WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 293
– 1 –
Chapter 293
(House Bill 1167)
AN ACT concerning
Maryland Center for School Safety – Statewide Secure Schools Emergency
Response Grant Program – Established
FOR the purpose of establishing the Statewide Secure Schools Emergency Response Grant
Program to be administered by the Maryland Center for School Safety to provide
funds to improve the safety and security of public schools in the State by
implementing a certain emergency notification system systems and communications
between certain entities; and generally relating to the establishment of the
Statewide Secure Schools Emergency Response Grant Program.
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments,
Article – Education
Section 7–1502(a)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement)
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article – Education
Section 7–1502(g)(20) and (21)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement)
BY adding to
Article – Education
Section 7–1502(g)(22) and 7–1513
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2022 Replacement Volume 2023 Supplement)
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments,
Article – Public Safety
Section 1–301(a), (j), (t), and (u)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement)
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
Article – Education
7–1502.
Ch. 293 2024 LAWS OF MARYLAND
– 2 –
(a) There is a Maryland Center for School Safety.
(g) The Center shall perform the following functions and duties:
(20) Review and comment on school emergency plans developed under §
7–1510 of this subtitle; [and]
(21) Report to the General Assembly and the Governor on life–threatening
incidents as required under § 7–1510 of this subtitle; AND
(22) ADMINISTER THE STATEWIDE SECURE SCHOOLS EMERGENCY
RESPONSE GRANT PROGRAM UNDER § 7–1513 OF THIS SUBTITLE .
7–1513.
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS
INDICATED.
(2) “EMERGENCY EVENT ” MEANS AN EMERGENCY S ITUATION THAT
REQUIRES AN IMMEDIAT E RESPONSE BY FIRST RESPONDERS .
(2) (3) “FIRST RESPONDER ” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 1–301
OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY ARTICLE.
(3) “PANIC BUTTON EVENT” MEANS AN EMERGENCY S ITUATION THAT
COMPELS THE USER OF AN EMERGENCY NOTIFIC ATION SYSTEM TO PRES S A PANIC
BUTTON TO INSTANTLY SUMMON HELP TO THEIR LOCATION FROM FIRST
RESPONDERS OR OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCY PERSONNEL .
(4) “PROGRAM” MEANS THE STATEWIDE SECURE SCHOOLS
EMERGENCY RESPONSE GRANT PROGRAM.
(5) “PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCY ” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 1–301
OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY ARTICLE.
(6) “PUBLIC SAFETY ANSWERI NG POINT” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED
IN § 1–301 OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY ARTICLE.
(B) (1) THERE IS A STATEWIDE SECURE SCHOOLS EMERGENCY
RESPONSE GRANT PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY THE CENTER.
(2) THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE GRANTS TO
LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF PUBLIC
SCHOOLS IN THE STATE BY IMP LEMENTING A STATEWID E EMERGENCY WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 293
– 3 –
NOTIFICATION SYSTEM THAT FACILITA TES SYSTEMS AND COMMUNICATION
BETWEEN PUBLIC ELEME NTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL PERSONNEL , A PUBLIC
SAFETY ANSWERING POI NT, AND A PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCY IN LIFE–THREATENING
AND EMERGENCY SITUATION S, INCLUDING MEDICAL EM ERGENCIES AND THE
PRESENCE OF AN ACTIVE SHOOTER OR INTRUDER AT A PUB LIC SCHOOL DURING
EMERGENCY EVENTS .
(3) A LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM AWARDED A GRANT BY T HE CENTER
UNDER THE PROGRAM SHALL USE THE FUNDS TO:
(I) IMPROVE EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS ; OR
(II) ENHANCE COMMUNICATION S WITHIN THE SCHOOL AND
WITH PUBLIC SAFETY A GENCIES.
(4) EACH COUNTY BOARD , IN CONSULTATION WITH LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND A LO CAL PUBLIC SAFETY AN SWERING POINT , MAY APPLY TO
THE CENTER FOR A GRANT UNDER THE PROGRAM.
(C) THE PROGRAM SHALL PROCURE AND IMPLEMENT AN EME RGENCY
COMMUNICATION PLATFO RM FOR A SECURE SCHOOLS EMERGENCY RESPONSE
PROGRAM THROUGH WHICH ALL SCHOOL FACULTY A ND STAFF ARE ABLE TO ALERT
A PUBLIC SAFETY ANSW ERING POINT TO REPOR T A LIFE–THREATENING OR AN
EMERGENCY SITUATION .
