State Department of Education - Public Schools STEM and Robotics Program - Study

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*hb0531*

HOUSE BILL 531
F1 6lr1670
CF SB 990
By: Delegates Wu, Ebersole, Forbes, Hill, Kaufman, J. Long, Moreno,
Palakovich Carr, Patterson, Schindler, Simmons, Spiegel, Stinnett, and
Wims Wims, Feldmark, Hornberger, Miller, Mireku –North, Vogel, and
Young
Introduced and read first time: January 27, 2026
Assigned to: Ways and Means
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 6, 2026

CHAPTER ______

AN ACT concerning 1

State Department of Education – Public Schools STEM and Robotics Program 2
Task Force – Establishment – Study 3

FOR the purpose of establishing the Public Schools STEM and Robotics Program Task 4
Force to collect information on and requiring the State Department of Education to 5
study existing STEM and robotics programs in public schools in the State and in 6
other states to determine the feasibility of es tablishing competitive extracurricular 7
STEM and robotics programs throughout the State; and generally relating to the 8
Public Schools STEM and Robotics Program Task Force extracurricular STEM and 9
robotics programs. 10

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERA L ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 11
That: 12

(a) There is a Public Schools Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics 13
(STEM) and Robotics Program Task Force. 14

(b) The Task Force consists of the following members: 15

(1) two members of the Senate of Maryland, appointed by the President of 16
the Senate; 17

2 HOUSE BILL 531

(2) two members of the House of Delegates, appointed by the Speaker of 1
the House; 2

(3) the State Superintendent of Schools, or the State Superintendent’s 3
designee; 4

(4) the Secretary of Labor, or the Secretary’s designee; 5

(5) the Secretary of Commerce, or the Secretary’s designee; 6

(6) three representatives from local school systems, appointed by the State 7
Superintendent of Schools or the State Superintendent’s designee; and 8

(7) three represent atives of nonprofit organizations that provide STEM 9
and robotics services in the State, appointed by the Governor. 10

(c) The Governor shall designate the chair of the Task Force. 11

(d) The State Department of Education shall provide staff for the Task Force. 12

(e) A member of the Task Force: 13

(1) may not receive compensation as a member of the Task Force; but 14

(2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State 15
Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget. 16

(f) The Task Force shall: 17

(1) collect information regarding existing STEM and robotics programs in 18
public schools in the State and in other states, including: 19

(i) a description of each program; 20

(ii) requirements for the administration of each program; 21

(iii) the funding amount and source of funding for each program; and 22

(iv) the impact on revenues and expenditures in the State and other 23
applicable states; 24

(2) study: 25

(i) the feasibility of implementing competitive STEM and robotics 26
programs in public schools throughout the State; and 27

HOUSE BILL 531 3

(ii) approaches and resources needed to implement competitive 1
STEM and robotics programs in public schools throughout the State; and 2

(3) make recommendations on establishing competitive robotics programs 3
as varsity sports in every public high school throughout the State. 4

(g) On or before December 15, 2026, the Task Force shall report its findings and 5
recommendations to the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, the Senate Committee 6
on Education, Energy, and t he Environment, the House Appropriations Committee, the 7
House Ways and Means Committee, and the General Assembly, in accordance with § 8
2–1257 of the State Government Article. 9

(a) The State Department of Education shall study the existing Science, 10
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and robotics extracurricular programs 11
currently in place in high schools throughout the State. 12

(b) (1) In the course of its study, the Department shall examine: 13

(i) the requirements for administering existing programs; 14

(ii) the requirements for participation in existing programs; 15

(iii) funding sources for existing programs; and 16

(iv) impediments to establishing a STEM or robotics extracurricular 17
program in a school. 18

(2) In conducting its study, the Department shall, to the extent practicable, 19
make use of available data. 20

(c) The Department shall make recommendations on the feasibility of: 21

(1) adopting a uniform set of standards governing the operation and 22
funding of extracurricular STEM and robotics programs throughout the State; 23

(2) establishing a competitive extracurricular STEM or robotics program 24
in every public school in the State; and 25

(3) creating a competitive robotics program as a varsity sport in public high 26
schools throughout the State. 27

(d) On or before January 1, 2027, the Department shall report on the results of 28
its study and recommendations to the General Assembly, in acco rdance with § 2 –1257 of 29
the State Government Article. 30

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 31
1, 2026. It shall remain effective for a period of 1 year and, at the end of June 30, 2027, this 32
4 HOUSE BILL 531

Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be abrogated and of no 1
further force and effect. 2

Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.