Bill > HB198

This bill requires law enforcement agencies to notify the State's Attorney within 24 hours if a student is identified as a suspect in an investigation of certain serious offenses, which are defined as offenses that occur off school premises and do not involve school-sponsored events, and include crimes of violence, drug offenses, and other specified criminal acts. The State's Attorney may then choose to notify the local superintendent or their designee, who is an administrator within the local school system, about the student's suspect status. If the law enforcement agency later determines the student is no longer a suspect, they must inform the State's Attorney, who in turn must notify the local superintendent if they had previously shared the information. The bill also clarifies that if a student is arrested for a "reportable offense" (as defined in the bill) or an offense related to criminal organization membership, law enforcement must notify the local superintendent, the school principal, and the school security officer, if applicable, within 24 hours. The State's Attorney is still required to promptly inform the local superintendent or school principal about the outcome of any reportable offense case. Information shared under these provisions is confidential and cannot be made part of a student's permanent educational record, though it can be shared confidentially with another school system if the student enrolls elsewhere and the case resulted in a conviction, adjudication of delinquency, or is still pending. The State Board will establish regulations for how this information is used to provide educational services and maintain school safety, and when it should be destroyed. The bill also mandates that public schools with grades six through twelve designate at least one school security officer and requires an annual report on how schools handle information about students involved in reportable offenses.

Budget and Finance

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB0198?ys=2026RS