During an August 2006 interview with C-SPAN,Moore said he identified as a "social moderate and strong fiscal conservative".[1] In September 2022,he reiterated his position on fiscal issues as being "fiscally responsible".[2] During his gubernatorial campaign,he was described as center-left,[3] as well as progressive.[4][5]
Moore began announcing nominations for his 26-member cabinet on November 14,2022.[17][18] He finished announcing his cabinet nominees on April 12,2023,with the nomination of Sanjay Rai as Secretary for the Maryland Higher Education Commission.[19] According to The Baltimore Banner,Moore assembled his cabinet at a slower pace than previous Maryland governors.[20]
Twelve of Moore's cabinet nominees are women and 14 are people of color.[21][22][23] His nominees have mixed experience in government,social entrepreneurship,and philanthropy.[24][25] Three of them,Secretary of Emergency Management Russell Strickland,Maryland State Police superintendent Roland Butler,and Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services Carolyn Scruggs,are holdovers from the Hogan administration.[26][27][28]
All but two of Moore's cabinet nominees were unanimously confirmed by the Maryland Senate:Schiraldi,who faced opposition from Republicans over his policies toward juvenile justice reform;[35] and Butler,whose critics claimed had not done enough to address complaints of racism and disparate treatment of Black officers in the Maryland State Police.[36]
Before taking office,Maryland's economic outlook was among the lowest in the nation,according to the American Legislative Exchange Council.[38] Over the past decade,the state's gross domestic product (GDP) had only grown by 11 percent,compared to a 23 percent growth nationally,and ranked in the bottom 10 states in several economic factors,including economic momentum,change in personal income,and population growth.[39] At the same time,the state had a $2.5 billion budget surplus from a combination of federal pandemic aid and a tightening of state spending,$2.9 billion in its "rainy day fund",[40][41] and low unemployment numbers.[42]
During the 2023 legislative session,Moore introduced the Innovation Economy Infrastructure Act,which would provide $10 million in grants for "infrastructure projects in eligible technology sectors";the Access to Banking Act,which incentives banking institutions to locate in low- and moderate-income areas of the state;and the Broadband Expansion Act,which initially offered tax incentives to the broadband internet industry[43] but was later watered down to a bill to study how to incentivize broadband expansion.[44] All three bills were signed into law in May 2023.[45]
In May 2023,Moore signed an executive order creating the Innovation and Impact Council,which would investigate ways the state could partner with businesses and nonprofits to address social and equity issues.[46] In June 2023,he signed another executive order to establish the Maryland Economic Council,which was tasked with developing economic development strategies for the state.[47]
In August 2023,following a report from the Maryland Department of Legislative Services predicting that the state's budget deficits would increase to $1.8 billion annually by 2028,Moore cautioned that the state would enter a "season of discipline".[48][49] He also pledged to hire a chief performance officer,later naming Asma Mirza,the deputy for implementation management for the White House Infrastructure Implementation Team,to the position.[50] During the 2024 legislative session,Moore opposed proposals to raise income taxes to correct the state's incoming budgetary woes,instead proposing a budget that would significantly cut funding for transportation and higher education projects;legislators were able to avert many of the proposed transportation cuts by raising taxes on tobacco products,raising tolls,and increasing vehicle registration fees. In November 2024,after state analysts released a report showing that the state would soon enter a revenue deficit worse than the Great Recession,Moore reiterated a "high bar" for raising taxes[51] and proposed scaling back the Blueprint for Maryland's Future reforms[52] and further cuts to state transportation projects.[53] He also proposed shifting state investments toward growing areas of the state's economy—life sciences,information technology,and national defense—and coordinating economic development strategies with local governments.[52]
In December 2024,Moore endorsed a bill that would allow sales of beer,wine,and liquor in grocery stores,calling Maryland's laws on alcohol sales "out of step with the rest of the country". Currently,Maryland is one of five states that do not allow alcohol sales except in liquor or packaged goods stores.[54]
Before taking office,the Maryland Department of Legislative Services reported a "historically high" level of vacancies in state government,with only three departments in the executive branch having vacancy rates lower than 10 percent.[55] During his 2022 gubernatorial campaign,Moore promised to fill 5,000 vacancies within his first year in office,[56] and included raises up to 18 percent for state employees to incentivize recruitment and retention.[39] As of October 2023,only 791 positions had been filled,according to data from the Maryland Department of Legislative Services.[57]
