Key takeaways: Commerce Secretary Harry Coker said balancing Maryland’s billion-dollar budget will be “front-and-center” this session. Coker highlighted over $4 billion in private investment to offset federal funding cuts. He promoted “Lighthouse” sectors — life sciences, PNT and quantum tech — as key to economic growth. Coker emphasized international outreach, including trade missions to Asia, U.K., Ireland and Canada, to attract businesses.