TOWSON ADVOCACY PROGRAM (TAP)
2009 Legislative Bills and Information
Below is a list of legislative bills relevant to higher education have been introduced in the General Assembly this session.
Died in Committee:
-
SB 275 / HB 308 Higher Education - Higher Education Investment Fund - Funding.
-
HB 789 / SB 861 Higher Education Funding Model for Maryland Act of 2009
-
SB 371 State Buildings and Public Educational Institutions - Display of President's Photograph.
-
SB 443 Teachers' Retirement and Pension Systems - Reemployment of Retirees - Retired Higher Education Faculty.
-
HB 612 Higher Education - Tuition Charges - Maryland High School Students.
-
SB 648/HB525 State Retirement and Pension System - Employer Contributions - Educators and Educational Staff.
-
HB 693 University System of Maryland - Designated Growth Institutions - Community Impact Statement.
-
SB 693 Election Law - Maryland Student Voting Rights Act of 2009.
-
SB 728 Higher Education - System and Funding.
-
HB 802 Public Institutions of Higher Education - Resident Tuition - Determinations of Eligibility for Illegal Immigrants.
-
SB 822 Tuition Cap and College Opportunity Act of 2009.
-
HB 892 / SB544 Historically Black Institutions - State Funding - Blount-Rawlings-Britt HBI Comparability Program.
-
HB 951/ SB 813 Health Care Affordability Act of 2009.
-
HB 1046 /SB 710 State Retirement and Pension System - Local Contributors - Educators and Educational Staff.
-
HB 1092 Environment - Recycling Receptacles - Events and Forests and Parks.
-
HB 1148 /SB 480 Operating Budget - Elimination of Inflation Adjustments.
Unfavorable Committee Report:
-
HB 281/ SB907 Disability History and Awareness Month - Educational Requirements Unfavorable report by Health and Government Operations.
-
HB 342 Public Education - Education Trust Fund - Use of Funds. Unfavorable report by Ways and Means.
-
HB353 / SB 551 Weapons - Free Higher Education Zones. Unfavorable report by Judiciary.
-
HB611/ SB 582 State Personnel - Attorney General - Special Appointments. Unfavorable report by Appropriations
-
HB 854 / SB 374 Institutions of Higher Education - College Textbooks - Publication of International Standard Book Numbers and Retail Prices. Unfavorable report by Appropriations
-
SB 790 Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene - Meningococcal Disease - Distribution of Information. Unfavorable report by Education Health and Environmental Affairs
-
HB 1402 Higher Education - Waiver of Tuition and Fees - Clarifying Foster Care Recipients. –Unfavorable report by Appropriations
Failed on the Senate Floor:
HB693 University System of Maryland - Designated Growth Institutions - Community Impact Statement was heard before the House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday, February 24, 2009. The bill would require universities, designated as "growth institutions," to submit community impact statement to the General Assembly whenever the student population increases or a master plan is updated. The statement would have to assess the impact on local resources such as transportation, housing, and public safety and include a mitigation plan. A "growth institution" means a university designated by the USM Board of Regents as such with a student population of 14,000 or more. The bill also calls for "monitoring and tracking of, and applying appropriate discipline to, students living off-campus within a 10-mile radius" and a statement regarding the "investment in the local community." While the bill would have a system wide impact, it is targeted at Towson University. Good faith efforts have been made on both sides to resolve the customary "town-gown" issues that arise in the regular course of growth, and witnesses expressed that many of the issues are regularly addressed through the institution's 5-year master plan. Moreover, the institution has already been working with the community, county government, and the local elected officials to address both on-campus development and off-campus (student) behavior issues. Towson University believes many of the issues raised can be addressed without legislation. The requirement of annual impact statements would be costly to the State and time consuming. TU will continue to work with the 42nd district delegation, the appropriations committee and the community to address these issues.
To read Towson University's testimony opposing HB693 please click here.
Budget Testimony Information
FY2010 Operating Budget
Quality, Access, Affordability, Workforce and
Economic Development & Accountability
The Governor's FY10 budget provides $93.7M in operating funds. A 2.5% increase of which $2.6M is tuition replacement allowing $300K to go towards mandatory cost increases. The tuition freeze continues to make a Towson University education affordable and accessible. The freeze has also made great strides toward balancing the portion of tuition compared to state support for our students. This fall Towson University will continue to address the state's demand by enrolling approximately 4500 new freshmen, transfer and graduate students.
FY2010 Capital Budget
Implementing Towson University's Master Plan is a top priority and ensures that campus growth occurs in an efficient and effective manner. Implementation will result in new facilities and infrastructure to accommodate a substantial increase in enrollment to assist the University System of Maryland and the State in providing greater access to higher education and in meeting greater demand.
Towson University's capital funding priority for FY2010 is:
College of Liberal Arts Complex
Maintain $35M budgeted for construction funds with preauthorization for $42M in FY2011 to complete construction and purchase equipment for the College of Liberal Arts Complex.
Alumni Relations
Administration Building, Room 317
Phone: 1-800-887-8152
Phone: 410-704-2234
alumni@towson.edu
|
