[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6373788,"mediaKeyId","2145545-537fd6bf308cdca485aab6e06856340e","parentId",2145545,"title","Maryland hearing pits school safety proposals against due-process, disability and racial-equity concerns","audioSeconds",1350,"startMs",6735000,"endMs",8085000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2145545-537fd6bf308cdca485aab6e06856340e&start=6735&end=8085","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2145545-537fd6bf308cdca485aab6e06856340e/thumbnail_6735000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6373788/Maryland/Maryland-hearing-pits-school-safety-proposals-against-due-process-disability-and-racial-equity-concerns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6373788-8b34c773a4f6e3dfe46ec3a39583c943/orig.mp4?Expires=1771162217&Signature=nbVUfYtcPh~irYT5oY6~7Ld7ZNLgoL1jwyk4CVa~0gdsO-6cJShKOv9XVqcCHaJblaCQB3YgDyNoOQh41YDrYqPSKjPxGFZsnktVwBcnKiBnZxRv9TC6HvLfRA14rLyM6yoKoosSs5yiLPBmd-Buc~LFHaM2lupLK932z8U3hYQQEiHONaLyOlpdmHqPZIM~zcgpN~mQz~rMixYWBEX71m36YRvoBDYHEjSNvxqGOJ2W8aUGvZDhXP8f~IgrPkG4XJN33kOiCB92CaYc4lFwEnFqZmZPCfQs9c6ZBCwLyT1OK0Dzg7uigqr7ioU0l5TaoB3rkw3Eh5ZLFQsOXRv~gA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Maryland General Assembly - Ways and Means","date","2025-01-23T00:00:00Z","article","House Ways and Means Committee members heard two linked bills on Jan. 23 that would remove students from in‑person classrooms when they are suspects (House Bill 68) or charged (House Bill 137) with a crime of violence.

Supporters said the measures are intended to protect students and staff after incidents in which individuals later accused of serious crimes remained in school buildings during investigations. Delegate Nino Mangione, sponsor, said the bills aim to prevent “a catastrophic” repeat of past failures and that students removed would receive alternative education.

The bills would apply to crimes defined in Maryland's list of crimes of violence. Mangione said the laws are meant to create “a clear and present danger” safeguard and insisted education would continue via alternative programming for excluded students.

Opponents — including the Maryland Office of the Public Defender, Disability Rights Maryland, the ACLU of Maryland, the Public Justice Center and education‑support organizations — urged unfavorable reports. They argued current state law (the reportable‑offense statute) already requires law enforcement to notify school systems when a student is arrested for a reportable offense and lets school teams make individualized safety and placement decisions.

“As the leader of both organizations, I urge you to oppose these bills,” said Kelly Quinn of the Maryland Coalition to Reform School Discipline, adding that “every child deserves a classroom, not a screen.” Abby Flanagan of the Public Defender’s Office said HB 68 would remove students from school before probable cause, arrest, filing of petitions or court hearings and therefore raises constitutional due‑process problems. Logan Ewing of Disability Rights Maryland said the bills would violate IDEA and Section 504 by removing students with disabilities from the least‑restrictive environment without an individualized team determination.

Disability Rights Maryland and other witnesses also warned that exclusion to virtual instruction commonly results in academic decline and reduced access to school‑based related services such as occupational or speech therapy. The Public Justice Center and the Gibson/Baltimore law centers highlighted statistical disparities, saying Black students and students with disabilities would be disproportionately affected and that the bills risk creating a permanent pathway out of in‑person school for many children.

The committee heard emotional in‑person testimony from Tammy Nobles, who said her daughter Kayla Hamilton was murdered in 2022 and that the suspect remained placed by child‑welfare authorities in settings that allowed school attendance during the investigation. Nobles urged lawmakers to act to prevent other children from being exposed to dangerous individuals in schools.

Witnesses emphasized alternatives: they pointed to the existing reportable‑offense process that mandates law‑enforcement notification and allows school systems to convene meetings, assess imminent threats and, if needed, place students in alternative in‑person programs or supervised virtual instruction. Several witnesses said the focus should be improving and enforcing that process and fixing communication gaps between law enforcement, school systems and juvenile services rather than adopting a blanket exclusion law.

Committee members asked questions about timelines for adjudication in juvenile court, the practical effects of virtual schooling and how to balance victims’ safety and students’ due‑process and educational rights. Testifying advocates for reform urged investment in supports that keep students engaged in school rather than expelling them into isolation — noting virtual options often fail to replicate school‑based services and extracurricular supports.

