This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/md-senate-to-finalize-hogans-budget-compromise-reached-on-private-school-scholarships/2016/03/28/7d711cd8-f553-11e5-a3ce-f06b5ba21f33_story.html

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Md. Senate to finalize Hogan’s budget; compromise reached on private school scholarships Md. Senate to finalize Hogan’s budget; compromise reached on private school scholarships
(about 11 hours later)
The Maryland Senate is expected to finalize Gov. Larry Hogan’s $42 billion operating budget on Tuesday, after a few senators hammered out a compromise with member of the House of Delegates on scholarship help for private school students. After years of resisting, and over the objections of the state teachers’ union, Maryland lawmakers have agreed to state-funded private school scholarships.
The House could also vote on the budget bill on Tuesday, meaning it would pass almost two weeks before the end of the 90-day legislative session. The decision to create the $5 million grant program was part of the negotiations on the state’s $42 billion operating budget, which received final approval in the Democratic-controlled General Assembly on Tuesday.
“Given recent experience, it is unusual,” said John Rohrer, the coordinator of fiscal and policy analysis for the Department of Legislative Services, of the quick negotiations. Lawmakers did away with a proposal that had been approved by the Senate and would have provided tax credits to companies that contribute to scholarships for private school students. Instead, both the House of Delegates and the Senate backed the grant program, which would provide scholarships to students from poor families.
The conference committee did away with a controversial plan to provide tax credits to companies that contribute to scholarships for private school students. It replaced it with a $5 million grant program to allow students from poor families to receive scholarships to attend private schools. “It’s a win-win for not just the people of the state of Maryland, but for all students,” said Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert). “It’s a good compromise.”
The Maryland State Education Association fought hard against two bills that would have provided tax credits for private school scholarships. The Senate and House bills called for the state to set aside $15 million and $50 million for the programs, respectively. Maryland joins 16 other states that use public dollars to help pay for private school scholarships. Most of the others, including Virginia, Georgia, Florida and Alabama, have Republican-controlled legislatures and offer tax credits to companies or individuals that donate to the scholarship program.
[Despite union opposition, Md. Senate advances bill to encourage private school scholarships] Gov. Larry Hogan (R), who has pushed for education tax credits for the past two years, said the scholarships have “the potential to make a huge difference to students and families across the state.”
The grants would be administered by the Maryland Department of Education and the rules for the program would be set up by an advisory board, appointed by the governor and legislative leaders. [The overwhelming whiteness of U.S. private schools, in six maps and charts]
Sean Johnson, the assistant executive director for the teachers’ union, called the scholarships a “voucher program” that diverted public dollars away from public schools. Bills to create an education-tax credit in Maryland have been introduced for the past 10 years and won the support of then-Gov. Martin O’Malley (D). The bills had advanced in the Senate, but not in the House, where they were staunchly opposed by House Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Anne Arundel).
Earlier this month, Busch hinted that his opposition was softening, in part because two African American lawmakers from Baltimore — Dels. Antonio Hayes and Keith E. Haynes — had sponsored versions of the scholarship legislation. They and other members of the Democratic caucus were arguing that the aid was needed to help young black men in the city.
Miller said former Baltimore Mayor Kurt L. Schmoke, who is now the president of the University of Baltimore, also pushed for the scholarships, calling private schools “a lifesaver” for many Baltimore students in need.
The grants would be administered by the Maryland Department of Education. The rules for the program would be set up by an advisory board that would be appointed by the governor and legislative leaders.
The Maryland State Education Association had fought hard against the bills to create education tax credits, which would have set aside as much as $50 million for the program. But the union also vowed to fight the scholarship program, which Sean Johnson, its assistant executive director, called a “voucher program” that would divert public dollars away from public schools.
“We’re hoping to make it a one-year bad idea and not a permanent bad idea,” Johnson said.“We’re hoping to make it a one-year bad idea and not a permanent bad idea,” Johnson said.
