SB 597 establishes the Maryland Artificial Intelligence Partnership within the University System of Maryland to serve as a central hub for coordinating AI initiatives across the state. It creates an Artificial Intelligence Incubation Lab to help state agencies adopt AI responsibly, and redesignates the Cybersecurity Public Service Scholarship Program as the Emerging Technology Public Service Scholarship Program to include AI training. The bill also requires Morgan State University's Center for Equitable AI to support state agencies with AI research. These changes directly affect Maryland public university students (through expanded scholarship eligibility), state agencies (via lab support), and the University System of Maryland (as host for the Partnership and Lab).
SB 685 requires Maryland’s State Department of Education to create a model response policy for schools to handle sexual misconduct and abuse allegations. Local school systems must adopt this policy by July 2027, notify parents within 3 school days of a "serious incident" (like credible abuse allegations requiring staff removal), and maintain a public webpage with non-identifying updates on investigations. Schools must also conduct a formal after-action review within 45 days of incident resolution to analyze response effectiveness and identify improvements. The bill directly affects all Maryland public schools, students, parents/guardians, and school employees by mandating standardized reporting, transparency, and record-keeping for serious incidents.
SB 529 establishes the Southern Maryland Early College Teacher Pathway Program to help high school students in Southern Maryland begin teacher preparation while still in high school. The program allows eligible students (particularly historically underrepresented and rural students) to earn college credits through dual enrollment at no cost for tuition or mandatory fees. It requires the University System of Maryland, in consultation with the State Department of Education and Higher Education Commission, to develop the program and a teacher preparation pathway. The bill also creates a workgroup with members appointed by the Governor, Senate President, and House Speaker to design the program. This aims to address teacher shortages in Southern Maryland by building a diverse, local educator pipeline.
HB 1321 modifies Maryland's Child Care Scholarship Program to protect certain low-income families from enrollment freezes. It prohibits enrollment freezes from applying to families receiving Temporary Cash Assistance, TANF, children on Social Security Income, or homeless children - ensuring these groups maintain access. If a freeze occurs, the State Department of Education must create a waitlist prioritizing these protected individuals. The bill also limits copay increases for specific participants and requires the Department to identify applicants eligible for free prekindergarten.
HB 854 establishes a state grant program to fund renovations and improvements at eligible nonpublic special education schools in Maryland. The program provides grants for classroom renovations, safety upgrades to residential facilities, health/safety accessibility work, infrastructure modernization, and new construction to meet state standards. Eligible schools must operate with a licensed residential treatment center, offer an approved curriculum (high school credits or K-8 programs), and serve students placed through state education programs. The Interagency Commission on School Construction will administer the program, with funding proposed annually in the state budget.
HB 1582 (COMPASS Act) changes Maryland's public school accountability system by requiring schools to use multiple quality indicators beyond standardized tests for evaluation. It mandates at least three indicators - including school climate surveys, class size, chronic absenteeism, and access to advanced courses - and prohibits national tests from being the sole measure. The bill sets strict rules for the composite score, limiting academic indicators to 70% of the total, requiring transparency in score breakdowns, and banning letter grades. It takes effect July 1, 2026, directly affecting all public schools and the State Board of Education.
HB 1305 requires Maryland's State Department of Education to annually report specific data on students in the state's child welfare system, including school stability, graduation rates, college enrollment, and disciplinary rates. The report must break down data by county, age, gender, race, and ethnicity while protecting student confidentiality. Additionally, the Department of Education and Department of Human Services must submit a 2026 report identifying service gaps, best practices from other states, and recommendations to improve educational outcomes for foster youth. This bill directly affects foster youth in Maryland's child welfare system and the state agencies responsible for their education and care.
HB 742 requires the Governor to include $450,000 annually in Maryland's budget for the Growing Family Child Care Opportunities Program during fiscal years 2023, 2024, 2026, and 2028-2030. This funding supports grants to help local counties and child care resource centers establish and operate family child care programs. The program directly benefits family child care providers by providing start-up assistance for materials, curriculum, and renovations. Administered through partnerships between counties and child care resource centers, the bill mandates specific annual appropriations to expand access to licensed family child care services.
HB 845 amends Maryland's Community College Promise Scholarship program to include residents of Delmar, Maryland who graduated from Delmar High School in Delmar, Delaware. Currently, the scholarship requires applicants to have graduated from a Maryland high school or completed a Maryland GED, but this bill adds a new eligibility pathway for students meeting both conditions: graduation from Delmar High School (Delaware) and residency in Delmar, Maryland. The change would allow these students to qualify for the scholarship without needing to meet the standard Maryland graduation requirement. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.
HB 852 expands Maryland's existing scholarship program to include correctional officers. It amends the Maryland Police Officers and Probation Agents Scholarship Program (now titled "Maryland Police Officers, Probation Agents, AND CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS Scholarship Program") to allow current or future correctional officers to qualify. Eligible recipients must be Maryland residents or graduates of Maryland high schools, enrolled at an eligible institution (public university or community college), and agree to work as correctional officers for at least 5 years within 8 years of graduation. The bill does not create a new program but updates the eligibility criteria of an existing scholarship.
