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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1493*
HOUSE BILL 1493
F3 6lr3012
CF SB 574
By: Charles County Delegation
Introduced and read first time: February 13, 2026
Assigned to: Ways and Means
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Charles County – Student Bus Transportation Providers – Provider 2
Displacement 3
FOR the purpose of requiring the Charles County Board of Education to provide certain 4
notice and hold a certain public hearing before taking any action that results in a 5
certain displacement of a company that has been providing student bus 6
transportation services in Charles County; and generally relating to student bus 7
transportation services in Charles County. 8
BY adding to 9
Article – Education 10
Section 7–811 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
7–811. 17
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION , “DISPLACEMENT” MEANS THE PROVISION OF 18
STUDENT BUS TRANSPOR TATION SERVICES BY T HE CHARLES COUNTY BOARD OF 19
EDUCATION IN A MANNER THAT PRECLUDES A COMPANY THAT HAS BEEN 20
PROVIDING THE SERVICES FROM CONTINUING TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES. 21
(2) “DISPLACEMENT” DOES NOT INCLUDE CIR CUMSTANCES IN 22
WHICH: 23
2 HOUSE BILL 1493
(I) THE CHARLES COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION DOES NOT 1
RENEW A CONTRACT FOR STUDENT BUS TRANSPOR TATION SERVICES FOR CAUSE; 2
OR 3
(II) THE COMPANY THAT HAS BEEN PROVID ING THE STUDENT 4
BUS TRANSPORTATION SERVICES: 5
1. HAS BEEN FOUND TO HAV E ACTED IN A MANNER 6
THREATENING TO PUBLIC HEALTH OR SAFETY; 7
2. HAS BEEN FOUND TO HAVE COMMITTED A MATERIAL 8
BREACH OF A CONTRACT FOR STUDENT BUS TRANSPORTATION SERVICES; OR 9
3. REFUSES TO CONTINUE T O PROVIDE S TUDENT BUS 10
TRANSPORTATION SERVICES UNDER THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF AN EXISTING 11
AGREEMENT. 12
(B) BEFORE TAKING ANY ACTION THAT RESULTS IN THE DISPLACEMENT OF 13
A COMPANY THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDING STUDENT BUS TRANSPORTATION SERVICES 14
IN CHARLES COUNTY, THE CHARLES COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION SHALL: 15
(1) PROVIDE WRITTEN NOTICE OF THE INTENT TO DISPLACE, SENT BY 16
FIRST–CLASS MAIL AT LEAST 45 DAYS BEFORE THE HEAR ING REQUIRED UNDER 17
ITEM (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION, TO EACH COMPANY THAT PROVIDES THE SERVICES 18
IN CHARLES COUNTY; AND 19
(2) (I) CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING; AND 20
(II) PROVIDE NOTICE OF THE HEARING TO THE PUBLI C BY 21
PUBLISHING A NOTIFICATION IN A NEWSPAPER OF GENERAL CIRCULATION IN THE 22
COUNTY ONCE EACH WEEK FOR 2 SUCCESSIVE WEEKS BEFORE THE HEARING. 23
(C) (1) SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION , WITHIN 1 24
YEAR AFTER THE PUBLI C HEARING , AND AT LEAST 2 YEARS BEFORE ANY 25
DISPLACEMENT, THE CHARLES COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION SHALL PROVI DE 26
WRITTEN NOTICE BY RE GISTERED MAIL OF THE DISPLACEMENT TO THE COMPANY 27
PROVIDING THE STUDENT BUS TRANSPORTATION SERVICES. 28
(2) THE CHARLES COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION MAY BEGIN 29
PROVIDING STUDENT BU S TRANSPORTATION SER VICES OR CONTRACT WI TH 30
ANOTHER COMPANY TO PROVIDE THE SERVI CES LESS THAN 2 YEARS AFTER 31
PROVIDING THE NOTICE REQUIRED UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION IF: 32
HOUSE BILL 1493 3
(I) THE CHARLES COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION PAYS THE 1
DISPLACED COMPANY THAT HAS BEEN PROVID ING THE SERVICES AN AMOUNT 2
EQUAL TO THE COMPANY’S GROSS RECEIPTS FOR PROVIDING THE SERVICES IN THE 3
COUNTY FOR THE PRECEDING 24–MONTH PERIOD; 4
(II) THE CHARLES COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION AND THE 5
COMPANY THAT HAS BEEN PROVID ING THE SERVICES AGR EE TO A DIFFERENT 6
NOTICE PERIOD OR COMPENSATION AMOUNT; OR 7
(III) THE COMPANY STOPS PROVIDING THE SERVICES IN THE 8
COUNTY. 9
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 10
1, 2026. 11