In February 2023,Moore said he would scrap the Maryland Aviation Administration's controversial contract process to run concessions operations at Baltimore/Washington International Airport.[58][59] In March,he promised to include a "labor peace" agreement in future BWI concessions operations contracts.[60] The BWI contract bidding process restarted in September 2023,and includes provisions to include the labor peace agreement,which would allow service workers to unionize but prohibited strikes.[61] In October 2024,the Maryland Department of Transportation's evaluation committee awarded a 20-year contract to run concessions operations at BWI to URW/Harbor Bankshare,a partnership between Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield and Harbor Bank of Maryland.[62]
During the 2024 legislative session,Moore introduced the Families Serve Act,which would allow employers to give preference to military dependents in hiring;and the Time to Serve Act,which doubles the amount of days of leave state employees can take to fulfill duties in military reserves. He also supported bills to ban discrimination toward military members in hiring.[63] Both bills passed and were signed into law.[64]
Minimum wage
During his 2022 gubernatorial campaign,Moore said that he would accelerate the state's incremental increase to a minimum wage of $15 an hour by 2023.[65][66] He also supports indexing the state's minimum wage to inflation.[67] At the beginning of the 2023 legislative session,Moore introduced the Fair Wage Act,a bill that would accelerate the state's minimum wage build-up to reach $15 an hour by October 2023[68][69] and index the minimum wage to the consumer price index starting in July 2025,with increases capped at five percent per year.[70] The Senate Finance Committee amended the bill to remove provisions linking it to the consumer price index and delayed the wage increase until January 1,2024.[71][72] Moore signed the bill into law on April 11,2023.[73] He also allocated $218 million in his first budget to support state service providers in keeping up with the accelerated wage increase.[74]
Social programs
In July 2021,Moore said he opposed Governor Larry Hogan's decision to end expanded federal unemployment benefits provided by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 early.[75] In December 2022,Moore said he supported indexing the state's maximum unemployment insurance payment to inflation.[67]
During his gubernatorial campaign,Moore said he supported establishing a state "baby bonds" program,which would cost roughly $100 million per year and be seeded with $3,200 for every child born on Medicaid,to target the racial wealth gap. If enacted,it would be the largest baby bond program ever enacted in the United States.[77] In September 2022,he told the Maryland Family Network that he would support child care programs by subsidizing the service through tax credits for low-income families.[78]
During the 2024 legislative session,Moore introduced the ENOUGH Act,a bill to provide $15 million in grants toward underserved communities.[79] The bill passed and was signed into law in May 2024.[80]
Taxes
During his 2022 gubernatorial campaign,Moore repeatedly said that he does not anticipate raising taxes as governor,[2][42][81] but said in September 2022 that he planned to work with the legislature to fix what he described as the state's "upside-down taxation system".[2] In January 2024,he expressed openness to raising taxes to address the state's budget shortfall,but said that any conversation about taxes would have a "very high bar".[82] That year,the legislature amended Moore's budget proposal,which included no tax increases,to add about $252 million in increases toward transportation-related fees and tobacco taxes to help pay for the Blueprint for Maryland's Future reforms and state transportation projects.[83]
In May 2022,following a spike in gas prices as a result of the Russo-Ukrainian War,Moore said he supported staving off automatic increases to the state's gas tax,arguing that voters needed immediate relief[84] and later calling it a "regressive tax".[85] He also expressed interest in eliminating either the state's estate or inheritance tax to make the state more attractive to retirees.[2] In June 2023,Moore said he supported shifting transportation funding away from the state's gas tax as well as decoupling it from inflation,but opposed calling a special session to do so,instead preferring to pass tax reforms during the 2024 legislative session.[86]
During the 2023 legislative session,Moore introduced the Family Prosperity Act,which allocates $171 million toward making permanent the earned income tax credit passed by lawmakers in 2021,and the Keep Our Heroes Home Act,which provides $33 million for expanding tax exemptions for military retirement income;[68][87] legislators later scaled down the Keep Our Heroes Home Act to only raise the state's income exemption limit to $20,000 for older veterans and $12,500 for younger ones.[88] Moore signed both bills into law in April and May 2023,[89][90] as well as another bill to allow workers to deduct union dues from their income taxes.[91]
Education
Moore reads to students at Eastern Elementary School in Hagerstown,2023
Moore supports the Blueprint for Maryland's Future reform effort,[92][93] testifying before the state legislature to urge its passage.[94] During his 2022 gubernatorial campaign, he said that he would "work closely with local governments to make sure they are on board with their commitments to the Blueprint".[95] In September 2022, Moore said he would institute universal pre-K and apprenticeship and trade programs in schools,[78][96] and promised increases for school construction, educator wages, after-school programs, tutoring, child care, and early childhood education.[97] In his first budget in January 2023, Moore proposed allocating $500 million toward funding the Blueprint,[68] which was later increased to $900 million by state legislators.[98]
