Maryland
Freedom to Read, Grow Your Own Educators Bills Heard in House – Maryland State Education Association
And other legislative updates in this week’s Up the Street
THIS WEEK IN ANNAPOLIS
Freedom to Read Act, in Speaker’s Decency Agenda, Promotes Equity, Antidiscrimination
The Freedom to Read Act was heard for the first time on Wednesday in the House Ways and Means Committee as its sponsors seek to set standards to prevent the kinds of politically motivated book bans that are emerging around the state. MSEA President Cheryl Bost advocated for House Bill 785, sponsored by Del. Dana Jones (D-Anne Arundel).The Freedom to Read Act is part of House Speaker Adrienne Jones’s (D-Baltimore County) Decency Agenda. “This crucial and timely legislation will safeguard our libraries from becoming the next frontier of censorship, protecting literature and the freedom for readers to choose for themselves,” Del. Dana Jones told the committee. HB785 is crossfiled as Senate Bill 738, sponsored by Sen. Nancy King (D-Montgomery). The legislation establishes fair, reasonable, and inclusive standards for library collections and employee treatment (see previous Up the Street coverage). SB738 was heard in the Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee on Friday.
Grow Your Own Bill Would Invest in Support Professionals Becoming Teachers
MSEA’s priority legislation, a bill to establish a grow your own educator program to support education support professionals (ESPs) who want to become certified teachers, was heard in the House Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday. Supporters for House Bill 1157 included Sheila Jones-Wagner, a first-year 6th grade geography teacher in Howard County, MSEA President Cheryl Bost, the Maryland State Board of Education, the Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE), Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 500, and others. They support grow your own as a proven means to increase the teacher workforce, diversity, and teacher retention. Sponsored by Del. Jheanelle Wilkins (D-Montgomery), HB1157 is crossfiled as Senate Bill 937, sponsored by Sen. Malcolm Augustine (D-Prince George’s). This legislation would revive part of Gov. Moore’s 2023 Maryland Educator Shortage Reduction Act that was amended before passage last year. Jones-Wagner said it was a grow your own program that enabled her to reach her dream to become a teacher, after being a paraeducator since 2003. She commended grow your own for tapping into a valuable pool of resources. “Who better to be teaching in our schools than the staff who are already placed there, who demonstrate love for our students,” she said. MSEA President Bost emphasized that this legislation would sustainably fund a program that has been working in Maryland, using pandemic-era federal funding that is expiring. SB937 will be heard on March 6 in the Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee.
Bills to Raise State Revenue
This week the legislature heard a proposal, Fair Share for Maryland Act of 2024 (HB1007) (SB766), in the House and the Senate to raise resources that Maryland communities need while also ensuring that wealthy corporations and individuals are contributing their fair share to the public services from which we all benefit. This bill would close corporate tax loopholes and help ensure millionaires pay their fair share by adding upper income tax brackets and a surtax on capital gains income. This bill would help to shore up funding for important, foundational investments in public schools and other public services for years to come.
School Employees’ Jobs Protected from Private Contractors in Proposed Bill
On Wednesday, MSEA’s bill to prohibit public schools from hiring subcontractors for certified and noncertified staff positions without strong oversight and employee protections will have its first hearing, in the House Ways and Means Committee. House Bill 1175, sponsored by Del. Jessica Feldmark (D-Howard), is the crossfile of Senate Bill 1043, sponsored by Sen. Dawn Gile (D-Anne Arundel). The legislation is needed to keep school jobs filled by educators in the schools, not outside contractors (see previous Up the Street coverage). The Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee will hear SB1043 on March 6.
Blueprint’s Extra Pay for Similarly Qualified Educators to Be Heard in Senate Committee
Also on Wednesday, the Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee will hear Senate Bill 545 to expand the career supports in the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future that are designed to help with the recruitment and retention of highly qualified educators. SB545 is sponsored by Sen. Sarah Elfreth (D-Anne Arundel), crossfiled as House Bill 789, sponsored by Del. Jessica Feldmark (D-Howard). The legislation expands the job positions that qualify for salary increases associated with earning a National Board certification and other advanced credentials (see previous Up the Street coverage). HB789 was heard in the House Ways and Means Committee on February 14.
