Advocacy & Legislative Efforts
The Maryland Transportation Builders and Materials Association (MTBMA) has been and continues to serve as the voice for Maryland’s transportation industry since 1932. We are dedicated to promoting and protecting the needs of the transportation industry. We proactively work with regulatory agencies & governing bodies by establishing & maintaining relationships with federal, state, and local public officials to represent our industry's interests and to advocate for adequate funding for Maryland’s multimodal transportation system.
In addition to our Political Action Committee (PAC), Legislative Committee, and MTBMA staff, we work with top-rated lobbying firms in Maryland to ensure our voice is heard. These tools keep us on the forefront of legislators' minds, and at the top of their priority list. As the preeminent voice for the industry in Maryland, MTBMA maintains an active role all year long. Consistency is key in the political realm; if you don’t continue to show up, your issues and concerns are forgotten. We are here to ensure our industry's voice will always be heard, ultimately ensuring the importance of transportation investment is never forgotten.
While our voice is loud all year long, we are particularly active during the legislative session in Maryland, which runs from January through April each year. With the help of our lobbying team, our legislative committee reviews all legislation to assess its impact on our industry. Together, we submit numerous pieces of written testimony and deliver oral testimony on bills, either showing our support or opposition. Any legislation we find in direct conflict with our needs, we push our lobbyists to amend in our favor. We have become a vocal supporter of bills that help bolster our industry.
Visit the MTBMA PAC page to get more involved.
Our Priorities
Funding
MTBMA champions increased funding for all transportation modes in Maryland by: supporting legislation to boost transportation investment, opposing regulatory barriers that add project delays and drive up costs, backing major infrastructure projects to boost the economy and create jobs, and engaging in key discussions that explore innovative funding solutions to address the state’s fiscal challenges.
MTBMA aligns with the Together for Transportation Funding Coalition (TTF), a group of diverse transportation experts & stakeholders committed to the solving the transportation funding crisis in Maryland. These advocacy efforts have contributed to an estimated $233.2 million increase in the Transportation Trust Fund revenues.
Visit TTF to learn more.
Fairness
MTBMA strongly values fair opportunities, especially for state tax payer funded projects. We are aligned with the MD Coalition for Fairness & Open Competition, which advocates against mandated project labor agreements PLAs). We feel strongly that state public works projects should not be providing unions a monopoly on jobs and contracts, while raising taxpayer costs.
The reality is that 85% of minority-owned contractors are excluded from jobs with mandated PLAs. This hurts our economy and small, minority-owned businesses.
Visit MD4Fairness to learn more.
Engagement
Above all else, MTBMA values industry voices, and amplifies them – whether that is through testimony at regional planning boards, at legislative hearings, or through valuable meetings – our industry is heard. We have spearheaded a variety of initiatives that result in billboards, mass digital campaigns, frequent events, thousands of letters to legislators, and unified messaging campaigns.
MTBMA has a robust presence in Annapolis with strong legislative & governmental relationships. We collaborate with community members, legislators, and business owners to make meaningful change.
Visit the MTBMA PAC page to get more involved.
MTBMA’s Legislative Committee is hard at work and dedicated to being the voice for its members by meeting and speaking with legislators, following important bills, and pushing for the necessary changes. We encourage our members to get involved in the legislative process and welcome your thoughts & concerns.
Click here to download MTBMA's 2024 Legislative Session Report.
MTBMA Committee Chair:
Megan B. Owings, David A. Bramble Inc.
MTBMA Committee Members:
Barry Catterton, CES Consulting LLC
Chuck Wall, Seyfarth Shaw
Greg Andricos, Wagman, Inc.
Jay Baldwin, Reliable Contracting Co. Inc.
Michael Higgins, Concrete General, Inc.
Pete Placke, Gray & Son, Inc.
David Slaughter, M. Luis Construction Co. Inc.
Dave Smith, Martin Marietta
Marc Kmec, Martin Marietta
Stephen Skippen, Skanska USA Civil SE, Inc.
Miguel Lambert, The Bulldog Group
Naumaan Nasir, Nasir and Associates, LLC
Barret Tucker, Allan Myers
Gerry Evans, MTBMA
Hayley Evans, MTBMA
Rachel Clark, MTBMA
Laura Strange, MTBMA
Michael Sakata, MTBMA
Mary Ellen Tokar, MTBMA