A scathing audit released Wednesday by Maryland's Office of Legislative Audits revealed that the state's Social Services Administration (SSA) may have placed foster children in homes where registered sex offenders lived, among numerous other failings. The 70-page audit detailed problems ranging from lack of medical care for foster children to children being housed in hotels instead of permanent homes. According to the audit, from May 2020 to May 2024, the SSA failed to ensure criminal background checks were conducted on workers interacting with children. One employee was charged with sexual assault of a minor.
The findings have prompted Maryland lawmakers to schedule hearings in the coming weeks to address what they describe as a 'broken' agency. The audit also documented nearly $700,000 in penalties for failing to meet federal foster care service requirements. These issues date back to 2008, according to the report.
In a separate but related matter, community members and elected officials packed a public hearing Tuesday evening to voice fierce opposition to a Baltimore County landfill's request to discharge additional potentially toxic runoff into the Gunpowder River. Nearly 200 people attended, raising concerns about harm to local waterways.
Meanwhile, Senate President Bill Ferguson expressed hesitation about committing to legislation to redraw Maryland's congressional districts before the next Census, despite bills being sponsored by Del. David Moon and Sen. Clarence Lam. The proposed redistricting is a response to similar efforts in Texas and other states aimed at shoring up Republican majorities ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
In political news, Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman launched her reelection bid on Wednesday, seeking four more years to continue modernizing the office. Additionally, a new state park will celebrate the Howard family, who founded the AFRO-American newspaper chain. The family's history, hidden for decades within Patuxent River State Park, showcases their journey from slavery to building a thriving community.
Other notable stories include the lack of free public pools in Baltimore County, contrasting with Baltimore City's 16 free pools, several newly renovated using $41 million in Covid-19 relief funds. Microsoft is also opening a new quantum research center near the University of Maryland in College Park, part of a push to make the state a hub for quantum science.
For more details, read the full audit findings at The Baltimore Sun and follow legislative updates at Maryland Matters.