In December 2024, after state financial officials determined that the state would face a $2.7 billion deficit during the 2026 fiscal year, Moore proposed scaling back parts of the Blueprint reform package and adjusting state formulas that determine how much funding state and local governments dedicate to education. At the same time, Moore said that he would keep intact policies to expand pre-kindergarten programs, tutoring, and early literacy programs, and suggested that the state should focus mainly on hiring and retaining teachers.[99]
Book bans
In May 2023, during a commencement speech at Morehouse College, Moore criticized efforts to ban books and restrict curriculum in schools, suggesting that politicians who sought to "silence or rewrite the history of Black and brown people are actually afraid of people understanding their power".[100][101] In April 2024, Moore signed into law the Freedom to Read Act, which prohibits public and school libraries from banning books based on partisan, ideological, or religious reasons, or based an author's origin, background, or views.[102]
Charter schools
Moore does not support the expansion of charter schools, saying that he wants to focus on improving public school districts, but wants to ensure accountability for current charters.[94] In his first budget, in January 2023, Moore cut funding for the state's Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today (BOOST) program to provide scholarships to students attending charter schools by $2 million,[103] and introduced new eligibility limits for current BOOST students and their siblings.[104] In an interview with Jewish Insider, Moore said he intended to get rid of the BOOST program in a few years, adding, "The focus that I have, the focus that our administration is going to have, is making sure that we are creating and developing world-class public schools for our students."[105] The budget was amended to reduce these cuts by $1 million in March 2023,[98] and signed into law in April 2023.[106] Moore maintained funding for the BOOST program in his 2024 budget.[107]
Higher education
During his 2022 gubernatorial campaign, Moore called a plan to cancel up to $20,000 in federal student loan debt a "good first step" and said he would push the Biden administration to forgive more federal student debt if elected governor.[108]
Moore speaks at the launch of the Service Year Option program, 2023
Moore supports creating a "service year option" in schools, which would enable high school graduates to do a gap year "in exchange for job training, mentorship, and other support including compensatory tuition at a state college or university."[5][111] On January 19, 2023, Moore signed an executive order creating the Maryland Department of Service and Civic Innovation, a cabinet-level agency responsible for establishing a service-year option for all high school graduates.[112] In February, he introduced the SERVE Act to create the "service year option program", which would pay young people $15 per hour for at least 30 hours a week for work in service to the community.[43] The SERVE Act was signed into law in April 2023,[106] and the service year program launched with 280 participating students in October 2023.[113] The program expanded to include 600 participating students in its second year.[114]
Environment and energy
Chesapeake Bay restoration
Moore said he would support Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts by promoting "accountability and enforcement" in Maryland, as well as in neighboring states, use federal funds to upgrade water and wastewater systems, and by increasing the number of environmental inspectors.[115] In October 2022, he told Lancaster Farming that he would develop a plan to accelerate projects to improve water quality and cut carbon emissions in his administration's first 100 days, and supported the restoration of the state's Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund.[116] In July 2023, Moore signed executive orders to refocus cleanup efforts onto shallow areas of the bay and to establish the Council on the Chesapeake and Coastal Bays to research state policy on oyster restoration and harvesting.[117]
In October 2023, Moore was appointed as the chair of the Chesapeake Executive Council.[118] He was re-elected as the council's chair in October 2024, after which he announced that the council's members would revise and simplify the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, with Moore specifically honing in on shallow water habitat restoration efforts. During the 2025 legislative session, Moore will introduce the Bay Legacy Act, which would increase protections for public lands, provide support to agricultural and oyster farmers, and increase the Maryland Department of Natural Resources's water quality monitoring methods.[119]
Data centers
In October 2023, Moore criticized the Maryland Public Service Commission for unanimously rejecting Aligned Data Centers's request to install 168 three-megawatt diesel generators at a data center it hoped to build in Frederick County.[120] During the 2024 legislative session, he introduced legislation that exempts these kinds of generators from environmental review processes;[121] after facing opposition from the Maryland League of Conservation Voters, the bill was amended to require 15% of all tax revenues collected from data center operations to go toward the state's clean energy fund.[122] The bill passed and was signed into law by Moore.[123]
