Baltimore, Md. – Today, Mayor Catherine E. Pugh released her agenda for the 2017 legislative session as the Maryland General Assembly convened for opening day in Annapolis. Mayor Pugh’s priorities are consistent with her Five Pillars for Moving Baltimore Forward, emphasizing reforms in education; public safety and health; and economic and community development.

“I made a promise to the citizens of Baltimore that I would work collaboratively with State legislators,” said Mayor Pugh. “I look forward to working across the aisle with Governor Hogan and the legislature to align the commitment they’ve respectively pledged with the type of legislation that brings much needed resources back to the City. My goal is to ensure that we effectively steward the urgent and robust interest in Baltimore with a clear and complimentary agenda. I want to improve the quality of life for all of our residents and will push reforms that significantly improve our police department, school system and neighborhoods.”

Mayor Pugh has a total of 11 key priorities and listed below are several highlights:

• Regaining Mayoral appointment authority for the Baltimore City School Board of Commissioners.
• Establishing a new State funding partnership to help the City of Baltimore and Baltimore Police Department (BPD) comply with the final United States Department of Justice (USDOJ) Consent Decree.
• Repealing the existing law that allows an alternative method for forming a hearing board under the Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights (LEOBOR).
• Simplifying administration and further expanding the role of the Civilian Review Board to build and restore trust between law enforcement and the community.
• Creating a plan to ensure that the 26 schools that will be surplussed back to the City of Baltimore over the next ten years do not become vacant, blighted properties.

Follow this link to read Mayor Pugh's complete 2017 Legislative Agenda.