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In a series debriefing the 2026 Maryland General Assembly session, Sunil Dasgupta talks with state Senator Brian Feldman, Chair of the Education, Energy, and Environment Committee about the omnibus energy bill to come of this year's legislative session. Music by Silver Spring rock musician MYSTR Treefrog.

Montgomery County Council President Natali Fani-Gonzalez offers an alternative budget proposal to County Executive Marc Elrich. Montgomery County Public Schools propose to start the next school year five days earlier than usual. We have data on local ICE arrests. And Maryland Senator Brian Feldman on coming changes to solar net metering. The full interview will follow. Music by Silver Spring rock musician MYSTR Treefrog.

We are breaking down key policy areas and legislation now that the 2026 Maryland General Assembly session has ended. First up, healthcare, which saw a new standalone committee this year. Sunil Dasgupta talks with the new Health Committee Chair Heather Bagnall from Anne Arundel County to chair the Health Committee. Music by Silver Spring rock musician MYSTR Treefrog.

The 2026 session of the Maryland General Assembly ended yesterday. The Governor got 2 out of his 3 housing bills. The Special Elections bill rose and then fell again. A bill sought to address AI-led grocery store pricing. Delegate Pam Queen explains. In Montgomery County, the Council staff breaks down the County Executive's budget including tax proposals. And is MCPS looking to make a big push for public-private partnerships to accelerate school construction? And more. Music by Silver Spring rock musician MYSTR Treefrog.

Guest host Tula Dasgupta of Rockville High School interviews Northwood High School sophomore Leul Dawit, one of two finalists for the Student Member of the Montgomery County Board of Education for 2026-27. The SMOB is one of eight on the county school board, nearly co-equal with other generally elected members, but voted in by MCPS secondary school students only. Music for this episode comes from Bach Street Boys: Jerome Amon, Cello. Aayush Banerjee, Violin. Malachi Winder, Piano. Dawit Insta: @Leul4smob.

Double-header: Reemey Ghermay for MCPS SMOB (2026-04-10) Guest host Tula Dasgupta of Rockville High School interviews Walter Johnson High School junior Reemey Ghermay, one of two finalists for the Student Member of the Montgomery County Board of Education for 2026-27. The SMOB is one of eight on the county school board, nearly co-equal with other generally elected members, but voted in by MCPS secondary school students only. Music for this episode comes from Bach Street Boys: Jerome Amon, Cello. Aayush Banerjee, Violin. Malachi Winder, Piano. Ghermay Insta: @reemey4smob.

Maryland House passes Good Cause Eviction for the second time Bill sponsor Jheanelle Wilkins is hoping the Senate will finally pass it this year.  MD Senator Cheryl Kagan joins to discuss the Special Elections Bill. MCPS families receive emails from a class action settlement in Illinois involving the platform Naviance which is widely used in the school district. What is going on?  Online privacy attorney Joel Schwarz clarifies. And more. Music by A Shrewdness of Apes.

Maryland Governor Moore is betting on lighthouse industries, biotech and quantum computing, to bring economic growth to the state, but how and why innovation works at the state level is contested territory. There are a ton of books and articles on the subject, but no consensus. Sunil Dasgupta talks with the Cambridge University political economist James D.G. Wood, whose new book, States of Innovation: Driving the American Economy in the 21st Century (https://a.co/d/04HheIVO), examines how four states Maine, Michigan, California, and Texas incubated tech innovation economies. Music by Silver Spring rock musician MYSTR Treefrog.

Last week the Montgomery County Board of Education approved a plan for secondary regional programs that will split the county into six mini-districts and a proposal to move Wootton High School from Rockville to Gaithersburg. In Annapolis, MD Senate and House face off over a special election bill and a thwarted Congressional redistricting. And more. Music by A Shrewdness of Apes.

After Crossover Day in the Maryland General Assembly, the last day bills need to be passed by one chamber and moved to the other for regular consideration, Sunil Dasgupta talked with Delegate Marc Korman about what bills made the cut and what they mean. Music by Seth Kibel.

Montgomery County Board of Education to vote this week on  regional programs to reorganize the school district into six mini-districts. We have a report from John F. Kennedy High School in east county. What is prevailing wage and why does it matter for school construction? Frederick County data center opponents report they have enough signatures for a ballot question to shrink the land area allowed for data center construction. And more. Music by A Shrewdness of Apes.

The dire budget situation in Maryland and seeming mismanagement at the agency has put the crosshairs on the state's Developmental Disabilities Administration, DDA, which supports about 20,000 Marylanders with everyday assistance like employment, at-home assistance to round the clock 1-on-1 help. Sunil Dasgupta spoke with Greg Snyder, vice-president of the Maryland Association of Community Services, about the cuts and their impact. Music by Seth Kibel.

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich proposes tax and user fee hikes in his 2026-27 budget. We have the details. Pepco and Washington Gas rates are about to go up again. David Lapp, Maryland's utility consumer advocate, breaks it down. Baltimore County Delegate Sheila Ruth has proposed a bill to remove the 18-month provisional driver's license period for new drivers above the age of 18. Why? And more. Music by A Shrewdness of Apes.

The January 2026 snowstorm closed MCPS for 5 consecutive days. The school district is seeking new state law to exempt itself from the 180-day school year requirement. The move has broad support from local elected officials. But one voice of an MCPS parent and PTA activist stands out. Sunil Dasgupta talks with Evelyn Chung who says letting MCPS off the hook for the lost days defeats the school district's primary education mission, especially when the school district put itself in this position with poor decisions. Music by Seth Kibel.

An accidental revelation outs Amazon Web Services as the company behind a Calvert County datacenter NDA and residents are upset. In Frederick County, data center opponents are collecting signatures for a ballot referendum. Montgomery County rejects proposal for a data center task force. MCPS is piloting AI-based security camera monitoring in three high schools. Have you noticed the increased street garbage after the Snowcrete melt? We have a trash report from Washington DC. And more. Music by A Shrewdness of Apes.