Aspiring Educator Stipends Bill Passes House; Emphasizes Hiring, Retention Benefits
This week the House unanimously passed House Bill 75 with amendments, and it has had its first reading in the Senate. HB75, sponsored by Del. Eric Ebersole (D-Baltimore County), is MSEA’s bill that builds on the governor’s 2023 Maryland Educator Shortage Reduction Act. If passed, aspiring educators who begin their studies at any state community college would be eligible for stipends that were established by last year’s bill for aspiring educators at some community colleges and four-year colleges. Sen. Nancy King (D-Montgomery) sponsors the crossfiled Senate Bill 377, which was heard on February 14 in the Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee.
NEWS AND NOTES
Biden-Harris Administration Has Multipronged Approach to Student Debt Relief
The Biden-Harris Administration continues to chip away at student debt, with relief now reaching 3.9 million borrowers. Despite a 2023 Supreme Court ruling setback that prevented the president’s original massive debt relief plan, relief has come through several initiatives. This week $1.2 billion in loans were forgiven for approximately 153,000 borrowers who are eligible for the shortened time to forgiveness benefit under Biden’s Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan. In another approach, the administration has proposed a rule to relieve borrowers who are facing imminent hardship. This plan could be adopted in the department’s rulemaking process, and it would give the secretary of education the authority to consider a borrower’s financial burdens, such as childcare expenses, when granting debt relief.
CAMPAIGN 2024
Olszewski Gains Ruppersberger, Hoyer Endorsements for Congressional Bid
Baltimore County Executive John Olszewski Jr. (D) has received endorsements from U.S. Reps. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-2nd) and Steny Hoyer (D-5th) in the race to fill the seat from which Ruppersberger is retiring this year. A complete list of Olszewski’s endorsements is on his campaign website. Others in the race include five Democrats and three Republicans.
Senate Race Predicted to Inspire New Level of Anti-Hogan Voting
Polling continues to favor U.S. Rep. David Trone (D-6th) in the Democratic primary race to fill the seat from which Sen. Ben Cardin (D) is retiring. His lead over his closest challenger, Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, has widened to 52% to 31% among Democratic primary voters. That is up since January, when a poll had Trone with 46% to 34% for Alsobrooks. Political experts also anticipate that Democratic voters will be especially motivated to vote against Republican former Gov. Larry Hogan in the general election, to reduce the potential for a Republican majority in the U.S. Senate. Voters who might previously have split their ticket to vote for Hogan as governor and for Democrats elsewhere on the ballot will have to factor in Hogan’s positions on consequential national issues that he had the luxury to skirt as governor. As governor, he could demur, or claim to hold only personal views about federal issues, as he did about reproductive health rights and his opposition to abortion. The consequences of this election are incredibly high, with this seat potentially determining control over a closely divided Senate and impacting a wide range of issues from reproductive health, to judicial appointments, to education, healthcare, and many other topics.
One of the most unique ships featured in Sail250 Maryland and Airshow Baltimore can be found docked at the Baltimore Peninsula.
USS Marinette LCS25 is one of the most functional ships in the Navy fleet. At 370 feet long with 80 crew members, the ship has a helicopter landing pad and hangar, two rib boats in the belly of the vessel, and heavy artillery, including a cannon.
The ship has four engines, two of which are like jet engines, meaning it can sprint ahead of other vessels to intercept watercraft. It can also truck side to side and spin 360 degrees with controllable reversing and steering deflector buckets attached to the stern of the jet propulsion system. It can also traverse the littoral zones, water close to shore, and navigate waters as low as 15 feet deep.
“Where we shine is our ability to operate where other ships can’t,” said Cdr. Brian Sims, the ship’s executive officer. “For a 370-foot ship, one of the smallest in the fleet, it packs a punch. We can go 40 plus knots.”
The ship is used in counternarcotics missions primarily on the East Coast and in the Caribbean.
It is based in Jacksonville, Florida, but was built in Marinette, Wisconsin, which is where the ship gets its name. It began operating in 2023 and has yet to deploy. The ship can be out on the water for weeks or even months.
“We go out and find drug trafficking individuals and intercept, and the Coast Guard then takes over and arrests,” Sims said.
