Counties - Construction of Sidewalks and Crosswalks - Safe Alternative Routes to Public Schools

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0158*

SENATE BILL 158
L1 6lr1158
SB 526/25 – EEE (PRE–FILED) CF 6lr2436
By: Senator Ellis
Requested: October 10, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Counties – Construction of Sidewalks and Crosswalks – Safe Alternative Routes 2
to Public Schools 3

FOR the purpose of requiring a county board of education each year to prepare and post in 4
a certain manner a report that identifies pathways that public school students may 5
use to travel to school using only safe alternative routes under certain circumstances; 6
requiring the governing body of a county each year t o review a certain report and 7
construct any sidewalks and crosswalks necessary to create safe alternative routes 8
for public school students under certain circumstances; requiring the governing body 9
of a county to develop a certain plan with a certain gover nmental entity or person 10
and make certain efforts to execute the plan under certain circumstances; and 11
generally relating to safe alternative routes to public schools. 12

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 13
Article – Education 14
Section 7–801(b)(1) 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 17

BY adding to 18
Article – Education 19
Section 7–801(e) 20
Annotated Code of Maryland 21
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 22

BY adding to 23
Article – Local Government 24
Section 12–506.1 25
Annotated Code of Maryland 26
(2013 Volume and 2025 Supplement) 27
2 SENATE BILL 158

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2

Article – Education 3

7–801. 4

(b) (1) At its own expense, a county governing body may provide 5
transportation for public school students in addition to the transportation provided by the 6
State. 7

(E) (1) IN THIS SUBSECTION, “SAFE ALTERNATIVE ROUTE” INCLUDES: 8

(I) A ROAD WITH SIDEWALKS AND, AT INTERSECTIONS , 9
CROSSWALKS; 10

(II) A FOOT PATH; AND 11

(III) A BIKE PATH. 12

(2) EACH YEAR, A COUNTY BOARD SHALL PREPARE A REPORT THA T 13
IDENTIFIES: 14

(I) FOR EACH PUBLIC SCHOO L IN THE COUNTY , THOSE AREAS 15
OF THE COUNTY WHERE A STUDENT WHO IS REGULARLY ASSIGNED TO THE SCHOOL 16
WOULD BE INELIGIBLE FOR TRANSPORTATION SERVICES BASED ON THE DISTANCE 17
BETWEEN A RESIDENCE AND THE SCHOOL; AND 18

(II) PATHWAYS THAT A STUDE NT RESIDING IN AN AR EA 19
IDENTIFIED UNDER ITE M (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH MA Y USE TO TRAVEL BETW EEN 20
THE STUDENT ’S RESIDENCE AND R EGULARLY ASSIGNED SC HOOL USING ONLY A 21
SAFE ALTERNATIVE ROU TE OR A CONTIGUOUS S ERIES OF SAFE ALTERN ATIVE 22
ROUTES. 23

(3) THE COUNTY BOARD SHAL L POST TO THE COUNTY ’S WEBSITE 24
EACH REPORT PREPARED UNDER PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION. 25

Article – Local Government 26

12–506.1. 27

(A) IN THIS SECTION , “SAFE ALTERNATIVE ROU TE” HAS THE MEANING 28
STATED IN § 7–801 OF THE EDUCATION ARTICLE. 29
SENATE BILL 158 3

(B) THIS SECTION APPLIES TO ALL COUNTIES. 1

(C) EACH YEAR, THE GOVERNING BODY OF A COUNTY SHALL: 2

(1) REVIEW THE REPORT RE QUIRED UNDER § 7–801(E)(2) OF THE 3
EDUCATION ARTICLE; AND 4

(2) CONSTRUCT ANY SIDEWA LKS AND CROSSWALKS N ECESSARY TO 5
CREATE SAFE ALTERNATIVE ROUTES FOR STUDENTS AS IDENTIFIED IN THE REPORT. 6

(D) IF THE GOVERNING BODY OF A COUNTY MUST ALT ER A ROAD THAT IS 7
NOT SUBJ ECT TO THE JURISDICT ION OF THE COUNTY IN ORDER TO MEET THE 8
REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION, THE GOVERNING BODY SHALL: 9

(1) DEVELOP A PLAN WITH THE GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY OR PERSON 10
THAT HAS CONTROL OF THE ROAD; AND 11

(2) MAKE REASONABLE EFFO RTS TO EXECUTE THE PLAN IN AN 12
EXPEDITIOUS MANNER. 13

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 14
1, 2026. 15