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.

MABE's Legislative Positions & Priorities for the 2023 Session include position statements on major policy areas.

MABE's 2023 Session Summary Presentation (as of 6/13/23)

MABE’s top priorities for the 2023 Legislative Session include:

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

• MABE supports broad discretion for local board decision-making authority in exercising legislative, judicial, and executive functions in accord with state and federal law and principles of equity and excellence for all students. Specifically, MABE advocates that state and local initiatives not reduce local board governance or budgetary authority or create unfunded mandates.

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

• MABE supports annual state and local education budgets commensurate with the full costs of implementing new and enhanced statutory and regulatory requirements and expectations. Specifically, MABE advocates for sustained increases in state and local funding in FY 2024 and beyond to support the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future law to fulfill Maryland’s constitutional duty to adopt and fund a school funding system that ensures equity and excellence in every school and college and career readiness for every student.

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

• MABE supports annual state and local capital and operating budgets commensurate with the costs of designing, building, renovating, operating, and maintaining high quality learning environments for each student in our 1,400 public schools. Specifically, MABE advocates for a state capital improvement program of at least $450 million in addition to the Built to Learn program to expand Prekindergarten and Career and Technical Education school facilities called for by the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future and to support other locally prioritized school facility needs.

Support for sustained and increased local government investments in education.

• Funding from Maryland’s 23 counties and Baltimore City plays a critical role in the success of public education programs, services, and facilities. Specifically, MABE advocates for state laws mandating investments of local property and income tax revenues in public education, including a strong “maintenance of effort” guarantee that local funding must be sustained and increased from year to year.

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

Legislative Committee Meetings and Materials

• Next Meeting - September 11, 2023
  (10:00 a.m.-Noon)
  Zoom ONLY!!!
• Agenda

April 24, 2023

Agenda

• MABE's 2023 Session Summary Presentation

March 27, 2023

Agenda

• Education Advocate - 3/21/23
• Bill Report - 3/24/23

March 14, 2023 Update!

State Board of Education Now Opposes Statewide Curriculum Bill HB 119

• March 14, 2023 Letter from State Board President Crawford to Members of Educational Community and Members of the General Assembly.

March 13, 2024

Agenda

March 8, 2023 - Immediate Call to Action

• Call to Action to Oppose House Bill 119
• Sample Letter for Email, voicemail, social media (pdf)  (Word)
• House Bill 119 - Reprint with House Committee Amendments

February 27, 2023

Agenda - Updated

February 13, 2023

Agenda

January 23, 2023

Agenda

• HB 119 - Health Education Framework & Curriculum - Bill Text
• MD Comprehensive Health Education Framework (2022)
• FY 2024 State Budget Education Highlights
• FY 2024 Budget Book - Detailed Education Section (pp. 64-143 of Vol. II)
• FY 2024 Capital Budget for School Construction Highlights
• FY 2024 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for School Construction
• Dept. of Budget & Mgt. Website - FY 2024 Budget Presentations and Budget Books

January 9, 2023 (1:00-3:00 p.m.)

Agenda

• 2023 Session Priorities, Updates & Forecast
• MABE's Government Relations & Legislative Process Overview
• Advocacy Primer
• Updates
  • MABE letter to Governor-Elect Wes Moore on Blueprint implementation issues (1/3/23)
  • Joint letter from MACo, MML, MABE, and PSSAM to the Maryland Secretary of Labor on Time to Care Act implementation issues (12/20/22)

December 12, 2022

Agenda

• Final Approval of 2023 Legislative Positions & Priorities
• Blueprint Updates
• Local Bill(s)
• 2023 Session Forecast

November 14, 2022

Agenda

October 7, 2022

Legislative Committee Breakfast - MABE Annual Conference

Agenda

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)