EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0773*
HOUSE BILL 773
F1 5lr1452
CF SB 482
By: Delegates Hartman, Adams, Arentz, Arikan, Baker, Beauchamp, Bouchat ,
Buckel, Chisholm, Ciliberti, Ghrist, Grammer, Griffith, Hinebaugh,
Hornberger, Hutchinson, Jacobs, Kipke, R. Long, Mangione, McComas,
Miller, M. Morgan, T. Morgan, Nawrocki, Nkongolo, Otto, Pippy, Reilly,
Rose, Schmidt, Stonko, Szeliga, Tomlinson, Valentine, and Wivell
Introduced and read first time: January 29, 2025
Assigned to: Ways and Means
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Public Middle and High Schools – Student Discipline 2
(Right to Teach Act of 2025) 3
FOR the purpose of authorizing a teacher in a public middle or high school in the State to 4
take certain disciplinary actions in response to certain student behavior and to direct 5
students to certain school officials; prohibiting a county board of education from 6
taking disciplinary action against a certain teacher for certain actions; and generally 7
relating to student discipline in public middle and high schools. 8
BY adding to 9
Article – Education 10
Section 7–306.1 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 13
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 14
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 15
Article – Education 16
7–306.1. 17
(A) THIS SECTION APPLIES ONLY TO PUBLIC MIDDLE AND HI GH SCHOOL S IN 18
THE STATE. 19
2 HOUSE BILL 773
(B) IN RESPONSE TO BEHAVIOR BY A STUDENT THAT DO ES NOT CONFORM 1
TO THE BEHAVIORAL GU IDELINES ADOPTED BY THE COUNTY BOARD IN 2
ACCORDANCE WITH § 7–306(D) OF THIS SUBTITLE , A TEACHER MAY REMOVE A 3
STUDENT FROM THE CLA SSROOM IF: 4
(1) (I) THE STUDENT HAS REPEATED LY INTERFERED WITH THE 5
TEACHER’S ABILITY TO COMMUNI CATE WITH OTHER STUD ENTS IN THE CLASSROO M 6
OR WITH OTHER STUDEN TS’ ABILITY TO LEARN EFF ECTIVELY; AND 7
(II) THE STUDENT ’S CONDUCT HAS BEEN P REVIOUSLY 8
DOCUMENTED BY THE TE ACHER; OR 9
(2) (I) THE STUDENT EXH IBITS BEHAVIOR THAT IS UNRULY, 10
DISRUPTIVE, OR ABUSIVE; AND 11
(II) THE BEHAVIOR SIGNIFIC ANTLY INTERFERES WIT H THE 12
TEACHER’S ABILITY TO COMMUNI CATE WITH OTHER STUD ENTS IN THE CLASSROO M 13
OR WITH OTHER STUDEN TS’ ABILITY TO LEARN EFF ECTIVELY. 14
(C) IF A TEACHER REMOVES A ST UDENT FROM THE CLASS ROOM UNDER 15
SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION, THE TEACHER SHALL : 16
(1) DOCUMENT THE STUDENT ’S BEHAVIOR; 17
(2) SUBMIT THE DOCUMENTATION OF THE BEHAVIOR TO THE 18
PRINCIPAL; AND 19
(3) SEND THE STUDENT TO THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL OR GUIDANC E 20
COUNSELOR . 21
(D) (1) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION , IF 22
A STUDENT IS SENT TO THE PRINCIPAL UNDER SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION , 23
THE PRINCIPAL MAY : 24
(I) RETURN THE STUDENT TO THE C LASSROOM; 25
(II) PLACE THE STUDENT IN ANOTH ER CLASSROOM ; 26
(III) PLACE THE STUDENT IN IN –SCHOOL SUSPENSION ; 27
(IV) PLACE THE STUDENT IN AN AL TERNATIVE PROGRAM 28
ESTABLISHED IN ACCOR DANCE WITH § 7–304 OF THIS SUBTITLE; OR 29
HOUSE BILL 773 3
(V) LIMIT OR PROHIBIT THE STUD ENT’S ATTENDANCE OR 1
PARTICIPATION IN SCHOO L–SPONSORED OR SCHOOL –RELATED ACTIVITIES . 2
(2) A PRINCIPAL MAY NOT RE TURN A STUDENT TO A TEACHER’S 3
CLASSROOM WITHOUT THE TEACHER ’S CONSENT , UNLESS THE PRINCIPAL , 4
GUIDANCE COUNSELOR , AND TEACHER DETERMINE THAT THE PLACEMENT IS THE 5
BEST OR ONLY OPTION AVAILABLE. 6
(E) IF A STUDENT IS SENT TO THE GUIDA NCE COUNSELOR UNDER 7
SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION, THE GUIDANCE COUNSEL OR SHALL DISCIPLINE 8
THE STUDENT USING RESTORATIVE AP PROACHES IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 7–306 OF 9
THIS SUBTITLE. 10
(F) A COUNTY BOARD MAY NOT TAKE DISCIPLINARY AC TION AGAINST A 11
TEACHER WHO REMOVES A STUDENT FROM A CLA SSROOM IN ACCORDANCE WITH 12
SUBSECTION S (B) AND (C) OF THIS SECTION. 13
(G) A STUDENT WHO IS REMOV ED FROM A CLASSROOM IN ACCORDANCE 14
WITH THIS SECTION MAY NOT BE C ONSIDERED REMOVED FR OM THE CLASSROOM 15
FOR PURPOSES OF A RE PORTING REQUIREMENT UNDER § 7–306 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 16
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 17
1, 2025. 18