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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.
*hb1428*
HOUSE BILL 1428
F3 EMERGENCY BILL 6lr2945
CF SB 508
By: Delegate Anderson
Introduced and read first time: February 13, 2026
Assigned to: Ways and Means
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 9, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Somerset County Board of Education – Alterations 2
FOR the purpose of altering certain provisions of law with respect to the Somerset County 3
Board of Education regarding student members, appointments to fill certain 4
vacancies, annual compensation, and actions authorized during executive sessions; 5
and generally relating to the Somerset County Board of Education. 6
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 7
Article – Education 8
Section 3–1201, 3–1203, and 3–1204 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 11
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 13
Article – Education 14
3–1201. 15
(a) The Somerset County Board [shall be elected and] consists of [one]: 16
(1) ONE member elected from each commissioner district in the county ; 17
AND 18
2 HOUSE BILL 1428
(2) ONE NONVOTING STUDENT MEMBER FROM EACH PUB LIC HIGH 1
SCHOOL IN THE COUNTY SELECTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBSECTION (F) OF THIS 2
SECTION. 3
(b) (1) A member from a commissioner district shall be a resident of that 4
district. 5
(2) A candidate for the county board shall be a registered voter of the 6
county. 7
(3) A member from a commissioner district who no longer resides in that 8
district may not continue as a member of the county board. 9
(c) [Members] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (F) OF THIS SECTION, 10
MEMBERS of the board shall be elected at a general electio n as required by subsection (d) 11
of this section. 12
(d) (1) [Subject] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (F) OF THIS 13
SECTION, AND SUBJECT to the provisions of paragraph (2) of this subsection, each member 14
serves for a term of 4 years beginning on January 1 after the member’s election and until a 15
successor is elected and qualifies. 16
(2) (i) The terms of members are staggered as provided in this 17
paragraph. 18
(ii) 1. The members elected at the 2004 election from 19
commissioner districts 1, 3, and 5 shall serve an initial term of 2 years. 20
2. An election shall be conducted in 2006 and every 4 years 21
thereafter. 22
(iii) 1. The members elected at the 2004 election from 23
commissioner districts 2 and 4 shall serve an initial term of 4 years. 24
2. An election shall be conducted in 2008 and every 4 years 25
thereafter. 26
(3) The [Governor] COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF SOMERSET COUNTY 27
shall appoint a qualified individual to fill any vacancy on the board for the remainder of 28
the term and until a successor is elected and qualifies. 29
(e) (1) The State Board may remove a member of the county board for: 30
(i) Immorality; 31
(ii) Misconduct in office; 32
HOUSE BILL 1428 3
(iii) Incompetency; or 1
(iv) Willful neglect of duty. 2
(2) Before removing a member, the State Board shall send the member a 3
copy of the charges against him and give him an opportunity within 10 days to request a 4
hearing. 5
(3) If the member requests a hearing within the 10–day period: 6
(i) The State Board promptly shall hold a hearing, but a hearing 7
may not be set within 10 days after the State Board sends the member a notice of the 8
hearing; and 9
(ii) The member shall have an opportunity to be heard publicly 10
before the State Board in his own defense, in person or by counsel. 11
(4) A member removed under this su bsection has the right to a de novo 12
review of the removal by the Circuit Court for Somerset County. 13
(F) (1) A STUDENT MEMBER SHALL: 14
(I) BE A 12TH GRADE STUDENT IN THE SOMERSET COUNTY 15
PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM ELECTED BY THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS OF THE PUBLIC 16
SCHOOL THAT THE STUD ENT ATTENDS , IN ACCORDANCE WITH P ROCEDURES 17
ESTABLISHED BY THE SCHOOL SYSTEM; 18
(II) SERVE FOR 1 YEAR BEGINNING ON JULY 1 AFTER THE 19
ELECTION OF THE MEMBER; 20
(III) BE A NONVOTING MEMBER; AND 21
(IV) ADVISE THE COUNTY BOA RD ON TH E INTERESTS OF 22
STUDENTS. 23
(2) UNLESS INVITED TO ATT END BY AN AFFIRMATIV E VOTE OF A 24
MAJORITY OF THE COUN TY BOARD, THE STUDENT MEMBERS MAY NOT ATTEND AN 25
EXECUTIVE SESSION. 26
3–1203. 27
(a) Annual compensation for the board is as follows: 28
(1) Chairman – [$3,000] $6,000; and 29
4 HOUSE BILL 1428
(2) Member – [$2,700] $5,000. 1
(b) The chairman and other NONSTUDENT members are entitled to: 2
(1) Reimbursement for expenses incurred in official duties performed 3
outside Somerset County; and 4
(2) $500 per member per year for e xpenses incurred in official duties 5
performed within Somerset County. 6
3–1204. 7
(a) [All] EXCEPT FOR THOSE ACTIONS AUTHORIZED BY SUBSECTION (C) OF 8
THIS SECTION, ALL final actions of the county board shall be taken at a public meeting. 9
(B) The board shall keep a formal record of each public meeting. 10
[(b) This section does not prohibit the board from meeting and deliberating in 11
executive session provided that all action is taken at a public meeting.] 12
(C) THE COUNTY BOARD MAY TAKE ACTIONS IN EXEC UTIVE SESSION IN 13
ACCORDANCE WITH § 3–305 OF THE GENERAL PROVISIONS ARTICLE. 14
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That, in accordance with Article 15
III, § 35 of the Maryland Constitution, this Act may not be construed to extend or apply to 16
the salary or compensation of a member of the Somerset County Board of Education while 17
serving in a term of office beginning before the effective date of this Act, but the provisions 18
of this Act concerning the salary or compensation of the members of the Somerset County 19
Board of Education shall take effect at the beginning of the next following term of office. 20
This limitation does not apply to an individual appointed or elected after the effective date 21
of this Act to fill out an unexpired term. 22
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FUR THER ENACTED, That this Act is an emergency 23
measure, is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health or safety, has 24
been passed by a yea and nay vote supported by three –fifths of all the members elected to 25
each of the two Houses of the Gen eral Assembly, and shall take effect from the date it is 26
enacted. 27