SB0960 • 2026

Maryland Public Charter School Program - School Facilities - Funding

Budget Education Housing

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Senators Rosapepe and Ready
Last action: 2026-03-23
Official status: In the Senate - Special Order until later today (Senator Rosapepe) Adopted
Effective date: 2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Maryland Public Charter School Program - School Facilities - Funding

Requiring the Interagency Commission on School Construction to distribute funds to public charter schools for capital improvements to public charter school facilities, debt service, or rent or lease payments; beginning in fiscal year 2028, requiring the Governor to include in the annual budget bill an appropriation for capital improvements to public charter school facilities, debt service, or rent or lease payments that is equal to the total aggregate student enrollment in the Program for the prior year multiplied by $200; etc.

What This Bill Does

Requiring the Interagency Commission on School Construction to distribute funds to public charter schools for capital improvements to public charter school facilities, debt service, or rent or lease payments; beginning in fiscal year 2028, requiring the Governor to include in the annual budget bill an appropriation for capital improvements to public charter school facilities, debt service, or rent or lease payments that is equal to the total aggregate student enrollment in the Program for the prior year multiplied by $200; etc.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

333421/1

None • Senator Ready

Floor Amendment { 333421/1 (Senator Ready) Adopted

Plain English: AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 960 (First Reading File Bill) On page 1, in the sponsor line, strike “ Senator Rosapepe ” and substitute “Senators Rosapepe and Ready”.

AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 960 (First Reading File Bill) On page 1, in the sponsor line, strike “ Senator Rosapepe ” and substitute “Senators Rosapepe and Ready”.
SB0960/333421/1 BY: Senator Ready

553026/1

None

Favorable with Amendments { 553026/1

Plain English: AMENDMENTS TO SENATE BILL 960 (First Reading File Bill) AMENDMENT NO.

AMENDMENTS TO SENATE BILL 960 (First Reading File Bill) AMENDMENT NO.
1 On page 1, strike beginning with “the” in line 4 down through the first “of” in line 5 and substitute “capital improvements to”; and in line 5, after “facilities” insert “, debt service, or rent or lease payments; requiring certain public charter schools to report to the Interagency Commission on School Construction on the status of certain projects”.
AMENDMENT NO.
2 On page 2, strike beginning with “FOR” in line 1 down through “OF” in line 2 and substitute “ IN ACCORDANCE WITH T HIS SUBSECTION FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TO”; in line 2, after “FACILITIES” insert “, DEBT SERVICE, OR RENT OR LEASE PAYMENTS”; after line 5, insert: “(3) IF A PUBLIC CHARTER S CHOOL IS LOCATED IN A BUILDING OWNED BY THE LOCAL S CHOOL SYSTEM , THE INTERAGENCY COMMISSION ON SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION MAY NOT DISTRIBUTE FUNDS TO THE PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL FOR CAPITAL I MPROVEMENTS TO THE S CHOOL FACILITY , DEBT SERVICE, OR RENT OR LEASE PAY MENTS UNDER THIS SUB SECTION IN FISCAL YEARS DURING WHICH THE SCHOOL FACILITY IS UNDERGOING A PROJECT THAT IS RECEIVING STATE FUNDING TH ROUGH THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

883522/1

None • Senator Rosapepe

Floor Amendment { 883522/1 (Senator Rosapepe) Adopted

Plain English: AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 960 (First Reading File Bill) On page 2, in line 12, before “THE” insert “(I)”; and after line 13, insert: “(II) IN THE REGULATIONS ADOPTED UNDER SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH , THE INTERAGENCY COMMISSION ON SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION SHALL INCLUDE REGULATIONS THAT: 1.

AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 960 (First Reading File Bill) On page 2, in line 12, before “THE” insert “(I)”; and after line 13, insert: “(II) IN THE REGULATIONS ADOPTED UNDER SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH , THE INTERAGENCY COMMISSION ON SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION SHALL INCLUDE REGULATIONS THAT: 1.
ESTABLISH THE PROCEDU RES TO COMPLY WITH PARAGRAPH (3) OF THIS SUBSECTION IF A LOCA L SCHOOL SYSTEM SUBM ITS A MID–YEAR CAPITAL PROJECT FUNDING REQUEST; AND 2.
ENSURE A PUBLIC CHART ER SCHOOL RECEIVES FUNDS UNDER THIS SUB SECTION IF THE LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM RESCIN DS A CAPITAL PROJECT FUND ING REQUEST AND THE PUBLIC CH ARTER SCHOOL IS SUBSEQUENTLY ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING UNDER THIS SUBSECTION.”.
SB0960/883522/1 BY: Senator Rosapepe

Bill History

2026-04-08 Senate
Favorable with Amendments Report by Budget and Taxation
2026-03-31 Senate
Hearing 4/01 at 1:00 p.m.
2026-03-23 Senate
Motion Special Order until Later Today (Senator Rosapepe) Adopted
2026-03-22 Senate
Favorable with Amendments { 553026/1 Adopted
2026-03-22 Senate
Floor Amendment { 333421/1 (Senator Ready) Adopted
2026-03-22 Senate
Floor Amendment { 883522/1 (Senator Rosapepe) Adopted
2026-03-22 Senate
Second Reading Passed with Amendments
2026-03-21 Senate
Favorable with Amendments { 553026/1
2026-03-21 Senate
Motion Special Order until Next Session (Senator Kagan) Adopted
2026-03-20 Senate
Rereferred to Budget and Taxation
2026-03-20 Senate
Favorable with Amendments { 553026/1
2026-03-20 Senate
Motion Special Order until 4/9 (Senator Rosapepe) Adopted
2026-02-11 Senate
First Reading Senate Rules
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - Maryland Public Charter School Program - School Facilities - Funding
Maryland General Assembly
Vote - Senate - Committee - Budget and Taxation
Maryland General Assembly
Text - Third - Maryland Public Charter School Program - School Facilities - Funding

Official Summary Text

Requiring the Interagency Commission on School Construction to distribute funds to public charter schools for capital improvements to public charter school facilities, debt service, or rent or lease payments; beginning in fiscal year 2028, requiring the Governor to include in the annual budget bill an appropriation for capital improvements to public charter school facilities, debt service, or rent or lease payments that is equal to the total aggregate student enrollment in the Program for the prior year multiplied by $200; etc.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*sb0960*

SENATE BILL 960
F1 6lr1517
CF HB 1430
By: Senator Rosapepe Senators Rosapepe and Ready
Introduced and read first time: February 11, 2026
Assigned to: Rules
Re–referred to: Budget and Taxation, March 5, 2026
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted with floor amendments
Read second time: March 22, 2026

CHAPTER ______

AN ACT concerning 1

Maryland Public Charter School Program – School Facilities – Funding 2

FOR the purpose of requiring the Interagency Commission on School Construction to 3
distribute certain funds to public charter schools for the maintenance and operation 4
of capital improvements to public charter school facilities , debt service, or rent or 5
lease payments; requiring certain public charter schools to report to the Interagency 6
Commission on School Construction on the status of certain projects ; and generally 7
relating to the funding of public charter school facilities in the Maryland Public 8
Charter School Program. 9

BY adding to 10
Article – Education 11
Section 9–109(c) 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 14

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEM BLY OF MARYLAND, 15
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 16

Article – Education 17

9–109. 18

2 SENATE BILL 960

(C) (1) IN THIS SUBSECTION , “PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOO L FACILITIES ” 1
MEANS PREMISES THAT ARE: 2

(I) OWNED OR LEASED BY A PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL; OR 3

(II) OCCUPIED AND UTILIZED BY A PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL 4
TO PROVIDE A PROGRAM OF PRIMARY OR SECOND ARY EDUCATION TO ITS 5
STUDENTS. 6

(2) (I) THE INTERAGENCY COMMISSION ON SCHOOL 7
CONSTRUCTION SHALL DISTRIBUTE FUNDS TO PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS FOR THE 8
MAINTENANCE AND OPER ATION OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH TH IS SUBSECTION FOR 9
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TO PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL FACILITIES, DEBT SERVICE, 10
OR RENT OR LEASE PAYMENTS. 11