Doug Mayer, a spokesman for Hogan, said the governor’s staff on Monday was reviewing the changes the conference committee made to the budget. “We’re disappointed that our bill isn’t going forward, but it appears to be a step in the right direction,” Mayer said. [Despite union opposition, Md. Senate advances bill to encourage private school scholarships]
Last week, Hogan said he had concerns about the some of the changes that the House and Senate made to the budget before it was sent to the conference committee for reconciliation. But overall, he said he was pleased there were relatively few changes. In approving the state budget, both chambers reallocated $80 million that Hogan wanted to put into the state’s reserve fund, also known as the Rainy Day fund, in order to pay for Democratic legislative priorities.
“So far, we couldn’t have had a better session with regard to the budget,” Hogan said, noting that other states with a divided government, including Pennsylvania, have not been as fortunate. “I can’t remember when it has ever happened before, when it went this smoothly, few changes, getting it done with such support in both houses.” John Rohrer, the coordinator of fiscal and policy analysis for the Department of Legislative Services, said the money will go to increase reimbursement rates for doctors who treat the poor and help local governments pay for teacher pensions, among other things.
[Maryland House approves Gov. Hogan’s $42 billion budget] The money is fenced off, which means that if Hogan elects not to use it the way Democrats want him to, it also cannot be used for anything else. Last year, the General Assembly fenced off $65 million for several school districts throughout the state. Hogan objected and never released the funds.
Both chambers reallocated $80 million that Hogan had wanted to put into the state’s reserve fund, also known as the Rainy Day fund, to pay for several legislative priorities. The money is fenced off, which means it can not be used for anything else in the budget. Also Tuesday, the Senate voted to approve bills that would raise the mandatory retirement age for judges from 70 to 73; require schools to teach lessons aimed at preventing child sexual abuse; and reform the structured-settlement purchasing industry, giving the attorney general the authority to regulate the transfers of structured settlements.
Rohrer said the biggest items the money will pay for is a higher reimbursement for doctors who treat the poor and $19 million to help local governments pay for teacher pensions. In the House, lawmakers gave final passage to a measure requiring the Board of Public Works to notify the legislature and the public 10 days before voting on proposals to reduce budget appropriations. The three-member board has the authority to cut line items in the capital and operating budgets by up to 25 percent when the legislature is not in session.
Last year, the General Assembly fenced off $65 million for several school districts throughout the state. Hogan objected and never released the funds. The legislation now goes to Hogan for his signature.
Also on Monday, the Senate voted unanimously to approve a bill that would expand the use of interlock ignitions for serious drunk drivers, requiring motorists convicted of driving at or above the state’s legal blood alcohol limit of 0.08 percent to breathe into a tube before they can try to start their vehicles. The House also gave preliminary approval to the capital budget and bills that would prohibit the sale of powdered alcohol; mandate that prescribers and pharmacists use a database that helps identify health-care providers who overprescribe pain medications and patients who are misusing the drugs; and require insurance companies to cover all in-vitro fertilization procedures involving donated sperm.
The measure has also passed the House of Delegates. The two chambers made amendments to the bill, which means that both the House and the Senate must now concur with the changes. The in vitro measure would address concern raised by Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh (D) about a law passed last year that requires insurance companies to cover the procedure for same-sex couples using donor sperm.
Rich Leotta, whose son Noah, a Montgomery County police officer, was killed by a drunk driver while on DUI patrol, said he looks forward to concurrence vote and the bill moving to the governor’s desk. Frosh said the statute created a disparity between same- and opposite-sex couples, the latter of which are not guaranteed coverage. The Affordable Care Act prohibits such unequal treatment, Frosh said.
“Every time an interlock is put on, it will be like Noah is still on patrol,” said Leotta, who was in Annapolis Monday night for the Senate vote. Josh Hicks contributed to this report.
The Senate also voted unanimously to create a retirement plan for employees of small businesses. The bill now heads to the House for consideration.
The Senate gave preliminary approval to a bill that raises the mandatory retirement age for judges from 70 to 73; a measure that would require schools to teach age-appropriate lessons aimed at preventing child sexual abuse; and legislation that would reform the structured-settlement purchasing industry, giving the attorney general the authority to regulate the transfers of structured settlements.
In the House, preliminary approval was given to a bill that would require the Board of Public Works to inform the legislature and public when it decides to reduce funds budgeted for a specific purpose.
The board, which approves major state contracts, has reduced appropriations by nearly $2 billion since 2007, according to state fiscal analysts. The Senate passed the legislation unanimously this month.
Josh Hicks contributed tot his report.