In November 2024, Moore expressed "grave concerns" with the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project—a proposed 70-mile power line that would run from Frederick to Baltimore County to provide power to data centers in Maryland and Virginia—saying that the project lacked community input and effective communication about its impacts.[124]
Electric vehicles
In February 2023, Moore introduced the Clean Transportation and Energy Act, which increases incentives for people and businesses looking to purchase electric trucks and charging stations.[70] In March 2023, he said he supported adopting California's Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) regulation, which would phase out the sale of gas-powered cars in the state by 2035.[125][126] In April 2023, he signed the Clean Transportation and Energy Act and several other bills aimed at strengthening the state's offshore wind energy industry into law.[127] In August 2023, Moore said he supported a proposal by then-Governor Hogan to delay emissions testing on new cars from three to six years—despite initially withdrawing the proposal earlier in his term due to equity concerns—after the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration found that the change would have no severe impacts on equity.[128]
During his 2022 gubernatorial campaign, Moore criticized the Hogan administration for a "failure of executive leadership" on fighting climate change.[115] He supports the renewable energy goals set by the state's Clean Energy Jobs Act of 2019, which called for a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and an electrification of the state's vehicle fleet by 2030, and has said the state should pursue "more ambitious goals" beyond carbon neutrality.[129] He also proposed regulations to achieve 100% clean energy use by 2035 and net zero carbon emissions by 2045, electrify the state's fleet, and prioritize environmental-justice funding.[130] Moore also said that he would establish a "cap-and-invest" program in Maryland, which would tax polluters to provide revenue for clean energy infrastructure and relief in communities of color,[129] and promised to hire a "climate czar" in his administration,[131] whom he appointed in November 2023.[132]
In April 2022, Moore signed a Chesapeake Climate Action Network pledge to support legislation to get Maryland to use 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2035 and to remove trash incineration from the state's "clean energy" classification.[133] In March 2023, he set a goal of achieving 8.5 gigawatts of wind power generation in the state by 2031,[134] which was later codified after he signed the POWER Act in April 2023.[127]
Health and public safety
Crime
Moore has blamed his predecessor, Governor Larry Hogan, for increased violent crime in Maryland, citing his lack of collaboration between his administration and local leaders and legislators.[135] During his 2022 gubernatorial campaign, he called on Hogan to target state resources toward preventing gun violence in Baltimore[136] and campaigned on addressing crime in the city through better cooperation between the city and state, and to leverage these relationships on the federal level to bring more resources into the city.[137][138] In January 2023, Moore told CBS News that he supported a bill that would prohibit charging juveniles with felony murder.[139]
In January 2023, following the release of videos capturing the arrest and police assault of Tyre Nichols, Moore condemned the brutality of the police and thanked the U.S. Department of Justice for opening an investigation into Nichols's death.[140][141] He later said in an interview that Nichols's death only highlighted the need to tackle injustice head-on.[142]
In February 2023, Moore pledged $11 million in funding for the Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center, an agency that serves as a data-sharing platform for law enforcement officials across the state.[143] He also said that his administration would not use a quota system for traffic stops and arrests after a Baltimore Banner investigation found that Maryland State Police supervisors previously demanded troopers hit targets for traffic stops and arrests.[144][145] In June 2023, Moore released $5 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 toward youth intervention efforts to deter violent crime around the state.[135][146]
In July 2023, following mass shootings in Baltimore and Salisbury that left a combined three dead and 34 injured, Moore released a statement expressing his condolences and spoke in support of gun violence prevention efforts in Baltimore.[147][148] He ruled out calls to form a special session to pass legislation to address gun violence, saying it was not needed,[149] but said he supported increased policing and longer sentences for repeat violent offenders.[150]
