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*sb0263*
SENATE BILL 263
F1 6lr1254
SB 601/25 – EEE CF HB 102
By: Senator Brooks Senators Brooks, Attar, Carozza, Feldman, Gallion, Harris,
Hester, Kagan, Simonaire, and Watson
Introduced and read first time: January 19, 2026
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: February 25, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Education – Dependent Children of Active Service Members – Advance 2
Enrollment Procedures 3
FOR the purpose of requiring a county superintendent of schools to allow a certain 4
dependent child of an active service member to advance enroll in a sc hool in the 5
county in a certain manner; requiring the remote registration process to provide an 6
opportunity for the active service member or other parent or guardian of a dependent 7
child with a disability to make a certain note during the registration proc ess; 8
requiring a county board of education to ensure that a dependent child with a 9
disability continues to receive a certain education without undue delay through a 10
certain method; requiring the Secretary of Veterans and Military Families, in 11
consultation with certain entities, to publish and maintain certain information on 12
school enrollment and related services for dependent children of active service 13
members; and generally relating to school enrollment procedures for dependent 14
children of active service members. 15
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 16
Article – Education 17
Section 7–115.1 18
Annotated Code of Maryland 19
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 20
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 21
Article – Education 22
2 SENATE BILL 263
Section 8–401(a)(1), (2), and (3) 1
Annotated Code of Maryland 2
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 3
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 4
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 5
Article – Education 6
7–115.1. 7
(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 8
(2) “CHILD WITH A DISABILI TY” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 9
8–401 OF THIS ARTICLE. 10
(3) “Dependent child” means an individual of school age who is a natural 11
child, a stepchild, an adopted child, or a financially dependent child of an active service 12
member. 13
[(3)] (4) “Enrollment” includes course registration and charter school 14
lotteries. 15
(5) “FREE APPROPRIATE PUBL IC EDUCATION ” HAS THE MEANING 16
STATED IN § 8–401 OF THIS ARTICLE. 17
(6) “SENDING STATE” HAS THE MEANING STATED IN § 7–1303 OF THIS 18
TITLE. 19
(b) (1) [A] SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION A ND 20
SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION , A county superintendent shall allow a dependent 21
child of an active service member who is relocating to the State on official orders and is not 22
domiciled in that county during the enrollment period to apply for ADVANCE enrollment in 23
a public school in the county [, in the same manner and at the same time as individuals 24
domiciled in the county]. 25
(2) TO ADVANCE ENROLL UND ER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS 26
SUBSECTION, AN ACTIVE SERVICE ME MBER SHALL PROVIDE T O A COUNTY 27
SUPERINTENDENT OFFIC IAL ORDERS EVIDENCIN G THAT THE ACTIVE SE RVICE 28
MEMBER WILL BE STATI ONED IN THE STATE DURING THE CURR ENT OR 29
IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING SCHOOL YEAR. 30
(3) (I) A COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT SHALL ESTABLISH A REMOTE 31
REGISTRATION PROCESS FOR ADVANCE ENROLLME NT UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF 32
THIS SUBSECTION. 33
SENATE BILL 263 3
(II) A REMOTE REGISTRATION PROCESS ESTABLISHED UNDER 1
THIS PARAGRAPH MAY NOT: 2
1. CHARGE A FEE; OR 3
2. REQUIRE THE ACTIVE SE RVICE MEMBER OR OTHE R 4
PARENT OR GUARDIAN O R THE DEPENDENT CHIL D TO PHYSICALLY APPE AR AT A 5
LOCATION WITHIN THE COUNTY TO COMPLETE A NY PART OF THE ADVAN CE 6
ENROLLMENT PROCESS. 7
(4) (I) THE REMOTE REGISTRATION PROCESS SHALL PROVIDE AN 8
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE ACTIVE SERVICE MEMBER OR OTHER PARENT OR GUARDIAN 9
OF A DEPENDENT CHILD TO NOTE WHETHER THE CHILD HAS AN INDIVID UALIZED 10
EDUCATION PROGRAM OR A 504 PLAN IN THE SENDING STATE. 11
