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*sb0745*
SENATE BILL 745
E4 6lr3115
CF HB 634
By: Senator McKay Senators McKay, Smith, Waldstreicher, Charles, Folden,
Henson, James, Love, Muse, Sydnor, and West
Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2026
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: February 25, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Police Training – Autism and Dementia 2
(LEAD Act of 2026) 3
FOR the purpose of requiring the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission to 4
require entrance –level and in –service police training to include certain training 5
regarding individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, dementia, 6
and autism; and generally relating to police training. 7
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 8
Article – Public Safety 9
Section 3–207(a)(16) 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 12
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14
Article – Public Safety 15
3–207. 16
(a) The Commission has the following powers and duties: 17
2 SENATE BILL 745
(16) to require, for entrance–level police training and, as determined by the 1
Commission, for in –service level training conducted by the State and each county and 2
municipal police training school, that the curriculum and minimum courses of study 3
include, consistent with establ ished law enforcement standards and federal and State 4
constitutional provisions: 5
(i) training in lifesaving techniques, including Cardiopulmonary 6
Resuscitation (CPR); 7
(ii) training in the proper level and use of force as set forth in the 8
Maryland Use of Force Statute under § 3–524 of this title; 9
(iii) training regarding sensitivity to cultural and gender diversity; 10
[and] 11
(iv) training regarding individuals with physical , intellectual, 12
developmental, and psychiatric disabilities; AND 13
(V) TRAINING REGARDING I NDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL 14
AND DEVELOPMENTAL DI SABILITIES, DEMENTIA, AND AUTISM , INCLUDING 15
TRAINING FOR: 16
1. LOCATING AN INDIVIDU AL WHO IS WANDERING , 17
ELOPING, OR OTHERWISE MISSING; 18
2. SEARCHING NEAR BODIES OF WATER; 19
3. SENSORY–AWARE APPROACHES; 20
4. REUNIFICATION; 21
5. DOCUMENTATION; AND 22
6. INTERAGENCY COORDINATION; 23
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 24
October 1, 2026. 25