HB1413 • 2026

Maryland Department of Planning - District of Columbia Retrocession - Study

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Delegate Hornberger
Last action: 2026-03-11
Official status: In the House - Hearing 3/16 at 12:00 p.m.
Effective date: 2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Maryland Department of Planning - District of Columbia Retrocession - Study

Requiring the Maryland Department of Planning, in consultation with certain agencies and stakeholders, to study the feasibility and economic impacts of the retrocession of the District of Columbia to the State of Maryland, excluding the federal enclave of the National Capital Service Area; and requiring the Department to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to certain committees of the General Assembly by December 1, 2026.

What This Bill Does

Requiring the Maryland Department of Planning, in consultation with certain agencies and stakeholders, to study the feasibility and economic impacts of the retrocession of the District of Columbia to the State of Maryland, excluding the federal enclave of the National Capital Service Area; and requiring the Department to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to certain committees of the General Assembly by December 1, 2026.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-03-11 House
Hearing 3/16 at 12:00 p.m.
2026-02-13 House
First Reading House Rules and Executive Nominations
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - Maryland Department of Planning - District of Columbia Retrocession - Study

Official Summary Text

Requiring the Maryland Department of Planning, in consultation with certain agencies and stakeholders, to study the feasibility and economic impacts of the retrocession of the District of Columbia to the State of Maryland, excluding the federal enclave of the National Capital Service Area; and requiring the Department to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to certain committees of the General Assembly by December 1, 2026.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1413*

HOUSE BILL 1413
C8 6lr3246

By: Delegate Hornberger
Introduced and read first time: February 13, 2026
Assigned to: Rules and Executive Nominations

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Maryland Department of Planning – District of Columbia Retrocession – Study 2

FOR the purpose of requiring the Maryland Department of Planning, in consultation with 3
certain agencies and stakeholders, to study the feasibil ity and potential economic 4
impacts of the retrocession of the District of Columbia to the State of Maryland, 5
excluding the federal enclave of the National Capital Service Area; and generally 6
relating to a study on the retrocession of the District of Columbia. 7

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 8
That: 9

(a) The Maryland Department of Planning shall study and make 10
recommendations on the potential economic and fiscal impacts of the retrocession of the 11
District of Columbia to the State of Maryland. 12

(b) The study shall exclude the federal enclave o f the National Capital Service 13
Area, which includes the U.S. Capitol, the White House, the U.S. Supreme Court, and 14
principal federal executive departments. 15

(c) In conducting the study required under subsection (a) of this section, the 16
Department shall: 17

(1) estimate the impact on State income, sales, and corporate tax and any 18
other revenues resulting from the addition of District residents and businesses to the State; 19

(2) evaluate the cost and logistics of assuming responsibility for: 20

(i) the maintenance and operation of the District’s transportation 21
infrastructure and public transit systems; 22

2 HOUSE BILL 1413

(ii) the administration and funding of the District’s public school 1
system; and 2

(iii) the provision of public safety and emergency services; 3

(3) assess the impact of assuming or restructuring the District’s municipal 4
debt, pension obligations, and other long–term liabilities; 5

(4) analyze the impact on the State’s labor marke t, housing costs , and 6
overall gross State product; 7

(5) identify potential barriers to integrating the District’s laws, 8
professional licenses, and regulatory requirements into the Annotated Code of Maryland; 9
and 10

(6) identify necessary modifications to th e Maryland Constitution or the 11
Maryland Charter for any impacted counties. 12

(d) In conducting the study, the Department shall consult with the following 13
stakeholders: 14

(1) the Comptroller of Maryland; 15

(2) the Maryland Department of Budget and Management; 16

(3) the Office of the Attorney General; 17

(4) representatives from the District of Columbia government; 18

(5) representatives from Montgomery County and Prince George’s County; 19

(6) constitutional and legislative policy experts; and 20

(7) any other stakeholders the Department considers appropriate. 21

(e) On or before December 1, 2026, the Maryland Department of Planning shall 22
submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Senate Budget and Taxation 23
Committee and the House Appropriat ions Committee in accordance with § 2 –1257 of the 24
State Government Article. 25

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 26
1, 2026. 27