Testimony

MABE testimony on legislation pending before the 2010 Session of the Maryland General Assembly will be available as bills are introduced and hearings are scheduled. The 2010 Session began on January 13, 2010 and ends on April 12, 2010.

MABE's 2010 Legislative Positions publication is now available. In addition, MABE’s Continuing Resolutions provide substantial background and policy direction for the association’s legislative priorities and bill positions.

The 2009 Session Summary provides a comprehensive overview of the major education funding and policy issues considered and decided by the General Assembly. MABE's testimony for the 2009 interim and 2009 legislative session is also available below.

For additional information regarding MABE's legislative positions, please contact John R. Woolums, Esq., Director of Governmental Relations at (410) 841-5414, or jwoolums@mabe.org.

2010 Session Summary

Link to the Updated Report of All Bills MABE is Tracking - UPDATED Post-Session

All MABE Testimony for the 2010 Session

HOUSE BILLS

HB 17 - Education - Incidents of Bullying, Harassment, or Intimidation - Reports by Principals - Local Law Enforcement Agency (OPPOSE)

HB 151 - The Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act (SUPPORT/OPPOSE ANY CUTS)

Act Now to OPPOSE Shifting Teacher Retirement Costs to Local School Systems

HB 243 - Fairness in Negotiations Act (OPPOSE)
- Talking Points
- Sample Letters to the Editor
- Ways and Means Committee Roster

HB 269 - Child with a Disability - Individualized Education Program (OPPOSE)
- Testimony in opposition provided by Rochelle Eisenberg, Esq., Hodes, Pessin & Katz
- MSDE Letter requesting summer study

HB 272 - Classroom Placement - Multiple Birth Children - Parental Discretion (OPPOSE)

HB 304 - Education - Maintenance of Effort Requirement - Process and Factors (SUPPORT)

HB 334 - Public Schools - Physical Education Facilities (SUPPORT WITH AMENDMENTS)

HB 352 - Education - Maryland Data Warehouse Council (SUPPORT)

HB 410 - Education - Statewide Maintenance of Effort Waiver (OPPOSE)

HB 467 - Education - Maryland Longitudinal Data System (SUPPORT)

HB 610 - Education - Public Charter School Facility Revolving Loan Fund (OPPOSE)

HB 632 - Maintenance of Effort - Penalty (SUPPORT WITH AMENDMENT)

HB 723 - Education - Age of Compulsory Attendance - Exemptions (SUPPORT)

HB 760 - Public Schools - Substitute Teachers - Qualifications, Training, and Study (OPPOSE)

HB 764 - State Board of Education - Financial Literacy Curriculum - Graduation Requirement (OPPOSE)

HB 911 - Education - Tween/Teen Dating Violence (Kristin Marie Mitchell Law) (Oppose)

HB 932 - Public Schools - New Construction or Renovation - Children's Environmental Health (SUPPORT WITH AMENDMENTS)

HB 946 - Building Opportunities for All Students and Teachers (BOAST) in Maryland Tax Credit (OPPOSE)

HB 952 - Great Preschools Tax Credit Program (OPPOSE)

HB 973 - Public Schools - Maryland Youth Crisis Hotline - Distribution of Information (OPPOSE)

HB 1036 - Education - Enrollment - Average Daily Attendance (OPPOSE)

HB 1121 - Great Preschools Scholarship Program (OPPOSE)

HB 1131 - Education - Maintenance of Effort Waiver - Appeal Process (OPPOSE)

HB 1154 - Education Funding Formula - Average Daily Attendance (OPPOSE)

HB 1160 - Safe Schools Act of 2010 (SUPPORT WITH AMENDMENTS)

HB 1263 - Education Reform Act of 2010 (SUPPORT WITH AMENDMENTS)

HB 1428 - Vehicle Laws - School Buses - Prohibition on Permitting Sitting on Floor or Standing (OPPOSE)

HB 1486 - Public Schools - Student Attendance - Preventing Chronic Absenteeism (OPPOSE)

HB 1503 - Children's Environmental Health Protection Act (OPPOSE)

SENATE BILLS

SB 141 - The Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act (SUPPORT/OPPOSE ANY CUTS)

SB 239 - Education - Age of Compulsory Attendance - Exemptions (SUPPORT)

SB 264 - State Board of Education - Financial Literacy Curriculum - Graduation Requirement (OPPOSE)

SB 275 - Education - Maryland Longitudinal Data System (SUPPORT)

SB 256 - Public Schools - Physical Education Facilities (SUPPORT WITH AMENDMENT)

SB 310 - Education - Maintenance of Effort Requirement - Process and Factors (SUPPORT)

SB 315 - Public Ethics Laws - Elected Local Officials and Board of Education Members - Requirements (SUPPORT)

SB 360 - Education - Offenses Reportable to School Officials (SUPPORT)

SB 476 - Maintenance of Effort - Penalty (SUPPORT WITH AMENDMENT)

SB 540 - Child with a Disability - Individualized Education Program (OPPOSE)

SB 590 - Fairness in Negotiations Act (OPPOSE)
- Talking Points
- Sample Letters to the Editor
- Ways and Means Committee Roster

SB 727 - Vehicle Laws - School Buses - Prohibition on Permitting Sitting on Floor or Standing (OPPOSE)

SB 738 - Education - Public Charter School Facilities - Financing (OPPOSE)

SB 741 - Charter Schools - Certificated Professional Employees - Exemption from Collective Bargaining Agreements (OPPOSE)

SB 814 - Public Schools - New Construction or Renovation - Children's Environmental Health (SUPPORT WITH AMENDMENTS)

