Following MSEA Day of Action, Key House Committee Recommends Amendments to Avoid Deep K-12 Funding Cuts
And other legislative updates in this week’s Up the Street
THIS WEEK IN ANNAPOLIS
MSEA Day of Action Pushes for, and Key House Committee Recommends, Amendments to Avoid Deep K-12 Funding Cuts
Roughly 250 educators from across the state visited legislators’ Annapolis offices on Monday for MSEA’s Fund Maryland’s Future Day of Action to urge lawmakers to prevent deep cuts to public schools and to pass fair tax reform. Making the rounds to see legislators in person, they shared their personal experiences to advocate for community schools, students in poverty, multilingual learners, and reforms to the tax system that would result in sustainably funded schools and the wealthiest paying their fair share.
Later the same week, on Friday the House Appropriations Committee amended the Excellence in Maryland Public Schools Act, Senate Bill 429/House Bill 504, to reject the deep cuts to school funding proposed in the bill that would have resulted in a two-year freeze to Maryland’s successful expansion of community schools as well as cuts to expected funding levels that would have negatively impacted students in poverty and multilingual learners in particular.
“Educators applaud and appreciate the strong leadership of the House Appropriations Committee, led by Chair Barnes, to ensure that our students receive the support that they deserve,” said MSEA President Paul Lemle. “We are hopeful that in the coming days the Ways and Means Committee under Chair Atterbeary’s leadership will take the same positive step forward.
“By restoring funding that our schools expected and need, the General Assembly can protect students in poverty, multilingual learners, and the state’s successful expansion of community schools. We urge the full House and the Senate to reject the deep cuts to our schools proposed in the Excellence in Maryland Public Schools Act.”
It only takes a minute to add your voice to our efforts by emailing your legislators and Gov. Moore.
MSEA Testifies in Support of BRFA Revenue, Recommends Amendments on Pension Shift
Earlier this week, during both a joint hearing of the House Appropriations and Ways and Means committees, and a joint hearing of the Senate Budget and Taxation and Education, Energy and the Environment committee, on the Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act (BRFA) of 2025 (House Bill 352/Senate Bill 321) Lemle testified in support of the tax reforms in the governor’s proposed budget and BRFA.
“This is a thoughtful proposal that will help ensure the state is able to fund Maryland’s future,” said Lemle. “The proposal raises much-needed revenue to fund essential services like public education and reduces taxes for working families.”
Cindy Sexton, president of the Teachers Association of Baltimore County, and Samantha Zwerling, MSEA’s director of political and legislative affairs, testified against shifting additional pension costs to counties from the state. The costs have been shared for a decade after pension reforms during the 2011 legislative session left counties responsible for the normal cost share of employer pension contributions and the state responsible for the unfunded liability portion. Shifting unfunded liability costs to the counties now would complicate the local districts’ ability to meet education costs. “It will be a mandatory payment on local governments that will make it harder to meet other obligations, including funding local share of schools above maintenance of effort,” Sexton said.
The Department of Legislative Services recommended doubling the administration’s proposed cost shift to the counties—a recommendation which MSEA also opposes. If additional pension responsibilities shift to the counties, MSEA advocates for the localities to have new ways to raise revenue. It’s important to note that any shift would not impact benefit levels to retired or active educators; and to remember that since the 2011 reforms educators are generally contributing 7% of their salaries to the pension system and doing their part to protect their retirement security.
Bills to Improve ESP Power, Salary Have Hearings
MSEA President Paul Lemle, and Stacy Tayman, president of the Calvert Association of Educational Support Staff (CAESS), testified in support of legislation that would include an education support professional (ESP) on the State Board of Education (SBOE) on February 21 in the Senate Education, Energy and the Environment Committee. Lemle and Education Support Professionals of Baltimore County President Jeannette Young testified in support of the bill on February 25 during its House hearing in the Ways and Means Committee.
“Adding an ESP to the State Board of Education would provide a missing vantage point,” Tayman said. “How often our voices are not included.…As we talk about the education environment, we are speaking of ESPs—we are responsible for food, air, water, medical care, safety, cybersecurity. We deliver interventions and provide instructional support as well as a myriad of other services.”
Without an ESP on the state board, Lemle said, “we are missing the perspective of the many educators in non-teaching roles who build a school’s culture, oversee operations outside the classroom, and know what it takes to run a school community safely and efficiently.” Senate Bill 712 was introduced by Senator Ben Brooks (D-Baltimore County), and Delegate Eric Ebersole (D-Baltimore County) is the sponsor of the crossfile, House Bill 923.
Another one of MSEA’s legislative priorities this year is to define education support professionals (ESPs) in law and establish a minimum wage for them. Senate Bill 892, will have a hearing on Tuesday in the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee. Senator Craig Zucker (D-Montgomery) sponsors SB892, and the crossfiled bill, House Bill 1369, is sponsored by Delegate Greg Wims (D-Montgomery).
There is still time to add your support for ESP fairness, equity, and safety. It takes just a minute to contact your legislators clicking here.
Worker Protections Bill Passes House
A law that would protect workers from captive meetings where employers discourage union membership passed 94-37 in the House on Tuesday. House Bill 233, sponsored by Delegate Joe Vogel (D-Montgomery) and the crossfile, Senate Bill 576, sponsored by Senator Clarence Lam (D-Howard and Anne Arundel), position Maryland to protect workers’ rights to join unions and bargain collectively as the Trump Administration advances its anti-worker agenda. Although the National Labor Relations Board ruled captive meetings illegal in 2024, this legislation would further enshrine that protection in state law.
NEWS AND NOTES
Early Voting Starts for Prince George’s County Executive and Council Seat Special Election
Primary day is Tuesday for the race to determine who will serve out the remainder of former Prince George’s County Executive (now U.S. Senator) Angela Alsobrooks’ county executive term. Early voting began Wednesday for the special election, which also includes the county council District 5 seat formerly held by Jolene Ivey prior to her being sworn in for an at-large county council seat. The general election will be in June. Seven Democrats and three Republicans are vying to succeed Alsobrooks, including some veteran elected officials: former County Executive Rushern Baker, State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy, At-Large County Councilmember Calvin Hawkins, and state Senator Alonzo Washington (D-Prince George’s); other Democrats are Marcellus Crews, Ron Hunt, Albert Slocum, and Tonya Sweat; Republicans are George E. McDermott, Jesse Peed, and Jonathan White.
In the race for the 5th District, six Democrats and one Republican are competing: Democrats Shayla Adams-Stafford, Theresa Mitchell Dudley, Kendal Gray, Ryan Middleton, Kayce Munyeneh, and Christopher Wade; and Republican Fred Price Jr. The Prince George’s County Educators’ Association (PGCEA) recommends Dudley, a former PGCEA president and MSEA vice president. PGCEA did not endorse a candidate in the executive’s race.
Voters may cast a ballot at any one of nine locations during early voting or on primary election day. The locations of the voting centers are available online.