EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0097*
SENATE BILL 97
F1, F5 5lr0743
(PRE–FILED)
By: Senator McCray
Requested: September 5, 2024
Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
Assigned to: Budget and Taxation and Education, Energy, and the Environment
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Education – Youth Enhancement Program – Establishment 2
FOR the purpose of establishing the Youth Enhancement Program within the State 3
Department of Education to provide grants to certain nonprofit organizations to 4
provide certain services to certain individuals residing in or attending public school 5
in Baltimore City or Baltimore County; and generally relating to the Youth 6
Enhancement Program. 7
BY adding to 8
Article – Education 9
Section 7–136 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
7–136. 16
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 17
INDICATED. 18
(2) “PROGRAM” MEANS THE YOUTH ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM. 19
(3) “TARGETED INDIVIDUALS ” MEANS EARLY ADOLESCENT 20
CHILDREN AND YOUNG A DULTS WHO: 21
2 SENATE BILL 97
(I) RESIDE IN OR ATTEND A NY PUBLIC SCHOO L IN BALTIMORE 1
CITY OR BALTIMORE COUNTY; 2
(II) AT THE TIME OF FIRST RECEIVING SERVICES F ROM A 3
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATI ON DESCRIBED IN SUBS ECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION , 4
QUALIFY FOR FREE OR REDUCED PRICE MEALS ; AND 5
(III) ARE MEMBERS OF A HIST ORICALLY DISADV ANTAGED 6
GROUP WHO FACE OBSTA CLES TO ACHIEVEMENT THAT MAY BE EFFECTIV ELY 7
MITIGATED BY LONG –TERM MENTORSHIP . 8
(B) THERE IS A YOUTH ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM IN THE DEPARTMENT . 9
(C) THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE GRANTS TO 10
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATI ONS THAT: 11
(1) ARE HEADQUARTERED IN A CENTRAL LOCATION I N BALTIMORE 12
CITY; AND 13
(2) PROVIDE SERVICES TO T ARGETED INDIVIDUALS THAT 14
SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS AND ADAPT TO THE NEE DS OF TARGETED INDIV IDUALS 15
FROM EARLY ADOLESCEN CE TO ADULTHOOD WITH A FOCUS ON MENT ORING AND 16
ACADEMIC AND SOCIAL INSTRUCTION THAT INC LUDES CONTINUOUS ENGAGEMEN T 17
INTO ADULTHOOD IN : 18
(I) LIFELONG HEALTH AND W ELLNESS, INCLUDING 19
ATHLETICS, EXERCISE, AND NUTRITION ; 20
(II) MENTAL HEALTH ; 21
(III) CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT ; AND 22
(IV) COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS . 23
(D) THE SERVICES PROVIDED TO TARGETED INDIVIDU ALS BY NONPROFIT 24
ORGANIZATIONS THAT R ECEIVE GRANTS UNDER THE PROGRAM SHALL BE : 25
(1) PROVIDED D URING OUT–OF–SCHOOL TIME AND OUT –OF–WORK 26
TIME; AND 27
(2) DELIVERED PARTLY BY INDIVIDUALS WHO PREVIOUSLY 28
RECEIVED SERVICES FR OM THE NONPROFIT ORG ANIZATION. 29
SENATE BILL 97 3
(E) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL : 1
(1) ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM; AND 2
(2) ESTABLISH APPLICATION PROCEDURES FOR NONPR OFIT 3
ORGANIZATIONS TO APP LY TO THE PROGRAM. 4
(F) FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027 AND EACH FISCAL YEAR THER EAFTER, THE 5
GOVERNOR SHALL INCLUD E IN THE ANNUAL BUDG ET BILL AN APPROPRIA TION OF 6
$1,000,000 FOR THE PROGRAM. 7
(G) ON OR BEFORE OCTOBER 1 FOLLOWING EACH FISCA L YEAR IN WHICH A 8
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION RECEIVED A GRANT FRO M THE PROGRAM, THE 9
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATI ON SHALL SUBMIT A REPORT TO T HE DEPARTMENT THAT: 10
(1) PROVIDES DATA ON THE SERVICES PROVIDED TO TARGETED 11
INDIVIDUALS; AND 12
(2) TRACKS STUDENT PROGRESS THR OUGH THE EDUCATION S YSTEM. 13
(H) (1) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 2028, AND EACH DECEMBER 1 14
THEREAFTER , THE DEPARTMENT SHALL SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE GENERAL 15
ASSEMBLY, IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, 16
THAT SUMMARIZES THE REPOR TS RECEIVED IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBSECTION (G) 17
OF THIS SECTION. 18
(2) THE REPORT SUBMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT SHALL INCL UDE 19
INFORMATION ON THE GRANTS DISTRIBUTED EACH FIS CAL YEAR. 20
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 21
1, 2025. 22