HB 1059 requires Maryland's State Department of Education to evaluate specific Asian American history training programs from seven approved organizations (including the Smithsonian and Asian American Education Project) for inclusion in its teacher professional development program. It creates a grant program providing up to $2,000 per teacher to cover costs for these trainings and up to $1,000 annually per school library to purchase age-appropriate books and resources on Asian American and Pacific Islander history. The bill mandates annual state funding of $500,000 starting in fiscal year 2028 to support these grants. The bill directly affects Maryland public school educators and school libraries by expanding access to culturally specific professional development and learning materials.
SB 885 authorizes Maryland's State Lottery and Gaming Control Commission to issue licenses for online gaming and bingo operations, while establishing new regulations for these activities. It directly affects former video lottery facility employees through a new "Video Lottery Facility Employee Displacement Fund" to support them, and impacts school funding by requiring counties to use revenue from online gaming to offset local education tax calculations starting in fiscal year 2028. Key provisions include mandating that counties subtract gaming revenue from their education funding calculations and instead appropriate that revenue directly to school budgets, as specified in revised sections of Maryland law. The bill also requires the Commission to regulate online gaming operations and submit the law to a voter referendum.
SB 957 clarifies that Maryland public school teachers holding a National Board Certification (NBC) with a 10-year award period are eligible for specific salary increases tied to their career ladder status. It establishes a $8,000 salary increase for renewing a 10-year NBC, plus $7,000 for a first maintenance renewal after 5 years, and $6,000 for a second maintenance renewal. The bill applies retroactively to teachers with eligible 10-year certifications and ensures these salary increases are separate from other career ladder benefits like the $10,000 increase for initially becoming an NBC teacher. It directly affects certified classroom teachers in Maryland public schools who hold or renew this specific type of National Board Certification.
This bill prohibits Maryland public school systems from including 10 specific contract terms in new agreements, such as clauses requiring schools to pay for others' liabilities without funding, mandating binding arbitration, or restricting the school's choice of legal counsel. If such terms are included, they are invalid from the start, and contracts must be enforced as if those terms never existed. The law applies only to contracts signed on or after July 1, 2026, leaving existing agreements unaffected. It ensures public school contracts comply with state law and protect school systems from unfair obligations.
SB 526 designates November 14 each year as "Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day" to commemorate Ruby Bridges' 1960 integration of an all-white New Orleans school, and the second Wednesday in October as "Maryland School Pedestrian Awareness Day" to promote safe walking routes to schools. The bill requires the Maryland State Department of Education to provide public resources to local schools, including age-appropriate lesson plans, discussion guides, and safety materials. For Ruby Bridges Day, resources must cover civil rights and social justice education; for Pedestrian Awareness Day, they must include safety best practices and audit templates. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, and affects all Maryland public schools through mandated resource access.
HB 1011 establishes a workgroup to study support for transgender and gender diverse students in Maryland public schools. The workgroup includes 12 appointed members representing legislators (rural and urban), education leaders, student and parent advocates, and state officials. It will study ways to support these students and make recommendations on statewide policies by December 1, 2026, after which the workgroup expires. The bill creates a process for gathering input but does not implement new policies itself.
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 1275 requires Maryland public school districts to establish an appeal process for students deemed academically ineligible to participate in interscholastic athletics. The bill mandates schools provide written notice of the ineligibility decision and appeal steps, including a hearing, and creates a 10-day provisional eligibility period during which students may continue participating in sports. If a school upholds the ineligibility after the appeal, the student becomes ineligible the next school day. This directly affects public high school students in Maryland who face academic eligibility decisions for sports participation.
SB 805 modifies Maryland's Student Loan Debt Relief Tax Credit program. It changes the recapture rule so individuals only repay the *unused portion* of the credit (not the full amount) if they don't use it for student loan payments within 3 years. The bill also authorizes the Maryland Higher Education Commission to extend the repayment deadline for eligible individuals facing specific delays, such as litigation over federal student loan plans or government processing issues. This directly affects Maryland residents who claimed the credit for undergraduate or graduate student loan debt and must now use it within a flexible timeframe. The bill does not alter credit limits ($9 million for 2025, $18 million annually after) or priority rules for state employees.
HB 834 amends Maryland's definition of child neglect to explicitly include a parent or caregiver's failure to provide a child with education required by law. This change directly affects parents or guardians responsible for a child's schooling, making educational neglect a specific form of neglect under state law. The bill alters Section 5-701(s)(2) of Maryland's Family Law code to state that "neglect" includes "the failure or refusal to provide to a child the education required by law." The updated definition takes effect October 1, 2026, and applies to all children under 18. This is a technical legal change to the existing neglect definition, not a new program or funding measure.
