On the Issues

We are truly at an inflection point — here in Maryland and across our country. The status quo that has defined our politics for decades is no longer delivering results for people. Too many families are struggling to afford the basics, trust in government has never been lower, and our communities have never felt more divided.

Yet, despite all of that, I still believe government can be a force for good. I believe it because I’ve lived it. Without programs like Medicaid, Free and Reduced Meals in School, and Pell Grants, I wouldn’t have had the same opportunities in life. Those investments made all the difference for me — and I want every Marylander to have that same chance.

That’s why I’m in public service: to ensure government works for people again, to restore trust, and to expand opportunity for every Marylander.

I also want to continue to hear from you! If there is anything that you would like to talk further about, or have your own ideas please reach out to dylan@dylanbehler.com

Every day, life in Maryland is getting more expensive — and one of the biggest drivers of that is skyrocketing energy rates. For too long, big utility companies have put profits over people, squeezing Maryland families while their shareholders reap the rewards. I’m fighting to change that and make energy more affordable for everyone. My priorities in the House include:

Refusing corporate utility money. I don’t — and won’t — take campaign donations from Maryland’s energy monopolies. These corporations have had too much influence in Annapolis for too long, and it’s time to put ratepayers first.

Protecting Marylanders from paying for data centers. Data centers are expanding rapidly across the country, driving up demand — and costs — for electricity. While they bring economic opportunity, Marylanders should not be footing the bill for their massive energy needs, whether they’re built here or in neighboring states like Virginia.

Expanding battery storage. Building on the Next Generation Energy Act passed in 2025, we must rapidly scale up battery storage so we can store clean energy and make renewables a more reliable part of our grid.

Cutting red tape for renewables. Maryland should be a national leader in solar and wind energy. That means streamlining permitting and offering more incentives for solar panels on rooftops, schools, and parking lots — not just large utility-scale projects.
As a proud graduate of Anne Arundel County Public Schools, I’m living proof that when we invest in education, we invest in people’s potential. Growing up, I relied on programs like Free and Reduced Meals and Pell Grants to have an equal shot — and that opportunity changed my life. Every child in Maryland deserves that same chance to dream big, learn deeply, and succeed — no matter their ZIP code or income level. That’s why I’m committed to ensuring every student has access to a world-class education and that every teacher has the support, pay, and respect they deserve. My priorities in the House include:

Protecting public education funding. I am a firm no on any effort to divert or expand public dollars for private school voucher or scholarship programs. Taxpayer money should strengthen our public schools — not weaken them.

Fully funding the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. We must uphold our commitment to the Blueprint and make sure every school — from Annapolis to South County — has the resources, staff, and programs needed to deliver a truly world-class education.

Supporting and respecting our teachers. Teaching has never been harder, and too many educators are leaving the profession. We must raise teacher pay, reduce administrative burdens, and create meaningful career advancement opportunities so that Maryland remains one of the best places in the nation to teach.

Expanding early childhood education. Every dollar we invest in pre-K and early childhood programs pays dividends for decades. We must expand access to affordable, high-quality early learning so that all Maryland children enter kindergarten ready to thrive.

Modernizing school infrastructure. No child should have to learn in a classroom with leaking roofs, outdated HVAC systems, or unsafe conditions. We must accelerate investments in safe, energy-efficient, and climate-resilient school buildings — because healthy learning environments lead to better outcomes.

Strengthening career and technical education. College isn’t the only path to success. By expanding CTE programs, apprenticeships, and partnerships with local businesses, we can prepare students for good-paying careers in the trades, clean energy, and emerging industries right here in Maryland.

Ensuring equity and inclusion in every classroom. Our schools must be safe and welcoming for all students — regardless of race, gender identity, sexual orientation, or immigration status. We must stand firmly against book bans, censorship, and efforts to erase the diverse experiences that make our communities strong.
Distrust in government, in our Democratic processes, in our institutions, and in our leaders has never been higher - and we must do everything in our power to restore that trust before we can even begin to address the challenges that so many Marylanders are facing. To do this, my priorities in the House include:

Reforming our broken campaign finance system by creating public campaign financing for candidates running at the State and local levels. Currently candidates running for Governor and for local office in several counties (including Anne Arundel County) are able to utilize public financing. By creating a public financing system we can make Marylanders voices heard in our elections as opposed to the special interests.

