroller's office is enhancing transparency through data sharing and has launched dashboards to assist local governments in understanding federal spending impacts. The meeting included a briefing from the Department of Legislative Services on state aid funding and the governor's proposed enhancements and reductions, particularly regarding free and reduced-price meal enrollment counts that will increase funding statewide. Key points from the governor's proposals included: 1. A revised enrollment count for free and reduced-price meals will increase funding statewide by $228.4 million, benefiting Charles County with approximately $2.5 million above statutory amounts, while Calvert and St. Mary's counties will not see similar benefits. 2. The Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act proposes a reduction in community college CAED funding by about $21 million statewide, capping year-over-year increases at 3%, resulting in a reduction of approximately $900,000 for the College of Southern Maryland in fiscal 2027. 3. Local governments would be responsible for 50% of the statewide increase in retirement payments for teachers, community college faculty, and librarians, pending General Assembly approval, requiring the three county governments to absorb approximately $2.4 million in additional retirement costs. 4. Specific reductions were noted: a 3.4% reduction for public schools, 3.7% for community colleges, and 2.7% for libraries across each county. Senator Ellis raised concerns about tracking fund allocations to ensure they benefit intended populations in Charles County. Hiram Birch from the Department of Legislative Services explained that funding is allocated based on student enrollment rather than population, but specifics on tracking fund usage at the college level were not fully addressed. Senator Ellis suggested the possibility of legislation to create a tracking dashboard for transparency. The meeting concluded with thanks to the presenters and an emphasis on continued collaboration.