Councilman John Bullock, chair of the City Council’s Education, Youth and Older Adults Committee, convened a hearing on Bill 25-0100 to consider updates to the Baltimore Children and Youth Fund’s (BCYF) governing ordinance. Vice Chair and bill sponsor Councilman Mark Parker said the measure is intended to "ensure that our city code aligns with the organization BCYF has become" and to codify oversight and reporting structures that reflect current practice.

BCYF President and Chief Executive Alicia Lee told the committee that the fund has expanded rapidly and now supports more than 17,000 youth seats annually and partners with over 100 organizations. Lee said she supports oversight but warned that "this bill as drafted does unintentionally weaken the very outcomes that we all intend to protect through BCYF" by embedding detailed grantmaking procedures and rigid timelines into statute rather than preserving operational flexibility.

City Budget Director Laura Larson said Finance filed an opposition memo as amended but acknowledged the sponsor's intent; she noted the agency provided a corrected table of proposed changes. The Comptroller’s Office signaled concern about capacity to meet an audit mandate: Casey Kelleher, deputy chief of staff to the Comptroller, said the bill’s requirement for a performance audit every three years would require hiring an additional audit team. Comptroller Bill Henry added that "we don't have the capacity right now to do any additional audits," while also saying that many BCYF audits were publicly posted on the fund’s website even if not submitted directly to the Department of Audits.

Witnesses from BCYF and more than three dozen community organizations and youth programs filled the hearing and an overflow room. Speakers from grantees described how BCYF grants and capacity-building supports helped them grow, improve compliance and sustain services. Corinne Tiny Adams, founder of Leader Breeders, said a grassroots grant "was honestly life changing" and allowed her nonprofit to reach financial stability. Other speakers — including youth participants and junior instructors — described leadership and educational gains tied to BCYF-funded programs.

Several testifiers urged the council to slow the legislative process and hold working sessions with grantees and the BCYF board before advancing the bill. Alicia Lee asked specifically for at least one "working session with grantees" and one with the board to "go line by line through the amendments" to avoid unintended consequences for small, fiscally sponsored organizations.

At the same time, some speakers and public commenters sought stronger independent oversight. Jack Boysen, a former program auditor, recommended immediate baseline financial and performance audits and a follow-up audit within a year to verify corrective steps. Minister Eric Brockman, a grantee leader, urged the council to add protections such as recorded meetings, a formal appeals process and an independent ombudsman after saying his organization had funds terminated and lacked an internal appeal channel.

Council President Z. Cohen framed the hearing as part of an iterative legislative process, saying the best outcomes come from centering those most impacted and continuing dialogue. Chair Bullock confirmed the committee would not vote on the bill at this hearing. Vice Chair Parker and representatives from the Mayor’s Office committed to additional collaborative meetings with BCYF’s board and grantees to refine the amendments ahead of a future voting session.

The committee adjourned after several hours of testimony with no formal vote taken.