Our Advocacy at Work: 2025
At the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, advocacy is at the heart of what we do. Every day, we work to ensure that the voice of Maryland’s business community is heard loud and clear in Annapolis and beyond.
Through strategic engagement with lawmakers, coalition-building across industries and persistent policy leadership, we champion pro-business legislation and push back on regulations that hinder economic growth. This page highlights the tangible results of our advocacy efforts — how we've helped shape a stronger, more competitive business climate across the state. From protecting small businesses to advancing workforce development, our impact is measurable, meaningful and made possible by the support of our members.
This isn’t politics — it’s business protection for Maryland’s economy
From family businesses to major employers, we amplify every Maryland business voice. One business owner calling gets ignored; 1,000+ speaking together gets results.
93% Success Rate
200+ Business-Relevant Bills Closely Tracked
100,000+ Messages to Lawmakers Sent
400+ Business Leaders Testified in Annapolis
30 Industry Groups & Chambers Collaborated
The Bottom Line
These victories protect jobs, prevent new costs and help keep Maryland competitive with states like Virginia, North Carolina and Texas. But more harmful proposals are sure to return in Session 2026, and the business community's engagement will be needed more than ever.
A CLOSER LOOK
2025 Legislative Wins
Every legislative session brings hundreds of bills that could raise costs, add red tape and put Maryland businesses — and jobs — at a disadvantage. In 2025, the Maryland Chamber stood as the leading statewide voice for competitiveness and successfully defeated or reshaped proposals that would have made it even harder for businesses to grow and invest here.
A CLOSER LOOK
Taxes
Maryland's tax environment ranks among the worst in the country for business competitiveness. We rank 46th in cost of doing business and 47th in corporate tax competitiveness. High taxes don't just hurt businesses — they drive away jobs, reduce investment and make it harder for working families to get ahead when companies choose other states.
A CLOSER LOOK
Labor Mandates
2025 saw a wave of labor legislation that would have added costs, stripped employers of flexibility and made it harder to create jobs in Maryland. From expanded paid leave mandates to rigid scheduling rules and increased misclassification penalties, these proposals were often written without meaningful input from job creators who understand real-world business operations.
A CLOSER LOOK
Unlimited Liability
Lawmakers tried to eliminate Maryland's cap on noneconomic damages, which would have opened every business to unlimited lawsuit liability. This would have made Maryland one of the riskiest states in the country for business operations, threatening job creation and economic growth across all industries and communities.
A CLOSER LOOK
Tech & AI Regulation
Maryland legislators introduced sweeping bills in 2025 to regulate artificial intelligence, digital services and data privacy — often in ways that were premature, duplicative, or too broad to implement effectively. These regulations wouldn't just impact large tech companies — they'd affect every business using modern tools to hire, advertise, serve customers, or improve operations.
A CLOSER LOOK
Climate Mandates (BEPS)
Maryland's proposed Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS) aimed to reduce emissions from commercial properties but lacked cost estimates, clear compliance paths, or protections for businesses and working families. The proposals threatened to impose massive retrofit costs and ongoing compliance fees without considering the impact on job creation and business competitiveness.
A CLOSER LOOK
Permitting & Regulatory Consistency
Maryland's permitting delays, licensing bottlenecks and fragmented local policies are quietly strangling job creation and business growth. Companies face long wait times, duplicative processes and inconsistent rules depending on where they operate — even within the same industry. This drives investment to states with clearer, faster processes.