School Construction funding -- seems to be always on the agenda, the hardworking Appropriations Committee, and RIP Delegate James Proctor.

If your particular public education passion is school construction, here's an important chance for you to SPEAK!!!

 

SB271/HB722 - Capital Grant Program for Local School Systems With Significant Enrollment Growth or Relocatable Classrooms

This bill expands the amount of grant funds available under this program created last year, which MCCPTA advocacy was instrumental in passing!

 

Last year we were successful in our advocacy for the establishment of  this Capital Grant program because we spoke on behalf of ALL the school districts that could benefit, not just our own. The language of the bill makes 11 of Maryland's 24 school districts eligible to apply for this grant  at various times in the coming seven years- Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Howard, Montgomery, Charles, St. Mary's, Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester and Somerset counties due to growth, and Prince George's county based on the number of relocateables.

Here's a link to the General Assembly website bill page for SB271:

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=billpage&tab=subject3&id=sb0271&stab=01&ys=2016RS

The Senate bill is assigned to the Budget and Tax committee, and was heard on 2/10 - MCCPTA had a witness panel there to support the legislation.  Here's a link to the Budget and Tax committee membership -- each name is a hyperlink to their contact information.  Keep in mind, the bill is sponsored by Montgomery County Senator (and former MCCPTA president) Nancy King (D39), and the vice-chair of the B&T committee is MoCo Senator (and MCPS parent) Rich Madaleno (D18):

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=cmtepage&stab=04&id=b%26t&tab=subject3&ys=2016RS

The House crossfile, HB722, is sponsored by D20 Delegate (and Ways and Means Committee Chair) Sheila Hixson. There's a link to the HB722 bill page on the SB271 bill page.  Hb722 is assigned to the Appropriations Committee, and is set for hearing on 2/23.  Here's a link to the membership of Appropriations, each name a hyperlink to the Delegate's contact information:

 

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=cmtepage&stab=04&id=app&tab=subject3&ys=2016RS

 

Even after losing D14 Delegate Craig Zucker on Appropriations (because he was appointed to replace retiring D14 Senator Karen Montgomery, so is now Senator Zucker), Montgomery County still has four seats on that important committee, Del. Ana Sol Gutierrez (S18), Del. Marc Korman (D16), Del. Aruna Miller (D15) and new committee member Del. Kirill Reznik (D39).

 

The Appropriations committee works HARD.  They're the ones who take the lead on creating each year's budget, and all of us who care deeply about public education should be grateful to the hardworking delegates who serve there, and in particular the committee chair Maggie Macintosh - who is a HUGE friend to public education, and also seems to have a soft spot for Montgomery County.

 

One sad note though. Last summer we lost the long-serving co-chair of the Appropriations committee, Del. James Proctor of Prince George's County.  He was a stalwart champion of public education, and a true gentleman.  I know his voice, and concern for all of Maryland's public schools and public school students, is missed.