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HB0781 • 2026

Public Middle Schools – Instruction on the Consequences of a Conviction for Felony Murder

Public Middle Schools – Instruction on the Consequences of a Conviction for Felony Murder

Crime Education
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Delegate Conaway
Last action
2026-02-11
Official status
In the House - Hearing 2/25 at 1:00 p.m. (Ways and Means)
Effective date
2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Public Middle Schools – Instruction on the Consequences of a Conviction for Felony Murder

Requiring the State Board of Education to develop curriculum resources and county boards of education to develop and incorporate instruction on the consequences of a conviction for felony murder for public middle school students in the State.

What This Bill Does

  • Requiring the State Board of Education to develop curriculum resources and county boards of education to develop and incorporate instruction on the consequences of a conviction for felony murder for public middle school students in the State.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-11 House

    Hearing 2/25 at 1:00 p.m. (Ways and Means)

  2. 2026-02-04 House

    First Reading Ways and Means and Judiciary

  3. Maryland General Assembly

    Text - First - Public Middle Schools – Instruction on the Consequences of a Conviction for Felony Murder

Official Summary Text

Requiring the State Board of Education to develop curriculum resources and county boards of education to develop and incorporate instruction on the consequences of a conviction for felony murder for public middle school students in the State.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0781*

HOUSE BILL 781
F1 6lr3185
HB 993/25 – W&M & JUD
By: Delegate Conaway
Introduced and read first time: February 4, 2026
Assigned to: Ways and Means and Judiciary

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Public Middle Schools – Instruction on the Consequences of a Conviction for 2
Felony Murder 3

FOR the purpose of requiring the State Board of Education to develop curriculum resources 4
and county boards of education to develop and incorporate instruction on the 5
consequences of a conviction for felony murder for public middle school students in 6
the State; and generally relating to required instruction on the consequences of a 7
conviction for felony murder for public middle school students. 8

BY adding to 9
Article – Education 10
Section 7–213 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 13

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 14
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 15

Article – Education 16

7–213. 17

(A) IN THIS SECTION , “CONSEQUENCES OF A CO NVICTION FOR FELONY 18
MURDER” MEANS THE LEGAL PENA LTIES THAT TAKE AWAY AN INDIVIDUAL ’S 19
FREEDOM, RIGHTS, AND ACCESS TO PROGRA MS OR SERVICES AFTER CONVICTION 20
FOR MURDER IN THE FI RST DEGREE UNDER § 2–201(A)(4) OF THE CRIMINAL LAW 21
ARTICLE. 22

(B) (1) THE STATE BOARD SHALL DEVELOP A GE–APPROPRIATE 23
CURRICULUM RESOURCES FOR INSTRUCTION ON THE CONSEQUENCES OF A 24
2 HOUSE BILL 781

CONVICTION FOR FELON Y MURDER FOR STUDENT S IN GRADES 6 THROUGH 8 IN 1
PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE STATE. 2

(2) THE STATE BOARD SHALL DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE 3
SUBJECT AREA FOR STU DENTS IN GRADES 6 THROUGH 8 TO INCORPORATE THE 4
INSTRUCTION ON THE CONSEQUENCES OF A CONVICTION FOR FELONY MURDER. 5

(C) (1) BEGINNING IN THE 2027–2028 SCHOOL YEAR , EACH COUNTY 6
BOARD SHALL DEVELOP AND INCORPORATE INSTRUCT ION BASED ON THE 7
CONSEQUENCES OF A CONVICTION FOR FELONY MURDER CURRICULUM RESOURCES 8
DEVELOPED BY THE STATE BOARD UNDER SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION. 9

(2) EACH COUNTY BOARD SH ALL ENSURE THAT EACH STUDENT IS 10
INSTRUCTED ON THE CONSEQUENCES OF A CONVICTION FOR FELONY MURDER AT 11
LEAST ONCE DURING GRADES 6 THROUGH 8. 12

(D) THE STATE BOARD MAY ADOPT REGUL ATIONS TO CARRY OUT THIS 13
SECTION. 14

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 15
1, 2026. 16