HB 596 Maryland House of Delegates · 2025 Regular Session

Education - Dependent Children of Service Members - Advance Enrollment Procedures

HB 596 requires Maryland county superintendents to allow advance enrollment for dependent children of active-duty service members relocating due to military orders, using a remote registration process without fees or in-person requirements. It mandates school systems to coordinate with parents and the sending state to prevent delays in enrolling children with disabilities who receive special education services. The bill also requires the Secretary of Veterans and Military Families to publish clear information about enrollment procedures and available support services. This applies to all public schools and specifically benefits military-connected families facing frequent relocations.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

House of Delegates Passage

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 23, 2025 Last action Mar 12, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

First - Education - Dependent Children of Service Members - Advance Enrollment Procedures → Third - Education - Dependent Children of Service Members - Advance Enrollment Procedures · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill was amended to add specific protections for dependent children with disabilities, requiring remote registration processes to allow parents to note IEP or 504 plans and ensuring schools coordinate to prevent educational delays. The bill also updated the definition of 'service member' to align with federal uniformed services definitions and reorganized the bill's structure by repealing and reenacting sections with amendments rather than without.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to explicitly address children with disabilities and their educational continuity during military relocations, adding new coordination requirements between sending and receiving school districts.

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement for remote registration processes to allow parents or guardians to note whether a child has an IEP or 504 plan in the sending state.

Added requirement for county boards to ensure children with IEPs or 504 plans receive appropriate education without undue delay in the new county.

Added requirement for county boards to coordinate with parents and sending state school systems to implement the disability education protections.

DEFINITION

Modified the definition of 'service member' to include references to 37 U.S.C. § 101 for both active duty members and National Guard/Reserve components.

STRUCTURE

Changed the bill structure from repealing and reenacting sections without amendments to repealing and reenacting with amendments, and consolidated the repeal of Section 8-401(a)(1), (2), and (3).

Floor votes · House of Delegates Feb 28, 2025

How they voted

136–0

Passed · 3 other

Total votes 139

Feb 28, 2025

D Democratic100

97 Yea 3

97% Yea

R Republican39

39 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 12, 2025

Committee

Referred Education, Energy, and the Environment

upper

Mar 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

Third Reading Passed

lower

Mar 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments {

lower

Mar 10, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable with Amendments Report by Ways and Means

lower

Feb 28, 2025

House Of Delegates · Passed

House of Delegates Vote: pass (136-0-3)

house of delegates

Jan 23, 2025

Committee

First Reading Ways and Means

lower

25 primary · 0 co-sponsors