Subcommittee narrows HB478 to pre-K teachers in state-funded Blueprint program; bill advanced unanimously

The Revenues Subcommittee on March 4 considered House Bill 478, offered by Delegate Patterson, which proposes expanding an existing income-tax subtraction for teachers’ out-of-pocket classroom supply purchases to include pre-K teachers. The subcommittee adopted a committee amendment that limits that expansion to pre-K teachers who participate in the state-funded pre-K program established under the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. The bill as amended was reported favorably by unanimous voice vote.

The Chair explained that the committee amendment clarifies that ‘‘pre-K teachers’’ means those participating in the state’s publicly funded pre-K program under the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, and that this includes both teachers in public schools and pre-K teachers in private child-care providers that participate in the state program. When Delegate Griffith asked, “why is this limited to just folks participating in the blueprint?” the Chair responded that limiting eligibility makes the provision implementable for the Comptroller’s office and that, given limited funds, the committee chose an incremental approach while expressing personal support for broader expansion in a future legislative session.

Delegate Feldmark moved the committee amendments; Delegate Bogle seconded. The amendments were adopted unanimously. Delegate Vogle then moved that HB478 as amended be reported favorably; Delegate Feldmark seconded and the motion passed by unanimous voice vote.

Next steps: HB478, as amended, was reported favorably and will continue through the legislative process. The committee did not record a roll-call tally in the transcript and made no further amendments at this meeting.