(II) FUNDS DISBURSED UNDER SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS 12
PARAGRAPH SHALL BE PAID DIRECTLY TO THE PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL AND MAY 13
NOT BE PAID TO A LOCAL GOVERNING BODY OR COUNTY BOARD. 14

(3) IF A PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL IS LOCATED IN A BUILDING OWNED 15
BY THE LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM, THE INTERAGENCY COMMISSION ON SCHOOL 16
CONSTRUCTION MAY NOT DISTRIBUTE FUNDS TO THE PUBLIC CHARTER S CHOOL 17
FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SCHOOL F ACILITY, DEBT SERVICE, OR RENT 18
OR LEASE PAYMENTS UN DER THIS SUBSECTION IN FISCAL YEARS DURI NG WHICH 19
THE SCHOOL FACILITY IS UNDERGOING A PROJ ECT THAT IS RECEIVIN G STATE 20
FUNDING THROUGH THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. 21

(4) IF THE TOTAL AMOUNT O F THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT 22
PROGRAM IN A FISCAL Y EAR IS LESS THAN THE TOTAL AMOUNT IN THE PRIOR 23
FISCAL YEAR, THE AMOUNT OF FUNDS DISTRIBUTED TO PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS 24
UNDER THIS SUBSECTIO N FOR THE FISCAL YEA R SHALL BE PROPORT IONATELY 25
REDUCED. 26

(5) THE INTERAGENCY COMMISSION ON SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION 27
MAY NOT USE FUNDS DI STRIBUTED TO A PUBLI C CHARTER SCHOOL UND ER THIS 28
SUBSECTION AS JUSTIF ICATION TO REDUCE TH E AMOUNT PROVIDED TO A LOCAL 29
SCHOOL SYSTEM THROUGH THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. 30

(6) A PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL THAT RECEIVES FUNDS UNDER THIS 31
SUBSECTION DURING A FISCAL YEAR SHALL RE PORT TO THE INTERAGENCY 32
COMMISSION ON SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION ON THE S TATUS OF ANY PROJECT FOR 33
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TO PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL FACILITIES, DEBT SERVICE, 34
OR RENT OR LEASE PAY MENTS BEFORE THE PUB LIC CHARTER SCHOOL M AY 35
RECEIVE FUNDS FOR THE FOLLOWING FISCAL YEAR. 36
SENATE BILL 960 3

(3) (7) FOR FISCAL YEAR 2028 AND EACH FISCAL YEAR 1
THEREAFTER, THE GOVERNOR SHALL INCLUD E IN THE ANNUAL BUDG ET BILL AN 2
APPROPRIATION FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION OF CAPITAL 3
IMPROVEMENTS TO PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL FACILITIES, DEBT SERVICE, OR RENT 4
OR LEASE PAYMEN TS THAT IS EQUAL TO THE TOTAL AGGREGATE STUD ENT 5
ENROLLMENT IN THE MARYLAND PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL PROGRAM FOR THE 6
PRIOR FISCAL YEAR MULTIPLIED BY $1,600 $200. 7

(4) (8) (I) THE INTERAGENCY COMMISSION ON SCHOOL 8
CONSTRUCTION SHALL ADOPT REGULATIONS TO CARRY OUT THIS SUBSECTION. 9

(II) IN THE REGULATIONS ADOPTED UNDER SUBPARAGRAPH (I) 10
OF THIS PARAGRAPH, THE INTERAGENCY COMMISSION ON SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION 11
SHALL INCLUDE REGULATIONS THAT: 12

1. ESTABLISH THE PROCEDU RES TO COMPLY WITH 13
PARAGRAPH (3) OF THIS SUBSECTION I F A LOCAL SCHOOL SYS TEM SUBMITS A 14
MID–YEAR CAPITAL PROJECT FUNDING REQUEST; AND 15

2. ENSURE A PUBLIC CHART ER SCHOOL RECEIVES 16
FUNDS UNDER THIS SUB SECTION IF THE LOCAL SCHOOL SYST EM RESCINDS A 17
CAPITAL PROJECT FUND ING REQUEST AND THE PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOO L IS 18
SUBSEQUENTLY ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING UNDER THIS SUBSECTION. 19

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 20
1, 2026. 21

Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.