NEWS FROM PSSAM

BILL: SB 601 TITLE: Cybersecurity - Standards and Compliance - Alterations DATE: April 02, 2026 POSITION: Letter of Information COMMITTEE: House Government, Labor & Elections Committee CONTACT: Mary Pat Fannon, Executive Director, PSSAM The Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland (PSSAM), on behalf of all twenty-four public school superintendents, provides this letter of information  on SB 601.  This bill requires each local school system to (1) designate

BILL: HB 1582 TITLE: Education - Program of Educational Accountability - Alterations (Comprehensive Outcomes and Measures of Progress for Supporting Schools (COMPASS Act) DATE: April 07, 2026 POSITION: Favorable COMMITTEE: Senate Education, Energy & the Environment Committee CONTACT: Mary Pat Fannon, Executive Director, PSSAM The Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland (PSSAM), on behalf of all twenty-four public school superintendents, supports Hous

BILL: HB 575 TITLE: Public Schools - Student Attendance - Excused Absences for Civic Engagement DATE: April 07, 2026 POSITION: Unfavorable COMMITTEE: Senate Education, Energy & the Environment Committee CONTACT: Mary Pat Fannon, Executive Director, PSSAM The Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland (PSSAM), on behalf of all twenty-four local school superintendents  opposes House Bill 575.  This bill requires each local board of education to adopt an at

BILL: HB 326 TITLE: Education - Maryland Center for School Safety - Anonymous Reporting System DATE: April 07, 2026 POSITION: Favorable COMMITTEE: Senate Education, Energy & the Environment Committee CONTACT: Mary Pat Fannon, Executive Director, PSSAM The Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland (PSSAM), on behalf of all twenty-four public school superintendents, supports  House Bill 326. This bill requires the Maryland Center for School Safety (MCSS) to

BILL: SB 928 TITLE: County Boards of Education - Student Electronic Communication Device Use Policy - Establishment (Maryland Phone-Free Schools Act) DATE: April 01, 2026 POSITION: Unfavorable COMMITTEE: House Ways & Means Committee CONTACT: Mary Pat Fannon, Executive Director, PSSAM The Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland (PSSAM), on behalf of all twenty-four public school superintendents, opposes Senate Bill 928. This bill requires each local b

BILL: SB 904 TITLE: Education - Public Schools - Professional Development DATE: April 01, 2026 POSITION: Letter of Information COMMITTEE: House Ways & Means Committee CONTACT: Mary Pat Fannon, Executive Director, PSSAM The Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland (PSSAM), on behalf of all twenty-four public school superintendents, provides this letter of information on Senate Bill 904.  This bill requires the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), b

BILL: SB 685 TITLE: State Department of Education - Sexual Abuse and Sexual Misconduct Model Response Policy - Requirements DATE: April 01, 2026 POSITION: Support with Amendments COMMITTEE: House Ways & Means Committee CONTACT: Mary Pat Fannon, Executive Director, PSSAM The Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland (PSSAM), on behalf of all twenty-four local school superintendents, supports Senate Bill 685 with one amendment .  This bill requires the Mary

BILL: SB 648 TITLE: Local Education Agencies - Educator Screening - Educator Identification Clearinghouse (School Personnel Vetting and Hiring Transparency Act) DATE: April 01, 2026 POSITION: Favorable COMMITTEE: House Ways & Means Committee CONTACT: Mary Pat Fannon, Executive Director, PSSAM The Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland (PSSAM), on behalf of all twenty-four local school superintendents, supports Senate Bill 648.  This bill requires th

BILL: SB 646 TITLE: Public School System Contracts - Prohibited Provisions DATE: April 01, 2026 POSITION: Favorable COMMITTEE: House Ways & Means Committee CONTACT: Mary Pat Fannon, Executive Director, PSSAM The Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland (PSSAM), on behalf of all twenty-four local school superintendents, supports Senate Bill 646. This bill prohibits specified provisions from being included in a public school system contract, except as require

BILL: SB 645 TITLE: State Board of Sign Language Interpreters - Membership and Licensing DATE: March 31, 2026 POSITION: Support COMMITTEE: House Government, Labor & Elections Committee CONTACT: Mary Pat Fannon, Executive Director, PSSAM Sam Mathias, Legal & Policy Director, MABE The Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE), representing all the State’s local boards of education, and the Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland (PSSAM), repre

