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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1288*
HOUSE BILL 1288
F1 6lr1675
HB 1252/25 – W&M
By: Delegate A. Johnson
Introduced and read first time: February 12, 2026
Assigned to: Ways and Means
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
County Boards of Education – Appointed Members in Leadership Positions – 2
Prohibition 3
FOR the purpose of prohibiting certain appointed members of a county board of education 4
from serving in certain leadership positions on the county board; requiring the State 5
Department of Education to send a certain notice to a county board if the county 6
board violates a certain prohibition; specifying certain penalties that may be imposed 7
on county boards and appointed members for the c ontinued violation of a certain 8
prohibition; and generally relating to leadership positions on county boards of 9
education. 10
BY adding to 11
Article – Education 12
Section 3–106 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 15
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 16
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 17
Article – Education 18
3–106. 19
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 20
INDICATED. 21
(2) (I) “APPOINTED MEMBER” MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL SERVING ON 22
A COUNTY BOARD WHO I S APPOINTED TO THE P OSITION BY A GOVERNM ENT 23
OFFICIAL OR GOVERNMENTAL BODY. 24
2 HOUSE BILL 1288
(II) “APPOINTED MEMBER ” DOES NOT INCLUDE A M EMBER 1
SERVING ON A COUNTY BOARD WHO IS APPOINT ED TO FILL A VACANCY FOR AN 2
ELECTED POSITION ON THE COUNTY BOARD. 3
(3) “LEADERSHIP POSITION” MEANS A PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENT, 4
CHAIR, OR VICE CHAIR OF A COUNTY BOARD. 5
(B) (1) AN APPOINTED MEMBER M AY NOT SERVE IN A LE ADERSHIP 6
POSITION ON A COUNTY BOARD. 7
(2) AN APPOINTED MEMBER SERVING IN A LEADERSHIP POSITION ON 8
JULY 1, 2026, SHALL VACATE THE LEA DERSHIP POSITION ON OR BEFORE AUGUST 9
1, 2026. 10
(C) (1) IF A COUNTY BOARD VIOLATES THIS SECTION, THE DEPARTMENT 11
SHALL NOTIFY THE COU NTY BOARD IN WRITING AND REQUIRE IMMEDIAT E 12
CORRECTIVE ACTION. 13
(2) (I) WITHIN 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE ON WHICH A COUNTY 14
BOARD RECEIVES THE NOTIFICATION UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION, 15
THE COUNTY BOARD SHA LL REMOVE THE APPOIN TED MEMBER FROM THE 16
LEADERSHIP POSITION. 17
(II) IF A COUNTY BOARD DOE S NOT COMPLY WITH TH E 18
REQUIREMENTS OF SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH: 19
1. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL SUSPEND ANY FUNDING TO 20
THE COUNTY BOARD FOR ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS UNTIL THE VIOLA TION IS 21
REMEDIED; AND 22
2. THE COUNTY BOARD SHAL L POST NOTICE OF THE 23
VIOLATION ON THE COUNTY BOARD’S WEBSITE. 24
(3) IF A COUNTY BOARD DOE S NOT COMPLY WITH TH E 25
REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION WITHIN 60 DAYS AFTER THE DATE ON WHICH THE 26
COUNTY BOARD RECEIVE S THE NOTIFICATION U NDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS 27
SUBSECTION, THE DEPARTMENT MAY: 28
(I) WITHHOLD ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO THE COUNTY BO ARD 29
FOR ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS; AND 30
HOUSE BILL 1288 3
(II) REFER THE MATTER TO T HE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR 1
ENFORCEMENT. 2
(4) (I) THE DEPARTMENT MAY IMPOSE A CIVIL PENALTY ON A N 3
APPOINTED MEMBER WHO KNOWINGLY AND WILLFULLY CONTINUES TO SERVE IN A 4
LEADERSHIP POSITION IN VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION. 5
(II) A CIVIL PENALTY IMPOSE D UNDER SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF 6
THIS PARAGRAPH: 7
1. MAY NOT EXCEED $2,500; AND 8
2. SHALL BE PAYABLE TO THE DEPARTMENT. 9
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 10
1, 2026. 11