Education (School Safety)

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 507: Public Schools - Individuals With Disabilities - Accessibility and Emergency Planning

SB 507 requires Maryland public school systems to identify accessibility barriers for students with disabilities during routine safety evaluations and emergency planning. It specifically mandates annual reports detailing any instances where school facilities became inaccessible for disabled students in ways that could hinder evacuation or emergency response during incidents. These reports must remain confidential, exempt from public disclosure under Maryland's public information law, with limited exceptions for legislative requests. The bill directly affects all local school systems in Maryland, aiming to improve emergency preparedness for students with disabilities through concrete reporting requirements.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires schools to address accessibility barriers for disabled students during emergencies, mandating annual reports to ensure inclusive safety planning and access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety Special Education Tags People with Disabilities

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 16, 2026

HB 1545: Frederick County - Special Education Video and Audio Recording Program - Established

HB 1545 establishes a program requiring Frederick County public schools to install video and audio recording devices in specialized instructional settings (where students with disabilities receive at least 50% of instruction) to document incidents like bullying, abuse, or harm. The bill mandates recordings in classrooms but prohibits recording in bathrooms or clothing-change areas, with audio devices limited to those specific zones. All recordings must be managed by an unbiased third party (not school staff), reviewed regularly, and made accessible to parents, law enforcement, or child protective services only after incidents occur. Parents may request exemptions for their child from audio recordings in designated areas, which must be documented in the student’s education plan. The program explicitly prohibits using recordings for teacher evaluations and requires written notice to parents before activation.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEstablishes mandatory recording program in special education settings to document and prevent bullying/abuse, directly enhancing student safety and protection in K-12 schools.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety Special Education Teachers

Track

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 685: State Department of Education - Sexual Abuse and Sexual Misconduct Model Response Policy - Requirements

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.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates model response policy for sexual misconduct in schools, requiring transparency and after-action reviews to improve safety and accountability in K-12 education.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 16, 2026

HB 1202: Public Schools – Content Standards, Curriculum, and Bullying Policies – Culture and History of Palestine

HB 1202 requires Maryland's State Board of Education to develop content standards on Palestinian culture and history for inclusion in social studies curriculum standards by December 2026. These standards must cover historical presence, cultural traditions, impacts of displacement, and Palestinian identity as a distinct ethnic group, while emphasizing factual, nonpartisan teaching and critical thinking. Starting in the 2027-2028 school year, all public schools must integrate this content into social studies. The bill also updates bullying policies to explicitly prohibit anti-Palestinian bias and mandates county boards to create age-appropriate curriculum guides in collaboration with educators and community stakeholders.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates inclusion of Palestinian culture/history in social studies curriculum, enhancing educational content and curriculum standards per bill's requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum School Safety

Track

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 28, 2026

SB 810: Immigration Enforcement - Expanding Sensitive Locations, Notification, and Guidance (Maryland Values Act of 2026)

SB 810 prohibits public school security personnel (including school resource officers, security employees, and certain off-duty officers providing school coverage) from engaging in federal immigration enforcement or sharing student/employee information for immigration purposes. The bill specifically bans using school staff for Section 287(g) federal immigration investigations and restricts sharing educational or personnel records related to immigration enforcement, except when presented with a valid judicial warrant, subpoena, or legal order. School security personnel must immediately contact the county superintendent and legal counsel if shown such legal documents. This law directly affects all Maryland public schools and their security staff, taking effect July 1, 2026, and aligns with existing privacy laws.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRestricts school security (law enforcement) from immigration enforcement, protecting student civil rights and preventing law enforcement overreach in schools. Aligns with criminal justice reform by limiting misuse of security personnel.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProhibits school staff from aiding immigration enforcement, protecting student privacy and safety in educational settings per bill's explicit language.95% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationProhibits school staff from aiding federal immigration enforcement and restricts sharing student data for immigration purposes, limiting state cooperation with federal immigration efforts.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety Driver Licenses & IDs Enforcement Sanctuary Policies

passed both · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 13, 2026

HB 1341: Immigration Enforcement - Expanding Sensitive Locations, Notification, and Guidance (Maryland Values Act of 2026)

