ANNAPOLIS - As this session of the Maryland General Assembly begins to wind down, legislators are rushing to move proposed legislation to the floor for a vote before the session adjourns on April 9. A number of university-related bills are moving through both houses of the General Assembly, including five addressing textbooks and others addressing issues such as student housing development and rising tuition costs. The status of each bill is listed below.
Locking down tuition cost A bill locking down the in-state cost of tuition for undergraduate students has passed both the House and the Senate, meaning that both bills could reach the governor's office for signature by the end of this session. The bill not only prevents University System of Maryland schools from raising tuition for one year, but it also guarantees the state will cover the revenue loss off the universities. According to the state's non-partisan legislative services department, which evaluates all bills and their costs to the state, that loss will be $16.2 million.
Making textbook information public Critics have said public universities throughout the state - including this university - publish too little information about what books students need for classes, and that the universities don't publish the information early enough. As a result, students are forced to buy the books from privately run bookstores that charge premium prices, rather than using book information to seek the books online for cheaper prices. So far, the most successful effort this session to curb textbooks costs is a bill that would create a committee to study how best to cut textbook prices. That bill, introduced in the House by Del. Craig Rice (D-Montgomery), unanimously passed the House last week, and it was introduced in the Senate immediately afterwards. The bill is a watered-down version of its original form, however. It was originally slated to cut taxes for students or parents who buy textbooks, but because of criticism of what was perceived as an enormous cost to the state, the bill was amended to only study the issue, rather than to enact any real change. Another bill that seeks to require all public institutions to publish titles, authors and ISBN numbers, as well as prohibit professors from receiving payment from publishers in exchange for using their textbooks, appears to have less of a chance. Sen. Katherine Klausmeier (D-Baltimore County), who introduced the bill, said it appears the bill has little chance of passage. Finally, a bill aimed at incorporating textbook prices into tuition costs appears unlikely to pass, as well.
Bill reducing the amount of surcharge-free housing for students A bill aimed at drastically shrinking the local area for which developers can receive tax incentives to build student housing near the university has easily passed the House of Delegates, but is awaiting approval by a Senate committee before it heads to the floor for the vote. A proponent of the reduced zone, state Sen. Jim Rosapepe (D-Anne Arundel and Prince George's), contends that limiting the area where developers build student housing will encourage the developers to build close to the campus, meaning less walking for students. College Park's mayor and council have also supported the bill because it would discourage student housing from being built in city neighborhoods. Students have fought for amendments to the bill that would extend the zone along the west side of Route 1, but the amendments have not yet been attached. The Student Government Association, the Graduate Student Government and local blogger David Daddio of Rethinkcollegepark.net have all said the bill would likely discourage future student housing.
Denying financial aid to drug law violators A bill introduced by Del. Ana Sol Gutierrez (D-Mongtomery) aimed at allowing students convicted of violating drug laws to receive state financial aid has died in committee. University students had testified in favor of that bill, hoping committee members would be swayed in favor of the bill. Gutierrez said too many students were being denied financial aid in the state because the Maryland Higher Education Commission automatically denies financial aid to students ruled ineligible for aid under federal programs. Federal financial aid is by law denied to students who have been convicted of drug offenses.
Long-term funding for state universities Senators and delegates have both shied away from a bill that would guarantee full University System of Maryland funding through 2014. That bill is estimated to cost the state as much as $222 million per year by July 2012. The Senate's Budget and Taxation Committee gave the bill an unfavorable report, and the House as a whole voted 135 to 1 to throw the bill out entirely due to its late introduction. Contact reporter Nathan Cohen at cohendbk@gmail.com.
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