Education

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 646: Public School System Contracts - Prohibited Provisions

This bill prohibits Maryland public school systems from including 10 specific contract terms in new agreements, such as clauses requiring schools to pay for others' liabilities without funding, mandating binding arbitration, or restricting the school's choice of legal counsel. If such terms are included, they are invalid from the start, and contracts must be enforced as if those terms never existed. The law applies only to contracts signed on or after July 1, 2026, leaving existing agreements unaffected. It ensures public school contracts comply with state law and protect school systems from unfair obligations.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProhibits contract terms that could drain school funding (e.g., requiring payment for others' liabilities without funding), protecting resource stability for public schools.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 748: Publicly Funded Prekindergarten - Early Childhood Educator Career Ladder for Private Providers - New Pathways

HB 748 repeals specific deadline requirements for private prekindergarten providers participating in Maryland's publicly funded prekindergarten program. The bill removes time limits (like "within 3 years of hire" or "by July 1, 2027") that educators needed to meet certain educational or credentialing qualifications to advance through the state's early childhood educator career ladder. Private providers who receive public funding for prekindergarten services are directly affected, as they will no longer face strict deadlines to ensure staff meet these qualifications. The career ladder structure itself - including its three levels (teaching assistant, lead teacher, consulting teacher) and core goals of improving pay, professional development, and retention - remains unchanged. This is a procedural adjustment to the existing framework, not a substantive policy shift.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRepeals deadlines for educator career advancement, removing barriers to professional development in publicly funded prekindergarten programs.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 668: Children's Cabinet Fund - Renaming and Funding for Grants to Local Management Boards

SB 668 renames Maryland's "Children's Cabinet Fund" to the "Children's Cabinet Interagency Fund" and requires the Governor to annually appropriate specific funds for grants to local management boards. It mandates $3 million more for fiscal year 2028 than 2027 and $2 million more for fiscal year 2030 than 2029. Local management boards receiving funds must develop community partnership agreements coordinating with state and local child and family service plans, and use the money for evidence-based programs addressing youth development, prevention services, and out-of-home care needs. This bill directly affects local boards, children, and families by structuring state funding to support coordinated, community-driven services.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesMandates annual appropriations with specific increases ($3M FY2028 vs 2027, $2M FY2030 vs 2029) for child services grants, directly increasing state budget allocations.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates increased annual funding ($3M more FY2028, $2M more FY2030) for grants to local boards coordinating with child/family service plans, directly supporting educational access and programs.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 828: State Board of Education - Membership - Employee of a County Board of Education

HB 828 adds a new "Educational Support Member" position to Maryland's State Board of Education, directly affecting noncertificated, non-supervisory school support staff (like paraprofessionals or clerical workers in bargaining units). The bill requires the Governor to appoint this member based on an election conducted by eligible educational support professionals across the state, following regulations set by the Department of Education. The new member can attend and participate in board meetings but cannot vote on appeals to the State Board under specific sections of law. This change modifies existing board membership rules to include representation from this specific school support workforce category.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAdds representation for support staff on education board, strengthening their voice in policy decisions affecting schools.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentCreates elected position for school support staff on education board, enabling direct representation in policy decisions affecting their workplace85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 1457: Washington County - Juveniles - Truancy Reduction Pilot Program

HB 1457 authorizes the Circuit Administrative Judge of Maryland's Fourth Circuit to establish a Truancy Reduction Pilot Program specifically in Washington County's juvenile court. The bill directly affects Washington County juveniles who are truant and the juvenile court system there, aiming to address school absenteeism through court-led interventions rather than punitive measures. Key provisions amend existing law to explicitly include Washington County in the list of jurisdictions where such pilot programs may operate, alongside other counties already covered. The program would operate using state budget funds and requires consultation with other circuit administrative judges before implementation, effective October 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill creates non-punitive truancy intervention in juvenile court to prevent youth from entering justice system, aligning with criminal justice reform goals of diversion over punishment.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAddresses school absenteeism through court-led interventions, promoting student attendance and educational access in K-12 settings without punitive measures.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 805: Income Tax - Student Loan Debt Relief Tax Credit - Alterations

