SB 845 Maryland Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Local Education Agencies - Educator Screening - Educator Identification Clearinghouse (School Personnel Vetting and Hiring Transparency Act)

This bill requires all Maryland public school districts to join the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) and use its Educator Identification Clearinghouse for background checks. It mandates that school districts screen all current educators by July 1, 2025, and all new educator applicants after that date through this centralized system. The law replaces local screening processes with a standardized national clearinghouse to verify educator backgrounds. This affects every local education agency in Maryland and their hiring and employment practices for school staff. The requirement takes effect on July 1, 2025.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
Senate Passage
Mar 2025
House of Delegates Passage
Governor
Introduced Feb 3, 2025 Last action Mar 26, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

First - Local Education Agencies - Educator Screening - NASDTEC Clearinghouse (School Personnel Vetting and Hiring Transparency Act) Third - Local Education Agencies - Educator Screening - Educator Identification Clearinghouse (School Personnel Vetting and Hiring Transparency Act) · 5 edits
MODERATE
SB 845 was amended to clarify the bill's title and purpose by changing 'NASDTEC Clearinghouse' to 'Educator Identification Clearinghouse' and adding a new definition for 'National Membership Organization'. The amendments also require the State Department of Education to register local education agencies as associate members of this organization and pay associated fees, while maintaining the requirement for local agencies to utilize the clearinghouse for screening educators.
Scope change
The bill now explicitly requires the State Department of Education to register local education agencies as associate members of a national membership organization, adding a new administrative layer to the screening process.
DEFINITION

Added a new definition for 'National Membership Organization' specifying it must be a national collection point for professional discipline actions across all states and jurisdictions.

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement for the State Department of Education to register each local education agency as an associate member of the national membership organization.

Modified the screening requirement to specify that local education agencies must utilize the Educator Identification Clearinghouse through the national membership organization.

FISCAL

Added requirement for local education agencies to pay any applicable fees and dues associated with membership in the national membership organization.

TECHNICAL

Changed the bill title from 'NASDTEC Clearinghouse' to 'Educator Identification Clearinghouse' for consistency with the new definition.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 28, 2025

How they voted

421
Passed · 3 other
Total votes 46
Feb 28, 2025
D Democratic33
29 Yea 1 Nay 3
87% Yea
R Republican13
13 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
11
Key actions
4
Committee
4
Mar 17, 2025
Committee
Referred Ways and Means
lower
Mar 17, 2025
Upper · Passed
Third Reading Passed
upper
Mar 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
Favorable with Amendments {
upper
Mar 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
Favorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment
upper
Feb 28, 2025
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (42-1-3)
senate
Feb 3, 2025
Committee
First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Shelly Hettleman
Shelly Hettleman
DDemocratic
MD
11