EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0072*
HOUSE BILL 72
F1 5lr0688
(PRE–FILED) CF SB 8
By: Delegate Vogel
Requested: September 6, 2024
Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
Assigned to: Ways and Means
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Education – Maryland Civic Excellence Program – Established 2
FOR the purpose of establishing the Maryland Civic Excellence Program as a voluntary 3
program in which local school systems may participate to recognize students and 4
public schools that promote the civic readiness and civic engagement of students in 5
public schools in the State; and generally relating to the establishment of the 6
Maryland Civic Excellence Program. 7
BY adding to 8
Article – Education 9
Section 4–147 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
4–147. 16
(A) IN THIS SECTION, “PROGRAM” MEANS THE MARYLAND CIVIC 17
EXCELLENCE PROGRAM ESTABLISHED U NDER THIS SECTION . 18
(B) (1) THERE IS A MARYLAND CIVIC EXCELLENCE PROGRAM. 19
(2) THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO RECOGNI ZE STUDENTS 20
AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS T HAT PROMOTE THE CIVI C READINESS AND CIVIC 21
ENGAGEMENT OF STUDEN TS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE STATE. 22 2 HOUSE BILL 72
(C) THE PROVISIONS OF THI S SECTION APPLY ONLY TO A LOCAL SCHOOL 1
SYSTEM THAT CHOOSES TO PARTICIPATE IN AN D ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM. 2
(D) BEGINNING WITH THE 2026–2027 SCHOOL YEAR , EACH PARTICIPATING 3
LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM SHALL: 4
(1) AWARD A STUDENT A SEAL OF CIVIC EXCELLENCE IF THE 5
STUDENT APPLIES AND MEETS THE CRITERIA E STABLISHED BY THE LO CAL SCHOOL 6
SYSTEM UNDER SUBSECT ION (E) OF THIS SECTION; AND 7
(2) DESIGNATE A PUBLIC SC HOOL AS A CENTER OF CIVIC 8
EXCELLENCE IF THE SCH OOL APPLIES AND MEET S THE CRITERIA ADOPT ED BY THE 9
LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM UNDER SUBSECTION (G) OF THIS SECTION. 10
(E) AT MINIMUM, A PARTICIPATING LOCA L SCHOOL SYSTEM ’S CRITERIA 11
FOR A SEAL OF CIVIC EXCELLENCE SHALL REQUIRE A STUDENT TO: 12
(1) (I) TAKE THE MARYLAND COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT FOR 13
GOVERNMENT ; AND 14
(II) MEET THE ASSESSMENT R EQUIREMENTS FOR 15
GRADUATION ; 16
(2) EARN A GRADE OF A OR B IN EACH OF THE FOLLO WING HIGH 17
SCHOOL SOCIAL STUDIE S COURSES: 18
(I) UNITED STATES HISTORY; 19
(II) MODERN WORLD HISTORY; AND 20
(III) AMERICAN GOVERNMENT ; AND 21
(3) COMPLETE AND DEMONSTR ATE EVIDENCE OF AT L EAST 75 HOURS 22
OF STUDENT SERVICE , OF WHICH AT LEAST 30 HOURS SHALL BE DEDIC ATED TO A 23
SERVICE LEARNING PRO JECT WITH A FOCUS ON COMMUNITY AND CIV IC 24
ENGAGEMENT . 25
(F) A PARTICIPATING LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM SHALL ESTABLISH 26
APPLICATION CRITERIA TO ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM. 27
(G) AT MINIMUM, A PARTICIPATING LOCA L SCHOOL SYSTEM ’S CRITERIA 28
FOR A CENTER OF CIVIC EXCELLENCE DESIGNATION SHAL L REQUIRE A PUBLIC 29 HOUSE BILL 72 3
SCHOOL TO HAVE AT LE AST 50% OF THE STUDENTS IN I TS GRADUATING CLASS WHO 1
HAVE EARNED A SEAL OF CIVIC EXCELLENCE. 2
(H) (1) A LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT DETERMINES A ST UDENT HAS 3
FULFILLED THE CRITER IA UNDER THE PROGRAM SHALL : 4
(I) AWARD THE STUDENT A SEAL OF CIVIC EXCELLENCE; 5
(II) RECORD THE AWARD ON T HE STUDENT ’S OFFICIAL HIGH 6
SCHOOL TRANSCRIPT ; AND 7
(III) RECOGNIZE THE AWARD B Y AWARDING A CORD OR MEDAL 8
OR BY ATTACHING OTHER INSIGNIA ON TH E STUDENT’S HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOM A. 9
(2) A LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT DETERMINES THAT A PUBLIC 10
SCHOOL HAS FULFILLED THE CRITERIA UNDER T HE PROGRAM SHALL : 11
(I) DESIGNATE THE SCHOOL AS A CENTER OF CIVIC 12
EXCELLENCE; AND 13
(II) RECOGNIZE THE DESIGNA TION BY PROVIDING AN Y OF THE 14
FOLLOWING: 15
1. A BANNER; 16
2. A GOVERNOR’S CITATION; OR 17
3. A CITATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT . 18
(I) ON OR BEFORE JULY 1, 2027, AND EACH JULY 1 THEREAFTER , EACH 19
PARTICIPATING LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM SHALL SUBMIT TO THE DEPARTMENT A 20
REPORT ON THE PROGRAM BASED ON THE MOST RECENTLY COMPLETED SCH OOL 21
YEAR. 22
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 23
1, 2025. 24