EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
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amendment.
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*hb0325*
HOUSE BILL 325
F1 (5lr1908)
ENROLLED BILL
— Ways and Means/Education, Energy, and the Environment —
Introduced by Delegates Wims, Lehman, Palakovich Carr, Pena–Melnyk, Simmons,
Vogel, and Wilkins Wilkins, Atterbeary, Boyce, Ebersole, Fair, Feldmark,
Mireku–North, Patterson, Roberts, Roberson, Wells, Wu, and Young
Read and Examined by Proofreaders:
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
Sealed with the Great Seal and presented to the Governor, for his approval this
_______ day of _______________ at ________________________ o’clock, ________M.
______________________________________________
Speaker.
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Adult Education – High School Diploma by Examination – Requirements and 2
Study 3
FOR the purpose of requiring the Maryland Department of Labor to allow an individual to 4
take all components of the General Educational Development Test in the same 5
language; requiring the Department to submit a certain report to certain committees 6
of the General Assembly on or before a certain date; and generally relating to 7
examination requirements for a high school diploma by examination. 8
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 9
Article – Labor and Employment 10
Section 11–808(a), (b), and (d) 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12 2 HOUSE BILL 325
(2016 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 1
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 2
Article – Labor and Employment 3
Section 11–808(c) 4
Annotated Code of Maryland 5
(2016 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 6
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 7
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 8
Article – Labor and Employment 9
11–808. 10
(a) An individual may obtain a high school diploma by examination as provided 11
in this section if the individual: 12
(1) has not obtained a high school diploma; 13
(2) resides in this State; and 14
(3) except as provided in subsection (b) of this section: 15
(i) is not subject to compulsory school attendance under § 7–301 of 16
the Education Article; and 17
(ii) has withdrawn from a regular full–time public or private school 18
program. 19
(b) An individual is not subject to the requirements of subsection (a)(3) of this 20
section if the individual participates in a GED Option Program administered by the State 21
Department of Education that creates a pathway to a high school diploma by examination 22
for currently enrolled high school English language learner students under the age of 21 23
years who have experienced interrupted education and have a lower level of English 24
proficiency than their peers. 25
(c) The Department shall: 26
(1) offer examinations to individuals who are pursuing a high school 27
diploma under this subtitle at least twice each year at places throughout the State that are 28
reasonably convenient for the applicants; AND 29
(2) ALLOW AN INDIVIDUAL TO CHOOSE TO TAKE ALL COMPONENTS OF 30
THE EXAMINATION IN THE SAME LANGUAGE FR OM THE ENGLISH OR SPANISH 31 HOUSE BILL 325 3
LANGUAGE EXAMINATIONS OFFERED BY THE DEPARTMENT EITHER ENGLISH OR 1
SPANISH. 2
(d) The examination shall: 3
(1) be offered in appropriate high school subject areas; and 4
(2) be of a comprehensive nature as determined by the State Board of 5
Education. 6
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 7
(a) The Maryland Department of Labor shall: 8
(1) identify other appropriate languages in which to offer the General 9
Educational Development Test for adult learners in the State; and 10
(2) study the feasibility and cost of offering the examination in additional 11
languages. 12
(b) On or before December 1, 2026, the Department shall submit, in accordance 13
with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, a report of its findings and 14
recommendations from the study required under this section to the Senate Finance 15
Committee and the House Committee on Ways and Means. 16
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTH ER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 17
October July 1, 2025. 18
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.