In January 2024, Moore introduced three bills aimed at improving public safety, including one to create apprenticeships in public safety to increase law enforcement retention and another to compensate victims of crime.[151] He also expressed support for lengthening probation periods for violent juvenile offenders and increasing the severity for gun crimes from misdemeanors to felonies,[152] and another bill to restrict sex offenders' ability to earn "good time" credits that reduce their sentence following the murder of Pava LaPere.[153] He also supported a bill that would allow minors to be charged with certain crimes and enable courts to extend probation limits for juveniles.[154] Moore signed all three bills into law in May 2024.[155][156][157]
In October 2024, after a Howard High School student with a prior criminal record was charged with first-degree murder, Moore ordered a review of how state agencies share information about public school students with violent criminal records.[158]
In 2022, Moore supported a bill to ban the possession and sale of privately made firearms in Maryland. He supports creating a firearms database to help law enforcement track guns used in crimes. In June 2022, Moore condemned the Supreme Court's ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen, calling it a "misguided and dangerous decision." He also opposed Governor Hogan's decision to suspend the state's "good and substantial reason" standard for obtaining a concealed carry permit following the ruling.[159]
In January 2023, Moore attended a Moms Demand Action rally in Annapolis, Maryland, where he said he would support the Gun Safety Act of 2023.[160] The bill would increase the requirements and fees to obtain a handgun permit, strengthen safe storage requirements, and prohibit gun owners from carrying guns near schools, government property, construction areas, or entertainment venues, and from entering someone's property while carrying a firearm unless given permission by the owner.[161] Moore signed the bill into law on May 16, 2023.[162] That same day, the National Rifle Association of America (NRA) filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging the law's location restrictions.[163] In September 2023, two days before the law was set to go into effect, U.S. District Judge George L. Russell III blocked sections of the bill restricting open carry near public demonstrations and private buildings, but upheld the remainder of the bill.[164]
In November 2023, Moore expressed disappointment with a Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that struck down a provision of the state's Firearm Safety Act of 2013 that required handgun owners to obtain a "handgun qualification license" to buy a handgun.[165]
In May 2024, Moore signed into law a bill that would allow the attorney general of Maryland to sue firearms manufacturers and local gun dealerships and another to establish the Center for Firearm Violence Prevention and Intervention, which would oversee collaboration between state agencies, hospitals, and community-based violence intervention programs to decrease violent crimes.[166]
Health care
In an interview with The Daily Record before becoming governor, Moore expressed support for the End-of-Life Options Act, which would allow terminally ill adults to request medical aid in dying.[167]
In January 2023, Moore proposed providing members of the Maryland National Guard with free health and dental care;[87] legislators later amended the bill to cap monthly reimbursements at $60 a month.[44] In May 2023, he signed into law the Josh Siems Act, a bill that would require emergency rooms to include fentanyl testing in toxicology screens.[168]
In May 2024, Moore signed into law the Access to Care Act, which would allow Maryland residents to purchase individual private health care plans through the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange regardless of immigration status.[166]
Moore supports hiring more probation and parole officers, pursuing police misconduct allegations, and increasing resources for law enforcement agencies.[169][170]
During his 2022 gubernatorial campaign, he unveiled a public safety plan that includes improving offender services, improving police diversity, and supporting and funding community-based policing and violence intervention programs.[171][172] He also said that he "believes in policing with maximum accountability and appropriate intensity",[173] and would provide funding for community-based violence intervention programs to address violent crime.[174] In an interview with MSNBC on August 30, 2022, Moore said that he would tackle crime in Baltimore by investing in violence intervention programs like Safe Streets and We Our Us.[175][176] In September 2022, Moore said he would use the "bully pulpit" of the governor's office to help recruit officers[177] and would give the state's Fraternal Order of Police a seat at the table, telling The Washington Post, "I don't think that you can be serious about actually implementing reforms if the agencies that have to be reformed are not part of the process".[2]
Housing and development
As governor, Moore is a member of the Maryland Board of Public Works—a constitutionally appointed body that oversees many aspects of the state's finances—along with the comptroller and the state treasurer. During his first board meeting in January 2023, Moore said the state would work to include more diverse businesses in state contracts.[178][179]
FBI headquarters
Moore and Prince George's County officials celebrate the selection of Greenbelt for the FBI's new headquarters, November 2023
