He’s says he will introduce a bill to codify his executive order.
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) – Gov. Larry Hogan is speaking out against a measure to allow local school districts to decide whether schools start before or after Labor Day, but supporters say they just want to give local jurisdictions an option.
The Republican governor held a news conference Thursday to criticize a measure now before the Democrat-controlled General Assembly.
Hogan says he believes a majority of state residents support his 2016 executive order requiring schools to start after Labor Day. He says he believes residents will petition the bill to the ballot and reject it, if “out-of-touch” lawmakers pass the measure.
Sen. Paul Pinsky, a Democrat who is sponsoring the bill, says politics should be taken out of the matter. He says the decision should be returned to local officials closer to communities.
In 2016, Governor Hogan issued an executive order requiring all public schools to open the day after Labor Day. He said at the news conference it was recommended by a commission which examined the issue, and former Governor Martin O’Malley had planned sign a similar executive order before leaving office.
By The Associated Press