Public Schools - Student Attendance - Excused or Discretionary Absences for Civic Engagement, the official text

WES MOORE, Governor                     Ch. 630

Chapter 630

                   (House Bill 575)

AN ACT concerning

Public Schools – Student Attendance – Excused or Discretionary Absences for
                                              Civic Engagement

FOR the purpose of requiring the student attendance policy of the State Department of
         Education and each county board of education to adopt a certain attendance policy
         for public school students who are engaged in certain civic include a provision
         allowing an excused or discretionary absence for a public school student participating
         in civic engagement activities; requiring a county board to adopt certain policies and
         procedures; and generally relating to student attendance in public schools and
         excused or discretionary absences.

BY adding to
         Article – Education
         Section 7–301.4
         Annotated Code of Maryland
         (2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)

         SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

                   Article – Education

7–301.4.

        (A) IN THIS SECTION, “PUBLIC FACING LEGISLATIVE BODY” MEANS AN
ENTITY THAT:

             (1) MEETS TO SET OR CARRY OUT PUBLIC POLICY;

             (2) IS SUBJECT TO THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT; AND

                (3) CONSISTS OF MEMBERS WHO ARE ELECTED OR APPOINTED BY
THE GOVERNOR OR A LOCAL EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY.

        (B) (1) SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION (B) (C) OF THIS SECTION, THE
DEPARTMENT AND EACH COUNTY BOARD SHALL ADOPT AN ATTENDANCE POLICY
FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT TREATS A STUDENT’S ABSENCE AS EXCUSED
IF, DURING A REGULAR SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY A PUBLIC FACING
BODY, THE STUDENT:

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Ch. 630           2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND

        (B) (1) THE STUDENT ATTENDANCE POLICY OF A COUNTY BOARD SHALL

INCLUDE A PROVISION ALLOWING AN EXCUSED OR DISCRETIONARY ABSENCE FOR A

PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT PARTICIPATING IN CIVIC ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES.

         (2) CIVIC ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES SHALL INCLUDE:

                         (I) TESTIFIES TESTIFYING VIRTUALLY OR IN PERSON AT A
HEARING OF ANY COMMITTEE OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY A PUBLIC FACING
LEGISLATIVE BODY; OR

         (II) CONDUCTS CIVIC ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING:

                                 1. MEETING WITH LEGISLATORS MEMBERS OF THE A
PUBLIC FACING LEGISLATIVE BODY; AND

                  2. (III)     ADVOCATING FOR OR AGAINST LEGISLATION

AND CONTRIBUTING TO THE CONSIDERATION, DEVELOPMENT, OR

IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICY ISSUES; AND

                                 3. OTHER ACTIVITIES DEEMED TO BE CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT BY THE DEPARTMENT AND THE APPLICABLE COUNTY BOARD OR AND

                         (III) (IV) PARTICIPATES PARTICIPATING IN THE MARYLAND
GENERAL ASSEMBLY PAGE PROGRAM.

         (2) (3)  (I) IF THE ATTENDANCE POLICY REQUIRES A NOTE TO

EXCUSE AN ABSENCE, THE POLICY SHALL AUTHORIZE AN APPROPRIATE

REPRESENTATIVE TO PROVIDE A NOTE OR REASONABLE DOCUMENTATION TO

EXCUSE THE STUDENT’S ABSENCE.

                         (II) AN EXCUSED ABSENCE UNDER THIS SECTION IS A LAWFUL

ABSENCE AND MAY NOT BE INCLUDED IN A CALCULATION OF CHRONIC

ABSENTEEISM FOR THE STUDENT OR THE SCHOOL.

(B) (C)  (1) A COUNTY BOARD SHALL ADOPT POLICIES AND

PROCEDURES TO CARRY OUT THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION.

                (2) POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ADOPTED UNDER THIS SUBSECTION
SHALL AUTHORIZE A STUDENT TO BE EXCUSED FOR AT:

                         (I) AT LEAST 15 HOURS OR 2 SCHOOL DAYS TO TESTIFY OR
CONDUCT CIVIC ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES UNDER SUBSECTION (A)(1) (B)(1)(I) OR
(II) OF THIS SECTION; OR

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WES MOORE, Governor  Ch. 630

                         (II) THE LENGTH OF TIME OF THE PAGE PROGRAM FOR CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT CONDUCTED UNDER SUBSECTION (B)(1)(III) OF THIS SECTION.

                (3) EXCUSED ABSENCES FOR TESTIFYING OR CONDUCTING CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES UNDER SUBSECTION (B)(1) OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE IN

ADDITION TO ANY EXCUSED ABSENCES UNDER EXISTING POLICIES OR PROCEDURES

OF THE COUNTY BOARD.

         SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July
1, 2026.

Approved by the Governor, May 26, 2026.

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