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.
MABE’s top priorities for the 2022 Legislative Session include:
Support for governance authority for local boards of education.
- Specifically, MABE supports local board authority in exercising legislative, judicial, and executive functions, and to adopt education policies and school system budgets reflecting local priorities and resources.
Support for full State funding for Maryland’s outstanding public schools.
- Specifically, MABE advocates 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.
Support for increased State funding for school construction and renovation projects.
- Specifically, MABE advocates for increases in state and local funding in FY 2023 capital and operating budgets to support the locally prioritized school facility needs of all 24 school systems.
Support for sustained and increased local government investments in education.
- 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 – January 10, 2022 (still virtual)
January 10, 2022
- IAC Reduction in CIP (Dec. 16, 2021)
- MABE Comments on Student Transportation Regulations (Dec. 20, 2021)
December 13, 2021
- MABE's 2022 Legislative Positions & Priorities (Final)
- 2022 Session Issue Papers (Dept. of Legis. Services (DLS) - Education Section
November 15, 2021
- 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)
2021 Session & Interim: Legislative Committee Meetings and Materials (Archives)
September 20, 2021
August – No Meeting Held
July 26, 2021
(June – No Meeting Held)
(May – No Meeting Held)
April 26, 2021
April 5, 2021
March 15, 2021
- Agenda & Materials
- Bill Highlights
- HB 1372 – Blueprint Revisions Bill – Section-by-section outline
- The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 – Presentation
February 22, 2021
February 1, 2021
- Agenda & Materials
- Education Budget Highlights (K-12 & Early Education)
- Education Funding Tables
- School Construction Budget Highlights
- Fiscal Briefing (Dept. of Legislative Services, Jan. 25, 2021) & Video
January 4, 2021
- Agenda & Materials – Updated
- Guest Speaker: Senator Paul Pinsky, Chair of the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee
- House & Senate Committee Procedures (MABE Slides)
- NSBA Overview of December 2020 COVID Relief Funding
- School Based Health Center Webpage & Report
December 14, 2020
- Agenda & Materials
- NSBA Call to Action for Federal COVID-19 Funding Relief
- Strong Schools Call to Action for Blueprint Veto Override
November 16, 2020
- Agenda
- MABE’s 2021 Legislative Priorities & Positions
(For approval on Nov. 16th) - Presentation & Discussion of Major Issues
- Local Legislative Priorities and Legislative Initiatives
- House (Letter) and Senate (Presentation) Reopening Guidelines for the 2021 Session
October 26, 2020
- Agenda
- MABE Legislative Positions for 2021
(Draft for Review & approval on Nov. 16, 2020)
2020 Session & Interim: Legislative Committee Meetings and Materials (Archives)
September 28, 2020
September 14, 2020 1:00-2:30 p.m.
August 31, 2020
- Agenda & All Materials (Updated)
- Education Recovery and Reopening Plan Issues
- Equitable Services Funding
August 3, 2020
- Agenda with Materials
- MSDE/State Board Updates
- State Legislative Updates
- Board of Public Works – Discussion of Budget Cuts (July 22, 2020)
- Gaming Revenues & the Education Trust Fund: FY 2019 Fact Sheet, FY 2011-2018 Summary
- COMAR on Student Attendance Policies
- States Enacting COVID-19 Liability Protection Legislation (Article features Georgia’s Bill); and Louisiana Legislation: Article and Bill Text
- Police Reforms and SROs (EdWeek Article); Sun Article on Howard County’s SROs
- Federal COVID-19 Funding Legislation: Status & Advocacy
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- HEALS Act: EdWeek Article, NSBA Summary and NSBA Summary of the Liability Provision
