February 16, 2020 the Honorable Maggie Mcintosh
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February 16, 2020 The Honorable Maggie McIntosh, Chairman House Appropriations Committee 6 Bladen Street, Suite 121 Annapolis, Maryland 21401 The Honorable Anne Kaiser, Chairman House Ways and Means Committee 6 Bladen Street, Suite 131 Annapolis, Maryland 21401 Dear Madame Chairs, As you are aware, at Noon tomorrow, February 17, 2020, four committees in the General Assembly will hold a joint hearing on HB 1300/SB 1000 – Blueprint for Maryland’s Future – Implementation. This is one of the most significant pieces of legislation the Maryland General Assembly has considered in a generation; not only because of the fundamental changes it is said to make in our education system but also for the tremendous price tag that it carries. For better or for worse, this legislation will have a staggering impact on Maryland for years to come. It is our duty, as the elected representatives who will consider and ultimately vote on this monumental piece of legislation, to do so thoughtfully and carefully. It is critical that this legislation is thoroughly vetted and analyzed, and that we hear from all parties who will be impacted by this legislation. It is just as critical that we, and the public, have access to all of the information and analysis available. It is with an abundance of concern that, at this juncture, this legislation appears to be moving forward at a rushed pace, that we write to you today. As we write this letter, the hearing for this bill is less than 24 hours away. And yet, after more than three years of meetings, decisions, and recommendations from the Kirwan Commission and months of planning and analysis by the Department of Legislative Services, there is no Fiscal Note available; neither to the members sitting on the Committees nor to the public. As you know, Fiscal Notes include an in-depth analysis of the financial impact legislation will have on state and local governments. We already know, from the preliminary analysis that has been available for months, that this legislation will increase state and local spending on education by more than $4 billion per year over the next 10 years. This could very well mean an additional $4,000 in new taxes for every family in Maryland, and yet there is no analysis yet available. We expect the analysis will be available by the time of the committees’ hearing. But that does not give any time for those who come to testify on the bill to review, analyze, and otherwise consider the information found in the fiscal note as a part of their testimony. It also provides no time for the Committee members to do any meaningful study of the Fiscal Note to include it as they hear from those testifying on the legislation. We appreciate this is often the case as fiscal notes are typically unavailable until just before a hearing. But, for legislation as impactful, not to mention as physically large, as the HB 1300 we believe the lack of a Fiscal Note at this time is unacceptable and does not bode well for the hopes of thoughtful and careful consideration by the legislators. It is our view that if there has not been time for a thorough and thoughtful fiscal analysis to be completed in time for it to be adequately reviewed by all stakeholders and committee members prior to the hearing, that the hearing should not be held. We note the fact that the timing of tomorrow’s hearing coincides with a date when much of government, such as schools, are closed and a number of the legislation’s advocates are available to rally and participate in the hearing. To the extent possible, we would like to see this scheduling practice expanded to include advocates on a variety of other issues such as the 2nd Amendment. But, we feel the need to properly analyze this major legislation far outweighs the benefits of political theatre. It is not in the best interest of our state to rush forward with this hearing until we have had the appropriate time to receive and review this analysis. Therefore, we ask that the hearing on HB 1300/SB 1000 be delayed 48 hours from the time the analysis is made available to the public and the legislature. Failing that, we request an additional public hearing be held on the bill once the analysis is received, and there has been time to review. Thank you in advance for your consideration of this weighty matter. In responsible service to the citizens of Maryland, we are Sincerely, Nic Kipke Kathy Szeliga Minority Leader Minority Whip Matt Morgan Jason Buckel Assistant Minority Leader Chief Deputy Minority Whip April Rose Haven Shoemaker, Jr. Ranking Member Minority Parliamentarian House Ways and Means Committee Member, House Ways and Means Committee Wendell Beitzel Jeff Ghrist Ranking Member Deputy Minority Whip House Appropriations Committee House Appropriations Committee .