Delegate Patterson urges six‑year notice for Charles County school bus contractors in House Bill 13‑59

Delegate Edith Patterson, a state delegate and former Charles County Board of Education chair, told the House Ways and Means Committee on March 6 that House Bill 13‑59 would require Charles County Public Schools to notify local contractors and the public at least six years before terminating contracts that would displace school‑bus contractors.

The bill “provides displacement notice to the contractors and to the public,” Patterson said during her testimony, describing the measure as a fairness and equity policy for small, generational businesses that finance buses with long loans.

Why it matters: Patterson said Charles County’s 24 school‑bus contracting firms operate 315 buses, employ more than 400 drivers, attendants and support staff, and serve more than 28,000 K‑12 students and their families. She said most contractors finance buses with personal guarantees and loans amortized over about six years. “All bus contractors purchase and assume personal debt for their buses over a 6 year or longer period of time with the banks,” Patterson said. She told the committee that Charles County Public Schools has increased its in‑house fleet from 22 buses to 69 over the past four years and has publicly discussed plans to bring more service in‑house without having issued long‑term notice to contractors.

Contractor concerns and supporters: Testimony from contractor representatives in the room emphasized the financial risk. One speaker identified in the hearing as Kelly told the committee she had “a year left in my contract” and had “purchased $1,400,000 in buses this year,” adding that contractors personally guarantee loans at local banks and need adequate notice to avoid personal financial harm. Patterson said the measure has support from the Maryland School Bus Contractors Association, the Charles County Board of Commissioners and its president, Steve Nelson, the Charles County Chamber of Commerce, parents, and a transit union.

Comparisons and scope: Patterson said neighboring Calvert and St. Mary’s counties use longer contract terms—Calvert County operates 12‑year contracts with a six‑year renewal tied to performance, she testified, and that similar notice legislation has been enacted previously for other county contractor groups. The bill, as amended, would preserve standard contract remedies for nonperformance.

What the bill would and would not do: The bill would require notice but would not override existing nonperformance provisions in contractor agreements, Patterson said. She framed the measure as a planning and equity tool that gives family‑owned contractors and their employees time to adjust if the school system later decides to change delivery models.

Questions from the committee focused on the notice period: a committee member asked whether the bill originally sought a 10‑year notice and was amended to six years as a compromise; Patterson confirmed the amendment. Another member asked whether the entire county bus system is contracted; Patterson and witnesses clarified Charles County uses a mixed delivery model of county‑owned and contractor‑owned buses.

Context and next steps: The sponsor said the bill was approved by the Charles County Board of Commissioners and forwarded to the Charles County legislative delegation. The hearing record shows no formal vote of the committee during this session; the panel concluded discussion after questions and moved to the next bill.

Ending: Supporters framed House Bill 13‑59 as an attempt to protect multigenerational small businesses and the livelihoods of roughly 400 transportation workers in Charles County; opponents were not recorded in this hearing segment. The Ways and Means Committee hearing concluded the matter for the day without a committee action recorded on the transcript.