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.
*hb0493*
HOUSE BILL 493
F1 5lr0652
CF SB 1003
By: Delegates Fennell, Harris, Healey, Ivey, Martinez, Pruski, Roberts, Taylor,
Turner, Wilkins, and Williams Williams, Atterbeary, Ebersole, Fair,
Feldmark, Mireku–North, Palakovich Carr, Patterson, Roberson, Vogel,
Wims, Wu, and Young
Introduced and read first time: January 20, 2025
Assigned to: Ways and Means
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 27, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Public Schools – Commemorative Day – Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day 2
FOR the purpose of designating a certain date as Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day; 3
requiring each county board of education to develop and implement a program of 4
education for Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day; requiring the State Department of 5
Education to develop model content for a program of education for Ruby Bridges 6
Walk to School Day; and generally relating to Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day. 7
BY adding to 8
Article – Education 9
Section 7–136 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 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
7–136. 16
2 HOUSE BILL 493
(A) THE PURPOSE OF THIS S ECTION IS TO DESIGNA TE NOVEMBER 14 EACH 1
YEAR AS “RUBY BRIDGES WALK TO SCHOOL DAY” TO COMMEMORATE RUBY 2
BRIDGES, WHO, ON NOVEMBER 14, 1960, BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN 3
STUDENT TO INTEGRATE AN ALL–WHITE ELEMENTARY SCH OOL IN NEW ORLEANS, 4
LOUISIANA. 5
(B) (1) EACH COUNTY BOARD SHA LL DEVELOP AND IMPLE MENT A 6
PROGRAM OF EDUCATION FOR RUBY BRIDGES WALK TO SCHOOL DAY TO BE HELD 7
ON OR AROUND NOVEMBER 14 EACH YEAR. 8
(2) THE PROGRAM OF EDUCATION MAY INCLUDE: 9
(I) A SYMBOLIC WALK TO SCH OOL, ENCOURAGING STUDENTS 10
TO REFLECT ON THE SI GNIFICANCE OF RUBY BRIDGES’S HISTORIC WALK ; 11
(II) INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIA LS FOCUSING ON THE H ISTORY 12
OF CIVIL RIGHTS , THE IMPACT OF SCHOOL DESEGREGATION , AND THE ONGOING 13
STRUGGLE FOR RACIAL EQUALITY; 14
(III) DISCUSSIONS, ASSEMBLIES, OR PRESENTATIONS THA T 15
HIGHLIGHT RUBY BRIDGES AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT ; AND 16
(IV) INTERACTIVE PROJECTS HIGHLIGHTING THE IMP ORTANCE 17
OF DIVERSITY, TOLERANC E, AND JUSTICE , INCLUDING ARTWORK , ESSAYS, OR 18
ARTISTIC PERFORMANCE S. 19
(3) IN DEVELOPING A PROGR AM OF EDUCATION IN A CCORDANCE 20
WITH PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION , A COUNTY BOARD OR PU BLIC SCHOOL 21
IS ENCOURAGED TO : 22
(I) COLLABORATE WITH PARE NTS, COMMUNITY 23
ORGANIZATIONS , LOCAL LEADERS , AND CIVIL RIGHTS GRO UPS; AND 24
(II) PARTNER WITH LOCAL MU SEUMS, LIBRARIES, AND 25
HISTORICAL SOCIETIES TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH OPPORTUNITIES T O EXPLORE 26
THE HISTORY OF CIVIL RIGHTS. 27
(C) (B) (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVE LOP MODEL CONTENT FO R 28
A PROGRAM OF EDUCATI ON FOR RUBY BRIDGES WALK TO SCHOOL DAY. 29
(2) THE MODEL CONTENT DEV ELOPED BY THE DEPARTMENT IN 30
ACCORDANCE WITH PARA GRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION : 31
HOUSE BILL 493 3
(I) MAY INCLUDE INSTRUCTI ONAL MATERIAL S, INCLUDING 1
AGE–APPROPRIATE LESSON P LANS, DISCUSSION GUIDES , HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS , 2
AND MULTIMEDIA RESOU RCES; AND 3
(II) SHALL INCLUDE RESOURC ES TO ASSIST TEACHER S TO 4
ENGAGE STUDENTS IN D ISCUSSIONS ABOUT CIV IL RIGHTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE. 5
(D) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ADOP T REGULATIONS TO CAR RY OUT THIS 6
SECTION. 7
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 8
1, 2025. 9
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.