EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW .
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0811*
HOUSE BILL 811
L1 5lr2131
CF SB 526
By: Delegates Terrasa, Charkoudian, Feldmark, Kaufman, R. Lewis, Patterson,
and Ziegler
Introduced and read first time: January 29, 2025
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation and Ways and Means
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Counties – Construction of Sidewalks and Crosswalks – Safe Alternative Routes 2
to Public Schools 3
FOR the purpose of requiring a county board of education each year to prepare and post in 4
a certain manner a report that identifies pathways that public school students may 5
use to travel to school using only safe alternative routes under certain circumstances; 6
requiring the governing body of a county each year to review a certain report and 7
construct any sidewalks and crosswalks necessary to create safe alternative routes 8
for public school students under certain circumstances; requiring the governing body 9
of a county to develop a certain plan with a certain governmental entity or person 10
and make certain efforts to execute the plan under certain circumstances; and 11
generally relating to safe alternative routes to public schools. 12
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 13
Article – Education 14
Section 7–801(b)(1) 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 17
BY adding to 18
Article – Education 19
Section 7–801(e) 20
Annotated Code of Maryland 21
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 22
BY adding to 23
Article – Local Government 24
Section 12–506.1 25
Annotated Code of Maryland 26
(2013 Volume and 2024 Supplement) 27 2 HOUSE BILL 811
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2
Article – Education 3
7–801. 4
(b) (1) At its own expense, a county governing body may provide 5
transportation for public school students in addition to the transportation provided by the 6
State. 7
(E) (1) IN THIS SUBSECTION , “SAFE ALTERNATIVE ROU TE” INCLUDES: 8
(I) A ROAD WITH SIDEWALKS AND, AT INTERSECTIONS , 9
CROSSWALKS ; 10
(II) A FOOT PATH; AND 11
(III) A BIKE PATH. 12
(2) EACH YEAR, A COUNTY BOARD SHALL PREPARE A REPORT THA T 13
IDENTIFIES: 14
(I) FOR EACH PUBLIC SCHOO L IN THE COUNTY , THOSE AREAS 15
OF THE COUNTY WHERE A STUDENT WHO IS REG ULARLY ASSIGNED TO THE SCHOOL 16
WOULD BE INELIGIBLE FOR TRANSPORTATION S ERVICES BASED ON THE DISTANCE 17
BETWEEN A RESIDENCE AND THE SCHOOL ; AND 18
(II) PATHWAYS THAT A STUDE NT RESIDING IN AN AR EA 19
IDENTIFIED UNDER ITE M (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH MA Y USE TO TRAVEL BETW EEN 20
THE STUDENT’S RESIDENCE AND REGU LARLY ASSIGNED SCHOO L USING ONLY A 21
SAFE ALTERNATIVE ROU TE OR A CONTIGUOUS S ERIES OF SAFE ALTERN ATIVE 22
ROUTES. 23
(3) THE COUNTY BOARD SHAL L POST TO THE COUNTY ’S WEBSITE 24
EACH REPORT PREPARED UNDER PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTIO N. 25
Article – Local Government 26
12–506.1. 27
(A) IN THIS SECTION , “SAFE ALTERNATIVE ROU TE” HAS THE MEANING 28
STATED IN § 7–801 OF THE EDUCATION ARTICLE. 29 HOUSE BILL 811 3
(B) THIS SECTION APPLIES TO ALL COUNTIES . 1
(C) EACH YEAR, THE GOVERNING BODY O F A COUNTY SHALL : 2
(1) REVIEW THE REPORT RE QUIRED UNDER § 7–801(E)(2) OF THE 3
EDUCATION ARTICLE; AND 4
(2) CONSTRUCT ANY SIDEWA LKS AND CROSSWALKS N ECESSARY TO 5
CREATE SAFE ALTERNAT IVE ROUTES FOR STUDE NTS AS IDENTIFIED IN THE REPORT. 6
(D) IF THE GOVERNING BODY OF A COUNTY MUST A LTER A ROAD THAT IS 7
NOT SUBJECT TO THE J URISDICTION OF THE C OUNTY IN ORDER TO ME ET THE 8
REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION, THE GOVERNING BODY S HALL: 9
(1) DEVELOP A PLAN WITH THE GOVERNMENTAL ENT ITY OR PERSON 10
THAT HAS CONTROL OF THE ROAD; AND 11
(2) MAKE REASON ABLE EFFORTS TO EXEC UTE THE PLAN IN AN 12
EXPEDITIOUS MANNER . 13
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 14
1, 2025. 15