Moore supports relocating the Federal Bureau of Investigation's headquarters to Prince George's County, describing it as a "personal priority" and a matter of equity.[180][181][182] In March 2023, Moore joined Democratic members of Maryland's congressional delegation and Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks in co-signing a letter to President Joe Biden asking him to get involved in the FBI's headquarters selection process.[183] In November 2023, the General Services Administration announced that it would locate the FBI's new headquarters in Greenbelt, Maryland.[184]
Housing
Moore has described himself as a "YIMBY".[185] He supports the right to counsel in eviction cases, saying that providing tenants with access to counsel is "the just thing to do and it is the right thing to do".[186][187] On his campaign website, Moore says he would address the "unfair appraisal values in historically redlined neighborhoods" and provide increased funding for the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development.[2] During a town hall in August 2023, Moore suggested that nonprofits could be used to help lower housing costs in addition to increasing the state's affordable housing inventory and supporting current homeowners.[188]
In January 2024, Moore introduced bills to increase federal funding and reducing barriers for affordable housing projects in the state, especially those around commuter rail stations, as well as legislation establishing a "Tenant's Bill of Rights" and providing additional protections to renters against evictions.[189] While Moore's tenant protections bills passed the legislature unchanged,[190] legislators opted to weaken the Housing Expansion and Affordability Act by removing provisions that would block jurisdictions from using an adequate public facilities ordinance to block the construction of affordable housing and modifying the qualifications needed for affordable housing projects to be eligible for density bonuses.[191]
In October 2024, Moore signed an executive order aimed at removing 5,000 of Baltimore's 13,000 vacant homes within five years.[192]
During the 2025 legislative session, Moore will introduce a bill to increase the state's housing supply.[52]
Sports venues
Governor Moore and Orioles CEO John P. Angelos announcing a memorandum of understanding to extend the Baltimore Orioles's stadium lease, September 2023
In February 2023, Moore announced a $600 million, five-year partnership with the Baltimore Orioles to develop properties around Camden Yards.[193] In September 2023, he and Orioles CEO John P. Angelos announced a memorandum of understanding that would extend the team's lease by 30 years, open development rights inside the park to private developers, and give the Orioles control over stadium operations and maintenance.[194][195] The stadium lease was finalized in December 2023, but an agreement on the team's ground lease and redevelopment plan was postponed until 2027 following concerns from Senate President Bill Ferguson.[196][197] As of September 2024, the ground lease has not yet been finalized, but could be in the "not-too-distant future", according to Orioles CEO David Rubenstein.[198]
Moore supports keeping the Washington Commanders, who are contractually obligated to play at FedExField until September 2027, in Maryland.[199] He initially said that he would not support spending state funds to keep the Commanders in Maryland,[200] but later reiterated that he supported spending some taxpayer money on a new Commanders football stadium "if we know there's going to be a significant societal return on the investment".[201] In November 2024, Moore opposed a federal bill to give Washington, D.C. greater control of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, which would potentially allow the Commanders to move there in 2027, saying that the bill was "not in the best interest of the American taxpayer".[202]
In May 2024, Moore signed into law a bill that would transfer ownership of the Pimlico Race Course to the Maryland Thoroughbred Racetrack Operating Authority, allowing for a state-funded, multi-million dollar renovation project of the race course's track to begin and for the construction of a new training center at a separate location. The bill would also consolidate thoroughbred racing in Maryland to Pimlico and have the Maryland state government assume responsibility over racing operations at the course by next year.[203]
Social issues
Abortion
Governor Wes Moore holds a press conference to endorse bills protecting abortion rights, 2023
In June 2022, following the Supreme Court's ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, Moore said that he would support an amendment to the Maryland Constitution to enshrine abortion access.[204][205] He also pledged to release $3.5 million in funding for the Abortion Care Access Act, a bill passed in the 2022 legislative session that would expand the types of medical professionals who can perform abortions in Maryland, on his first day in office.[206]
On January 19, 2023, Moore signed his first executive order releasing $3.5 million in funding for training healthcare providers in abortion care under the Abortion Care Access Act.[112] In May 2023, he signed into law a pair of bills aimed at protecting patients seeking an abortion and increase access to abortion medication, and a bill creating a 2024 referendum on codifying the right to abortion access into the Maryland Constitution.[207] Question 1 passed with more than three times as many voters voting in favor of it than against it.[208]
