News from Annapolis
2020 Session:                            Delegate Trent Kittleman - District 9A
Week Ten
Contents:
 *   Corona Virus cuts Legislative Session short
 *   Senate Amends Kirwan Bill
 *   Good Teacher Protection Act passed
 *   Reparations for Black Colleges?
 *   Delegate Kittleman Scholarship
NOTICE  
As you may have heard, the Legislature is going to work through this Wednesday (March 18) and then adjourn.  The last time the Legislature adjourned before 90 days was back in the 1860's during the Civil War.

It's going to be difficult to determine what happens to many of the bills right away.  But I plan to continue with my Newsletter as long as there is Legislative news, and the Legislature may reconvene in late May.
Please forward this email to your family and friends, and encourage them to sign up to receive the weekly News from Annapolis by sending me an email at TrentKittleman@verizon.net.
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Senate Amends Kirwan Bill
        Contrary to my original belief, the Senate amendments to the Kirwan bill made the legislation, on balance, worse than the House version.  
        The positive changes were:
  • Reinstating the role of the Governor in appointing the members of the Accountability and Implementation Board.  That Board holds virtually all of the power to make this bill work.
  • Adding a "checkpoint" in 2026 requiring a review of the results thus far and determining whether there is sufficient funding to go forward with the second five years.  If either of those goals are not met, increases to state funding per child would be limited to 2%.  Of course, that leaves the local counties a choice of  assuming the state's share of the funding or cutting programs.
        Unfortunately, the Senate's version also included a significant increase in the cost of the bill.  The most glaring increase is the creation of a new program for behavioral  health services coordination.  The amendment creates a "Maryland Consortium of Coordinated Community Supports Fund and mandates the following spending:
       "THE GOVERNOR SHALL INCLUDE IN THE ANNUAL BUDGET BILL THE FOLLOWING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE FUND:

(I)      $25,000,000 IN FISCAL YEAR 2022; 
(II)      $50,000,000 IN FISCAL YEAR 2023;
(III)    $75,000,000 IN FISCAL YEAR 2024;
(IV)    $100,000,000 IN FISCAL YEAR 2025; AND
(V)      $125,000,000 IN FISCAL YEAR 2026 AND EACH FISCAL YEAR THEREAFTER."
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" "Good Teacher Protection Act" passes House
          The Good Teacher Protection Act, one of a five-part package of bills the Minority Caucus offered to provide immediate relief to classrooms across the state, passed the House last week. 
         The bill provides protections for teachers who are making an effort to keep their classrooms and their students safe.  Chief among these protections is providing  civil immunity for teachers taking reasonable actions to stop violence in their classrooms.   A peaceful learning environment is essential to allow children to successfully learn and be able to compete in the growing economy and lead prosperous lives.
        The Good Teacher Protection Act now moves to the Maryland Senate.   The status of the other four bills in the Education Package are as follows:
  • The Right to Teach Act, legislation that will allow teachers to remove chronically disruptive students from their classrooms, has had a hearing in the Ways and Means Committee, but has not yet received a vote. 
  • The Predator-Free Schools Act, prohibiting sex offenders from attending school with minor children, 
  • The Accountability in Education Act which expands the role of the Inspector General for Education, and 
  • The Right to Learn Act that frees children from chronically-failing schools are all still stuck in the House Rules Committee. 
        These are important bills that would bring immediate and meaningful change to the classrooms, allowing teachers to teach and children to learn.  Let's hope the majority Democrats give these bills a hearing and a vote.
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HB 1260 -- 
Reparations for "Historically Black Colleges & Universities"
HB 1260: Historically Black Colleges and Universities - Funding
           This bill was introduced this year for the purpose of usurping the judicial process that began as a lawsuit back in 2006.  Plaintiffs in that lawsuit are the historically black colleges and universities, claiming discrimination in funding and other inequities.  
          This bill requires that reparations " shall be provided in the form of additional funding in the amount of $577,000,000,"   to the plaintiffs over the next ten years, at $57,700,000 per year as follows :
  • $16,790,700 for Bowie State University
  • $  7,212,500 for Coppin State University
  • $24,003,200 for Morgan State University, and
  • $  9,693,600 for the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

        Upon researching the history of this 14-year-old lawsuit, I found, first, that plaintiffs have been negotiating with the last four governors.  Most recently, Governor Hogan doubled his original offer to settle from $100,000,000 to $200,000,000.  This offer was five times the amount proposed by the O'Malley Administration to settle the case. The plaintiffs refused this offer.

  What is the history? 
  
        Although recognizing past discrimination, the District Court noted,  "Maryland has maintained a policy of enhancing HBCU mission and programming at least since the 1970's in an effort to mitigate the effects of de jure  discrimination.
         In negotiating with Plaintiffs, Governor Hogan noted  " it is critical that any resolution of this case recognize the significant strides made by the State of Maryland to remedy these historic inequities over the administrations of the last four governors working with their partners in the legislature."   
        The District Court found that the HBCUs were, in fact, funded at a higher level than Maryland's traditional institutions.  "Since Fiscal Year 2002, [ well before this lawsuit was filed ] state support for Maryland's HBCUs far exceeded the growth rate for the state's other public four-year institutions."  Between 1999 and 2019, Maryland devoted more than $1.3 billion in capital funds and $195.6 million in enhanced operating funds to the HBCUs.  
        " Simply put," said Governor Hogan, "t he HBCUs are better funded than most of the traditional institutions, and will continue to be."
          Finally, Governor Hogan made reference to the precarious financial status of the State: " According to the non-partisan Department of Legislative Services, the State will have a cash shortfall between FY 21 and FY 24 of about $5 billion.  This forecast includes only about 10% of the proposed Kirwan Commission spending on K-12 education. "  And the Governor's letter was written well before the economic effects of the Corona Virus struck.
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Delegate Kittleman Scholarship
District 9-A Residents:
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        High school seniors, current undergraduate students at a 4-year college, a community college, or a private career school are eligible to apply for a Legislative Scholarship.

  For questions regarding the application process, call my Annapolis office and speak with Chelsea Leigh Murphy, my Legislative Aide, at 410-841-3556.
Please be sure to have your completed application postmarked 
by April 1, 2020     
Delegate Trent Kittleman
District 9A, Western Howard County and Southern Carroll County (Sykesville)
Room 202, Lowe House Office Building
6 Bladen Street,   Annapolis, MD 21401
410-841-3556  *   Trent.Kittleman@House.State.MD.US
Interim Office
3000 Kittleman Lane,  West Friendship, MD 21794
301-661-3344  *   trentkittleman@verizon.net
Administrative AideChelsea Leigh Murphy