Cutting red tape and ending overly bureaucratic processes in order to show that government can still work. We must do more to make government more responsive to show that it can still solve the problems that we are facing – it is far too hard to do important things like start a business or build a home.
Here in Anne Arundel County and Annapolis, we’re very much a bedroom community — where most people rely on a car to get to work, school, or just around town. That makes reliable, well-maintained infrastructure essential to daily life. We need to focus on both the big picture — like long-overdue major transportation upgrades — and the small things that make a real difference, like fixing potholes and improving neighborhood roads.

At the same time, the only real way to reduce congestion and make it easier for people to get around is by expanding public transportation and building out our bike and trail networks. Investing in these systems not only cuts traffic but also connects our communities, reduces emissions, and gives people real, affordable alternatives to sitting in traffic every day. My priorities in the House include:

Fixing our roads and bridges — and protecting the Transportation Trust Fund. From neighborhood potholes to major routes like Route 2, Route 50, and Route 214, maintaining safe, reliable roads is essential for families and businesses alike. I’ll do everything I can to ensure that the Transportation Trust Fund remains protected and used as intended — to repair, modernize, and strengthen Maryland’s transportation network.

Expanding public transportation and regional connectivity. Annapolis is one of the few capital cities in the nation not directly connected to Baltimore or Washington, D.C. by rail — and it’s time we start those conversations. Expanding regional connections will reduce traffic, expand opportunity, and cut emissions. I also support local efforts to bring a historic rail car to Annapolis as part of preserving our transportation heritage and sparking dialogue about our region’s future mobility.

Building and connecting bike and pedestrian trails. Trails like the B&A Trail have become vital transportation and recreation corridors for our residents. We must keep expanding and connecting these systems to provide safe, accessible alternatives to driving while strengthening our local economies and promoting healthier, more active communities.

Building a sustainable and climate-resilient transportation future. We must align Maryland’s transportation investments with our climate goals. That’s why I support the Transportation and Climate Alignment Act, which would hold the Maryland Department of Transportation accountable for measuring greenhouse gas emissions from major transportation projects.
Climate change is real — and we don’t have to look any further than right here in Annapolis to see its impacts. With dozens of regularly occurring flooding events each year, we must do everything we can to prepare our communities and mitigate the effects of a changing climate. My priorities in the House include:

Fighting for environmental justice. We must ensure that permitting decisions account for the health and well-being of surrounding communities — so we’re not continually subjecting our most vulnerable neighbors to the impacts of polluting facilities. That’s why I support legislation like the CHERISH Act to make our environmental policies more equitable and just.

Creating resilient financing and infrastructure strategies. We need creative, dedicated funding sources to amplify the work of local entities like the Resilience Authority of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County — so we can further invest in stormwater infrastructure, flood barriers, and nature-based solutions like living shorelines and wetlands restoration. Without sustainable funding and infrastructure investments, we will simply be unprepared for future flooding, storms, and natural disasters.

Expanding electrification. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we must expand the electrification of our buildings and transportation systems — and do it by investing in renewable energy sources that strengthen our energy independence and lower costs for families.

Creating good-paying green jobs and workforce opportunities. Transitioning to a clean energy economy is also a chance to grow Maryland’s middle class. We must partner with trade unions, community colleges, and apprenticeship programs to train Marylanders for the jobs of the future — from solar installation and offshore wind to energy-efficient construction and electric vehicle infrastructure.

Expanding clean, accessible public transit. Transportation is Maryland’s largest source of emissions, and investing in transit is one of the most direct ways to cut them. We must expand electric vehicle charging networks, improve bus and rail connectivity, and make it easier for people to choose walking, biking, and public transit — improving air quality and reducing congestion at the same time.