The pilot house is where the ship truly shines. An officer and junior officer monitor the radar and navigation, while another sailor sits at the helm and oversees steering the vessel and monitoring the engines.
“This is a very unique design for Navy ships,” Sims added.
The ship also hosts several heavy artillery pieces, including a cannon on the bow with different types of rounds to combat different threats. It can fire 220 rounds in a minute.
With its rich Naval history, Baltimore is playing host to some of the Navy’s finest, and the crews are equally as excited to be here in Maryland, the backbone of the Navy, celebrating 250 years of American history.
“Baltimore is a fantastic city, steeped in maritime tradition. Of course, we have Fort McHenry that we sailed past and rendered honors to when we arrived,” Sims said. “Having the ability to be in this role in this position on board this ship to celebrate the nation’s 250th, it’s an absolute honor, and one that, one that gives us all pause, and lets us reflect on where we’ve come as a nation.”
As Maryland families head into another hot summer, many are about to receive an unpleasant reminder of just how badly some state leaders failed to address Maryland’s growing energy problems this year.
Higher energy bills are not coming by accident. They are the predictable result of years of poor planning and a continued refusal by Democratic leadership in Annapolis to confront the real issue facing our state: Maryland does not produce enough electricity to meet its own growing energy needs.
Instead of seriously addressing that challenge during this year’s legislative session, Democratic leaders celebrated passage of the so-called Utility Relief Act (House Bill 1532), which offers Marylanders roughly $12 in savings per month. At a time when families are facing soaring energy costs driven by a massive shortage of reliable in-state power generation, that is not meaningful relief. It is a political talking point designed to avoid the larger conversation Maryland desperately needs to have.
Our state imports nearly half of the electricity it uses. Nearly half of the power keeping homes cool, businesses operating and communities functioning every day comes from outside our borders. Yet even as demand for electricity continues to rise, Maryland continues falling behind on building the reliable generation capacity needed to support our future.
That is not a serious long-term strategy.
Families across Maryland are already struggling with inflation, rising housing costs and economic uncertainty. Energy bills are becoming another major financial burden for working families, seniors and small businesses. But instead of focusing on increasing reliable power supply, meaning fully lowering consumer costs, and strengthening Maryland’s long-term energy security, Annapolis continues offering temporary fixes that fail to address the underlying problem.
The reality is simple: Maryland needs more power generation, and every responsible energy source should be part of the conversation. Natural gas, nuclear, renewables, battery storage, clean coal and emerging technologies all have a role to play in creating a more reliable and affordable energy future for our state.
Maryland also needs a broader conversation about the role experienced infrastructure providers and utilities can play in strengthening reliability and supporting future generation needs. These are organizations that already manage the systems Marylanders depend on every day and understand the long-term planning required to maintain dependable service.
Reliable and affordable energy is not a partisan issue. It is a basic requirement for economic growth, business investment and everyday quality of life.
As summer begins and air conditioners start running around the clock, Maryland families will once again be reminded that energy policy decisions made in Annapolis have real world consequences.
Unfortunately, they are paying for those consequences every month.
Del. Jason Buckel is the Minority Leader of the Maryland House of Delegates and represents Allegany County in the Maryland General Assembly.
MARYLAND (WBFF) — A group of Republican candidates, a voter, and an election-integrity organization are asking an Anne Arundel County Circuit Court judge to stop the state from certifying primary election results until election officials contact every voter whose original ballot was rejected and allow them to correct the problem.
The lawsuit, filed in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court against the Maryland State Board of Elections, comes a month after state election officials acknowledged that some Maryland voters were mistakenly mailed ballots for the wrong political party and sent replacement ballots to affected voters.
The ballot error affected voters who requested physical mail-in ballots for the June 23 primaries.
The Maryland State Board of Elections said its vendor, Taylor Print and Visual Impressions Inc. (TPVI), mailed some of the voters’ ballots for the wrong political party, but the administrator said the board’s vendor couldn’t identify which voters received erroneous ballots. Over 500,000 Maryland voters had requested mail-in ballots, most of them in Montgomery, Baltimore, Anne Arundel and Prince George’s counties, and Baltimore City.
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Read the full story on The Baltimore Sun.
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