Sen. Kevin Harris

Maddy summarySB 709 creates Maryland's Purple Star Colleges Program to recognize institutions of higher education that provide strong support for military-connected students. The bill updates the definition of "military-connected student" to include service members, veterans, and their spouses/dependents, and establishes specific requirements for colleges seeking designation. To qualify, colleges must designate a uniformed services liaison, maintain a dedicated webpage with transition resources, offer student-led transition programs, and provide staff training on military-connected student needs. Administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission, this program complements the existing Purple Star Schools Program and directly affects colleges and military-connected students statewide.

Maddy summarySB 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.

Maddy summarySB 597 establishes the Maryland Artificial Intelligence Partnership within the University System of Maryland to serve as a central hub for coordinating AI initiatives across the state. It creates an Artificial Intelligence Incubation Lab to help state agencies adopt AI responsibly, and redesignates the Cybersecurity Public Service Scholarship Program as the Emerging Technology Public Service Scholarship Program to include AI training. The bill also requires Morgan State University's Center for Equitable AI to support state agencies with AI research. These changes directly affect Maryland public university students (through expanded scholarship eligibility), state agencies (via lab support), and the University System of Maryland (as host for the Partnership and Lab).

Maddy summarySB 529 establishes the Southern Maryland Early College Teacher Pathway Program to help high school students in Southern Maryland begin teacher preparation while still in high school. The program allows eligible students (particularly historically underrepresented and rural students) to earn college credits through dual enrollment at no cost for tuition or mandatory fees. It requires the University System of Maryland, in consultation with the State Department of Education and Higher Education Commission, to develop the program and a teacher preparation pathway. The bill also creates a workgroup with members appointed by the Governor, Senate President, and House Speaker to design the program. This aims to address teacher shortages in Southern Maryland by building a diverse, local educator pipeline.

Maddy summarySB 668 renames Maryland's "Children's Cabinet Fund" to the "Children's Cabinet Interagency Fund" and requires the Governor to annually appropriate specific funds for grants to local management boards. It mandates $3 million more for fiscal year 2028 than 2027 and $2 million more for fiscal year 2030 than 2029. Local management boards receiving funds must develop community partnership agreements coordinating with state and local child and family service plans, and use the money for evidence-based programs addressing youth development, prevention services, and out-of-home care needs. This bill directly affects local boards, children, and families by structuring state funding to support coordinated, community-driven services.

Maddy summarySB 720, the "Artificial Intelligence Ready Schools Act," requires Maryland’s State Department of Education to create and maintain online guidance for schools, educators, parents, and students on the safe, ethical, and equitable use of AI in K-12 education. It mandates county school boards to adopt AI policies within 120 days of guidance release, designate AI coordinators, and procure AI tools aligned with state standards. The bill also requires Morgan State University to annually certify AI tools and establishes statewide teacher training in AI literacy by July 2027, with compensation for educators participating. Local school systems must integrate AI into workforce preparation standards by June 2027, coordinated with the Maryland Center for Computing Education. The law directly affects all Maryland public schools, educators, students, and technology vendors supplying educational AI tools.

Maddy summarySB 927 creates a special permit process for the Kappa Alpha Psi 2027 Conclave in Baltimore City, requiring event promoters to apply 30 days in advance to the Board of License Commissioners. It mandates written consent from Visit Baltimore, a special event permit from Baltimore City Transportation, and a $50 application fee plus a $500-$1,500 permit fee based on venue capacity. Caterers must obtain a separate Class C per diem license before participating. The law expires December 31, 2027, and applies solely to this specific event, not general public gatherings.

Maddy summarySB 776 establishes the Commission on the House of Reformation and Instruction for Colored Children to investigate a historical detention facility in Prince George’s County that operated for over a century. The commission will research the institution’s history, identify children buried in an unmarked cemetery on its grounds (primarily African American boys who died in state care), and provide public accountability. It requires the Attorney General to chair the commission, which includes appointed members from state agencies, historical experts, community representatives, and at least one descendant of those buried. The commission must promote healing through truth-telling and community input while conducting forensic, archaeological, and historical research to the highest professional standards. This bill directly affects Maryland’s state government, descendants of those buried, and historically marginalized communities impacted by the institution’s legacy.

Maddy summarySB 198 requires Prince George’s Community College to establish an Aerospace Technology Studies Program by December 2026, in collaboration with Maryland’s Higher Education Commission, Department of Commerce, and local economic development groups. The program must include training in aerospace systems, avionics, advanced manufacturing, and AI applications, with industry internships and a clear high school-to-college career pathway. It mandates formal partnerships with local aerospace employers and requires annual reports on progress and student outcomes to state and county officials. The bill directly affects students seeking aerospace careers and local employers needing skilled workers, focusing on workforce development without specifying funding or cost.

Maddy summarySB 402 requires licensed residential child care programs in Maryland to ensure children aged 5-16 receive appropriate education, including enrolling them in local schools (unless the program has an approved educational plan), transferring academic records promptly, meeting with teachers, and providing study time and homework assistance. It also establishes new certification standards for child and youth care practitioners, mandating approved training covering child development, special needs, and diverse learning styles, along with background checks and minimum age/education requirements. The bill directly affects residential care program operators and their staff, replacing existing licensing rules in Maryland's Education and Health Occupations codes. Key changes include standardized educational support for children in care and mandatory practitioner training to improve service quality.