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*hb0575*
HOUSE BILL 575
F1 (6lr1261)
ENROLLED BILL
— Ways and Means/Education, Energy, and the Environment —
Introduced by Delegate Wilkins Delegates Wilkins, Addison, Coley, Ebersole,
Feldmark, Mireku–North, Palakovich Carr, Pasteur, Patterson, Roberson,
Vogel, Wims, and Young
Read and Examined by Proofreaders:
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
Sealed with the Great Seal and presented to the Governor, for his approval this
_______ day of _______________ at ________________________ o’clock, ________M.
______________________________________________
Speaker.
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Public Schools – Student Attendance – Excused or Discretionary Absences for 2
Civic Engagement 3
FOR the purpose of requiring the student attendance policy of the State Department of 4
Education and each county board of education to adopt a certain attendance policy 5
for public school students who are engaged in certain civic include a provision 6
allowing an excused or discretionary absence for a public school student participating 7
in civic engagement activities; requiring a county board to adopt certain policies and 8
procedures; and generally relating to student attendance in public schools and 9
excused or discretionary absences. 10
BY adding to 11
Article – Education 12
2 HOUSE BILL 575
Section 7–301.4 1
Annotated Code of Maryland 2
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 3
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 4
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 5
Article – Education 6
7–301.4. 7
(A) IN THIS SECTION , “PUBLIC FACING LEGISLATIVE BODY” MEANS AN 8
ENTITY THAT: 9
(1) MEETS TO SET OR CARRY OUT PUBLIC POLICY; 10
(2) IS SUBJECT TO THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT; AND 11
(3) CONSISTS OF MEMBERS W HO ARE ELECTED OR AP POINTED BY 12
THE GOVERNOR OR A LOCAL EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY. 13
(B) (1) SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION (B) (C) OF THIS SECTION , THE 14
DEPARTMENT AND EACH C OUNTY BOARD SHALL AD OPT AN ATTENDANCE PO LICY 15
FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT TREATS A STUDENT’S ABSENCE AS EXCUSED 16
IF, DURING A REGULAR SES SION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY A PUBLIC FACING 17
BODY, THE STUDENT: 18
(B) (1) THE STUDENT ATTENDANCE POLICY OF A COUNTY BOARD SHALL 19
INCLUDE A PROVISION ALLOWING AN EXCUSED OR DISCRETIONARY ABSENCE FOR A 20
PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT PARTICIPATING IN CIVIC ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES. 21
(2) CIVIC ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES SHALL INCLUDE: 22
(I) TESTIFIES TESTIFYING VIRTUALLY OR IN PERS ON AT A 23
HEARING OF ANY COMMITTEE OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY A PUBLIC FACING 24
LEGISLATIVE BODY; OR 25
(II) CONDUCTS CIVIC ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING: 26
1. MEETING WITH LEGISLATORS MEMBERS OF THE A 27
PUBLIC FACING LEGISLATIVE BODY; AND 28
HOUSE BILL 575 3
2. (III) ADVOCATING FOR OR AGA INST LEGISLATION 1
AND CONTRIBUTING TO THE C ONSIDERATION, DEVELOPMENT, OR 2
IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICY ISSUES; AND 3
3. OTHER ACTIVITIES DEEM ED TO BE CIVIC 4
ENGAGEMENT BY THE DEPARTMENT AND THE APPLICABLE COUNTY BOARD OR AND 5
(III) (IV) PARTICIPATES PARTICIPATING IN THE MARYLAND 6
GENERAL ASSEMBLY PAGE PROGRAM. 7
(2) (3) (I) IF THE ATTENDANCE POL ICY REQUIRES A NOTE TO 8
EXCUSE AN ABSENCE , THE POLICY SHALL AUT HORIZE AN APPROPRIATE 9
REPRESENTATIVE TO PR OVIDE A NOTE OR REAS ONABLE DOCUMENTATION TO 10
EXCUSE THE STUDENT’S ABSENCE. 11
(II) AN EXCUSED ABSENCE UN DER THIS SECTION IS A LAWFUL 12
ABSENCE AND MAY NOT BE INCLUDED IN A CAL CULATION OF CHRONIC 13
ABSENTEEISM FOR THE STUDENT OR THE SCHOOL. 14
(B) (C) (1) A COUNTY BOARD SHALL A DOPT POLICIES AND 15
PROCEDURES TO CARRY OUT THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION. 16
(2) POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ADOPTED UNDER THIS SUBSECTION 17
SHALL AUTHORIZE A STUDENT TO BE EXCUSED FOR AT: 18
(I) AT LEAST 15 HOURS OR 2 SCHOOL DAYS TO TESTI FY OR 19
CONDUCT CIVIC ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES UNDER SUBSECTION (A)(1) (B)(1)(I) OR 20
(II) OF THIS SECTION; OR 21
(II) THE LENGTH OF TIME OF THE PAGE PROGRAM FOR CIVIC 22
ENGAGEMENT CONDUCTED UNDER SUBSECTION (B)(1)(III) OF THIS SECTION. 23
(3) EXCUSED ABSENCES FOR TESTIFYING OR CONDUC TING CIVIC 24
ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES UNDER SUBSECTION (B)(1) OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE IN 25
ADDITION TO ANY EXCUSED ABSENCES UNDER EXISTING POLICIES OR PROCEDURES 26
OF THE COUNTY BOARD. 27
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 28
1, 2026. 29