ANNAPOLIS, Md. — School construction funding in Maryland would increase by $2.2 billion over five years, under a measure approved by the House of Delegates on Friday.
The House approved the measure on a bipartisan 128-6 vote. The measure, which is called the Built to Learn Act, now goes to the Senate, where leaders in that chamber support it. Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, also has expressed support.
“I think it’s telling how important this bill is on both sides of the aisle,” said House Speaker Adrienne Jones, a Baltimore County Democrat.
The measure enables the Maryland Stadium Authority to issue up to $2.2 billion in revenue bonds. The money would be on top of about $400 million the state spends each year to build and repair schools.
The debt on the bonds would be paid by $125 million annually over 30 years from casino revenue that goes to the state for education.
Education is a top priority this year in the Maryland General Assembly, which is controlled by Democrats. A separate measure would phase in billions of dollars of funding for priorities inside schools by updating the state’s funding formulas for K through 12.
It has been estimated that fully implementing the recommendations of the Kirwan Commission would cost about $4 billion annually in a decade. The recommendations include investing in pre-K and increasing teacher pay. They also include implementing rigorous curricula, providing more support to struggling schools and to children who live in poverty.
By 2030, the state government would pay $2.8 billion more on schools than current projections and local governments would pay $1.2 billion more.
A bill hearing has been scheduled for Monday on the measure containing the commission’s recommendations.
Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. PHOTO AP