Education, Safety, And Tech Bills From Charles County Delegates Filed In Annapolis

LA PLATA, Md. — The 2026 Maryland General Assembly session is underway, and several bills introduced by Charles County delegates and senators are drawing attention—particularly those focused on education, student safety, and school operations.

Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) Staff Attorney Eric Schwartz presented a legislative update during the Jan. 13 Board of Education meeting, highlighting several key bills backed by Sen. Arthur Ellis and Del. Edith Patterson.

Schwartz said more than 500 bills had been uploaded just before the meeting, which delayed review. “The prefiled bills were not online until this weekend, which is very unusual,” he told the board. “There was a change in House leadership that shifted committee assignments. They waited until that was settled before putting bills online.”

He emphasized that many of the bills are still being analyzed and that a more detailed legislative report will be presented in February.

Here are the major bills of interest introduced by members of the Charles County delegation:

House Bill 102: Education
Dependent Children of Active Service Members – Advance Enrollment Procedures
Sponsored by Delegate Edith Patterson. This bill would make it easier for military families moving into Maryland to enroll their children in school. While current procedures already exist, this bill mandates that the state provide additional support for families transitioning between states due to military assignments.

“This bill passed the House last year with most of our amendments,” Schwartz said. “That version is now back this session as House Bill 102.”

Senate Bill 71: Education
Interjurisdictional Safe Pathways Commission – Establishment
Sponsored by Senator Arthur Ellis. This bill would create a statewide commission tasked with identifying and coordinating funding opportunities for safe pathways for students to travel to and from school. The commission would involve multiple jurisdictions to evaluate needs and develop consistent safety standards across counties.

“Senator Ellis has been pushing bills around walking safety for several years,” Schwartz noted. “This is the first time we’re seeing this version that establishes a commission.”

Senate Bill 158: Counties
Construction of Sidewalks and Crosswalks – Safe Routes to Public Schools
Also sponsored by Senator Ellis. This bill requires each local board of education to develop and submit a report identifying student walking routes and evaluating their safety. Local governments would then be responsible for constructing sidewalks, crosswalks, and other infrastructure improvements to ensure safe travel.

Senate Bill 126: Charles County
Summer Academy for Mathematics and Service Pilot Program
Also sponsored by Senator Ellis. This bill proposes a six-week summer academy in Charles County focused on math achievement for students not proficient in Algebra or Geometry. The program would be overseen by the Maryland Department of Labor and aims to boost academic performance while also incorporating a service-learning component.

“This is a new bill this year,” Schwartz said. “It would be run by the Maryland Department of Labor, which is unusual. Our concern is, if funding isn’t available, will we still have to run the program?”

House Bill 163: County Boards of Education
Student Technology Use Policy – Requirements
Co-sponsored by Delegate Patterson. This bill would require all local boards of education to adopt formal policies that limit or regulate student use of cell phones and other personal electronic devices during school hours. It follows a series of similar bills proposed last session that focused on restricting phone use in elementary and middle schools, though none passed.

Legislative Outlook And Next Steps

Student Member Munachi Obinali asked about the return of Senate Bill 75, which sought greater parental accountability for student misconduct. Schwartz said he expects the bill to return this year but noted it could have already been filed, as more than 500 bills were just uploaded and he has not yet reviewed them all.

Watch the CCPS January 13 meeting on YouTube below.

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