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HB 89

Maryland Office of the Inspector General for Education - Baltimore County Public Schools - Memorandum of Understanding

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Ryan Nawrocki

Expands Baltimore County Inspector General's authority to investigate Baltimore County Public Schools, creating independent oversight of the school system's operations and financial management.

Referred Education, Energy, and the Environment
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Bill Summary · HB 89

Legislative bill overview

HB 89 would expand the authority of the Baltimore County Inspector General to oversee and investigate the Baltimore County Public Schools system. Currently, the Inspector General's jurisdiction is limited to Baltimore County government agencies. This bill seeks to bring schools under the same independent oversight and accountability mechanisms available to other county functions.

Why is this important

The Inspector General serves as an independent watchdog investigating fraud, waste, abuse, and misconduct. Extending this authority to schools would create a dedicated oversight mechanism for a major county institution serving tens of thousands of students and managing hundreds of millions in annual budget. This directly affects accountability for how school resources are used and how complaints against school personnel are handled.

Potential points of contention

  • Operational independence concerns: Schools argue they have existing accountability structures (school board, state Department of Education) and may resist external oversight that could conflict with educational governance models
  • Resource and jurisdiction overlap: Questions about how Inspector General authority would interact with school board authority, state education regulations, and existing internal school compliance mechanisms
  • Scope definition: Bill language may need clarification on what types of investigations the Inspector General can conduct in schools versus matters better handled through educational or civil channels

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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