SB 834 - Base Realignment and Closure - Public Charter Schools Located on a Federal Military Base (OPPOSE)

SB 843 - Prevailing Wage Rate - Public School Construction - Moratorium (SUPPORT)

SB 899 - Education Reform Act of 2010 (SUPPORT WITH AMENDMENTS)

SB 959 -State Retirement and Pension System - Local Employer Contributions - Educators and Educational Staff (OPPOSE)

                                                     Act Now to Oppose the "Fairness in Negotiations Act"
                                                                           (House Bill 243 and Seante Bill 590)

MABE's advocacy materials opposing legislation to create a labor relations board and impose binding arbitration decisions on local boards of education have been updated to reflect the introduction of House Bill 243 in the 2010 legislative session.
- Talking Points
- Sample Letters to the Editor
- Ways and Means Committee Roster

Prior to the introduction of House Bill 243, MABE testified at a briefing before the House Ways and Means Committee opposing the reintroduction of the labor relations board/binding arbitration bill that passed the Senate in 2009 (SB 673).
- MABE Testimony
- MABE Testimony Presented by Cathy Allen, MABE President
- MABE Testimony Presented by Bobbie Wise, MABE Legislative Committee Chair

MABE Supports the Governor's Proposed State Budget for Public Education in Fiscal Year 2011
- Budget Briefing (Dept. of Legislative Services, January 2010)
- Preliminary State Aid Calculations (MSDE)

MABE Testimony for the 2009 Interim and 2010 Legislative Session

Maintenance of Effort Waiver Reform and Other FY 2011 Budget Issues
MABE testimony before the Joint Legislative Taskforce to Study State, County and Municipal Fiscal Relationships

Labor Relations Board Legislation
MABE opposed SB 673/HB 1243 in 2009. An amended version of SB 673 nearly passed in 2009 and MABE anticipates the reintroduction of this legislation in 2010 to create a new labor relations board to make binding arbitration decisions on teacher pay raises and other contract issues.

Talking Points - Call to Action!
Backgound- How last year's bill was amended and nearly passed
Sample Letters to the Editor
Ways and Means Committee Roster

MABE Testimony for the 2009 Legislative Session

House Bills

House Bill 26 - Public Schools - Children with Anaphylactic Allergies - Reduction of Risk (OPPOSE)

House Bill 101 - Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act (OPPOSE REDUCTIONS IN AID TO EDUCATION)

House Bill 184 - Education - Maryland's Preschool for All Business Plan - Final Report Requirements (SUPPORT WITH AMENDMENTS)

House Bill 189 - Respiratory Illness Prevention Act (OPPOSE)

House Bill 205 - Education - Public Schools - Mandatory School Uniforms (OPPOSE)

House Bill 257 - Classroom Placement - Multiple Birth Children - Parental Discretion (OPPOSE)

House Bill 274 - Task Force on the Correlation Between Population Size of Middle and High Schools and Academic Achievement (OPPOSE)

House Bill 306 - Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children (SUPPORT)

House Bill 318 - Health Insurance - Coverage, Reimbursement, and Benefits - Counties, County School Systems, and State Employee and Retiree Health and Welfare Benefits Program (OPPOSE)

House Bill 379 - Education - Reporting Requirement - Class Size (OPPOSE)

House Bill 505 - Education - High School Assessment Requirement (OPPOSE)

House Bill 508 - Public Schools – Physical Education Facilities (SUPPORT WITH AMENDMENTS)

House Bill 525 and House Bill 1046 - State Retirement and Pension System - Local Employer Contributions - Educators and Educational Staff (OPPOSE)

House Bill 603 - Great Schools Tax Credit Program (OPPOSE)

House Bill 630 - Restore Respect at School Act (OPPOSE)

House Bill 792 - Education – Collective Bargaining – Topics of Negotiation (OPPOSE)

House Bill 793 - Task Force on Classroom Indoor Air Quality Standards (OPPOSE)

House Bill 897 - Public Schools – Office Discipline Referrals – Accountability Policy (OPPOSE)

House Bill 1148 - Operating Budget - Elimination of Inflation Adjustments (OPPOSE)

House Bill 1243 - Fairness in Negotiations Act (OPPOSE)

House Bill 1259 - Building Opportunities for All Students and Teachers (BOAST) in Maryland Tax Credit (OPPOSE)

- NSBA Position Paper "Vouchers via the tax code"

House Bill 1264 - Gwendolyn Britt Student Health and Fitness Act (OPPOSE)

Senate Bills

Senate Bill 100 - Public Schools and Child Care Centers - Artificial Color Additives - Prohibition (OPPOSE)

Senate Bill 101- Public Health - Warning Labels and Prohibition on Color Additives in Food (OPPOSE)

Senate Bill 139 - Education - High School Assessment Requirement (OPPOSE)

Senate Bill 166 - Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act (POSITION: OPPOSE REDUCTIONS IN AID TO EDUCATION)

Senate Bill 234 - Education - Maryland's Preschool for All Business Plan - Final Report Requirements (SUPPORT WITH AMENDMENTS)

Senate Bill 315 - Task Force on the Correlation Between Population Size of Middle and High Schools and Academic Achievement (OPPOSE)

Senate Bill 404 - Public Schools – Physical Education Facilities (SUPPORT WITH AMENDMENTS)

Senate Bill 409 - Public Schools – Office Discipline Referrals - Accountability Policy (OPPOSE)

Senate Bill 673 - Fairness in Negotiations Act (OPPOSE)

Senate Bill 715 - Building Opportunities for All Students and Teachers (BOAST) in Maryland Tax Credit (OPPOSE)