- CCCER Act: Summary
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June 22, 2020
- MABE Session Highlights & COVID-19 Updates
- MABE Leadership Statements for the Briefing on Education Issues Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic before the House Ways and Means and Appropriations Committee (June 11, 2020) (Briefing Agenda)
- Martha James-Hassan, MABE President
- Julie Hummer, MABE Legislative Committee Chair
- Mavis Ellis, MABE Legislative Committee Vice Chair
May 18, 2020
- Agenda & Materials
- Kirwan Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Veto
- Governor’s Veto Statement & MABE Statement
Budget Updates
MSDE Education Recovery Plan
- Education Recovery Plan
- MABE Statement & MABE Letter to Dr. Salmon
- House Leadership Letter to MABE/PSSAM/MSEA on COVID-19
Federal Nonpublic School Funding Guidance
- MABE Letter to Dr. Salmon & MABE Letter to U.S. Senators
- NSBA/AASA et al. Letter to Sec. DeVos
- Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) Letter to Sec. DeVos
April 27, 2020
(also planned as teleconference meeting)
- Letter to Senators Cardin & Van Hollen
- Letter to Majority Leader Hoyer and All House Members of Congressional Delegation
- MABE Session Summary (updated April 17, 2020)
- DLS Session Summary
March 30, 2020
Agenda & Materials (for the teleconference meeting)
- NSBA Letter to Sec. Betsy DeVos – Requesting Flexibility for K-12 Public Schools in the Wake of Coronavirus National Emergency (March 19, 2020)
- COVID-19 (“Coronavirus”) Information and Resources for Schools and School Personnel
- Student Privacy Policy Office
FERPA & Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
March 2020 - Addressing the Risk of COVID-19 in Preschool, Elementary and Secondary Schools While Serving Children with Disabilities – Supplemental Fact Sheet (March 21, 2020)
- Providing Services to Children with Disabilities During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Outbreak (March 12, 2020)
- “USDA Makes it Easier to Feed Kids and Those Who Need Food During the COVID-19 National Emergency” (March 26, 2020)
Updated Materials:
- Governor Hogan’s Revised “Stay at Home” Executive Order (March 30, 2020)
- Guidance for Employers on Letters for Employees (March 30, 2020)
March 16, 2020 – Cancelled due to Coronavirus Public Health Concerns
March 2, 2020
February 13, 2020
January 27, 2020
January 6, 2020
December 16, 2019 – Cancelled due to inclement weather
- Agenda & Materials
- Kirwan Blueprint
- School Employees/Applicant’s Sexual Misconduct History Review
- Legislation to Improve HB 486 from 2019 (draft bill for discussion)
- State regulations to implement HB 486 (proposed on Dec. 3, 2019)
- General Assembly Issue Papers for the 2020 Session
- Education Section (pp. 52-63 of full report)
- Local Government Section (pp. 86-106 of full report)
- State Board Updates
- Charter School Funding Regulations (proposed on October 22, 2019)
November 18, 2019
- Agenda & Materials
- MABE’s 2020 Legislative Positions and Priorities (Final Draft for Approval)
- School Facilities
- Draft Final Report (Oct. 28, 2019)
- MABE Comments on the Workgroup’s Draft Final Report (Nov. 13, 2019)
- Kirwan Commission Updates
- MABE Leadership Testimony (November 12, 2019)
October 21, 2019
- Agenda & Materials
- Presentation: What’s the Kirwan Commission & Blueprint for Maryland’s Future All About
- Student Transfer Regulations
- – MABE President’s Letter to the AELR Committee (Sept. 30, 2019)
– MABE President’s Letter to Dr. Salmon and Pres. Sumpter (Sept. 30, 2019)
- – MABE President’s Letter to the AELR Committee (Sept. 30, 2019)
- MABE’s Legislative Process & Draft Legislative Positions
October 3, 2019 – Legislative Committee Breakfast Meeting
- Agenda & Materials
- Kirwan Commission Overview & Updates (Presentation)
