Maryland state senators and delegates always celebrated their return to Annapolis, but this year, there is a decidedly dark mood around the state house.

The budget is all anyone's talking about in Annapolis. Maryland faces a $3 billion dollar budget shortfall and people want to know how Governor Wes Moore and state lawmakers will balance it. The governor announced he has a plan to make $2 billion in cuts -- but didn't provide details.

Maryland lawmakers are preparing to tackle a range of pressing issues as the state’s legislative session kicks off in Annapolis on Wednesday. With a looming budget deficit and potential challenges posed by federal workforce reductions,