During his 2022 gubernatorial campaign, Moore said he supported the Inclusive Schools Act, a bill introduced in the 2022 legislative session that bans schools from discriminating against students based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. He also supported the Trans Health Equity Act, a bill that would have required the state's Medicaid program to cover gender-affirming treatments.[159][215] In December 2022, Moore praised the signing of the Respect for Marriage Act, which codifies same-sex and interracial marriage rights.[216]
In May 2023, Moore signed the Trans Health Equity Act into law[207] and allowed a bill furthering an earlier repeal of the state's sodomy law to become law without his signature.[218] In June 2023, he signed an executive order to protect people or entities that provide gender-affirming care from legal punishments by other states.[219] During the 2024 legislative session, Moore signed into law the Trans Shield Act, which prevents states with anti-trans laws from prosecuting patients or entities within Maryland for providing gender-affirming care.[220]
Marijuana
Moore supported legislation introduced and passed during the 2022 legislative session that created a ballot referendum to legalize recreational marijuana in Maryland, and another bill that would regulate marijuana possession should the referendum pass in November. During his 2022 gubernatorial campaign, Moore talked about implementing a recreational cannabis industry with a focus on equity "so that communities that have experienced the greatest disparities benefit the most."[159][221] Question 4 passed with 67.2 percent of voters approving the measure on November 8, 2022.[222]
In October 2022, Moore praised President Joe Biden's pardon of thousands of people convicted of marijuana possession under federal law,[223][224] and said that he would "fight to expunge the records of those arrested for marijuana possession [as governor]".[225] In June 2024, Moore signed an executive order pardoning about 100,000 people with low-level cannabis-related convictions in Maryland.[226]
In January 2023, Moore signed an executive order releasing $46.5 million to start developing the framework for a recreational marijuana industry in the state, with a majority of the released funds going toward grants for minority-owned firms.[112] In May 2023, he signed a bill regulating the state's recreational marijuana industry.[207]
In May 2023, Moore allowed a bill that prohibits police from stopping a vehicle solely based on if they smell marijuana to become law without his signature.[227]
In May 2024, Moore signed into law a bill to ban the sale of speculative tickets and require ticket vendors to provide consumers with the full price of the ticket—including taxes and fees—and refunds if the ticket is counterfeit or if the event is canceled.[230]
Voting rights
During his 2022 gubernatorial campaign, Moore said he opposed voter-ID legislation introduced by state senator Justin Ready, calling it "voter suppression".[231] In September 2022, Moore said he opposed a lawsuit filed by his Republican opponent, state delegate Dan Cox, against the Maryland State Board of Elections to block the early counting of Maryland's mail-in ballots in the 2022 elections, alleging that Cox was trying to sow distrust and uncertainty in the electoral system.[232] The Maryland Court of Appeals unanimously rejected Cox's arguments to halt early mail-in ballot tabulation in October 2022.[233]
In April 2023, Moore signed a bill to allow counties to begin counting mail-in ballots before Election Day.[234] Before this bill was enacted, Maryland was the only state that restricted the processing of absentee ballots until after Election Day, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.[235]
Transporation
Roads, highways, and bridges
During his 2022 gubernatorial campaign, Moore said he did not support Governor Hogan's plan to widen portions of the Capital Beltway and Interstate 270 using high-occupancy toll lanes, saying that he would instead support a transit line alongside I-270 and a proposed transit line from Prince George's County to Charles County.[129] Critics have accused Moore of flip-flopping on this stance after he told the Maryland Transit Opportunities that he would be willing to dedicate federal funds to the project, issuing a statement afterwards saying that he would be open to toll lanes if there were strong public consensus.[236] In a radio interview with WAMU in July 2022, he said he preferred a "new type of proposal" for the I-270 toll lanes plan that included reversible lanes, increased transit, and greater collaboration with local "stakeholders."[237]
In December 2023, facing a long-term budget shortfall, Moore announced a six-year plan to cut the state's transportation budget by $3.3 billion, or eight percent, including a $1.6 billion cut to "all major highway expansion construction projects" and a $652 million cut to transit expansion projects. The proposed plan would reduce commuter bus services and lines, delay the state's transition to electric buses, and cancel plans to expand the Brunswick Line.[240][241] He later announced a one-year infusion of $150 million to the state's transportation fund, with most of the added funding being used to restore highway user revenue funding, to ease the effects of the cuts.[242] Although the legislature included provisions to raise fees on vehicle registration for electric vehicles and heavier cars to prevent drastic cuts to the state's transportation projects, the Moore administration again proposed $1.3 billion in cuts to Maryland's transportation budget in September 2024, which would delay various infrastructure projects around the state, including the widening of the American Legion Memorial Bridge and the state's transition to electric buses.[53]
