Legislative Committee

MABE's Legislative Committee

MABE’s Legislative Committee is led by Karen Yoho, Chair, and Brenda Wolff, Vice Chair, and includes representatives from all 24 boards of education.

The Legislative Committee holds monthly meetings to guide the association’s lobbying activities in Annapolis, and invites policy and legislative leaders as guest speakers to exchange ideas. During the legislative session, MABE’s bill testimony reflects the association’s resolutions as annually updated and adopted by the full membership,  and legislative priorities and positions as adopted by the Legislative Committee.

On November 15, 2021, the Legislative Committee adopted MABE’s Legislative Priorities and Positions for the 2022 Session.

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MABE’s top priorities for the 2022 Legislative Session included:

• Support for governance authority for local boards of education to adopt education policies and school system budgets reflecting local priorities and resources.

MABE consistently supported local board authority to exercise legislative, judicial, and executive functions, and to adopt education policies and school system budgets reflecting local priorities and resources. In response to an unprecedented number of curriculum-related bills, MABE prioritized advocacy for local discretion in curriculum implementation based on local priorities. MABE also advocated for a balance of local and state authority in legislation setting new standards for digital technology, the use of seclusion and restraint, and the operation of virtual schools.

• Support for full State funding for Maryland’s outstanding public schools.

MABE advocated for sustained increases in state and local funding in FY 2023 and beyond to support the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future law to fulfill Maryland’s constitutional duty to adopt a school funding system that ensures equity and excellence in every school. Specifically, MABE supported the investment of available surplus funds in the State’s commitment to launch the Blueprint, saving surplus funds for future Blueprint costs, and paying bonuses to school system support staff. Maryland’s public schools will receive record funding this year in these and other areas.

• Support for increased State funding for school construction and renovation projects.

MABE supported a state funding level of at least $400 million for school construction and renovation projects for FY 2023 to provide the State’s share of approved projects to build, renovate, and improve schools. The legislature agreed to adopt an increased target of $450 million and invested an unprecedented amount school construction funding through bond financing and one-time cash spending.

• Support for sustained and increased local government investments in education.

MABE supports the Blueprint’s reforms to state law to ensure local funding increases above maintenance of effort by including a local funding share for students in prekindergarten, special education, economically disadvantaged, and English learner state funding categories. However, this new approach was not fully in place for FY 2023, and the legislature and county governments agreed to hold school systems harmless by ensuring the higher of the current or prior year’s maintenance of effort amount and the new local share calculation. MABE supported this legislation to secure strong and stable local funding for the 2022-2023 school year.

 

For additional information on MABE's Legislative Positions contact John R. Woolums, Esq., MABE’s Director of Governmental Relations.

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Legislative Committee Meetings and Materials

 

Next Meeting - October 7, 2022 - MABE Annual Conference Legislative Committee Breakfast (Westin in Annapolis, 7:00-8:30 a.m.)

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June 6, 2022 

Agenda

• 2022 Session Summary Report
• Presentation & PDF
• AIB Meeting Schedule

 

April 25, 2022

• Agenda
• MABE 2022 Session Summary Presentation (Updated)
• 2022 MABE Session Summary Report (Updated)
• 2022 Session DLS 90-Day Report

 

March 28, 2022

Agenda

• Budget & Bill Highlights

 

March 14, 2022

Agenda & Materials

• MSDE Positions: House Bill 1450 & Senate Bill 705

 

February 28, 2022

Agenda & Materials

 

February 7, 2022

Agenda & Materials

• FY2023 Compensatory Education & Retirement Presentation

 

January 10, 2022

Agenda & Materials

• IAC Reduction in CIP (Dec. 16, 2021)
• MABE Comments on Student Transportation Regulations (Dec. 20, 2021)

 

December 13, 2021

Agenda & Materials

• MABE's 2022 Legislative Positions & Priorities (Final)
• 2022 Session Issue Papers (Dept. of Legis. Services (DLS) - Education Section

 

November 15, 2021

Agenda & Materials

• 2022 Legislative Positions & Priorities (Updated 11/17/21)
• MABE Testimony before the legislative Workgroup on the Assessment and Funding of School Facilities (Nov. 3, 2021)
• MABE Testimony before the House Environment & Transportation and Ways & Means Committees on School Bus and Student Transportation Issues (Nov.  10, 2021)