Read the full stored bill text
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb1274*
HOUSE BILL 1274
F1 6lr2948
By: Delegate Miller Delegates Miller, Addison, Buckel, Coley, Ebersole, Griffith,
Hartman, Hornberger, R. Long, Mireku –North, Palakovich Carr, Pasteur,
Patterson, Roberson, Vogel, Wilkins, Wims, and Young
Introduced and read first time: February 12, 2026
Assigned to: Ways and Means
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 4, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Education – Posthumous Diploma Awards – Authorized Established 2
(Eric’s Law) 3
FOR the purpose of authorizing requiring local school systems to award standard high 4
school diplomas, posthumous honorary diplomas , and in memoriam diplomas to 5
certain deceased students, subject to certain requirements; and generally relating to 6
the posthumous awarding of diplomas. 7
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 8
Article – Education 9
Section 7–205(c) 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 12
BY adding to 13
Article – Education 14
Section 7–206 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 17
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 18
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 19
2 HOUSE BILL 1274
Article – Education 1
7–205. 2
(c) (1) Each student who graduates from a public high school shall receive the 3
same type of diploma or certificate, regardless of the high school attended or the course 4
taken. 5
(2) The diploma or certificate shall state that the student has completed a 6
program of studies satisfactorily in accordance with the requirements of the State Board. 7
7–206. 8
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 9
INDICATED. 10
(2) “IN MEMO RIAM DIPLOMA ” MEANS A CEREMONIAL D IPLOMA 11
RECOGNIZING A STUDEN T’S ENROLLMENT AND MEM BERSHIP IN THE SCHOO L 12
COMMUNITY. 13
(3) “POSTHUMOUS HONORARY D IPLOMA” MEANS A CEREMONIAL 14
DIPLOMA HONORING A STUDENT ENROLLED IN SECONDARY EDUCATION. 15
(4) “STANDARD HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA ” MEANS THE DIPLOMA OR 16
CERTIFICATE AWARDED TO A STUDENT UNDER § 7–205 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 17
(B) A LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM MAY AWARD A STANDARD HIGH SCHOOL 18
DIPLOMA POSTHUMOUSLY TO A DECEASED STUDENT WHO WAS, AT THE TIME OF THE 19
STUDENT’S DEATH: 20
(1) A RESIDENT OF THE COUNTY; 21
(2) ENROLLED IN GRADE 12 IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL; 22
(3) WITHIN A CERTAIN NUMBER OF CREDITS FROM COMPLETING THE 23
CREDITS REQUIRED FOR GRADUATION; AND 24
(4) IN GOOD ACADEMIC STANDING. 25
(C) A LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM MAY AWARD A POSTHUMOUS HONORARY 26
DIPLOMA TO A DECEASE D STUDENT WHO WAS , AT THE TIME OF THE S TUDENT’S 27
DEATH: 28
(1) A RESIDENT OF THE COUNTY; 29
HOUSE BILL 1274 3
(2) ENROLLED IN GRADE 11 OR 12 IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL; AND 1
(3) WITHIN A CERTAIN NUMBER OF CREDITS FROM COMPLETING THE 2
CREDITS REQUIRED FOR GRADUATION. 3
(D) A SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION , A LOCAL SCHOOL 4
SYSTEM MAY SHALL AWARD AN IN MEMORIAM A POSTHUMOUS HONORARY DIPLOMA 5
TO A DECEASED STUDENT WHO WAS, AT THE TIME OF THE STUDENT’S DEATH: 6
(1) A RESIDENT OF THE COUNTY; OR 7
(2) ENROLLED, ENROLLED IN ANY GRADE FROM KI NDERGARTEN 8
THROUGH GRADE 10 12 IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL. 9
(E) (1) SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION , A LOCAL 10
SCHOOL SYSTEM SHALL DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF CREDITS A STUDENT IS 11
REQUIRED TO COMPLETE TO BE AWARDED: 12
(I) A STANDARD HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA UNDER SUBSECTION 13
(B) OF THIS SECTION; AND 14
(II) A POSTHUMOUS HONORARY DIPLOMA UNDER SUBSECTION 15
(C) OF THIS SECTION. 16
(2) THE NUMBER OF CREDITS A STUDENT IS REQUIRED TO COMPLETE 17
TO BE AWARDED A STA NDARD HIGH SCHOOL DI PLOMA SHALL BE SIGNI FICANTLY 18
HIGHER THAN THE NUMBER OF CREDITS REQUIRED FOR A POSTHUMOUS HONORARY 19
DIPLOMA. 20
(F) (B) A LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM SHALL AWARD A DIPLOMA UNDER THIS 21
SECTION ONLY ON WRITTEN REQUEST OF: 22
(1) A PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN OF THE DECEASED STUDENT; OR 23
(2) IF THERE IS NO SURVIV ING PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN, THE 24
DECEASED STUDENT’S NEXT OF KIN. 25
(G) (C) (1) EXCEPT FOR A DIPLOMA AWARDED UNDER SUBSECTION (B) 26
OF THIS SECTION, A A DIPLOMA AWARDED UNDER THIS SECTION IS CEREMONIAL IN 27
NATURE AND DOES NOT CONFER LEGAL RIGHTS OR STANDARDS ASSOCIATED WITH 28
ACADEMIC COMPLETION. 29
4 HOUSE BILL 1274
(2) THE AWARDING OF ANY DIPLOMA UNDER THIS SECTION MAY NOT 1
BE INCLUDED IN THE C OMPUTATION OF GRADUATION RATES MAINTAINED BY THE 2
COUNTY BOARD OR THE DEPARTMENT. 3
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 4
1, 2026. 5
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.