No one would mistake a voting session of most committees in Annapolis for a New England town meeting.
The bills have been discussed and decided by the committee leadership beforehand.
But there are exceptions.
Yesterday, Ways and Means was considering legislation to raise the compulsory age for public school attendance from 16 to 18.
“The amendments we are adding to this bill require a comprehensive study of how our schools can best meet the needs of these kids who are dropping out,” declared Delegate Anne Kaiser, chair of the education subcommittee.
Delegate Kaiser continued, “I asked Nancy Grasmick [the former State Superintendent of Education] what is the one thing that we could do for our students that would have the greatest impact. She replied, ‘Early childhood education.’”
Senator Bill Ferguson and I have introduced legislation to do just that. It would make a full-day program available for four-year olds whose parents’ income is below a certain level.
But where was the reference to pre-kindergarten in the bill before us today?
I couldn’t find it. So I asked.
It requires the State Department of Education to report on “successful early interventions at the elementary school level.”
“Does that include pre-K?” I said.
I was about to offer an amendment, but Del. Kaiser spoke first.
Let’s delete “elementary school” and substitute “early childhood.”
This mission accomplished.