(II) IF A DEPENDENT CHILD HAS AN INDIVIDUALIZ ED 12
EDUCATION PROGRAM OR A 504 PLAN IN THE SENDING STATE, THE COUNTY BOARD 13
SHALL ENSURE THAT THE CHILD RECEIVES AN APPROPRIATE EDUCATION WITHOUT 14
UNDUE DELAY IN THE C OUNTY IN WHICH THE C HILD ENROLLS , INCLUDING, IF 15
APPROPRIATE, EDUCATION UNDER AN I NDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAM OR 16
IN ACCORDANCE WITH A 504 PLAN. 17
(III) A COUNTY BOARD SHALL C OORDINATE WITH A CHI LD’S 18
PARENT OR GUARDIAN AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN THE SENDING STATE IN ORDER 19
TO CARRY OUT THIS PARAGRAPH. 20
(c) (1) [Within] TO FINALIZE ADVANCE E NROLLMENT UNDER THIS 21
SECTION, WITHIN 10 days of the published arrival date on the active service member’s 22
official orders, the active service member shall provide the school with: 23
(i) Satisfactory evidence of the dependent child’s status as a 24
dependent child of the active service member; 25
(ii) A copy of the active service member’s official orders to relocate; 26
and 27
(iii) Proof of residence in the county. 28
(2) The active service member may use the address of any of the following 29
as proof of residence: 30
(i) A temporary on–base lodging facility; 31
(ii) A purchased or leased home or apartment; or 32
4 SENATE BILL 263
(iii) Any federal government housing unit or off –base military 1
housing unit. 2
(D) (1) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY O THER PROVISION OF LA W, A 3
DEPENDENT CHILD OF AN ACTIVE SERVICE ME MBER WHO HAS USED AD VANCE 4
ENROLLMENT TO ENROLL IN A SCHOOL UNDER TH IS SECTION MAY REMAI N 5
ENROLLED IN SCHOOL UNTIL THE END OF THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR, EVEN IF THE 6
CHILD NO LONGER MEETS RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS OF THE SCHOOL. 7
(2) A DEPENDENT CHILD OF AN ACTIVE SERVICE MEMBER WHO USES 8
ADVANCE ENROLLMENT S HALL HAVE ACCESS TO ACADEMIC COURSES AND 9
PROGRAMS, INCLUDING EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND ATHLETIC AND SOCIAL 10
PROGRAMS, IN THE SAME MANNER AS OTHER STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE SCHOOL. 11
(E) THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES, IN 12
CONSULTATION WITH TH E MILITARY FAMILY ED UCATION LIAISON DESI GNATED 13
UNDER § 7–1303 OF THIS TITLE AND TH E OFFICE OF MILITARY AND FEDERAL 14
AFFAIRS AND THE MARYLAND MILITARY INSTALLATION COUNCIL IN THE 15
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, SHALL PUBLISH AND MAINTAIN INFORMATION ON: 16
(1) THE ADVANCE ENROLLMENT PROCEDURES ESTABLISHED UNDER 17
THIS SECTION; AND 18
(2) THE PURPLE STAR SCHOOLS PROGRAM ESTABLISHED UNDER § 19
7–129 OF THIS SUBTITLE; 20
(3) THE INTERSTATE COMPACT ON EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY 21
FOR MILITARY CHILDREN ESTABLISHED UNDER SUBTITLE 13 OF THIS TITLE; AND 22
(2) (4) ANY ASSISTANCE AND SE RVICES AVAILABLE TO ACTIVE 23
SERVICE MEMBERS REGA RDING THE ADVANCE EN ROLLMENT OF A DEPEND ENT 24
CHILD, INCLUDING A CHILD WI TH A DISABI LITY ENTITLED TO REC EIVE A FREE 25
APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THE STATE. 26
8–401. 27
(a) (1) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 28
(2) “Child with a disability” means a child who has been determined 29
through appropriate assessment as having autism, deaf –blindness, hearing impairment, 30
including deafness, emotional disability, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, 31
orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, specific learning disability, speech or 32
language impairment, traumatic brain injury, visual impairment, including blindness, and 33
who because of that impairment needs special education and related services. 34
SENATE BILL 263 5
(3) “Free appropriate public education” means special education and 1
related services that: 2
(i) Are provided at public expense, under public supervision and 3
direction, at no cost to the parents; 4
(ii) Meet the standards of the State Board regulations and the 5
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.); 6
(iii) Includes preschool, elementary, and secondary education; and 7
(iv) Are provided in conformance with the requirements of the child’s 8
individualized education program. 9
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 10
1, 2026. 11
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.