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SB0299 • 2026

County Boards of Education - Therapy Dogs - Policy for Handling and Use in Schools

County Boards of Education - Therapy Dogs - Policy for Handling and Use in Schools

Education
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Senators Hester , West , Beidle , Kagan , and Lewis Young
Last action
2026-02-19
Official status
In the Senate - Hearing 2/27 at 1:00 p.m.
Effective date
2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

County Boards of Education - Therapy Dogs - Policy for Handling and Use in Schools

Requiring a county board of education to allow, subject to certain requirements and policies, the use of therapy dogs in public schools in the county.

What This Bill Does

  • Requiring a county board of education to allow, subject to certain requirements and policies, the use of therapy dogs in public schools in the county.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-19 Senate

    Hearing canceled

  2. 2026-02-19 Senate

    Hearing 2/27 at 1:00 p.m.

  3. 2026-01-29 Senate

    Hearing 2/25 at 1:00 p.m.

  4. 2026-01-21 Senate

    First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment

  5. Maryland General Assembly

    Text - First - County Boards of Education - Therapy Dogs - Policy for Handling and Use in Schools

Official Summary Text

Requiring a county board of education to allow, subject to certain requirements and policies, the use of therapy dogs in public schools in the county.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0299*

SENATE BILL 299
F1 6lr2084
SB 409/21 – EHE CF HB 128
By: Senators Hester, West, Beidle, Kagan, and Lewis Young
Introduced and read first time: January 21, 2026
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

County Boards of Education – Therapy Dogs – Policy for Handling and Use in 2
Schools 3

FOR the purpose of requiring each county board of education to allow, subject to certain 4
requirements and policies, the use of therapy dogs in public schools in the county; 5
and generally relating to therapy dogs in public schools. 6

BY adding to 7
Article – Education 8
Section 4–148 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

4–148. 15

(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 16
INDICATED. 17

(2) “HANDLER” MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO PROVIDES CARE AN D 18
TRAINING FOR A THERAPY DOG. 19

(3) “THERAPY DOG” MEANS A DOG THAT IS: 20

(I) TRAINED TO PROVIDE AF FECTION AND COMFORT TO 21
CHILDREN WHO NEED EMOTIONAL SUPPORT IN A SCHOOL SETTING; AND 22
2 SENATE BILL 299

(II) CERTIFIED OR REGISTERED AS A THERAPY DOG. 1

(B) (1) A COUNTY BOARD SHALL A LLOW THE USE OF THER APY DOGS IN 2
PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTY. 3

(2) EACH THERAPY DOG USED IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL S HALL BE 4
ACCOMPANIED BY A HANDLER. 5

(C) (1) EACH COUNTY BOARD SHALL ADOPT A POLICY FOR THE USE AND 6
HANDLING OF THERAPY DOGS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTY. 7

(2) THE POLICY REQUIRED U NDER THIS SUBSECTION SHALL 8
INCLUDE: 9

(I) LOCAL OR NATIONAL CER TIFICATION OR REGIST RATION 10
REQUIREMENTS FOR THERAPY DOGS; 11

(II) GUIDELINES FOR HANDLERS OF THERAPY DOGS; 12

(III) GUIDELINES FOR WHEN A ND WHERE THERAPY DOG S AND 13
HANDLERS ARE ALLOWED IN SCHOOL BUILDINGS; 14

(IV) NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR PARENTS , STUDENTS, 15
AND SCHOOL FACULTY AND STAFF; AND 16

(V) GUIDELINES FOR THE MA NAGEMENT OF STUDENTS AND 17
STAFF WITH ALLERGIES TO DOGS OR WHO ARE UNCOMFORTABLE AROUND DOGS. 18

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 19
1, 2026. 20