2025 Legislative Review: Del. Matt Morgan
Delegate Matt Morgan
Republican, 29A
As the Maryland General Assembly’s 2025 legislative session concludes, it’s an opportune time to evaluate the impact of lawmakers across the state. Delegate Matt Morgan (R-29A) participated actively—sponsoring or co-sponsoring over 100 pieces of legislation—but the outcomes raise important questions about strategy, influence, and priorities.
District 29A
Delegate Morgan supported 4 bills as a primary sponsor this year. However, none of the bills he authored advanced out of committee, and one was withdrawn before it could be heard. In contrast, he co-sponsored numerous bipartisan bills—many of which passed with broad support. These included legislation focused on veterans’ health, healthcare transparency, and telehealth access—areas where coalition-building across party lines helped move the needle.
A significant portion of Delegate Morgan’s legislative energy was devoted to initiatives aligned with the Maryland Freedom Caucus, a group advocating for a hardline conservative platform. Their priorities typically emphasize limiting government regulation, loosening gun control laws, and pushing back on progressive policies, especially around public health, education, and LGBTQ+ rights.
Some of the more high-profile bills Morgan co-sponsored this session include:
HB0156: Fairness in Girls’ Sports Act – aimed to ban transgender athletes from competing in girls’ sports. Supporters said this bill would protect opportunities in girls sports, while opponents contended the bill was discriminatory and would restrict local school system’s control over decision making. (Failed)
HB0353: Constitutional Carry Act – sought to eliminate Maryland’s handgun permit requirement. Gun control advocates argued the bill could lead to more firearms in public places without adequate training or oversight. Proponents claimed current law was a violation of the second amendment, despite it being upheld by the Supreme Court of the United States this year. (Failed)
HB1399: Protect the Kids Act – proposed banning gender affirming care for minors. Those in favor said this bill was safeguarding children from what they considered premature medical decisions. Opponents said the bill was government overreach and would insert lawmakers into a decision made by medical professionals, their patients, and the patient’s legal guardian. (Failed)
While such legislation may resonate with parts of Morgan’s political base, it raises questions about whether this focus is yielding meaningful outcomes for constituents—especially when balanced against more immediate local needs.
Some of Morgan’s most productive efforts came when he stepped outside Freedom Caucus boundaries and joined bipartisan initiatives. Several co-sponsored bills passed with broad support, including:
HB0011: Expanding access to non-participating health providers. This bill was widely supported by healthcare advocacy groups and professionals interested in expanding access to specialized care, especially in underserved areas.
HB0448: Modernization of Military Laws Act – simplifying military legal processes and directing policy development for life transitions of veterans, service members, and military families.
HB0738: Strengthening oversight of major IT development projects to limit project cost overruns and delays while enhancing transparency and accountability in the management of those projects.
HB0869: Preserve Telehealth Access Act – ensuring continued access to remote healthcare, particularly important in rural communities by removing sunset date on telehealth services eligible for Medicaid reimbursement. It was strongly backed by the Maryland Rural Health Association.
These successes demonstrate that Morgan is most impactful when collaborating across the aisle to work with Democrats. A total of 3,269 bills were introduced this session and 878 were passed. Overall, that means the General Assembly passed 26.8% of the legislation proposed, similar to Delegate Morgan’s score above.
One area where Delegate Morgan’s record appears thin is in addressing important local priorities for northern St. Mary’s County. Things like investment in community and recreational spaces, traffic infrastructure, economic development, and housing were nowhere to be found.
Unlike other St. Mary’s representatives, Morgan did not file and bond initiatives that could have brought to his district important funding to address these needs. Among his accomplishment, Morgan counted the nearly $2.27M secured in the State’s Capital Budget for Charlotte Hall Veterans Home. But Delegate Morgan voted against HB351, the bill authorizing this project. Prioritizing divisive policy based on ideology leaves an absence of district-focused initiatives to address real problems residents are facing.
Delegate Morgan’s commitment to his political values is consistent. Still, his 2025 record suggests that the focus on divisive, ideological legislation has come at the expense of tangible wins for the district.