The committee took no formal action during the hearing. Members flagged additional bills and technical fixes to the reportable‑offense process under consideration this session and said they would consult state and local education officials, juvenile‑justice partners and legal counsel before deciding whether to advance either bill.

Ending: The hearing closed with a clear split: bereaved parents and sponsors calling for preventing dangerous students from accessing school buildings, and legal and disability advocates urging individualized processes, notice and protections already embedded in state and federal law.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","W&M Committee Session, 1/23/2025 #1","oneSentenceSummary","House Ways and Means Committee members heard two linked bills on Jan. 23 that would remove students from in‑person classrooms when they are suspects (House Bill 68) or charged (House Bill 137) with a crime of violence.","taxTitle","Ways and Means Committee, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative, Maryland","taxId",15064,"location","Maryland","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6373775,"Committee hears bill to let agriculture secretary expand tax subtraction list for emerging farm technology",452,1257000,1709000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2145545-537fd6bf308cdca485aab6e06856340e&start=1257&end=1709","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2145545-537fd6bf308cdca485aab6e06856340e/thumbnail_1257000.jpg","/articles/6373775/Maryland/Committee-hears-bill-to-let-agriculture-secretary-expand-tax-subtraction-list-for-emerging-farm-technology","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6373775-d9a289237ca95a389f21dad7024bc5c9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771162217&Signature=geTsS7tAcGoGFx1OJbicnmts77kgV0CEaWYv5KT09O~cvgFRg7bc~6E0W6CkkN9ZWVeyLpXpzrqGvpF7JZ05cnkwBLqdEOkWE0CFxLtX32y23b-REeBQL0GFwyevJsTymMmWDH3Leqe4Ue-CkN3PlFnXZ1te1~M~0YKZT2MRR7owiTGjvfgfr8Ywu7o8KLbi6RHGwQYRolrJse5nxafp1LlA5aM5Tzy1skUXU4IvJY1etPQA6vle2PHOWO5Q-XruDlcGqRA4TQe3EXmFmsVOrufQIQK~TZwnfciEJmZHm976u51cNmAk44vE36iQTV0DAaQ8iItwCKWBbYXqZYArPg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Delegate Bouchard introduced House Bill 278 to the Ways and Means Committee on Jan. 23, asking lawmakers to expand Maryland’s existing income‑tax subtraction for agricultural equipment by authorizing the Secretary of Agriculture to determine what qualifies as “enhanced agricultural management equipment” by regulation.

The bill’s sponsor said the regulatory approach would keep the program current with rapidly changing agricultural technologies and align with the governor’s economic strategy. Katie Stevens, director of the Frederick County Office of Agriculture, told the panel the equipment identified in the bill—such as no‑till planters, nutrient‑management systems and manure‑injection tools—advances sustainable farming by reducing soil erosion and nutrient runoff into the Chesapeake Bay.

Lindsey Thompson, executive director of the Maryland Grain Producers Association and a Queen Anne’s County farmer, explained an example of a technology not presently listed in law: an AI sensor that uses NDVI imaging on nutrient applicators to vary fertilizer rates across a field, increasing yield and reducing nutrient loss. Thompson and other farm witnesses asked the committee for a favorable report.

Supporters framed the bill as both an environmental and economic tool—encouraging adoption of conservation‑oriented practices while promoting competitiveness for Maryland agriculture. No formal amendments or votes were taken at the hearing.

Ending: The committee received technical and industry support for a regulatory path to add new precision‑agriculture equipment to an existing tax subtraction; staff follow‑up on statutory drafting and regulatory oversight was requested.","House Bill 278 would let Maryland’s agriculture secretary define, by regulation, what qualifies as enhanced agricultural management equipment for an existing income‑tax subtraction, the bill’s sponsor and farm groups told Ways and Means on Jan. 23.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6373784,"Maryland agency seeks to codify Project Restore downtown revitalization program; no new funding in budget",469,2702000,3171000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2145545-537fd6bf308cdca485aab6e06856340e&start=2702&end=3171","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2145545-537fd6bf308cdca485aab6e06856340e/thumbnail_2702000.jpg","/articles/6373784/Maryland/Maryland-agency-seeks-to-codify-Project-Restore-downtown-revitalization-program-no-new-funding-in-budget","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6373784-45617408757a9a358dabd4ab4b348b93/orig.mp4?Expires=1771162217&Signature=jUbHHOfS6jlpgxWqZQYemELLy1rhp6KB2Up0SzcmLbE53fHclnmxVt2Lk0OXj0lo9l41btalaLyKwIgQu8GcOfr88jc3389HgPMY4sDbY5N7oRh9hmyURMGn0kMJ2Qq4pE5Sp6nDD8kCAUX1SxBrDWNN25bUd7rmI0Nj7-j7E5ewygfGkcuHAtQfS7k6NQgs4EdFnnuFiXcdNN8K3pw8RPt4UrrNlDw2usryZHuKakS4qQYizvT-aa5xWVcOx6BKze6zmU7vxevda7Bds1wabytrrTCgq8Y4paqGJoEgN6bQHjyMzQKP3LdHoeV9s6SIiqGBiT9FPOo3V4jbyIevmA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Secretary of Housing and Community Development Jake Day and DHCD program director Carrie Snyder told the Ways and Means Committee on Jan. 23 that House Bill 90 would codify Project Restore, the department’s place‑based small‑business revitalization initiative.

