EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0522*
HOUSE BILL 522
F1 4lr0740
HB 878/23 – W&M CF SB 492
By: Delegates D. Jones and Fair, Fair, Ebersole, Feldmark, Grossman,
Mireku–North, Palakovich Carr, Patterson, Vogel, Wells, and Wilkins
Introduced and read first time: January 24, 2024
Assigned to: Ways and Means
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 20, 2024
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Public Schools – Student Telehealth Appointments – Policy and Access 2
FOR the purpose of requiring each county board of education to establish a policy to 3
accommodate students who need to participate in telehealth appointments during 4
the school day; requiring each public middle and high school to designate a space 5
that meets certain requirements for student telehealth appointments; and generally 6
relating to student access to telehealth in schools. 7
BY adding to 8
Article – Education 9
Section 4–142 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 12
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14
Article – Education 15
4–142. 16
(A) IN THIS SECTION , “TELEHEALTH ” MEANS A MODE OF DELI VERING 17
HEALTH CARE SERVICES THROUGH THE USE OF T ELECOMMUNICATIONS 18 2 HOUSE BILL 522
TECHNOLOGIES BY A HE ALTH CARE PRACTITION ER TO A PATIENT AT A DIFFERENT 1
PHYSICAL LOCATION TH AN THE HEALTH CARE P RACTITIONER. 2
(B) EACH COUNTY BOARD SHA LL ESTABLISH A POLI CY TO ACCOMMODATE 3
STUDENTS WHO NEED TO PARTICIPATE IN TELEH EALTH APPOINTMENTS 4
SCHEDULED DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. 5
(C) THE POLICY ESTABLISHE D UNDER SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION 6
SHALL REQUIRE EACH M IDDLE AND HIGH SCHOO L TO: 7
(1) DESIGNATE A SPACE FOR STUDENT TELEHEALTH APPOI NTMENTS 8
THAT: 9
(I) IS A PRIVATE SPACE IN THE SCHOOL; 10
(II) HAS INTERNET ACCESS ; 11
(III) INCLUDES AT LEAST ONE SEATING OPTION WITH A FLAT 12
SURFACE AND ELECTRIC AL OUTLET NEARBY TO ACCOMMODATE PLACEMEN T OF A 13
LAPTOP DEVICE ; AND 14
(IV) IS NOT A BATHROOM OR CLOSET; AND 15
(2) IMPLEMENT MEASURES TO ENSURE THE SAFETY AN D PRIVACY OF 16
A STUDENT PARTICIPAT ING IN A TELEHEALTH APPOINTMENT . 17
(D) EACH COUNTY BOARD SHA LL ENSURE THAT THE L OCAL SCHOOL 18
SYSTEM: 19
(1) PUBLISHES THE STUDENT TELEHEAL TH POLICY IN THE STU DENT 20
HANDBOOK ; AND 21
(2) MAKES SCHOOL PERSONNE L AWARE OF STUDENT T ELEHEALTH 22
POLICY OBJECTIVES AN D REQUIREMENTS . 23
(E) ON REQUEST , THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROV IDE TECHNICAL 24
ASSISTANCE TO A COUN TY BOARD TO ESTABLIS H THE STUDENT TELEHE ALTH 25
POLICY REQUIRED UNDER THIS SECTION. 26
(F) NOTHING IN THIS SECTI ON SHALL BE CONSTRUE D TO REQUIRE: 27
(1) REQUIRE A SCHOOL TO CONSTRUC T AN ADDITION OR A N EW 28
SPACE TO A SCHOOL BU ILDING TO PROVIDE A PRIVATE SPACE TO COM PLY WITH THE 29
STUDENT TELEHEALTH P OLICY REQUIRED UNDER THIS SECTION; OR 30 HOUSE BILL 522 3
(2) ALTER THE RESPONSIBIL ITIES OF A HEALTH CA RE PROVIDER 1
REGARDING THE DISCLO SURE OF MEDICAL RECO RDS UNDER TITLE 4, SUBTITLE 3 2
OF THE HEALTH – GENERAL ARTICLE, INCLUDING THE AUTHOR ITY TO DISCLOSE A 3
MEDICAL RECORD IN TH E CASE OF AN EMERGENCY . 4
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 5
1, 2024. 6
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.