On February 10, 2022, Associate Policy Director Brianna January testified before the House Ways and Means Committee in support of HB 383 – Young Readers Programs – Establishment (Young Readers Program Expansion Act). This bill establishes the Baltimore City Young Readers Program within the Division of Children and Youth of the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services to mail free, high-quality books to certain children; establishing the Young Readers Matching Grant Program within the Division to provide matching grants to counties to support the establishment and operation of certain book-gifting services; and requiring the Deputy Director of the Division to administer the programs.

From the MACo Testimony:

HB 383 permanently solidifies the Baltimore City Young Readers Program by providing an annual budget allocation to support the program so that it can continue to do this good work for Baltimore’s kids. Importantly, the bill would also aid other local jurisdictions in establishing affiliate Young Readers Programs through the creation of a matching grant fund to help offset the costs of setting up
and implementing the program.

MACo plans to testify on the bill’s crossfile, SB 438, on February 16, 2022.

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