The Maryland General Assembly is underway and we have been continuing our work providing support for laws that will lead to greenhouse-gas-free schools. We do this as part of the Maryland Climate Justice Wing. Here is testimony that we submitted in the 2025 legislative session.

• HB 493 for Senate – Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day
• SB808 – Prince George’s County – Stop Sign Monitoring Systems – School Bus Stops
• SB779 – Climate Solutions Now Act Affordability Act of 2025
• SB526 – Safe Alternative Routes to Public Schools
• SB498 – Motor Vehicles – School Buses – Seat Belts
• SB149 – RENEW ACT
• HB1451 – Climate Solutions Now Act Affordability Act of 2025
• HB811 – Safe Alternative Routes to Public Schools
• HB493 – Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day
• HB134 – Motor Vehicles – School Buses – Seat Belts
• HB128 – RENEW ACT

On February 11, 2025 we submitted a letter to the Interagency Commission on School Construction in favor of proposed amendments to COMAR 14.39.02.07 that would allow for more equitable access to net zero school funds throughout the state.  You can read the letter below.

IAC Letter Concerning COMAR Net Zero Revisions

On February 6 we spoke at the PGCPS Budget Hearing in support of continued funding for climate action in our schools including solar installation, hiring crossing guards, finding state and private funding for school climate action, funding student environmental learning, and more in the FY26 operating budget.  You can watch our testimony below.

We submitted testimony concerning proposed updates to COMAR-14.39.02 that the Interagency Commission on School Construction (IAC) is considering to implement HB 19, the Safe Walk To School Act, and HB 566, which requires new schools to have multi-stream waste streams. The regulation are straight forward and implement Maryland law.

You can read the testimony here.

We submitted comments on the final recommendations proposed by the Prince George’s Council School Pedestrian Task Force. Overall their recommendations were great, but some tweaks were needed. Some of our suggestions were adopted by the the task force as well. If implemented this will make our children’s walks to school safer and more sustainable.

You can read the comments here.

We joined numerous groups, including Progressive Maryland and PG Change Makers, at the August 29, 2024, Prince George’s County Board of Education in the call to install solar on existing school buildings, in particular in overburdened and underserved communities such as Fort Washington and Oxon Hill.  We also called for strong leadership on climate-friendly, healthy school foods and thanked the Board for all of the progress that has been made on the Climate Change Action Plan Implementation.

On May 9, we testified at the Interagency Commission on School Construction (IAC), calling on the IAC to fully implement the requirement found in HB 458 to develop standards for LEAs to use when conducting life-cycle cost analysis for new school construction.  In particular, we called on the new guidelines to include consideration of Maryland’s 2045 net zero climate goal, the cost to retrofit schools for EVs and fossil fuel-free heating, and the need to consider IRA tax credits.

You can watch the testimony here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEMaSfDNtDk

And you can read our written testimony here.

We submitted testimony to the Prince George’s County Council in support of CR-009-2024, a “Resolution Concerning School Pedestrian Safety Workgroup.”  Our children are counting on the County Council to address safe access to schools, and we do believe that this workgroup will lead the Prince George’s County government to prioritize safer access to schools in
its road design and other transportation concerns.

You can read the testimony here.