💥 The Big Beautiful Bill: 10 Ways It Will Reshape Maryland—for Better and Worse
By Barry O’Connell The Maryland Wire
President Trump’s newly signed “One Big Beautiful Bill” is a sprawling 1,200-page legislative behemoth that promises sweeping changes to taxes, healthcare, immigration, energy, and education. While Republicans hail it as a fiscal and patriotic triumph, Maryland officials—from Governor Wes Moore to County Executives—are sounding alarms over its potential fallout.
Here are the 10 biggest provisions and how they’ll impact Marylanders:
1. 💸 Tax Cuts for Middle-Income Families
- Impact: A median-income Maryland family with two kids could see $8,900–$15,500 in annual savings.
- Upside: More take-home pay, especially for tipped workers and those earning overtime.
- Downside: These cuts are offset by deep reductions in federal aid, which could strain state budgets
.2. 🏥 Medicaid Work Requirements
- Impact: Over 56,000 Marylanders may lose coverage due to new 80-hour/month work mandates.
- Upside: Supporters argue it promotes workforce participation.
- Downside: Vulnerable populations—including seniors and disabled adults—face coverage disruptions and administrative chaos.
3. 🛒 SNAP Restructuring
- Impact: Maryland must now pay $572.5 million annually to maintain food assistance for 684,000 residents.
- Upside: The bill claims to reduce fraud and promote fiscal responsibility.
- Downside: Local governments may be forced to cut other services or raise taxes to cover the gap.
4. 🧾 SALT Deduction Cap Raised
- Impact: Marylanders in high-tax counties benefit from a temporary increase in the SALT deduction cap—from $10,000 to $40,000.
- Upside: Relief for homeowners in Montgomery, Howard, and Anne Arundel counties.
- Downside: The cap reverts in 2030, and benefits phase out for earners above $500,000.
5. 🧪 Cuts to Clean Energy Incentives
- Impact: Maryland could lose $840 million in clean energy investments.
- Upside: Fossil fuel industries gain ground.
- Downside: Solar and wind projects stall, costing 14,400 jobs and raising household energy bills by $330/year by 2030.
6. 🏥 Defunding Planned Parenthood
- Impact: Clinics across Maryland may lose Medicaid reimbursements for non-abortion services.
- Upside: Applauded by anti-abortion advocates.
- Downside: Over 1 million low-income patients could lose access to cancer screenings, STI testing, and prenatal care.
7. 🧑🎓 Student Loan Overhaul
- Impact: Income-driven repayment plans are replaced, and PLUS loans are capped.
- Upside: Pushes universities to lower tuition and improve accountability.
- Downside: Maryland students may face higher out-of-pocket costs and fewer options for graduate education.
8. 🏗️ Border Security Spending
- Impact: Over $140 billion allocated nationally; Maryland receives $625 million for FIFA World Cup security and $500 million for drone threat detection.
- Upside: Boosts local law enforcement and emergency preparedness.
- Downside: Critics argue it’s militarized overkill with little relevance to Maryland’s actual border needs.
9. 🏥 Private Insurance Shake-Up
- Impact: 70,000 Marylanders may lose coverage as enhanced ACA tax credits expire.
- Upside: Encourages market competition.
- Downside: Premiums projected to rise 17.1% in 2026, hitting small business owners and gig workers hardest.
10. 🧓 Impact on Long-Term Care
- Impact: Nursing homes—80% Medicaid-funded—face reimbursement cuts and staffing mandates.
- Upside: Some rural hospitals may benefit from a $50 billion national fund.
- Downside: Urban facilities like Johns Hopkins and MedStar brace for budget shortfalls and patient overflow.
🧭 What’s Next for Maryland?
Governor Moore has called the bill “a nightmare for Maryland families,” and state agencies are scrambling to model its fiscal impact. A special legislative session may be on the horizon to address the $2 billion annual shortfall in healthcare and food assistance.
For Marylanders, the “Big Beautiful Bill” is a mixed bag—some will see tax relief and new investment, while others face coverage loss, rising costs, and institutional strain. The challenge now is navigating the trade-offs and protecting the most vulnerable.