(D) (C) THE COMMUNICATION PLA TFORM REQUIRED UNDER
SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION SHAL L AN EMERGENCY NOTIFICA TION SYSTEM
AND THE COMMUNICATIO NS UNDER SUBSECTION (B)(3) OF THIS SECTION MAY
INCLUDE THE FOLLOWIN G:
(1) A CELLULAR PHONE APPLI CATION–BASED PANIC BUTTON
EMERGENCY EVENT SYSTEM THAT :
(I) CAN BE INTEGRATED WIT H A LOCAL PUBLIC SAF ETY
ANSWERING POINT ; AND
(II) IS ABLE TO:
1. PLACE A STANDARD TELE PHONE CALL TO 9–1–1;
2. TEXT COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN AUTHORIZED
USERS AND A PUBLIC S AFETY ANSWERING POIN T AND PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCY;
Ch. 293 2024 LAWS OF MARYLAND
– 4 –
3. PROVIDE TEXT MESSAGES , E–MAILS, AND PUSH
NOTIFICATIONS TO AUT HORIZED USERS , INCLUDING SCHOOL PER SONNEL, FIRST
RESPONDERS , AND OTHER PUBLIC SAF ETY AGENCY PERSONNEL; AND
4. AUTOMATICALLY TRANSMI T SCHOOL FLOOR PLANS ,
SCHOOL EMERGENCY PLA NS, AND RELEVANT CONTACT INFORMATION TO FIRST
RESPONDERS OR PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCY PERSON NEL RESPONDING TO A PANIC
BUTTON EVENT AT A SC HOOL WITHOUT FURTHER ACTION NEEDED BY THE USER
REPORTING THE EMERGE NCY; AND
(2) CAPABILITY THE CAPABILITY TO GENERATE AN AUTOM ATED
EMERGENCY ALERT NOTI FICATION TO ALL PUBL IC AND NONPUBLIC SCH OOLS
LOCATED IN REASONABL E PROXIMITY TO AN EM ERGENCY SITUATION TH AT IS
DETERMINED TO BE AN IMMINENT THREAT TO SCHOOL CAM PUSES OR SCHOOL
PERSONNEL BY THE PUB LIC SAFETY ANSWERING POINT RECEIVING THE REPORT,
INCLUDING REPORTS OF :
(I) AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS KILLED;
(II) AN ACCIDENT OR THREAT THAT RESULTED IN SER IOUS
BODILY INJURY;
(III) AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS ASSAULT ED WITH A DEADLY
WEAPON AND THE ALLEG ED ASSAILANT REMAINS AT LARGE;
(IV) THE DISCHARGE OF A FI REARM; AND
(V) ANY OTHER EMERGENCY S ITUATION AGREED TO B Y A
PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCY AND A COUNTY BOARD ; AND
(3) INTERCOMS, SCHOOL PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTE MS,
BIDIRECTIONAL ANTENN AS OR BOOSTERS , AND OTHER TECHNOLOGY THAT WILL
IMPROVE EMERGENCY NO TIFICATION AND COMMU NICATION, AS IDENTIFIED BY THE
CENTER.
(E) THE COMMUNICATION PLA TFORM PROCURED UNDER SUBSECTION (C)
OF THIS SECTION SHAL L BE CERTIFIED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY UNDER THE FE DERAL SUPPORT ANTI–TERRORISM BY FOSTERING
EFFECTIVE TECHNOLOGIES ACT.
(F) (D) (1) ON OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER 1, 2026, THE CENTER SHALL
ENSURE THAT THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL IN
THE STATE. WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 293
– 5 –
(2) (I) A PUBLIC SCHOOL WITH A N EXISTING PROGRAM T HAT IS
SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILA R TO THE PROGRAM MAY SUBMIT A REQUEST TO THE
CENTER TO OPT OUT OF THE PROGRAM.
(II) IF THE CENTER DETERMINES THA T A PUBLIC SCHOOL ’S
EXISTING PROGRAM IS SUBSTANTI ALLY SIMILAR TO THE PROGRAM, THE CENTER
SHALL GRANT THE SCHO OL’S REQUEST TO OPT OUT OF THE PROGRAM IS
OPERATING AND AVAILA BLE TO EACH COUNTY B OARD.
(G) (E) FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026, THE THE GOVERNOR SHALL MAY
INCLUDE IN THE ANNUAL BUDGET BILL AN APPROPRIATIO N OF $4,500,000 FOR THE
PROGRAM.
Article – Public Safety
1–301.
(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.
(j) (1) “First responder” means an employee of a State or local public safety
agency that provides emergency response services.
(2) “First responder” includes:
(i) a firefighter;
(ii) a paramedic;
(iii) an emergency medical technician;
(iv) a rescue squad member;
(v) a sworn member of the Office of the State Fire Marshal;
(vi) a member of a volunteer fire or rescue company who is a covered
employee under § 9–234 of the Labor and Employment Article;
(vii) an individual who is licensed or certified under § 13–516 of the
Education Article; and
(viii) a 9–1–1 specialist.
(t) “Public safety agency” means:
Ch. 293 2024 LAWS OF MARYLAND
– 6 –
(1) a functional division of a public agency that provides fire fighting,
police, medical, or other emergency services; or
(2) a private entity that provides fire fighting, police, medical, or other
emergency services on a voluntary basis.
(u) “Public safety answering point” means a communications facility that:
(1) is operated on a 24–hour basis;
(2) first receives 9–1–1 requests for emergency services in a 9–1–1 service
area; and
(3) as appropriate:
(i) dispatches public safety services directly;
(ii) transmits incident data to appropriate public safety agencies
within the State for the dispatch of public safety services; or
(iii) transfers 9–1–1 requests for emergency services or transmits
incident data to:
1. an appropriate federal emergency communication center
responsible for the delivery of public safety services on a federal campus or federal
reservation; or
2. an appropriate public safety answering point located
within or outside the State.
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July
1, 2024.
Approved by the Governor, April 25, 2024.