HB 1341 prohibits public school security personnel - including school resource officers, security employees, and certain law enforcement officers - from engaging in federal immigration enforcement or sharing student/employee records for immigration purposes. The bill requires security staff to immediately contact school officials if presented with a valid judicial warrant, subpoena, or legal order for immigration-related information. It amends Maryland's Education Code to clarify that school security cannot be used for immigration investigations under federal §287(G) and must comply with state privacy laws. This directly affects school security staff and protects students, employees, and their families from immigration enforcement activities within public schools.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProhibits school security from engaging in immigration enforcement, protecting immigrant students' access to schools and creating safer educational environments.95% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationProhibits school staff from engaging in federal immigration enforcement and sharing student records, limiting state cooperation with federal immigration efforts per Maryland Values Act.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill prohibits sharing student records for immigration without warrant, protecting data privacy per technology topic indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety Driver Licenses & IDs Enforcement Sanctuary Policies

Track

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 13, 2026

HB 1032: Prekindergarten Programs and Primary and Secondary Schools - Student Privacy Policy Requirements and Discrimination Reporting

HB 1032 requires all public and nonpublic primary and secondary schools in Maryland to adopt written policies protecting student privacy, including procedures for parents to access records, limits on sharing personal information without consent, and documentation of record reviews. It also mandates that nonpublic prekindergarten programs and schools report annually (starting September 1, 2027) the number of alleged discrimination incidents based on race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other protected characteristics. These provisions directly affect all K-12 schools, with specific exemptions for religiously affiliated schools that meet existing legal standards under federal law. The bill updates privacy requirements and adds new reporting obligations without altering existing anti-discrimination protections.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates student privacy protections and anti-discrimination reporting in K-12 schools, supporting educational safety and access.85% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyRequires schools to adopt privacy policies limiting data sharing without consent, directly protecting student data privacy per tech policy indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education School Safety Data Privacy

Track

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 218: State Superintendent of Schools - Prolonged State of Emergency - Authority to Declare

SB 218 authorizes Maryland's State Superintendent of Schools to declare a "prolonged state of emergency" when in-person school attendance is disrupted for at least 14 consecutive days. It requires county school boards to create detailed virtual education plans - including staffing, instruction, technology, and return-to-school strategies - before any emergency occurs. These plans must be updated every two years and approved by the State Board of Education. The bill directly affects public school districts, students, and school staff by establishing a standardized process for transitioning to virtual learning during extended disruptions, while clarifying that public health emergency responsibilities remain with the Secretary of Health.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires virtual education plans for continuity during disruptions, protecting student access to education during emergencies.85% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Jan 22, 2026

HB 189: Public Middle, High, and Charter Schools - Start Time for Instruction

HB 189 requires all Maryland public middle schools to begin instruction no earlier than 8:00 AM and high schools no earlier than 8:30 AM starting in the 2028-2029 school year. It also mandates that county school boards and public charter schools implement a public awareness campaign starting in 2027-2028 to educate communities about sleep deprivation impacts and benefits of later start times. Waivers for earlier start times are only permitted for specific emergencies like natural disasters, not routine scheduling. The bill directly affects public middle and high schools, charter schools, and their communities through these timing requirements and outreach obligations.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates later school start times to address student sleep deprivation, aligning with research showing improved academic outcomes and health, thus supporting student well-being in education.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates public awareness on sleep deprivation impacts, aligning with public health initiatives to improve student health outcomes through later school start times.92% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education School Safety Student Health

Track

signed · Maryland · Senate May 12, 2026

SB 81: Criminal Law - School Resource Officers - Prohibition on Sexual Activity with Students

SB 81 prohibits law enforcement officers assigned as school resource officers (SROs) from engaging in sexual contact, vaginal intercourse, or sexual acts with students enrolled at their assigned school. It amends Maryland's criminal law (Section 3-314(e)(iv)) to explicitly include SROs in the ban, defining "school resource officer" under the Education Article (Section 7-1501(j)). Violations are misdemeanors punishable by up to 3 years in jail or a $3,000 fine. The law directly affects SROs in Maryland public schools, targeting conduct specific to their role as law enforcement officers within educational settings. It takes effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProhibits SRO misconduct, enhancing police accountability and protecting students - directly strengthens oversight of law enforcement conduct within schools.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProhibits SROs from sexual misconduct with students, enhancing school safety and student protection within K-12 education.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Law Enforcement School Safety