- School Facilities Funding & Policy Updates
- Facilities Funding Workgroup – Workplan
- Student Transfer Regulations
- – MABE President’s Letter to the AELR Committee (Sept. 30, 2019)
– MABE President’s Letter to Dr. Salmon and Pres. Sumpter (Sept. 30, 2019)
- – MABE President’s Letter to the AELR Committee (Sept. 30, 2019)
2019 Session: Legislative Committee Meetings and Materials (Archives)
April 29, 2019
- Agenda & Materials
- 2019 Legislative Session Summary Report (Updated April 29, 2019)
- Slide Presentation (Updated April 29, 2019)
March 25, 2019
- Agenda & Materials
- MABE Call to Action on Full Funding for Kirwan
- School Construction Funding – Build to Learn Act (HB 727) and Outline
March 11, 2019
February 25, 2019
February 4, 2019
January 24, 2019
January 18, 2019
- Governor Hogan Releases his FY 2020 State Budget
- Education Budget Highlights
- FY 2020 Direct State Aid for Public Education
January 15, 2019
January 7, 2019
Dec. 17, 2018
Nov. 26, 2018
- Agenda & Materials
- Final Draft 2019 Legislative Positions & Priorities
- MABE Testimony for the Kirwan Commission Hearing on Nov. 29, 2018
- MABE Comments on Draft IAC Regulations
- MABE Comments on State Board Proposed Grading Policy Regulations
- MABE/PSSAM Comments on State Board Appeals Procedures Regulations
- State Board approved Gifted & Talented Regulations (Oct. 23, 2018)
Oct. 15, 2018
Oct. 4, 2018
Sept. 17, 2018
- Agenda & Materials
- Question 1
- Safe to Learn Act Presentation
- Lead Testing
- Grading Policy Regulations – Pending
- Gaming Revenues & Education Share in FY 2018
- Governor’s Executive Order and Statement on Education Accountability Office
2017-2018 Sessions: Legislative Committee Meetings and Materials (Archives)
April 23, 2018
March 26, 2018
March 12, 2018
February 26, 2018
February 20, 2018
Kirwan Commission Bill Outline
February 12, 2018
January 22, 2018
Education Budget Highlights FY 2019
Fiscal Briefing Materials: Federal Tax Impact
December 18, 2017
Agenda and Materials (Part 1 and Part 2)
Knott Commission – Funding and Process Subcommittee Materials
Kirwan Commission Preliminary Report Draft Recommendations
DLS 2018 Session Issue Papers (Education Section)
MABE Legislative Process Presentation and PDF
November 13, 2017
Legislative Positions Publication (Final Draft for Approval)
October 16, 2017
Agenda and Materials – Draft 2018 Legislative Positions (for action on Nov. 13, 2017)
Dr. Kirwan’s Presentation (PowerPoint) (PDF) (Oct. 16, 2017)
Kirwan Commission Draft Vision & Framework for School Funding and Accountability Reforms (Sept. 14, 2017)
MABE Comments to the Kirwan Commission (Oct. 12, 2017)
President Miller/Speaker Busch Letter to Bob Gorrell, PSCP Director (Oct. 11, 2017)
Center for American Progress – A Comprehensive Analysis of Prekindergarten in Maryland (Oct. 10. 2017)
MSDE ESSA Plan Overview (Oct. 4, 2017)
Commission on the School-to-Prison Pipeline & Restorative Practices – Meeting Schedule
October 5, 2017 Legislative Committee Breakfast
September 18, 2017
Proposed Changes to State/Local Cost Shares for School Construction Funding (for IAC approval on 9/28/17)
- Originally proposed Changes to State/Local Cost Shares for School Construction Funding (Withdrawn w/o discussion at the Aug. 17, 2017 Board of Public Works meeting)
- State/Local Cost Shares – Revised from August proposal, but withdrawn on September 13, 2017
- Current Cost Share COMAR Regulation
Committee Schedule
- January 10, 2022 (12:30 - 2:30)
- February 7, 2022
- February 28, 2022
- March 14, 2022
- March 28, 2022
- April 25, 2022
- MABE’s Legislative Committee meetings are currently be conducted virtually through Zoom on Monday mornings, 10:00 to 12:00, unless otherwise indicated. Meeting agendas and materials are posted in advance of the meetings, and updated regularly.