Counties - Construction of Sidewalks and Crosswalks - Safe Alternative Routes to Public Schools

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0394*

HOUSE BILL 394
L1 6lr2436
HB 811/25 – ENT & W&M CF SB 158
By: Delegates Terrasa, Boyce, Feldmark, D. Jones, Kaufman, Lehman, Taveras,
and White Holland
Introduced and read first time: January 22, 2026
Assigned to: Government, Labor, and Elections and Ways and Means

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Counties – Construction of Sidewalks and Crosswalks – Safe Alternative Routes 2
to Public Schools 3

FOR the purpose of requiring a county board of education each year to prepare and post in 4
a certain manner a report that identifies pathways that public school students may 5
use to travel to school using only safe alternative routes under certain circumstances; 6
requiring the governing body of a county each year to review a certain report and 7
construct any sidewalks and crosswalks necessary to create safe alternative routes 8
for public school students under certain circumstances; requiring the governing body 9
of a county to develop a certain plan with a certain governmental entity or person 10
and make certain efforts to execute the plan under certain circumstances; and 11
generally relating to safe alternative routes to public schools. 12

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 13
Article – Education 14
Section 7–801(b)(1) 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 17

BY adding to 18
Article – Education 19
Section 7–801(e) 20
Annotated Code of Maryland 21
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 22

BY adding to 23
Article – Local Government 24
Section 12–506.1 25
Annotated Code of Maryland 26
(2013 Volume and 2025 Supplement) 27
2 HOUSE BILL 394

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2

Article – Education 3

7–801. 4

(b) (1) At its own expense, a county governing body may provide 5
transportation for public school students in addition to the transportation provided by the 6
State. 7

(E) (1) IN THIS SUBSECTION, “SAFE ALTERNATIVE ROUTE” INCLUDES: 8

(I) A ROAD WITH SIDEWALKS AND, AT INTERSECTIONS , 9
CROSSWALKS; 10

(II) A FOOT PATH; AND 11

(III) A BIKE PATH. 12

(2) EACH YEAR, A COUNTY BOARD SHALL PREPARE A REPORT THA T 13
IDENTIFIES: 14

(I) FOR EACH PUBLIC SCHOO L IN THE COUNTY , THOSE AREAS 15
OF THE COUNTY WHERE A STUDENT WHO IS REGULARLY ASSIGNED TO THE SCHOOL 16
WOULD BE INELIGIBLE FOR TRANSPORTATION SERVICES BASED ON THE DISTANCE 17
BETWEEN A RESIDENCE AND THE SCHOOL; AND 18

(II) PATHWAYS THAT A STUDE NT RESIDING IN AN AR EA 19
IDENTIFIED UNDER ITE M (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH MAY USE TO TRAVEL BE TWEEN 20
THE STUDENT ’S RESIDENCE AND REGU LARLY ASSIGNED SCHOO L USING ONLY A 21
SAFE ALTERNATIVE ROU TE OR A CONTIGUOUS S ERIES OF SAFE ALTERN ATIVE 22
ROUTES. 23

(3) THE COUNTY BOARD SHAL L POST TO THE COUNTY ’S WEBSITE 24
EACH REPORT PREPARED UNDER PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION. 25

Article – Local Government 26

12–506.1. 27

(A) IN THIS SECTION , “SAFE ALTERNATIVE ROU TE” HAS THE MEANING 28
STATED IN § 7–801 OF THE EDUCATION ARTICLE. 29
HOUSE BILL 394 3

(B) THIS SECTION APPLIES TO ALL COUNTIES. 1

(C) EACH YEAR, THE GOVERNING BODY OF A COUNTY SHALL: 2

(1) REVIEW THE REPORT RE QUIRED UNDER § 7–801(E)(2) OF THE 3
EDUCATION ARTICLE; AND 4

(2) CONSTRUCT ANY SIDEWA LKS AND CROSSWALKS N ECESSARY TO 5
CREATE SAFE ALTERNATIVE ROUTES FOR STUDENTS AS IDENTIFIED IN THE REPORT. 6

(D) IF THE GOVERNING BODY OF A COUNTY MUST ALTER A ROAD THAT IS 7
NOT SUBJECT TO THE J URISDICTION OF THE C OUNTY IN ORDER TO ME ET THE 8
REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION, THE GOVERNING BODY SHALL: 9

(1) DEVELOP A PLAN WITH THE GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY OR PERSON 10
THAT HAS CONTROL OF THE ROAD; AND 11

(2) MAKE REASONABLE EFFO RTS TO EXECUTE THE P LAN IN AN 12
EXPEDITIOUS MANNER. 13

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 14
1, 2026. 15