A coalition of civil rights groups and HBCUs is aligning with the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland’s leadership to push the Maryland General Assembly on a bill supporting the state’s four HBCU’s (Bowie State, Coppin State, Morgan State and The University of Maryland Eastern Shore). The coalition is made up of: NAACP Maryland State Conference of Branches, Youth and College Division; Bowie State University Alumni and Students; Coppin State University Alumni and Students; Morgan State University Alumni and Students; UMES Alumni and Students; Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority; Omega Psi Phi Fraternity; Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity; Baltimore City Green Party; Democratic State Central Committee for Baltimore City; SCLC Baltimore Chapter; and the Greater Baltimore Chapter of N.A.N.
The Maryland NAACP has published a list of Maryland Legislative Black Caucus (LBC) Senators and Delegates who support SB- 712, the Blount-RawlingsBritt HBI Comparability Program Act designed to provide supplemental funding assistance to the state’s HBCU’s. The bill also required the Maryland Higher Education Commission to adopt standards and procedures ensuring an equitable higher education funding formula.
Marvin Cheatham, NAACP Maryland State Political Action Chair, is concerned that only a small number of LBC Delegates have signed on to support the bill.
“The limited supporters, especially from the Caucus, will educate voters on who talked the talked and who walked the walk,” Cheatham said.
Cheryl Glenn (Baltimore City-45) Chair of Legislative Black Caucus said that passing legislation supportive of HBCU’s is the caucus’ number one priority. “
With 50 members combined in both the State Senate and the House of Delegates, The LBC and NAACP looked for a united front from Black legislators to ensure SB-712 made it out of the Senate Budget and Taxation committee, where it was sponsored by Joan Carter Conway (Baltimore City -43). Conway has promoted legislation supporting the state’s HBCU’s for more than a decade.
But Cheatham, is concerned that the bill may not make it to the floor of the statehouse as this point in the calendar. The 2017 Maryland State Legislative Session is scheduled to conclude April 11.
“It looks like the bill will die in Budget and Taxation, “Cheatham said.
All LBC Senators have signed on in support of the bill. Backing from the House of Delegates has been more tentative. Based on a list obtained from the Maryland NAACP, only seventeen delegates are on record in support of SB-712. Delegates Ali, Angel, Barnes, Barron, Conaway, Gibson, Glenn, Hayes, Jackson, McCray, Pena-Melnyk, Proctor, Queen, Rosenberg, Valentino-Smith, Washington, and Wilkins, were on the written list compiled by the NAACP and shared with Glenn as supporters of the Blount-Rawlings-Blake HBI Comparability Program. In addition, Speaker Pro Tem Delegate Adrienne A. Jones has publicly voiced her support for the bill.
“The list the NAACP developed to track supporters of this bill, SB 712 is flawed,” said Pam Queen (Montgomery County-14) one of the legislators included on the list.
“The fact is – the entire Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland has made this legislation – HBCU lawsuit and funding, one of our 2017 Legislative Priorities. Therefore, we ALL support this bill,” Queen added.
The AFRO reached out to all LBC delegates who were not included on the NAACP list to solicit their feedback and position on the bill. Several immediately expressed their support including Sa’Toya Truss, Legislative Director for Delegate Nick Mosby, (Baltimore City-40) who attended the Black Caucus’ recent HBCU Night.
Truss said Mosby is in full support of the bill. “He is a proud HBCU graduate of Tuskegee University, and knows firsthand the importance of protecting the trajectory of our sacred institutions,” she said.
Tony Knotts’ (Prince Georges County-26) office also responded resoundingly in support of SB-712. “Having received both a B.A. and M.A. from Bowie State University he is fully aware of needs of additional state funding for Maryland’s HBCUs and fully supports efforts to get them that funding,” said Clyde White, legislative aide for Knott.
Others responding in support of legislation to ensure equity in funding between Maryland HBCU’s and TWI’s include Jay Walker (Prince Georges County-26), Talmadge Branch (Baltimore City-45), Diana Fennell (Prince Georges County – 47-A), Benjamin Brooks (Baltimore County-10) and Keith Haynes (Baltimore City-44-A).
“I do support the idea and the concepts,” said Haynes who also wants to see funding equity between the state’s HBCU’s he mentioned. “That’s a separate but related matter,” Haynes said.
Tawanna Gaines (Prince Georges County-22) has not yet taken a formal position on the bill, according staff from her office.