Maryland and Kansas Governors Deliver 2026 State of the State Addresses

In January and February 2026, two U.S. governors delivered their respective State of the State addresses to their state legislatures as part of the annual tradition. Kansas Governor Laura Kelly addressed a joint session of the Kansas Legislature on January 14, marking her eighth and final such address before leaving office. Maryland Governor Wes Moore delivered his fourth State of the State address in February, according to PBS NewsHour. In her address, Kelly urged lawmakers to invest in K-12 public schools, water resources, and early-childhood initiatives, and cautioned the Republican-led Legislature against pursuing what she described as unsustainable tax reductions. Moore's speech addressed utility costs, public safety, education, and the state budget. PBS NewsHour reported that Moore's address came days after he was uninvited from a National Governors Association dinner at the White House that this year hosted only Republican governors, and amid reported tension with President Trump over threats to deploy National Guard troops to Democratic-led cities. Both addresses represent the governors' policy priorities for the current legislative session, though specific legislative outcomes or responses from lawmakers were not detailed in the available reporting. The two events are unrelated beyond both being part of the 2026 State of the State address cycle. Details regarding the NGA dinner exclusion and the specific nature of the National Guard dispute involving Maryland were reported by only one source and remain unconfirmed by independent corroboration.