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.
*sb0008*
SENATE BILL 8
F1 5lr0685
SB 762/24 – EEE (PRE–FILED) CF HB 72
By: Senators Kagan and Ready, Ready, Attar, Augustine, Bailey, Beidle, Brooks,
Carozza, Ellis, Feldman, Ferguson, Gallion, Hayes, Henson, Hester,
Hettleman, C. Jackson, M. Jackson, Jennings, King, Lewis Young, Love,
Simonaire, Smith, Sydnor, A. Washington, and M. Washington
Requested: August 9, 2024
Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted with floor amendments
Read second time: February 2, 2025
CHAPTER ______
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
2 SENATE BILL 8
(A) IN THIS SECTION , “PROGRAM” MEANS THE MARYLAND CIVIC 1
EXCELLENCE PROGRAM ESTABLISHED U NDER THIS SECTION . 2
(B) (1) THERE IS A MARYLAND CIVIC EXCELLENCE PROGRAM. 3
(2) THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO RECOGNI ZE STUDENTS 4
AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS T HAT PROMOTE THE CIVI C READINESS AND CIVIC 5
ENGAGEMENT OF STUDEN TS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE STATE. 6
(C) THE PROVISIONS OF THI S SECTION APPLY ONLY TO A LOCAL SCHOOL 7
SYSTEM THAT CHOOSES TO PARTICIPATE IN AN D ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM. 8
(D) BEGINNING WITH THE 2026–2027 SCHOOL YEAR , EACH PARTICIPATING 9
LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM SHALL: 10
(1) AWARD A STUDENT A SEAL OF CIVIC EXCELLENCE IF THE 11
STUDENT APPLIES AND MEETS THE CRITERIA E STABLISHED BY THE LO CAL SCHOOL 12
SYSTEM UNDER SUBSECT ION (E) OF THIS SECTION; AND 13
(2) DESIGNATE A PUBLIC SC HOOL AS A CENTER OF CIVIC 14
EXCELLENCE IF THE SCH OOL APPLIES AND MEET S THE CRITERIA ADOPT ED BY THE 15
LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM UNDER SUBSECTION (G) OF THIS SECTION. 16
(E) AT MINIMUM, A PARTICIPATING LOCA L SCHOOL SYSTEM ’S CRITERIA 17
FOR A SEAL OF CIVIC EXCELLENCE SHALL REQUIRE A STUD ENT TO: 18
(1) (I) TAKE THE MARYLAND COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT FOR 19
GOVERNMENT ; AND 20
(II) MEET THE ASSESSMENT R EQUIREMENTS FOR 21
GRADUATION ; 22
(2) EARN A GRADE OF A OR B IN EACH OF THE FOLLO WING HIGH 23
SCHOOL SOCIAL STUDIE S COURSES: 24
(I) UNITED STATES HISTORY; 25
(II) MODERN WORLD HISTORY; AND 26
(III) AMERICAN GOVERNMENT ; AND 27
(3) COMPLETE AND DEMONSTR ATE EVIDENCE OF AT L EAST 75 HOURS 28
OF STUDENT SERVICE , OF WHICH AT LEAST 30 HOURS SHALL BE DEDIC ATED TO A 29 SENATE BILL 8 3
SERVICE LEARNING PRO JECT WITH A FOCUS ON COMMUNITY AND CIVIC 1
ENGAGEMENT . 2
(F) A PARTICIPATING LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM SHALL ESTABLISH 3
APPLICATION CRITERIA TO ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM. 4
(G) AT MINIMUM, A PARTICIPATING LOCA L SCHOOL SYSTEM ’S CRITERIA 5
FOR A CENTER OF CIVIC EXCELLENCE DESIGNATION SHALL RE QUIRE A PUBLIC 6
SCHOOL TO HAVE AT LE AST 50% OF THE STUDENTS IN I TS GRADUATING CLASS WHO 7
HAVE EARNED A SEAL OF CIVIC EXCELLENCE. 8
(H) (1) A LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT DETERMINES A ST UDENT HAS 9
FULFILLED THE CRITER IA UNDER THE PROGRAM SHALL : 10
(I) AWARD THE STUDENT A SEAL OF CIVIC EXCELLENCE; 11
(II) RECORD THE AWARD ON T HE STUDENT ’S OFFICIAL HIGH 12
SCHOOL TRANSCRIPT ; AND 13
(III) RECOGNIZE THE AWARD B Y AWARDING A CORD OR MEDAL 14
OR BY ATTACHING OTHER INSIGNIA ON TH E STUDENT’S HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOM A. 15
(2) A LOCAL SCHOOL SY STEM THAT DETERMINES THAT A PUBLIC 16
SCHOOL HAS FULFILLED THE CRITERIA UNDER T HE PROGRAM SHALL : 17
(I) DESIGNATE THE SCHOOL AS A CENTER OF CIVIC 18
EXCELLENCE; AND 19
(II) RECOGNIZE THE DESIGNA TION BY PROVIDING AN Y OF THE 20
FOLLOWING: 21
1. A BANNER; 22
2. A GOVERNOR’S CITATION; OR 23
3. A CITATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT . 24
(I) ON OR BEFORE JULY 1, 2027, AND EACH JULY 1 THEREAFTER , EACH 25
PARTICIPATING LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM SHALL SUBMIT TO THE DEPARTMENT A 26
REPORT ON THE PROGRAM BASED ON THE MOST RECENTLY COMPLETED SCHOOL 27
YEAR. 28
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 29
1, 2025. 30