Baltimore County Councilman David Marks on Wednesday issued the following statement urging state legislators to resolve the lack of state school construction funding:

“Governor Larry Hogan has called the Maryland General Assembly back to session so the House of Delegates can name a new Speaker.

During that session, the state legislature should complete the business it failed to get done in April by passing a school construction initiative.

The Build to Learn Act passed the House of Delegates with bipartisan support, but the Senate refused to consider it in committee. This legislation would have authorized hundreds of millions of dollars from lottery for school construction and renovation.

The Senate’s failure has forced Baltimore County to delay several projects, including the new elementary school on Rossville Boulevard and the new Nottingham Middle School. It is time for the Senate to lead.”