Today in Annapolis was all about education. Senator Bailey presented an important bill for our local school systems to the Senate’s Finance Committee. Senate Bill 241 – Maryland Healthy Working Families Act – Applicability would exempt our local school systems from the requirement to provide sick leave to substitute employees.
When the General Assembly passed the sick leave law, it included an exemption for employees who work on an as-needed basis in the health and human services industry. This bill creates a similar exemption for substitute employees. Extending this exemption will save our local school systems money. Senator Bailey was joined at this hearing by St. Mary’s County Superintendent Dr. Scott Smith who explained the fiscal impact this has on St. Mary’s County and school systems throughout the state. At this time when all of us are focused on the amount of money that our local school systems receive, Senator Bailey believes that this funding would be better spent on other educational needs. To read the bill click here!
Today was also the annual legislative day for the Maryland Association of Boards of Education in Annapolis. Senator Bailey and other legislators met with members of school boards from throughout Maryland to hear about educational priorities in different parts of our state. Senator Bailey met with advocates representing the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and discussed strategies for suicide prevention, including successful partnerships between the Foundation and our local school systems and health departments.