Governor Moore Releases $69 Million in Previously-Withheld Funding

Funding to Combat Climate Change, Expand Paid Family and Medical Leave and Abortion Care Access, and Support Cannabis Reform

ANNAPOLIS, MD—Today, Governor Wes Moore announced the release of $69 million in previously-withheld funding in the Fiscal Year 2023 budget. These funds were authorized by the legislature last year, and Governor Moore is proudly standing with the legislature by directing these investments toward critical programs and services throughout the state.

“The investments impact every community in Maryland,” said Governor Moore. “This action shows a fundamental shift in how the administration approaches the budget and our relationship with the General Assembly as we boldly act on critical issues facing Marylanders everywhere like climate change, paid family and medical leave, cannabis reform, and abortion care.”

$9 million to support Climate Solutions Now Act 

• $3.8 million in start-up funding for a new Climate Catalytic Capital Fund administered by the Maryland Clean Energy Center. This fund is a green bank, an institution that uses its funds to leverage private and philanthropic investments in projects intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• $3.8 million for the installation of renewable energy generating equipment in multi-family housing that houses low- to moderate-income people. These funds will be administered through the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development.
• $1.1 million for the Chesapeake Conservation Corps, intended to support climate mitigation and clean energy projects. The corps is a paid service year program administered by the Chesapeake Bay Trust that matches young people with government or non-profit organizations to work on projects relevant to environmental preservation and climate mitigation.
• $375,000 for the Maryland Healthy Soils Program in the Department of Agriculture. This program provides grants and technical support to farmers who are implementing new technologies and management practices to improve soil health.

$10 million to support paid family and medical leave 

The funding will be administered to the Maryland Department of Labor to pay for the early start-up costs of implementing a paid family and medical leave program in Maryland.

$46.5 million to support cannabis reform

• $40 million for the Cannabis Business Assistance Fund within the Maryland Department of Commerce. This fund is intended to support the growth of small, minority, and women-owned businesses in the legal recreational cannabis industry.

• $5 million for the Cannabis Public Health Fund within the Maryland Department of Health.

• $1.5 million for the Criminal Justice Information System to assist with system enhancements necessary to comply with the expungement provisions of the Cannabis Reform Act.

$3.5 million to support abortion care access

This funding will be allocated to the Abortion Care Clinical Training Program administered by the Maryland Department of Health. This program is intended to ensure access to high-quality, safe abortion care in Maryland by providing grants for clinical training of abortion care providers and their clinical care teams.