The following article was submitted by Sixth District Delegate Bob Long about his prioritiess for the upcoming 2026 Legislative Session in Annapolis
On January 3, 2026, I hosted a Pre-Session Breakfast, welcoming constituents to discuss the upcoming legislative term.
There I discussed my legislative agenda and heard directly from the community regarding challenges facing local families.
I was honored by the turnout we had this past Saturday, as well as hearing about what matters most to you. Listening to the concerns of the people I represent is the most important part of my job.
During the event, I reaffirmed a commitment centered on the needs of hard-working citizens, emphasizing issues such as fiscal responsibility, voter integrity, and enhanced public safety in our communities and schools.
My 2026 legislative agenda will address the following issues:
Fiscal Responsibility
One of my biggest concerns is rising property taxes. While our district isn’t scheduled for a reassessment in 2026, I have a few bills that will offer tax credits to those impacted the most by the economy. I will be proposing tax credits for First-Time Home Buyers, Seniors, and those receiving the Homeowners Tax Credit. I will also propose legislation that will review the property assessment practices in Baltimore County. Maryland never had a taxing problem. It always had a spending problem. Now is the time that we must stop out of control spending. I made a promise when I first took office that I would never vote for a new tax or fee increase. I am proud to say that I have lived up to that promise.
Voter Integrity
I believe that elections should be transparent and fraud free. Proof of identity should be required to vote. We need IDs to do many things including opening a bank account, enrolling your child in pre-school, or borrowing a library book. I want to make sure our election process produces fair and accurate results.
I will also propose legislation that will require signature verification for absentee ballots. The use of absentee ballots has greatly increased since 2020. The Board of Election needs to be required to use the technology that verifies the signature. Too often, the election results predict one candidate to win, but when the absentee ballots are counted, another candidate is declared the winner.
Public Safety
I will propose legislation that will make our schools and communities safer. One piece of legislation will require a public-school principal to provide notice to a parent or guardian regarding a student’s violent and disruptive behavior and to require them to seek counseling. We need to promote a safe learning environment for all students. A few disruptive students can make it difficult for everyone to learn and for teachers to do their job. This disruptive behavior can be better addressed when the parents are required to take their child to counseling.
I also have legislation to address the problems with the home detention program. There are too many incidents where someone on home detention is out committing serious crimes, such as robbery. These individuals should be directly removed from the program, not given a second chance.
These are a few of the concerns that I will be addressing with my legislation for the 2026 Session. I will discuss these bills in greater detail in the upcoming weeks. I look forward to the start of the Session on January 14th, 2026, and to representing the people of District 6!
