Maryland Black Caucus Unveils 2026 Legislative Priorities

Priorities span health, education, justice, economic empowerment, housing, and civil rights

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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The Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland (LBCM) released their 2026 legislative priorities on February 12th in Annapolis, Maryland. The priorities span five key areas including health and environmental justice, education, justice and public safety, economic empowerment and housing justice, and civil rights. Key bills address issues like prohibiting immigration enforcement agreements, ending appraisal biases, and ending the automatic charging of youth as adults.

Why it matters

The LBCM's legislative priorities aim to address long-standing disparities and challenges facing Black Marylanders across critical policy areas. Their agenda reflects a collaborative, community-driven process to advance social, cultural, and economic progress for the state's Black population.

The details

The LBCM's 2026 priorities include legislation on dementia services, perinatal mental health, ensuring education access for foster children, licensing for school psychologists, reforming youth charging laws, preventing traffic stops for minor offenses, combating housing discrimination and appraisal bias, and prohibiting 287(g) immigration enforcement agreements. Delegate N. Scott Phillips, the new LBCM chair, emphasized that the priorities were developed through a deliberative process with member input and community engagement.

  • The LBCM unveiled their 2026 legislative priorities on February 12, 2026 in Annapolis, Maryland.

The players

Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland (LBCM)

A legislative caucus representing Black state legislators in Maryland, focused on advancing policies to benefit the state's Black community.

Delegate N. Scott Phillips

The new chair of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, who led the unveiling of the 2026 legislative priorities.

Sen. Malcolm L. Augustine

A Maryland state senator who discussed the LBCM's priorities around dementia services and treatment.

Delegate Bernice D. Mireku-North

A Maryland state delegate who spoke about the LBCM's education priorities, including a bill on the school psychologist interstate licensure compact.

Delegate J. Sandy Barlett

The chair of the Maryland House Judiciary Committee, who explained the LBCM's Youth Charging Reform Act.

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What they’re saying

“Since 1970, under the leadership of Delegate Lena K. Lee, our caucus has really been focused on five decades of sponsoring legislation which impacts Black Marylanders specifically. We focus along the areas of social, cultural, and economic progress for Black Marylanders.”

— Delegate N. Scott Phillips, Chair, Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland (AFRO)

“What we know is that dementia is–particularly in the Black community–under-reported, but a higher incidence than it is for the general population. This is an area where we know that we must do more to educate people, because there are actually some treatments that are available, and that's what this piece of legislation does.”

— Sen. Malcolm L. Augustine, Maryland State Senator (AFRO)

“Essentially what the School Psychologist Interstate Licensure Compact does is that it's going to allow school psychologists from particular states to come into Maryland a little more quickly. It allows the states to share licensing and background information and also allows Maryland to continue to exercise full authority of whoever gets a license regarding the scope of practice, discipline, standards for the profession as well.”

— Delegate Bernice D. Mireku-North, Maryland State Delegate (AFRO)

What’s next

The Maryland General Assembly will consider the LBCM's legislative priorities during the 2026 legislative session.

The takeaway

The LBCM's 2026 agenda reflects a comprehensive, community-driven approach to addressing longstanding disparities and advancing progress for Black Marylanders across key policy areas. Their collaborative process and focus on issues like health, education, justice reform, economic empowerment, and civil rights underscore the caucus' commitment to driving meaningful change.