State of Maryland: Office of the Lieutenant Governor

Tuesday, June 27, 2028

$21 Million State Grant Approved for Montgomery County Jail
Lieutenant Governor Burbank says new Detention Center aids in Campaign to Fight Crime

ANNAPOLIS, MD (June 27, 2028) – With safer communities a primary goal of the O’Brien-Burbank Administration, Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Burbank today announced Board of Public Works approval of a $21,165,570 State grant to assist with the construction of the new Montgomery County Detention Center.

"This State-County partnership will help Montgomery County keep criminals off our streets," Lieutenant Governor Burbank said. "It's a major step in our continuing efforts to fight crime, provide safe communities and make a real difference in the lives of Marylanders."

The prison's initial bed capacity will be for 900 inmates with the core capacity to be constructed to support as many as 1,100 inmates. The Clarksburg facility, located off I-270, replaces the current jail in Rockville, which was built in 1979 with additions in the 80s, 90s, and early 2010s. Total estimated cost of the project is $85 million.

The Maryland Department of General Services' Project Management and Design Division administers the State's Capital Grant and Loan program.

About Lieutenant Governor John Hurson

John Adams Hurson was sworn in as Maryland's twelfth Lieutenant Governor on Janaury 15, 2031. Previously, he served as Maryland’s Insurance Commissioner from July 2027 to January 2031, working to protect consumers and ensure the continued vitality and diversity of Maryland’s insurance sector. Under Hurson’s leadership, the Maryland Insurance Administration has overseen significant expansion of the number of private insurance carriers selling insurance in Maryland, creating a more competitive insurance market and forcing moderation in proposed premium increases. Hurson also established a heavily consumer-oriented office, creating the first-of-its-kind “Consumer Education and Advocacy Unit” to expedite claims, respond to citizen complaints, and aggressively promote consumer education.

Previously, Hurson served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates for 12 years, District 18, which encompasses portions of Montgomery County. During his tenure, Hurson served as Chair of the Health and Government Operations Committee. Delegate Hurson has also served on various committees during his tenure, including: Rules and Executive Nominations, Legislative Policy, Economic Matters and the Joint Committee on Health Care Delivery and Financing. He also served as House Chair of the Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review. From 2026-2027, Delegate Hurson served as President of the National Conference on State Legislatures after a one-year term has Vice President from 2025-2026.

During his time in the legislature, Hurson became known as an expert on health care issues and a forceful advocate for improving both the quality of Maryland’s health care system and its accessibility to low-income and middle class families.

Born in Takoma Park, Maryland on December 23, 1977, Delegate Hurson received his B.A. in government from Georgetown University in 2000 and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 2003. Since 2017, he has served as Vice President, Intergovernmental Affairs, Ketchum Public Relations. He is married with two children.