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.
*sb0451*
SENATE BILL 451
F1 5lr1909
CF HB 325
By: Senator King Senators King, Augustine, Brooks, Kagan, and M. Washington
Introduced and read first time: January 21, 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
Adult Education – High School Diploma by Examination – Requirements and 2
Study 3
FOR the purpose of requiring the Maryland Department of Labor to allow an individual to 4
take all components of the General Educational Development Test in the same 5
language of their choice; requiring the Department to submit a certain report to 6
certain committees of the General Assembly on or before a certain date; and 7
generally relating to examination requirements for a high school diploma by 8
examination. 9
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 10
Article – Labor and Employment 11
Section 11–808(a), (b), and (d) 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2016 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 14
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 15
Article – Labor and Employment 16
Section 11–808(c) 17
Annotated Code of Maryland 18
(2016 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 19
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 20
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 21
2 SENATE BILL 451
Article – Labor and Employment 1
11–808. 2
(a) An individual may obtain a high school diploma by examination as provided 3
in this section if the individual: 4
(1) has not obtained a high school diploma; 5
(2) resides in this State; and 6
(3) except as provided in subsection (b) of this section: 7
(i) is not subject to compulsory school attendance under § 7–301 of 8
the Education Article; and 9
(ii) has withdrawn from a regular full–time public or private school 10
program. 11
(b) An individual is not subject to the requirements of subsection (a)(3) of this 12
section if the individual participates in a GED Option Program administered by the State 13
Department of Education that creates a pathway to a high school diploma by examination 14
for currently enrolled high school English language learner students under the age of 21 15
years who have experienced interrupted education and have a lower level of English 16
proficiency than their peers. 17
(c) The Department shall: 18
(1) offer examinations to individuals who are pursuing a high school 19
diploma under this subtitle at least twice each year at places throughout the State that are 20
reasonably convenient for the applicants; AND 21
(2) ALLOW AN INDIVIDUAL TO TAKE ALL COMPONEN TS OF THE 22
EXAMINATION IN THE LANGUAGE OF THEIR CH OICE SAME LANGUAGE FROM T HE 23
ENGLISH– OR SPANISH–LANGUAGE EXAMINATION S OFFERED BY THE 24
DEPARTMENT . 25
(d) The examination shall: 26
(1) be offered in appropriate high school subject areas; and 27
(2) be of a comprehensive nature as determined by the State Board of 28
Education. 29
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 30
SENATE BILL 451 3
(a) The Maryland Department of Labor shall: 1
(1) identify other appropriate languages in which to offer the General 2
Educational Development Test for adult learners in the State; and 3
(2) study the feasibility and cost of offering the examination in additional 4
languages. 5
(b) On or before December 1, 2026, the Department shall submit, in accordance 6
with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, a report of its findings and 7
recommendations from the study required under this section to the Senate Finance 8
Committee and the House Committee on Ways and Means. 9
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 10
October July 1, 2025. 11
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.