Governors Deliver State of the State Addresses in Maryland and Colorado

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore delivered his 2026 State of the State address on February 11, framing it around a 'Protect, deliver, and lead' theme aimed at shielding residents from federal policy impacts and lowering costs. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis delivered his final State of the State address to the Colorado General Assembly on January 15, as he is term-limited and Colorado will elect a new governor in November 2026. In Maryland, Moore proposed a $10 billion investment in public schools and renewed calls to expand housing near transit through the Maryland Transit and Housing Opportunity Act. He also announced a 'Citizenship Maryland' initiative intended to help eligible residents obtain citizenship. In Colorado, Polis outlined a legislative agenda centered on housing, early childhood development, and the economy, while also addressing a significant state budget shortfall by proposing cuts to state agencies and a cap on Medicaid spending, while opposing cuts to K-12 school funding. Reports on Polis's speech differ in emphasis: one account highlights his goal of reaching 100% clean energy in Colorado, including a target of more than 70% of the state's electricity coming from wind and solar by 2030, while another focuses primarily on his handling of the budget shortfall and spending proposals. It remains unresolved how these two sets of priorities—clean energy goals and budget-cutting measures—were balanced or prioritized within the same address. No further legislative action on either governor's proposals has been reported.