Annapolis, MD – A controversial $30,000 budget amendment meant to fund new hiring positions in Maryland’s Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has been rescinded, just days after Senate Republicans formally objected to the transfer.
In a letter dated Monday, DBM Secretary Helene Grady informed legislative leaders that the department would no longer pursue the budget shift that would have supported the Expedited Hiring Program, a new initiative ordered by Governor Wes Moore to help fill critical state government positions amid staffing shortages and ongoing federal job losses.
The funding would have allowed DBM to contract two additional employees under the Office of Personnel Services and Benefits to help implement and manage the hiring program. The proposal, first submitted to legislative budget committees on June 17, was criticized by GOP lawmakers as a misuse of funds that lacked proper legislative oversight.
“DBM requests the rescission of the budget amendment,” Grady wrote in the letter to Senate President Bill Ferguson, House Speaker Adrienne Jones, and budget committee chairs. “There is sufficient appropriation within DBM’s current resources for the costs incurred.”
The amendment (077-25) was intended to support emergency legislation passed earlier this year that aimed to streamline hiring for hard-to-fill positions within the State Personnel Management System. The initiative, part of Moore’s broader workforce strategy, included efforts to speed up recruitment of former federal employees in Maryland who are at risk of losing their jobs.
The Republican members of the Legislative Policy Committee raised formal objections on July 17, questioning the transparency of the funding shift. According to a statement from the Maryland Senate GOP, the reversal came “just 12 days later,” signaling that pressure from the opposition played a role in the administration’s decision to withdraw the amendment.
Moore’s administration had cited the urgency of addressing staffing gaps in critical services as the reason behind fast-tracking the new hiring framework. However, with the budget request withdrawn, DBM will now rely on existing appropriations to move the program forward while reviewing its long-term structure.
Despite the setback, DBM said it continues to process hiring waves under the new program and will pause further implementation while evaluating targeted recruitment strategies.
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Key Points
- Maryland’s Department of Budget and Management rescinded a $30,000 budget amendment to support expedited hiring efforts
- The reversal follows formal objections by Republican legislators on the Legislative Policy Committee
- DBM will use existing resources to continue the hiring initiative without additional budget transfers
GOP pressure leads Maryland to pull funding request for fast-track hiring program amid transparency concerns.
