SB0743/HB0860 will fund the first six-year phase of a $2.4 billion renewal plan for Baltimore City's school buildings -- enough for 15 new schools and the extensive renovation of about 35 others.
According to the Baltimore Sun, SB0743/HB0860 "provides $20 million a year in state lottery money over the next three decades — to be matched by the city government and the school system — to float the bonds that will be used to pay for the first $1 billion of work."
Read the coverage from the Baltimore Sun.
Passage of this bill is a major step toward renovating and modernizing all public school buildings in Baltimore City.
Read BCF's written testimony in favor of these bills as presented to the legislature on March 5, 2013.
For the bill's official description, associated documents, and history view it on the legislature's web page.
BCF supports the work of Transform Baltimore, a campaign to renovate and modernize Baltimore's public school buildings. Learn more on their website.
SB0572/HB0925 would have established the Early Learning Challenge and School Readiness Grant Program, also known as Race to the Tots. This competitive grant program would have channeled at least $10 million per year for three years in money that flows into the state’s Education Trust Fund from gaming revenue. Modeled on the federal Race to the Top program, these new grant funds would have incentivized school districts to apply for funding to create the best possible early learning options for four- and five-year-olds.
SB0572/HB0925 did not pass in either the House of Delegates or the Senate and will not become law.
Passage of SB0572/HB0925 would have been a major step toward providing quality early childhood education for Baltimore families. Multiple national studies show that four- and five-year olds who receive the right combination of social and academic skills enter school ready to learn, perform better academically, and graduate high school and enter college at higher rates.
Read BCF's written testimony in favor of these bills as presented to the legislature.
For the bill's official description, associated documents, and history
view it on the legislature's web page.
HB1051/SB0194 will require the Maryland State Department of Education to conduct a study and provide recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly regarding improvements to the Maryland Public Charter School Program.
BCF continues to be encouraged by the fact that that the legislature is paying attention to the important issue of Charter School reform.
Last year, BCF partnered with the Maryland Campaign for Achievement Now to form a Charter School Task Force, which issued a report on its findings. We’re hopeful that report will inform this proposed study group’s work.
Find out more about BCF's Charter School Task Force and read the report.
Read BCF's written testimony in favor of this bill as presented to the legislature.
For the bill's official description, associated documents, and history view it on the legislature's web page.
HB 0226/SB0275 will encourage the construction of wind turbines off of Maryland's Atlantic coast. It will offer a successful developer of such a wind farm a subsidy of up to $1.7 billion over 20 years, and require electricity suppliers in Maryland to get up to 2.5 percent of their power from offshore wind as early as 2017.
Passage of HB1515/SB1054 is a major step toward a more sustainable Baltimore, powered by renewable energy.
Read more about the bill from the Baltimore Sun.
BCF supports the efforts of the Baltimore Office of Sustainability, which oversees the implementation of the Baltimore Sustainability Plan.
For the bill's official description, associated documents, and history view it on the legislature's web page.
HB1515/SB1054 will increase Maryland's gas tax to replenish the state's transportation fund. The fund pays for projects like highway construction and mass transit projects.
Transportation officials say the bill will yield $4.4 billion for new projects over the next six years.
Passage of HB 0226/SB 0275 is a major step toward improving and expanding transportation options for the citizens and businesses of Central Maryland.
Read more about the bill from the Washington Post.
Find out more about BCF's involvement in transportation issues from the Central Maryland Transportation Alliance, an initiative of BCF.
For the bill's official description, associated documents, and history view it on the legislature’s web page.