EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW. [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law. *sb0986* SENATE BILL 986 F1 2lr3280 CF HB 1240 By: Senator Hershey Introduced and read first time: February 19, 2022 Assigned to: Rules A BILL ENTITLED AN ACT concerning 1 Education – Low–Density Calculation – Mandated Funding 2 FOR the purpose of requiring the Governor to include in the annual budget bill an 3 appropriation in an amount equal to the low–density calculation for certain counties 4 that meet certain population density and full–time equivalent student enrollment 5 limitations; and generally relating to mandated funding for counties with low density 6 and a low student enrollment count. 7 BY adding to 8 Article – Education 9 Section 5–243 10 Annotated Code of Maryland 11 (2018 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 12 SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13 That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14 Article – Education 15 5–243. 16 (A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 17 INDICATED. 18 (2) “ELIGIBLE COUNTY ” MEANS A COUNTY WITH : 19 (I) A POPULATION DENSITY A MOUNT LESS THAN 100; AND 20 (II) A FULL–TIME EQUIVALENT ENRO LLMENT OF FEWER THAN 21 2,000 STUDENTS. 22 2 SENATE BILL 986 (3) “LOW–DENSITY CALCULATION ” MEANS THE FULL –TIME 1 EQUIVALENT ENROLLMEN T FOR A COUNTY MULTI PLIED BY THE PRODUCT OF THE 2 PER PUPIL AMOUNT AND THE TOTAL SQUARE MIL ES IN THE COUNTY . 3 (4) “PER PUPIL AMOUNT ” MEANS: 4 (I) IN FISCAL YEAR 2024, $0.43; 5 (II) IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, $1.06; 6 (III) IN FISCAL YEAR 2026, $1.27; 7 (IV) IN FISCAL YEAR 2027, $2.34; 8 (V) IN FISCAL YEAR 2028, $3.61; 9 (VI) IN FISCAL YEAR 2029, $4.67; 10 (VII) IN FISCAL YEAR 2030, $5.95; 11 (VIII) IN FISCAL YEAR 2031, $7.22; AND 12 (IX) FOR SUBSEQUENT FISCAL YEARS, THE PER PUPIL AMOUNT 13 FOR THE PRIOR FISCAL YEAR INCREASED BY $0.85. 14 (5) “POPULATION DENSITY AM OUNT” MEANS THE TOTAL COUN TY 15 POPULATION DIVIDED B Y THE SQUARE MILES I N THE COUNTY. 16 (B) BEGINNING IN FISCAL Y EAR 2024, FOR EACH ELIGIBLE COUN TY, THE 17 GOVERNOR SHALL INCLUD E IN THE ANNUAL BUDG ET BILL AN APPROPRIA TION IN 18 AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO T HE LOW–DENSITY CALCULATION FOR THE COUNTY . 19 SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 20 1, 2022. 21