In March 2024, following the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, Moore declared a state of emergency[244] and called the disaster a "global crisis".[245] He also thanked Maryland Transportation Authority Police officers for closing the bridge after receiving mayday calls from the MV Dali, which prevented additional deaths during the collapse.[246] In the legislature, Moore supported the PORT Act, a bill introduced by Senate President Bill Ferguson to provide $60 million in financial assistance to workers and businesses affected by the subsequent closure of the Port of Baltimore[247] and introduced a bill that would create a permanent state scholarship for the children of surviving spouses of maintenance workers killed during the bridge collapse, which was later amended into the PORT Act.[248] Moore signed the PORT Act into law in April 2024.[249]
Following the disaster, Moore has urged Congress to pass legislation that would have the federal government cover the costs of rebuilding the bridge.[250][251] As of November 2024, Congress has yet to pass any legislation to provide disaster relief aid toward rebuilding the bridge.[252][253]
Red Line
Moore opposed Governor Hogan's decision to cancel the Red Line, and said during his 2022 gubernatorial campaign that he supported restarting the rail project.[254][255][256] He also called for an "intermodal Red Line, that is built quickly, cost-effectively, and with community input on stops, disruptions, and impact on local businesses".[257]
In November 2022, Moore said he would support creating a regional transit authority for working on Baltimore-area transportation projects.[258]
In his first budget in January 2023, Moore proposed allocating $500 million toward unspecified transportation projects.[68] When asked by the Capital Gazette if this money would be used for the Red Line, Moore said that he had spoken with federal officials about restarting the line and that he did not want to "start from scratch". He also said he planned to use federal funds and public-private partnerships in transportation projects, including the Purple and Red lines.[259] The budget was amended to reduce this funding to $100 million, but also gave the governor the ability to tap the state's "rainy day" fund for an extra $100 million.[260]
On June 15, 2023, Moore announced that he would seek federal funding to restart efforts to build the Red Line.[261]
National politics
Israeli–Palestinian conflict
Moore supports a two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.[262] In December 2022, he attended the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington's legislative breakfast, where he said he would be "very aggressive" in promoting trade between Maryland and Israel and promised that one of his first overseas visits would be to Israel.[263] He expressed solidarity with Israel amid the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel,[264][265] and later supported an immediate ceasefire in the Israel–Hamas war.[262] In October 2024, Moore criticized a Students for Justice in Palestine event at the University of Maryland, College Park held on the one-year anniversary of the October 7 attack to honor Palestinian civilians killed in the Israel–Hamas war, saying that he felt that it was an "inappropriate date for such an event".[266]
During the 2024 presidential election, Moore was a member of the Biden-Harris Campaign National Advisory Board[267] and campaigned for President Joe Biden in Wisconsin[268] and Georgia.[269] He also defended Biden from calls to drop out of the presidential election amid the first 2024 presidential debate, highlighting Biden's accomplishments in office while conceding that the debate was a "rough night" for the president.[270][271] After Biden withdrew from the race on July 21, 2024, Moore endorsed and campaigned for Vice President Kamala Harris.[272][273] After Harris was defeated by former president Donald Trump in the general election on November 5, 2024, Moore pledged to work with the Trump administration, but pledged to push back when necessary,[274] to defend Marylanders' constitutional rights, and restore faith in public institutions and democracy.[275]
During the 2024 United States Senate election in Maryland, Moore endorsed Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks in the Democratic primary over U.S. representative David Trone.[276] He played an active role in campaigning against Republican nominee and former governor Larry Hogan in the general election,[277] with several of his top advisors leaving their positions in the Moore administration to form a political action committee called Unity First PAC to support Alsobrooks and other Democratic nominees downballot.[278][279][280]
Approval ratings
The following are polls of Wes Moore's approval rating among Marylanders.
↑ Key: A – all adults RV – registered voters LV – likely voters V – unclear
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References
↑ "Q&A with Westley Moore". c-span.org. C-SPAN. August 25, 2006. Archived from the original on November 9, 2014. Retrieved July 15, 2022. You know I look at my history and I look at the fact that I am, you know, I'm a social moderate. I'm a, you know, strong fiscal conservative. I'm a military officer. I'm an investment banker and I just happen to be also a registered Democrat.
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