DHCD said Project Restore began in fiscal 2022 with American Rescue Plan funds and has supported nearly 800 small businesses and more than 1,400 jobs. Carrie Snyder testified the program received $176 million in requests for $50 million in available funds across rounds, and that DHCD has reimbursed about $28 million in expenditures tied to participating businesses’ sales and use tax collections.

“Project Restore is a proven, effective tool for growing small business, creating jobs, and enhancing the character and appeal of downtowns and main streets,” Secretary Day told the committee, while acknowledging that the fiscal note for the bill reflects a $10 million program cost and that no state funds are currently in the FY 2026 budget for the program.

Project Restore provides capital (eligible uses include rent, renovations, fixtures and equipment and building acquisition) to place‑based economic development organizations—which then subgrant to small businesses—removing usual matching‑fund barriers and pairing capital with local technical assistance. DHCD said more than 60% of early award recipients were minority‑ or women‑owned businesses and emphasized the program’s focus on building entrepreneur wealth by supporting property acquisition where appropriate.

Municipal and county officials (Paul Ellington of Salisbury and others) and downtown advocates described Project Restore as especially valuable in rural and Eastern Shore communities. Committee members asked for more granular reporting and award‑recipient data; DHCD said final reports are being completed for FY22 and FY23 awards and that FY24 awards remain open.

DHCD representatives said the program redesign to route awards through community economic development organizations reduced administrative barriers and produced stronger local partnerships and outcomes in places such as Hagerstown, Cumberland and Baltimore County. The department also said it is open to legislative language adding reporting requirements.

Ending: The committee closed the hearing without taking action; supporters urged codification so the program could be positioned for future state funding, while lawmakers sought more recipient‑level reporting and clarity about how the program interacts with sales and use tax and other state economic development tools.","The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development asked the Ways and Means Committee to codify Project Restore, its program that subsidizes small business investment in vacant storefronts, but officials said the bill contains no new state appropriation for the program this year.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6373770,"Bill to restrict explicit sexual content from K‑8 school libraries draws debate over local review and statutory standards",517,5336000,5853000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2145545-537fd6bf308cdca485aab6e06856340e&start=5336&end=5853","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2145545-537fd6bf308cdca485aab6e06856340e/thumbnail_5336000.jpg","/articles/6373770/Maryland/Bill-to-restrict-explicit-sexual-content-from-K8-school-libraries-draws-debate-over-local-review-and-statutory-standards","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6373770-9ec2963cfe2029f13d6bf112b17cf9f2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771162217&Signature=h-99x6hcui6ef17MoGvYrRdB4gtAt1UmR0QbuMCBy5hqDhOdqVMgQvJ4XOCaRiI3e4w0BmDuqG17t-8zC13TfxrZcNu1LBVjQVzqMPeDXgghrJkLe6JBqYAt9lH24KO0p1XFCv82V1PyfuaKyJVBAWHeyQQe9WJgpaEXa-82CX9j7jXS3GDVlWo3CCmOFmw2yK3I9SoLJjhH9amN6Oi~r2KdeXtgZCgvhKIrFbFLJedkcdulcNt5gbqfj69W~hPcJaQMHuiMeMA6HvtkeJWzZkbV50xT7GAa3P95bWs~62m20QHlW77kfBhoHci6FJyGGLMIp60jJ~kg5NwmfI02ug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Bill 282, presented by Delegate Nino Mangione on Jan. 23, seeks to remove from public school libraries books that “show, depict, or write about sexual acts in a graphic manner,” with the sponsor saying the intent is to set a statewide standard for materials available to younger students.

Mangione said the bill is not aimed at public libraries or the public square but at public school libraries for third‑, fourth‑ and fifth‑grade students. He listed titles he characterized as containing explicit content and said parents should have the right to protect children from material he deemed inappropriate.

