On February 4, Associate Policy Director Sarah Sample submitted a letter of information to the Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee on SB 71 – Education – Interjurisdictional Safe Pathways Commission – Establishment.
This bill establishes the Interjurisdictional Safe Pathways Commission to identify, coordinate, and secure funding for safe pathways for students traveling to and from school. MACo’s letter of information explores the potential impact of the Commission, the risks of unfunded mandates, and the complexities of cross-jurisdictional road authority in Maryland.
The goal of ensuring all students have safe pathways to and from school is commendable and a shared value of the counties. Identifying areas that may require improvements as well as funding to make those upgrades is, broadly, a wise strategy.
If the outcome of the commission’s work, as outlined in SB 71,
implements a costly, logistically difficult mandate for counties to implement, it would likely meet similar resistance as prior legislation on the topic. The language of SB 71 is more encouraging than prior versions of this legislation because it requires the commission to look for alternative funding sources, rather than shifting the entire cost to a county. A collaborative approach that leverages all available resources will make it easier for a county to become a productive participant on a project, rather than one burdened by an unfunded mandate and limited local resources.
SB 71’s cross-file, HB 1491, was heard on March 12 in the Environment and Transportation Committee. Sarah Sample submitted a letter of information on this bill.
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