Governor Moore Signs Executive Order to Bolster Maryland's Economic Competitiveness

ANNAPOLIS, MD - Governor Wes Moore today signed an executive order to strengthen Maryland’s business climate and catalyze more economic growth in the state. The governor signed the order during a visit to the Frederick Hotel and Conference Center project site in Frederick—a public-private development project that is expected to generate $1.5 billion in new private sector spending over the next 25 years, more than 200 jobs, and more than $4 million in state and local tax revenue annually. 

“With this executive order and in partnership with the General Assembly in the upcoming legislative session, Maryland has an opportunity to change the trajectory of the downward decline that our state’s economy has experienced over the past several years,” said Gov. Moore. “For Maryland to win the decade, we must be clear-eyed about the impediments to growth, develop strategies to deliver short-term and long-term sustainable success, and create the climate that is necessary for businesses and talent to grow and relocate in our state.”

"This executive order offers a clear road map to make Maryland's economy more competitive, robust and equitable," said Maryland Department of Commerce Secretary Kevin Anderson. "We have established the key industries and sectors that we believe hold the greatest potential for growth and success and identified new steps the Department of Commerce can take to help turbocharge our state's economy. We look forward to working with the Governor and our partners in the General Assembly to make this Maryland’s decade.”

The Moore-Miller Administration invested $7.5 million in its Fiscal Year 2025 capital budget in support of the Frederick Hotel and Conference Center project.

"The Downtown Frederick hotel and conference center represents an incredible opportunity for the City of Frederick, Frederick County, and the entire state of Maryland," said Frederick Mayor Michael O'Connor. "In addition to the construction employment, this project will bring more than 200 permanent, good jobs to our community, transform our downtown, and strengthen our local economy by attracting visitors and events that will showcase everything Frederick has to offer. This project represents the gold standard of how public-private partnerships can drive economic g?rowth, and we’re thrilled to see this long-anticipated vision finally becoming a reality."

The executive order includes the following:

• Establishment of the Governor’s Office of Business Advancement. The order creates a new unit within the Department of Commerce – known as the Governor’s Office of Business Advancement – which will provide concierge, white-glove service to businesses seeking to relocate or expand in Maryland. The office will provide a wide range of services from assistance with navigating state permitting requirements to troubleshooting issues with state agencies and identifying financial incentives to close deals. Every executive branch agency will be required to identify a point of contact with whom the office should interface to support its work.
• Establishment of the Maryland Coordinated Permitting Review Council. The order establishes the Maryland Coordinated Permitting Review Council. The council will mirror the very successful federal FAS?T-41 Permitting Council, which seeks to streamline permitting processes for major projects by bringing together relevant agencies that have a permitting or environmental review role. In Maryland’s case, the relevant agencies who could potentially have a role in covered projects will be permanent members of the council, along with the relevant local government agencies who will likely play a role at the local level. 

The executive order also places the Maryland Coordinated Permitting Review Council under the purview of the Department of Planning and defines eligible projects requiring environmental review or permitting authorization that involves infrastructure construction. The Department of Planning is required by the executive order to establish the council no later than July 1, 2025.

• Establishment of a Certified Sites Program. The order requires the Maryland Economic Development Corporation to establish a Certified Sites program, which will engage state, local, and private partners to make infrastructure improvements that build operations-ready sites for investment and business locations in the State. The purpose of the program is to identify commercial and industrial sites that offer significant economic development value; make investments that ready identified sites to accommodate impactful, sustainable, and equitable business expansion, investment, and attraction opportunities; and identify market-readied sites across the state and the country to affirm Maryland as a prime place to invest, locate, and grow business.
• Establishment of a Governor’s Economic Competititiveness Subcabinet. The order creates a new subcabinet that is inclusive of all agencies of the executive branch of state government that touch or influence Maryland’s economic development. Chaired by the secretary of commerce, the subcabinet will advise the governor on policy and regulatory recommendations and interagency strategies, track performance metrics, and will be required to produce a biannual consolidated economic growth strategy for the state.
• Establishment of a Government Loaned Executive Program at the Department of Commerce. The order establishes a Government Loaned Executive Program, which will enhance collaboration between government and the private sector through temporary assignments of private sector executives to the Department of Commerce to cultivate a culture of innovation and excellence and bring private sector best practices to the department to more effectively execute its mission and goals.
• Directs an all-of-government approach to supporting priority industries and sectors. The order identifies the lighthouse industries and sectors identified by the Department of Commerce: life sciences, information technology, aerospace and defense; as well as emerging subsectors such as computational biology, quantum technology, and position, navigation, and timing. This section directs state government agencies to leverage existing resources to support the growth and success of these target industries and sectors.
• Directs the Department of Commerce to coordinate economic development, marketing, and branding efforts with local governments. The order directs the Department of Commerce to develop strategies to establish formal economic development, marketing, and branding campaign plans in concert with local governments to promote industries and sectors.
• Directs a comprehensive review of Business Tax Credit, Financial Assistance and Incentive Programs. The order requires agency members of the Governor’s Economic Competitiveness Subcabinet to develop methodologies and return on investment analyses of business tax credits, business assistance, and business incentive programs.
• Directs the evaluation and review of Certain Business Licensing Programs. The order requires the evaluation and review of two “front door” business licensing processes that are critical to doing business in Maryland: Charter Business Services at the State Department of Assessments and Taxation and the Minority Business Enterprise Certification Program at the Maryland Department of Transportation. Both licensing and certification processes have been identified by the business community as pain points and impact the state’s business climate. The order requires both departments to review business processes related to their certification process and identify recommendations, including potential automation, of certain process flows to promote efficiencies.

To generate increased upward economic momentum under the Moore-Miller Administration, Gov. Moore is advancing an ambitious economic growth agenda that includes the executive order he signed today. Since the Moore-Miller Administration took office in January 2023, more than 60,000 jobs have been created in the state and more than $4 billion in private sector investments have been generated to support various economic development projects across the state.

In partnership with the General Assembly, the governor has also successfully enacted pieces of legislation geared at improving Maryland’s business climate, strengthening our competitive advantage in key industries and sectors, and bolstering our talent eco-system, including the Critical Infrastructure Streamlining Act, the Transparent Government Act, Housing Expansion and Affordability Act, and the Pava LaPere Legacy of Innovation Act.

The full text of the executive order is available here.