BILL: SB 292 TITLE: County Boards of Education - Student Transportation - Sunset Repeal DATE: April 01, 2026 POSITION: Support with Amendments COMMITTEE: House Ways & Means Committee CONTACT: Mary Pat Fannon, Executive Director, PSSAM The Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland (PSSAM), on behalf of all twenty-four public school superintendents, supports  Senate Bill 292 with amendments . This bill repeals the termination date of certain provisions of l

BILL: SB 99 TITLE: Open Meetings Act - County Boards of Education - Enhanced Requirements (Local Boards of Education Transparency Act) DATE: April 01, 2026 POSITION: Favorable COMMITTEE: House Ways & Means Committee CONTACT: Mary Pat Fannon, Executive Director, PSSAM The Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland (PSSAM), on behalf of all twenty-four local school superintendents, supports Senate Bill 99. This bill makes local boards of education and t

BILL: SB 48 TITLE: Education - Public School Construction - Alterations DATE: April 01, 2026 POSITION: Favorable COMMITTEE: House Appropriations Committee CONTACT: Mary Pat Fannon, Executive Director, PSSAM The Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland (PSSAM), on behalf of all twenty-four public school superintendents, supports Senate Bill 48.  PSSAM has worked closely with the Interagency Commission on School Construction (IAC) to refine Senate Bill 48 so

BILL: HB 1430 TITLE: Maryland Public Charter School Program - School Facilities - Funding DATE: April 01, 2026 POSITION: Unfavorable COMMITTEE: Senate Budget & Taxation Committee CONTACT: Mary Pat Fannon, Executive Director, PSSAM The Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland (PSSAM), on behalf of all twenty-four public school superintendents, opposes  House Bill 1430.  This bill directs the Governor, for fiscal year 2028 and each fiscal year thereafter,

BILL: HB 1182 TITLE: Public and Nonpublic Schools - Student Elopement - Locative Devices DATE: April 01, 2026 POSITION: Support with Amendments COMMITTEE: Senate Education, Energy & the Environment Committee CONTACT: Mary Pat Fannon, Executive Director, PSSAM The Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland (PSSAM), on behalf of all twenty-four Maryland local school superintendents, supports HB 1182  with amendments.  This bill authorizes a school to coordin

BILL: HB 649 TITLE: Advancing Equal Educational Opportunities for All Students in Maryland DATE: April 01, 2026 POSITION: Letter of Information COMMITTEE: Senate Education, Energy & the Environment Committee CONTACT: Mary Pat Fannon, Executive Director, PSSAM The Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland (PSSAM), on behalf of all twenty-four Maryland local school superintendents, provides this  letter of information on House Bill 649. House Bill 649 would

BILL: SB 263 TITLE: Education - Dependent Children of Active Service Members - Advance Enrollment Procedures DATE: March 23, 2026 POSITION: Favorable COMMITTEE: House Ways & Means Committee CONTACT: Mary Pat Fannon, Executive Director, PSSAM The Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland (PSSAM), on behalf of all twenty-four public school superintendents, supports  Senate Bill 263. This bill requires local school systems to allow a dependent child of a ser

BILL: SB 934 TITLE: Education - Public School Construction - Funding DATE: March 11, 2026 POSITION: Favorable COMMITTEE: Senate Budget & Taxation Committee CONTACT: Mary Pat Fannon, Executive Director, PSSAM The Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland (PSSAM), on behalf of all twenty-four local school superintendents, supports House Bill 934.  This bill states that it is the intent of the General Assembly that at least $550 million is included in the annua

BILL: SB 574 TITLE: Charles County - Student Bus Transportation Providers - Provider Displacement DATE: March 11, 2026 POSITION: Unfavorable COMMITTEE: House Education, Energy & the Environment Committee CONTACT: Mary Pat Fannon, Executive Director, PSSAM The Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland (PSSAM), on behalf of all twenty-four public school superintendents, opposes Senate Bill 574. This legislation requires the Charles County Board of Education

BILL: HB 1582 TITLE: Education - Program of Educational Accountability - Alterations (Comprehensive Outcomes and Measures of Progress for Supporting Schools (COMPASS Act) DATE: March 12, 2026 POSITION: Favorable COMMITTEE: House Ways & Means Committee CONTACT: Mary Pat Fannon, Executive Director, PSSAM The Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland (PSSAM), on behalf of all twenty-four public school superintendents, supports House Bill 1582. This