SB 805 modifies Maryland's Student Loan Debt Relief Tax Credit program. It changes the recapture rule so individuals only repay the *unused portion* of the credit (not the full amount) if they don't use it for student loan payments within 3 years. The bill also authorizes the Maryland Higher Education Commission to extend the repayment deadline for eligible individuals facing specific delays, such as litigation over federal student loan plans or government processing issues. This directly affects Maryland residents who claimed the credit for undergraduate or graduate student loan debt and must now use it within a flexible timeframe. The bill does not alter credit limits ($9 million for 2025, $18 million annually after) or priority rules for state employees.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesModifies tax credit recapture to reduce repayment burden, expanding access to student loan debt relief and strengthening tax relief for eligible residents.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationModifies tax credit to reduce repayment burden for student loan relief, enhancing higher education access and affordability for eligible individuals.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 720: Education - Artificial Intelligence - Guidelines, Professional Development, and Collaborative (Artificial Intelligence Ready Schools Act)

SB 720, the "Artificial Intelligence Ready Schools Act," requires Maryland’s State Department of Education to create and maintain online guidance for schools, educators, parents, and students on the safe, ethical, and equitable use of AI in K-12 education. It mandates county school boards to adopt AI policies within 120 days of guidance release, designate AI coordinators, and procure AI tools aligned with state standards. The bill also requires Morgan State University to annually certify AI tools and establishes statewide teacher training in AI literacy by July 2027, with compensation for educators participating. Local school systems must integrate AI into workforce preparation standards by June 2027, coordinated with the Maryland Center for Computing Education. The law directly affects all Maryland public schools, educators, students, and technology vendors supplying educational AI tools.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates AI guidelines, professional development, and policy adoption for K-12 schools to advance ethical AI use, strengthening educational technology integration and access.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyMandates safe, ethical AI guidelines in schools, promoting responsible adoption and digital equity through state standards and policy requirements.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 168: Housing and Community Development - Affordable Housing - Educator Workforce Housing and Municipal Corporations

HB 168 allows Maryland school districts to use state housing funds for developing housing specifically for teachers and school staff (called "educator workforce housing"). It explicitly states that such housing qualifies as an eligible use of state financial assistance under housing programs and ensures teachers are recognized as a "specified group" for federal low-income housing tax credits. The bill modifies existing laws to clarify that school districts can repurpose unused school properties for this housing and that state housing agencies must inform applicants about this eligibility. This directly affects school districts seeking to address housing needs for educators and teachers applying for federal housing tax credits.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEnables school districts to use state housing funds for teacher housing, directly supporting educator workforce stability and access to housing as a specified group for tax credits.90% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill explicitly permits using state housing funds for educator housing, qualifies it as eligible for state/federal programs, and designates teachers as a specified group for housing tax credits, directly advancing affordable housing access.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill designates teachers as a 'specified group' for housing benefits, directly supporting educator workforce housing as an employment standard under state/federal programs.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 6: State Personnel - Collective Bargaining - Nontenure Track Faculty

SB 6 would extend collective bargaining rights to nontenure track faculty at Maryland's public universities, including the University System of Maryland, Morgan State University, and St. Mary’s College of Maryland. The bill creates a separate bargaining unit for these faculty members - defined as full-time, part-time, or adjunct employees with academic responsibilities like teaching or research - removing them from the previous exclusion under "faculty" in collective bargaining rules. It amends state law to require each institution to establish this distinct unit alongside other employee groups, ensuring nontenure track faculty can negotiate wages, hours, and working conditions. The law would take effect on July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExtends collective bargaining rights to nontenure faculty at public universities, strengthening educator support and workplace rights in higher education.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill explicitly extends collective bargaining rights to nontenure track faculty, removing prior exclusion and creating a separate bargaining unit, directly strengthening workers' collective bargaining protections.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 285: Higher Education - Scholarships for Correctional Officers

SB 285 expands Maryland's existing scholarship program to include correctional officers. The bill amends state law to add "correctional officers" to the eligibility criteria for the Maryland Police Officers, Probation Agents, and Correctional Officers Scholarship Program, which previously covered only police officers and probation agents. It defines "correctional officer" per Maryland law and allows current or future correctional officers to apply for tuition assistance if they meet residency, enrollment, and service obligation requirements. The scholarship requires recipients to work in the field for at least five years within eight years of graduation or repay funds. This change directly affects correctional officers seeking higher education in Maryland.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands tuition assistance for correctional officers, directly supporting corrections workforce development within criminal justice system.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands higher education scholarships to correctional officers, increasing funding access for a new group under existing program.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education