AFT Healthcare, AFT Public Employees to Sponsor Joint Conference
AFT Healthcare and AFT Public Employees will sponsor their 2013 Joint Conference April 25-27 at the Hilton Baltimore Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland.
Maryland Senate Committee Passes New School Construction Bill
After winning a 107-30 vote in the Maryland House of Delegates last week, the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee unanimously passed the Baltimore City School Construction bill March 27.
AFT-Maryland Executive Board Meets
The Executive Board of the American Federation of Teachers held its first meeting of 2013 March19.
Baltimore School Construction Bill Passes in the House
The Baltimore City Public Schools Construction and Revitalization Act of 2013 was passed in the Maryland House of Delegates March 20, but only after having been completely rewritten by Maryland legislators.
Maryland House, Senate Pass O'Malley Budget
The Maryland Senate passed Governor O’Malley’s budget with overwhelming support March 21. Only five Republicans voted against the budget, with seven Republicans joining 35 Democrats voting to support the budget.
The Maryland House of Delegates approved the governor’s proposed state budget March 15. The Democratic-controlled House voted 101-36 for the bill, largely along party lines. Both houses have approved a $36.8 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2014.
AFT-MD Reps Testify on Charter School Legislation
Members of the AFT-Maryland legislative team testified in opposition to four charter school bills for which hearings were held March 13. The bills proposed making a study of ways to improve to charter schools, allowing charter schools to directly hire school personnel, establishing an independent charter school advisory council, and proposing that charter schools be allowed to certify their own principals.