Holding major polluters accountable. Corporations that profit while harming our communities must pay their fair share. Legislation like the Coal Ash Transport Bill will help ensure that polluters — not Maryland families — bear the costs of cleaning up their mess.
The Chesapeake Bay is central to our way of life, our economy, and our identity as Marylanders — my first job was even steaming crabs and shucking oysters down in Galesville! While we’ve made progress in cleaning up our waters, there’s still more work to do to protect the Bay for future generations. My priorities in the House include:

Expanding oyster restoration by growing spat production, incentivizing more shucking houses here in Maryland to ensure we have enough shell for restoration, and protecting our oyster sanctuaries.

Boosting aquaculture by cutting unnecessary red tape, making it easier to start aquaculture ventures, and opening more areas of the Bay for sustainable aquaculture use.

Leading on climate-based fisheries management to protect critical species like striped bass and blue crabs as salinity, oxygen, and nutrient levels continue to shift with climate change.

Protecting and modernizing the Bay Restoration Fund by expanding its authority to invest in science-based solutions, including upgrades to failing septic systems and agricultural best practices.

Holding major polluters accountable and reducing nutrient and sediment runoff from agriculture and stormwater that continue to threaten the Bay’s health.

The Chesapeake Bay isn’t just our namesake — it’s our home, and I’m committed to ensuring it thrives for generations to come.
Donald Trump and his allies have made it clear — they want to roll back decades of progress and strip states like Maryland of the ability to protect our rights, our environment, and our democracy. I believe Maryland must always be ready to stand up and say no when Washington tries to tell us who we can be or how we can govern. My priorities in the House include:

Defending Maryland’s values against attacks from extremist politicians in Washington who want to overturn reproductive rights, weaken environmental protections, and undermine our democracy.

Protecting state authority to make our own decisions on issues like health care, climate, and public safety — free from partisan interference by Trump-era federal courts or agencies.

Keeping Maryland a model of progress by strengthening our own laws, from reproductive freedom to clean energy standards, even when the federal government backtracks.

Standing with and investing in our Attorney General to challenge federal overreach and protect Marylanders in court when their rights or freedoms are threatened.

We’ve seen what happens when the federal government tries to impose a far-right agenda on the states — and I’ll always fight to ensure Maryland remains a place where freedom, fairness, and facts still matter.
Our diversity is our strength — not just here in Annapolis, but across all of Maryland. Yet across the nation, we’re seeing unprecedented attacks on marginalized communities. Our immigrant neighbors are under attack. Our African American communities are under attack. Our LGBTQIA+ communities are under attack. Those who seek to divide us want to turn us against one another — but together, we will stand up, speak out, and fight back against hate and oppression. My priorities in the House include:

Protecting immigrant communities. I will work to ensure Maryland is not a safe haven for ICE, including by supporting legislation — like what California has passed — to ban masked or unidentified federal agents from operating in our state.

Defending privacy and safety. We must strengthen Maryland’s data privacy laws to ensure that sensitive personal information about our residents is never shared with the federal government for targeting or harassment. Maryland will not be complicit in these violations of civil rights.

Protecting Healthcare for LGBTQIA+ Community Members. Transgender Americans continue to be threatened every day by the Federal Government and in State's across the Country. I will fight every day to make Maryland a leader in protecting access to gender affirming care. I will also fighting to ensure that Maryland is a place where any Marylander can access other healthcare like PREP and PEP.
I am unequivocally pro-choice — and I’m proud to live in a state that continues to lead the nation in protecting a woman’s right to choose. Here in Maryland, we’ve made remarkable progress to safeguard reproductive health care, including enshrining the right to choose in our state constitution.

But as we face ongoing attacks from extremists in Washington and other states, our work is far from over. In the House, my priorities include:

Ensuring Maryland steps in to backfill federal funding cuts to reproductive health care providers.

Protecting access to critical medications like Mifepristone for Marylanders across the state.

Because every person deserves the freedom to make their own health care decisions — without interference from politicians.