On February 15, 2022, Associate Policy Director Brianna January submitted testimony to the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee in support of SB 448 – Education – Regional Resource Centers and Libraries – Funding. This bill alters the calculation of certain funding for certain regional resource centers and each county public library system for certain fiscal years.

From the MACo testimony: 

Libraries and regional resource centers increasingly serve growing purposes for Maryland’s communities. Maryland’s families seek these unique public institutions for educational and childcare support, access to technological resources and high-quality internet, labor and employment aid, and cultural enrichment. In essence, libraries and regional resource centers are a critical nexus of resources, community engagement, and enrichment unique to other community infrastructure – and the COVID19 pandemic has only exacerbated the need for maintaining and deepening the role they play in Maryland’s communities. In short, our libraries and regional resource centers serve many more purposes for their communities than their original charge.

MACo plans to testify on the bill’s crossfile, HB 685, on February 24, 2022.

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