Committee members pressed on process questions. Delegate Del. Fair and others noted that local jurisdictions already have book‑challenge and review processes that include parents, librarians and experts; Mangione said the bill is intended to create a statewide baseline standard. Committee members also referenced state criminal law that already prohibits distributing obscene materials to minors and asked how the proposed standard would interact with current law and local curation processes.

Opponents raised concerns about vague definitions (what constitutes “graphic”), potential chilling effects on instructional materials, and duplication of existing local review mechanisms. Delegate Eversol asked whether the bill could be broadened to address very violent material unrelated to sexual content; Mangione said he would be open to clarifying language and noted historical materials would be treated differently when age‑appropriate.

Ending: The committee held the hearing with debate over definitions, local control and enforcement; the sponsor said he would work on clearer language and welcomed discussion about age‑appropriate boundaries and process safeguards.","A bill to bar books that “show, depict, or write about sexual acts in a graphic manner” from public school libraries for younger students drew questions about definition, local review and overlap with existing statutes at a Jan. 23 Ways and Means hearing.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6373779,"Advocates urge Ways and Means to expand military retirement income subtraction to retain veterans; some county officials warn of local revenue impacts",838,3780000,4618000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2145545-537fd6bf308cdca485aab6e06856340e&start=3780&end=4618","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2145545-537fd6bf308cdca485aab6e06856340e/thumbnail_3780000.jpg","/articles/6373779/Maryland/Advocates-urge-Ways-and-Means-to-expand-military-retirement-income-subtraction-to-retain-veterans-some-county-officials-warn-of-local-revenue-impacts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6373779-037d8b734dba0b20d99710a2074e9dc1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771162217&Signature=jzuDbysGftpcvRkjSDCTdOfi3~Co46O2QbWl4FaNdAWY75iWlBezwp7nH4Thd4UN9cMdeqVSzfzFXTbbYRCKjJsQcOHr24Ivk0--BX~-el~W2SV2~W~Mi6I-G4nhZf4PBbGUe7jpIKJ7lJGSCuuDXNqdEUysPa9XRHVQnAz-8WRql~HdpKgV-LeFIxByo7hALbqte3hjBqIf~nUhWbAFBMQQ~-jwrgi9yY2~SnMdGZttlIEo7qSaRQSyxpV0OfziOdG3QZWQqwCk8GaxssyxV4Xmbe4OjD8eKX4uDObW3~im5gLb~vvIBm1vn9NCVqaaZP~RBB140JvbiI-N9O7whg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Delegate Mike Rogers and veteran advocates urged the Ways and Means Committee to support House Bill 60 on Jan. 23, a phased expansion of Maryland’s income‑tax subtraction for military retirement income dubbed the Keep Our Heroes Home Act.

Rogers said expanding the subtraction will “keep more of our heroes here in Maryland” and help counter domestic migration to states that exempt military retirement pay. John May of the Maryland Military Coalition and other veteran and retiree organizations described the proposal as a necessary step to retain workforce and human capital, noting that 38 states have no age restriction on military retirement exemptions.

Testimony from the National Active and Retired Federal Employees, the National Guard Association of Maryland and the Maryland Military Coalition supported the bill, which would phase in increased subtraction amounts ($25,000 in 2025, $40,000 in 2026 and beyond, per testimony) to reduce the tax burden on retired service members.

Paul Ellington of Worcester County and a local official testified unfavorably, and county representatives warned that the subtraction modification would reduce state revenue and could shift costs to counties as more responsibilities and programs are funded locally. Ellington asked the committee to consider amendments or to table the proposal for further fiscal analysis.

Committee members asked about fiscal notes and county impacts; supporters acknowledged the state's fiscal constraints while arguing the long‑term economic benefit of retaining retirees through their spending, volunteerism and tax contributions. The committee took no immediate action.

Ending: The committee heard contrasting views: organized veterans and retiree groups seeking tax competitiveness to retain military retirees, and county officials warning of potential fiscal pressures at the local level. The bill awaits further committee review.","Supporters representing veteran, National Guard and retiree organizations pressed for House Bill 60, which would expand Maryland's income‑tax subtraction for military retirement pay, saying it would help retain retirees and their economic contributions. County representatives asked for an unfavorable report or amendments, citing potential","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Maryland hearing pits school safety proposals against due-process, disability and racial-equity concerns

Committee hears bill to let agriculture secretary expand tax subtraction list for emerging farm technology

Maryland agency seeks to codify Project Restore downtown revitalization program; no new funding in budget

Bill to restrict explicit sexual content from K‑8 school libraries draws debate over local review and statutory standards

Advocates urge Ways and Means to expand military retirement income subtraction to retain veterans; some county officials warn of local revenue impacts