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.
*sb0378*
SENATE BILL 378
F5, E4, E5 5lr1564
CF HB 415
By: Senator A. Washington Senators A. Washington, Attar, Augustine, Brooks,
Feldman, Hester, Kagan, M. Washington, and Watson
Introduced and read first time: January 17, 2025
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: February 11, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
State Library Agency – Family Literacy Pilot Program – Establishment 2
FOR the purpose of establishing the Family Literacy Pilot Program administered by the 3
State Library Agency in consultation with the Department of Public Safety and 4
Correctional Services and the Correctional Education Council to enable certain 5
incarcerated individuals to read aloud to their children by preparing a recording; 6
requiring the State Library Agency to submit a certain report on or before a certain 7
date; and generally relating to the Family Literacy Pilot Program. 8
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 9
Article – Education 10
Section 23–101(a) and (c) and 23–103 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 13
BY adding to 14
Article – Education 15
Section 23–112 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 18
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 19
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 20
2 SENATE BILL 378
Article – Education 1
23–101. 2
(a) In this title the following words have the meanings indicated. 3
(c) “State Library Agency” means the Maryland State Library Agency. 4
23–103. 5
There is a State Library Agency and a State Library Board. The State Library 6
Agency is the central State library agency. 7
23–112. 8
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 9
INDICATED. 10
(2) “CHILD” MEANS A BIOLOGICAL O R ADOPTED CHILD , A 11
STEPCHILD, A GRANDCHILD , OR A LEGAL WARD OF A N INCARCERATED INDIV IDUAL. 12
(3) “PROGRAM” MEANS THE FAMILY LITERACY PILOT PROGRAM. 13
(B) THERE IS A FAMILY LITERACY PILOT PROGRAM. 14
(C) THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO FOSTER FAMILY LITERACY AND 15
STRENGTHEN PARENT –CHILD RELATIONSHIPS BY PROVIDING CHILDRE N’S BOOKS 16
IN STATE CORRECTIONAL FA CILITIES TO INCARCER ATED INDIVIDUALS AND A 17
MEANS FOR AN INCARCE RATED INDIVIDUAL TO READ ALOUD TO THE 18
INCARCERATED INDIVID UAL’S CHILD. 19
(D) THE PROGRAM SHALL BE ADMI NISTERED BY THE STATE LIBRARY 20
AGENCY. 21
(E) THE STATE LIBRARY AGENCY, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE 22
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND CORRECTIONAL SERVICES AND THE 23
CORRECTIONAL EDUCATION COUNCIL, SHALL SELECT FOUR STATE 24
CORRECTIONAL FACILIT Y LIBRARIES OR PRERE LEASE CENTERS TO PAR TICIPATE IN 25
THE PROGRAM THAT SHALL : 26
(1) REPRESENT EACH OF THE WESTERN, CENTRAL, AND EASTERN 27
REGIONS OF THE STATE; 28
(2) CONSIST OF AT LEAST O NE CORRECTIONAL FACI LITY SERVING 29
FEMALE INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS; AND 30 SENATE BILL 378 3
(3) CONSIST OF AT LEAST O NE CORRECTIONAL FACI LITY SERVING 1
MALE INCARCERATED IN DIVIDUALS. 2
(F) THE STATE LIBRARY AGENCY SHALL SELECT T HE CHILDREN’S BOOKS 3
FOR USE IN THE PROGRAM INCLUDING CHI LDREN’S BOOKS IN LANGUAGES OTHER 4
THAN ENGLISH. 5
(G) THE STATE LIBRARY AGENCY, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE 6
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND CORRECTIONAL SERVICES AND THE 7
CORRECTIONAL EDUCATION COUNCIL, SHALL: 8
(1) ESTABLISH A PROCESS T O SECURE WRITTEN PER MISSION TO 9
PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM FROM THE CUST ODIAL PARENT OR GUAR DIAN OF AN 10
INCARCERATED INDIVID UAL’S CHILD; 11
(2) ESTABLISH A PROCESS T O ASSIST AN INCARCER ATED INDIVIDUAL 12
IN SELECTING AN AGE –APPROPRIATE CHILDREN ’S BOOK, PREPARING A RECORDIN G 13
OF THE INCARCERATED INDIVIDUAL READING T HE BOOK ALOUD , AND 14
DISTRIBUTING A COPY OF THE BOOK AND THE RECORDING TO THE INC ARCERATED 15
INDIVIDUAL’S CHILD; AND 16
(3) ENSURE PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM IS FREE OF CH ARGE 17
FOR THE INCARCERATED INDIVIDUAL, THE CHILD, AND THE CUSTODIAL PA RENT OR 18
GUARDIAN. 19
(H) THE STATE LIBRARY AGENCY MAY ADOPT REGU LATIONS NECESSARY 20
TO CARRY OUT THE REQ UIREMENTS OF THIS SE CTION. 21
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That, on or before De cember 1, 22
2028, the State Library Agency shall report to the General Assembly, in accordance with § 23
2–1257 of the State Government Article, on the results of the Family Literacy Pilot 24
Program. 25
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall tak e effect 26
October 1, 2025. It shall remain effective for a period of 3 years and 3 months and, at the 27
end of December 31, 2028, this Act, with no further action required by the General 28
Assembly, shall be abrogated and of no further force and effect. 29