EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0887*
SENATE BILL 887
F1 2lr2781
CF HB 472
By: Senator Lee
Introduced and read first time: February 7, 2022
Assigned to: Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Primary and Secondary Education – Title IX – Policies and Procedures 2
(Hear Our Voices Act of 2022) 3
FOR the purpose of requiring the State Board of Education to develop policies and 4
procedures for reporting, administering, investigating, and resolving complaints 5
related to incidents of sexual misconduct and violations of a certain federal law; 6
authorizing a person to bring a civil action against a local system that fails to comply 7
with certain policies and procedures and to recover damages, reasonable costs, and 8
attorney’s fees; and generally relating to sexual misconduct complaints and Title IX 9
compliance. 10
BY adding to 11
Article – Education 12
Section 7–450 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2018 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 15
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 16
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 17
Article – Education 18
7–450. 19
(A) ON OR BEFORE MARCH 31, 2023, THE STATE BOARD, AFTER 20
CONSULTATION WITH LO CAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS , SHALL DEVELOP POLICI ES AND 21
PROCEDURES FOR REPOR TING, ADMINISTERING , INVESTIGATING , AND RESOLVING 22
COMPLAINTS RELATED T O INCIDENTS OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT AND TITLE IX OF 23
THE EDUCATION AMENDMENTS OF 1972. 24
2 SENATE BILL 887
(B) THE POLICIES AND PROC EDURES DEVELOPED UND ER SUBSECTION (A) 1
OF THIS SECTION SHAL L REQUIRE: 2
(1) THE DEPARTMENT TO DEVELOP A DATABASE FOR 3
ADMINISTRATORS TO UP LOAD SEXUAL MISCOND UCT COMPLAINTS ; AND 4
(2) A PUBLIC SCHOOL TO : 5
(I) NOTIFY THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN OF A STUDEN T WHO 6
FILES A COMPLAINT RE LATED TO SEXUAL MISC ONDUCT; 7
(II) COLLECT DATA ON SEXUA L MISCONDUCT COMPLAI NTS AND 8
REPORT THE DATA TO T HE DEPARTMENT EACH YEAR ; AND 9
(III) INFORM STUDENTS , FACULTY, AND STAFF OF: 10
1. WHO SERVES AS THE TITLE IX COORDINATOR FOR 11
THE SCHOOL; AND 12
2. HOW TO FILE A SEXUAL MISCONDUCT COMPLAINT . 13
(C) A PERSON MAY: 14
(1) BRING A CIVIL ACTION AGAINST A LOCAL SCHO OL SYSTEM THAT 15
FAILS TO COMPLY WITH THE POLICIES AND PRO CEDURES DEVELOPED UN DER THIS 16
SECTION; AND 17
(2) RECOVER DAMAGES , REASONABLE COSTS , AND ATTORNEY ’S 18
FEES. 19
(D) THE STATE BOARD SHALL ADOPT REG ULATIONS TO IMPLEMEN T THIS 20
SECTION. 21
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 22
1, 2022. 23