EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0095*
SENATE BILL 95
L1, F1 3lr0921
SB 65/20 – EHE (PRE–FILED)
By: Senator Ellis
Requested: November 18, 2022
Introduced and read first time: January 11, 2023
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Counties – Construction of Sidewalks and Crosswalks – Safe Alternative Routes 2
to Public Schools 3
FOR the purpose of requiring a county board of education each year to prepare and post in 4
a certain manner a certain report that identifies pathways that certain public school 5
students may use to travel to school using only safe alternative routes under certain 6
circumstances; requiring the governing body of a county each year to review a certain 7
report and construct any sidewalks and crosswalks necessary to create safe 8
alternative routes for certain public school students under certain circumstances; 9
requiring the governing body of a county to develop a certain plan with a certain 10
governmental entity or person and take certain efforts to execute a certain plan 11
under certain circumstances; and generally relating to safe alternative routes to 12
public schools. 13
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 14
Article – Education 15
Section 7–801(b)(1) 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2022 Replacement Volume) 18
BY adding to 19
Article – Education 20
Section 7–801(e) 21
Annotated Code of Maryland 22
(2022 Replacement Volume) 23
BY adding to 24
Article – Local Government 25
Section 12–506.1 26
Annotated Code of Maryland 27 2 SENATE BILL 95
(2013 Volume and 2022 Supplement) 1
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 2
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 3
Article – Education 4
7–801. 5
(b) (1) At its own expense, a county governing body may provide 6
transportation for public school students in addition to the transportation provided by the 7
State. 8
(E) (1) IN THIS SUBSECTION , “SAFE ALTERNATIVE ROU TE” INCLUDES: 9
(I) A ROAD WITH SIDEWALKS AND, AT INTERSECTIONS , 10
CROSSWALKS ; 11
(II) A FOOT PATH; AND 12
(III) A BIKE PATH. 13
(2) EACH YEAR, A COUNTY BOARD SHALL PREPARE A REPORT THA T 14
IDENTIFIES: 15
(I) FOR EACH PUBLIC SCHOO L IN THE COUNTY , THOSE AREAS 16
OF THE COUNTY WHERE A STUDENT WHO IS REG ULARLY ASSIGNED TO T HE SCHOOL 17
WOULD BE INELIGIBLE FOR TRANSPORTATION SER VICES BASED ON THE D ISTANCE 18
BETWEEN A RESIDENCE AND THE SCHOOL ; AND 19
(II) PATHWAYS THAT A STUDE NT RESIDING IN AN AR EA 20
IDENTIFIED UNDER ITE M (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH MA Y USE TO TRAVEL BETW EEN 21
THE STUDENT ’S RESIDENCE AND REGU LARLY ASSIGNE D SCHOOL USING ONLY A 22
SAFE ALTERNATIVE ROU TE OR A CONTIGUOUS S ERIES OF SAFE ALTERN ATIVE 23
ROUTES. 24
(3) THE COUNTY BOARD SHAL L POST TO THE COUNTY ’S WEBSITE 25
EACH REPORT PREPARED UNDER PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION . 26
Article – Local Government 27
12–506.1. 28
(A) THIS SECTION APPLIES TO ALL COUNTIES . 29 SENATE BILL 95 3
(B) IN THIS SECTION , “SAFE ALTERNATIVE ROU TE” HAS THE MEANING 1
STATED IN § 7–801(E)(1) OF THE EDUCATION ARTICLE. 2
(C) EACH YEAR, THE GOVERNING BODY O F A COUNTY SHALL : 3
(1) REVIEW THE REPORT RE QUIRED UNDER § 7–801(E)(2) OF THE 4
EDUCATION ARTICLE; AND 5
(2) CONSTRUCT ANY SIDEWA LKS AND CROSSWALKS N ECESSARY TO 6
CREATE SAFE ALTERNAT IVE ROUTES FOR STUDE NTS AS IDENTIFIED IN THE REPORT. 7
(D) IF THE GOVERNING BODY OF A COUNTY MUST ALT ER A ROAD THAT IS 8
NOT SUBJECT TO T HE JURISDICTION OF T HE COUNTY IN ORDER T O MEET THE 9
REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION, THE GOVERNING BODY S HALL: 10
(1) DEVELOP A PLAN WITH THE GOVERNMENTAL ENT ITY OR PERSON 11
THAT HAS CONTROL OF THE ROAD; AND 12
(2) TAKE REASONABLE EFFO RTS TO EXECUTE THE P LAN IN AN 13
EXPEDITIOUS MANNER . 14
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 15
1, 2023. 16