ANNAPOLIS, Md. — On Wednesday Governor Larry Hogan introduced the Universal School Start Act of 2020, that would require all Maryland public schools to start after Labor Day.
Last year the Maryland General Assembly overturned a 2016 executive order signed by Hogan, directing schools to begin after Labor Day, and complete the 180 days of schooling required by state law.
“We have taken a lot of actions over the past five years, but I can’t think of a single one that has more widespread, enthusiastic support across the state,” said Governor Hogan. “But after two years of it working very well, and after the 2018 election was completed, last year in 2019 special interests snuck a bill in and legislators reversed himself and ignored the people again by reversing this common sense action with a misguided piece of legislation, which has the potential to cause mass confusion this fall and in future years with a potential for 24 different start dates spread over several weeks," Hogan said.
In 2013 following a 170-7 vote in the General Assembly, then Governor Martin O'Malley signed off on the creation of a state commission to study moving the school start date to after Labor Day.
From that point all the way through 2016, five bills were introduced to change the school start date, but failed.
After those bills failed, it prompted Hogan to sign the executive order.
Three-years later the General Assembly overturned the order with a veto proof majority, which gave each county school board the power to decide on when school should start.
No date has been determined for when the proposal will reach the floor.
