HB 329 prohibits school resource officers (SROs) in Maryland from engaging in sexual activity, contact, or intercourse with students enrolled in schools where they are assigned. The bill amends Maryland's Criminal Law (Section 3-314) to explicitly add students at an SRO's assigned school as a protected group under this prohibition, with penalties including up to 3 years in jail or a $3,000 fine for violations. It defines "school resource officer" in Education Law (Section 7-1501) to clarify the scope of the restriction. The law applies directly to law enforcement officers serving in school settings and takes effect July 1, 2026.
HB 340 would allow Maryland to join the School Psychologist Interstate Licensure Compact, enabling licensed school psychologists from member states to practice in Maryland without reapplying for separate state licenses. This directly affects school psychologists seeking to work across state lines, particularly in areas facing staffing shortages. The compact establishes standardized requirements for multistate licensure and creates a commission to manage the agreement, while ensuring states maintain authority to protect public safety through their own scope-of-practice laws. The goal is to improve access to school psychological services by streamlining licensing for qualified professionals.
HB 538, the Informed Enrollment Act, requires Maryland colleges and universities that admit first-time undergraduate students to provide prospective and current students with clear, standardized information about costs, graduation rates, post-graduation salaries, and debt outcomes. Starting July 1, 2027, institutions must prominently display a link to the federal U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard on their public websites, accompanied by a plain-language explanation of the data it offers. They must also share this link and explanation during student orientation, in recruitment materials, on social media at least once per semester, and on campus career center websites. The law automatically terminates if the federal College Scorecard resource is discontinued, ensuring it only applies while the federal data remains available.
SB 107 prohibits individuals from intentionally sharing students' personal identifying information (like names, addresses, Social Security numbers, or school details) without the student's or parent's consent if the information could cause harm. It directly affects students in secondary schools (grades 6-12) and postsecondary institutions (colleges offering associate/bachelor's degrees). The law allows exceptions for journalists, academic activities, legal disclosures, and safety-related sharing with campus officials. Violations are misdemeanors punishable by up to one year in jail or a $5,000 fine.
HB 90 allows Maryland counties and Baltimore City to create a special property tax rate for commercial and industrial properties - including mixed-use buildings - to fund transportation projects or school budgets. It requires counties to automatically exempt the residential portion of mixed-use properties from this special tax using public records, without requiring owner applications. The special rate must be in addition to the general tax rate, cannot exceed 12.5 cents per $100 assessed value total, and cannot apply to residential parts of qualifying buildings. This directly affects commercial/industrial property owners, particularly those with mixed-use properties, by modifying how their taxes are calculated for specific public funding purposes.
SB 421 prohibits Maryland institutions of higher education from denying students access to facilities or services due to a sickle cell disease diagnosis and requires them to provide reasonable accommodations. It mandates the Maryland Department of Health to develop an awareness campaign for schools about supporting students with sickle cell disease, create educational materials for faculty/staff, and establish a framework for institutions to assess and support affected students. The law also requires schools to publicly share their policies and reporting procedures for violations. These provisions take effect October 1, 2026, directly impacting students with sickle cell disease, higher education institutions, and state health agencies.
SB 262 expands Maryland's income tax deduction for teachers by adding prekindergarten teachers to the list of eligible educators who can deduct up to $250 annually for unreimbursed classroom supply expenses. The bill amends tax code sections to include prekindergarten classroom teachers employed full-time in state programs as "eligible teachers," alongside existing K-12 teachers. This deduction applies only to supplies used by students or for teaching preparation, and excludes expenses already deducted federally. The change takes effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.
HB 222 requires Maryland public schools and colleges to update policies and education programs to address opioid overdoses. It mandates schools to store naloxone, allow authorized staff and students to possess it, and provide liability protection for good-faith use during overdoses. The bill also adds naloxone's life-saving role to K-12 drug prevention curricula (starting in third grade) and requires annual parent notifications about school naloxone policies. Additionally, schools must report overdose incidents requiring naloxone use to the State Department. This affects all public K-12 schools and state-funded colleges.
SB 224 allows counties and Baltimore City to create a special property tax rate for commercial and industrial properties, in addition to the general tax rate, to fund transportation projects or school budgets. The special rate cannot exceed 12.5 cents per $100 of assessed value and must automatically exempt the residential portion of mixed-use buildings from this tax. It also permits counties to grant tax credits to small businesses (under 20 employees) owning qualifying commercial property. This bill directly affects commercial/industrial property owners and mixed-use building residents, while ensuring residential portions remain tax-exempt under the special rate.
SB 299 requires Maryland county boards of education to allow therapy dogs in public schools, subject to specific policies. The bill mandates that each county adopt a policy covering therapy dog certification, handler guidelines, school access rules, parent/student notifications, and accommodations for allergies or discomfort. Therapy dogs must be accompanied by a certified handler and meet defined emotional support criteria for students. This law applies directly to all public schools in Maryland, effective July 1, 2026. It establishes concrete requirements for school policies but does not specify outcomes or funding.
